The invention concerns pumps for distribution of fuel. The refuelling of motor vehicles requires a series o_f _^ somewhat time-consuming and complex operations especial- ly today when more and more pumps have no personnel and drivers must put in fuel themselves.

If, however, service personnel is available, drivers of vehicles often have to get in line and patiently await their turn . Where the pump is self-service, the driver must get into position, leave the vehicle, put sufficient bank notes into a pay box, then do all the other things with the vehicle and the pump: which would otherwise be done for him. Bearing in mind that, by their very nature, motor vehi¬ cles are synonymous with \'speed\' and \'comfort\' , all these operations become burdonsome emphasising their conflict with such characteristics.

Purpose of the invention is to deprive filling stations of their present drawbacks by introducing efficient means that will drastically alleviate the difficulties connected with refuelling, as will be explained below. Subject of the invention is a station for refuelling motor vehicles. The station comprises:

- a set of telecameras for ascertaining the spatial posi¬ tion of the door covering the plug closing the fuel tank; - a robot for automatic operations such as opening the above door, taking out the plug, putting fuel into the tank, re¬ placing the plug and closing the door over it;

- a set of equipment placed at a height within easy reach of the seated driver; this includes a magnetic card reader, a keyboard on which the quantity of fuel or anything else is tapped out, a receipt distributing device and a monitor for giving instructions to the driver and showing the ope¬ rations that have been carried out;

- a computer for handling the sequence of operations. When a motor vehicle stops at the station, the telecameras check on the vehicle\'s position.

Following the instructions that appear on the monitor\'s screen, the driver inserts his card and presses the keys indicating how much fuel is needed. The card is automatically returned with the sum deducted for the quantity of fuel requested, and the printer issues a receipt which appears through a slit.

The computer then makes the robot carry out a sequence of movements for filling the vehicle\'s tank. In a preferred type of execution the robot stands on a ho- rizontally translating slide above which is an axially ro¬ tating vertical column, a vertical arm articulated onto

said column, a horizontal arm articulated onto the ver¬ tical arm and a series of motors which, by translation of the slide, axial rotation of the column and rotation of the arms, cause the robot\'s operating head to assume a position that, in relation to the three spatial axes X,Y, Z, is virtually aligned with the door to the fuel tank on the vehicle standing at the filling station, and there¬ fore aligned with the fuel tank\'s plug at a regular dis¬ tance from it . The robot\'s operating head carries three smaller arms, one for opening and closing the door over the plug, one for taking out the plug and putting it back, and the third for putting in the fuel. The above smaller arms lie in three directions at equal angular distances one from another, while the head rotates centrally to permit one or other of said smaller arms to assume its operative position.

At the end of the first arm is a flexible suction device, preferably connected to a fan, so that when the arm comes in contact with said door over the tank, the suction de¬ vice sticks to the door and pulls it open as said arm moves backwards, while the reverse can be done and the door closed again after filling. The second of the smaller arms has a rod fixed, for rota- tion, to the shaft of a motor but free to move axially in relation to said shaft. Mounted on said rod is a tooth which touches a sensor connected to the computer. Said shaft also carries means whose angular position is indicated to a second sensor also connected to the computer. On the tip of the rod are means for penetrating inside a cavity, cut in the plug closing the vehicle\'s fuel tank,

both in a longitudinal and an angular direction. Therefore, as the arm reaches the plug, the means on said tip fit onto it .

Ascertainment of the rod\'s end-stroke position by the first sensor, makes the motor give the necessary rotating motion that unscrews the plug, which is then lifted off by the rod leaving entry to the fuel tank clear.

Reversing the operation, after refuelling, the plug is put back. The third of the smaller arms ends in a tubular rod con¬ nected to the pipe of the fuel distribution pump. On said rod is a sensor which, when it feels that the rod has been inserted into the tank mouth, permits fuel to pass through. A solenoid valve connected to the computer controls the quantity of fuel to be put into the tank.

