Abstract: Apparatus for the automatic refuelling of vehicles, primarily cars, including a robot which includes a robot head that is movable in relation to the robot so as to bring the robot head to a predetermined position in relation to the vehicle fuel tank pipe. The positioning of the robot head is effected by a positioning system which includes a first part located on the robot head and a second part placed in a predetermined position on the vehicle, wherein the robot head includes an outer tube and an inner tube which can be moved within said outer tube and extended out of said tube. The outer tube is resilient or yieldable, and the free, front end of the outer tube has the shape of a truncated cone that docks with a correspondingly conical part of an adapter attached to the upper orifice of the vehicle fuel tank pipe during said positioning operation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for opening and closing a cover-plate on an automotive vehicle, wherein the plate lies in line with the vehicle outer body panel and can be swung between an open and a closed position about a vertical or horizontal hinge axis and covers the space in which the mouth of the vehicle refuelling pipe is located. The cover-plate is opened in two stages, wherein the plate is opened slightly to a limited open position by a first opening device in a first opening stage, thereby enabling a second opening device to be inserted between the cover-plate and the outer body panel, and wherein the plate is opened completely by the second opening device in a second opening stage. The cover plate is swung from its open to its closed position by the second opening device.

Abstract: Apparatus for the automatic fueling of automotive vehicles, comprising a robot which includes a fueling pistol and which is operative, to move the fueling pistol automatically from a rest position to a vehicle fueling location. The invention is characterized in that the fueling pistol (16) includes a rigid, first tubular element (20), which is intended to be moved by the robot (1) towards a receiving plate (21) provided with a hole and forming part of the vehicle fueling location. A flexible second tube (26), is arranged within the first, rigid tube (20) for movement from a first terminal position, in which the outer free end (27) of the second tube (26) is located within the first tube (20), to a second terminal position in which the second tube projects from the first tube. A pipe connector is provided between the hole and the fuel pipe of the vehicle.