This operation having been completed, the filling a_rm is drawn back to allow the second and the first arms to re¬ peat their operations in reverse. When the vehicle stops at the filling station, a specially placed upright, carrying two orthogonal sensors, notes the position of the vehicle, sideways and longitudinally, and informs the driver,by emitting visual signals, if the vehicle\'s position is correct or not, intimating that the filling sequence can commence only when the position is right. At the conclusion of the above operations, a barrier, across the exit automatically rises to allow the vehicle to leave . The positions of the filling door and of the fuel plug on the vehicle are indicated to the telecameras by reflec¬ tors and fluorescent paint.

03391 PCΓ/ΓΓ93/OOOI7

- 5 -

The advantages of the invention are evident. The driver has simply to stop the vehicle in the right position facing the moveable barrier, put in his magnetic card and tap out his needs on the keyboard. Subsequent operations are carried through swiftly and automatically .

At their conclusion the computer raises the barrier and the traveller can proceed, having stopped only long enough for execution of the above operations. The driver\'s comfort is greatly increased while a similar advantage also accrues to the filling station manager who effectively exploits his installation, due to speedy refuelling of vehicles, and so recovers his investment and running costs within a short time. Characteristics and purposes of the invention will be made still clearer by the following example of its exe¬ cution illustrated by diagrammat ically drawn figures. Fig. 1 Automatic refuelling station, perspective view. Fig. 2 Distributing robot, perspective view. Fig. 3 Controlling equipment, perspective view.

Fig. 4 Operative distributing head in the position for opening the door over the tank plug of a motor vehicle, perspective view. Fig. 5 Operative distributing head in the position for lifting out the tank plug of the vehicle, pers- pective view . Fig. 6 Above operating head during the actual refuel¬ ling process, perspective view. Fig. 7 Detail of the pincer means for detaching the plug, lateral cross section.

Fig. 8 Detail of the filling tube.

Fig. 9 Diagram of layout of equipment for operating the refuelling station. The station 10 comprises the robot 30 alongside the auto¬ matic fuel pump 45, both of which are installed on the raised footway 11 parallel to another raised footway 12 beyond the area 13 where the motor vehicle 20 will stop, said area being marked off by the longitudinal strips 14 and 15, and the front strip 16. The controlling equipment 120 is installed on said raised footway 12 and at the inner end of said equipment stands the upright 17 supporting the stop barrier. 18. Near the angle formed by strips 16 and 15 stands the up¬ right 100 on which are two sensors at 90°, 101 and 102, for emission of beams 103 and 104, the first being along- side the longitudinal strip 15 and the second alongside the front strip 16, their purpose being to read the lateral and longitudinal positions of the motor velfrtle. Columns 110 and 111 are installed one on each side of the robot 30, said columns supporting telecameras 112 and 113 respec ively, the purpose of said telecameras being to read the spatial position of the fuel plug 80 on the motor vehicle 20.

The robot 30 is supported by the horizontally translating slide 31 and comprises the axially rotating column 32 which, by means of articulation 35, supports the vertical arm 33 and this in turn, by means of articulation 36, sup¬ ports the horizontal arm 34 at whose end is mounted the the distributing head 40 by means of articulation 41. Said head comprises the three smaller arms 50, 60, 90 placed at an equivalent angular distance one from the other.

At its end arm 50 carries the suction means 51 articulated

at 52 and connected to a fan by means of an elastic tube. Arm 60 terminates in a short rod 71 whose tip 61 will pe¬ netrate inside the seat 81 of the plug 80 closing the fuel tank of the motor vehicle 20. Said rod 71 can slide axially in the arm 60 compressing the axial helical spring 62 and, by means of the disc 63, indicates its longitudinal axial position to the electro¬ nic sensor 64. Said tip also rotates axially worked by a motor 65 through a shaft 72 and, by means of the device 66, indicates its angular position to the sensor 67.

The tip 61 of rod 71 carries the diametrically opposed teeth 69 .arid action by the internal spring 68 and the notches 70,keeps them at.a short distance from said extremity. The vehicle\'s tank plug 80 comprises the cover 82, the actual internal plug 83 and front cylindrical expansion 84 with teeth 86 lodged in the seats 85 open towards the axial cylindrical cavity 81 which also comprises the dia¬ metrical seats 87. From the foregoing it will be seen that, using said arm 60, the robot can unscrew the plug 80.

For this purpose the arm 60 is brought axially close to the plug 80 so that the tip 61 enters the cavity 81 and the teeth 68 are held in the seats 87 in said cavity while the teeth 85 in said cavity are held in the seats 70 in the tip 61.

These positions having been acquired the sensor 64 sends out its signals for axial rotation of said tip to commence to the point where the tap 80 becomes unscrewed, signalled by the sensor 67.

The arm 60 then withdraws taking the plug with it and so

leaves open the mouth 24 inside the cavity 23 over which the door 22 closes.

At this stage the head 40 of the robot 30 make a < ^* - angular turn so that arm 90 assumes the former position of arm 60. The end 91 of this arm is tubular and along it slides the bushing 92, served by the helical spring 93, said bushing then touching the sensor 94 which permits fuel to flow in as soon as the bushing comes in contact with the opening 24 into the vehicle\'s tank, bringing into operation the solenoid valve 96.

Fuel flows in through the pipe 95.

The controlling equipment 120 has, at a height in its base 121 accessible to the driver\'s arm,an alcove 122 contain¬ ing a keyboard 123, slit 124 for receiving the magnetic card, another slit 125 for emission of the receipt, and the monitor 126 for seeing stages of the operations. Inside this set of equipment is the computer 127 and all the electric, electronic and mechanical accessories and de¬ vices needed for logical handling of the filling station. Electric and electronic connections are summarised in the diagram in Fig. 9 giving the reference numbers of the var¬ ious devices . Operation When a vehicle, such as an automobile 20, needs fuel, it stops in the area 13 of the station 10 between the longi¬ tudinal strips 14 and 15 and near the front strip 18. Its correct position is ch cked by beams 103 and 104 from the sensors 101 and 102. The correct or incorrect position is then signalled by suitable visual or acoustic means.

Having moved the car to the right position, the driver can

slide his magnetic card into the slit 124, then, guided by instructions on the monitor, tap onto the keyboard 123 the quantity of fuel he requires.

The computer deducts from the driver\'s \'account\' , stored in the card, the corresponding amount after which the printer .128.-prints . the - receipt which is issued through the slit 125.

The computer ■127 then puts in hand the refuelling operations described as follows. Through their beams 114 and 115, the telecameras 112 and 113 evaluate the exact position of the door 22 over the fuel tank\'s plug, aided by the reflectors 25, and the com¬ puter 127 then moves the slide 31, so that the operating head 40 of the robot 30 assumes the right position in re- lation to said door 22 , simultaneously moving the robot\'s arm 34 into place.

The head 40, with the small arm 50 as illustrated i\'n\'Fig. 4, advances towards the side 21 of the automobile 20 and the suction means 51, with suction created by means of the elastic tube 53, clings to the door 50 aided by the articulation 52.

The head then withdraws and the door opens as seen in Fig. 4 leaving free access to the chamber 23 and thus to the plug 80 that closes the tank\'s mouth 24. Suction then ceases and the head 40 rotates replacing arm 50 by arm 60 which moves up, grips the plug 80 as al¬ ready described and lifts it out as seen in Fig. 5. The head 40. then makes a further rotation and replaces arm 60 with arm 90 (Fig. 6). The end 91 enters the tank\'s mouth 24 and, through the pipe 95, Supplies fuel to the tank of the automobile 20 as already described.

Having terminated fuel supply, the head 40 moves backward and arms 60 and 50 respectively assume their positions for putting back the plug 80 and for closing the door 22. The computer then causes the barrier 18 to be raised allow- ing the automobile to resume its journey.