Interpretation ID: nht72-2.4

DATE: 04/03/72

FROM: JAMES E. FORRESTER FOR ROBERT L. CARTER -- NHTSA

TO: Walters Company U.S.A.

TITLE: FMVSS INTERPRETATION

TEXT: Thank you for your letter of March 7, 1972, requesting the latest information regarding Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 301, clarification of "leakage" and comments regarding U.S. Patent No. 3, 610, 263.

As amendment to FMVSS No. 301 will be issued in the near future in response to the Notice of Proposed Rule Making published earlier, 35 F.R. (Illegible Word). The substance of this action involves extending the scope of the rule as indicated in the Notice, but the details of the final amendment will not be disclosed before issue. A copy of the Notice is enclosed.

Paragraph S4.4 does not mention leakage but refers to fuel spillage which is defined in S3. There is no assurance that this proposal will remain intact in the final rule since the comments from industry, continued research and development work, and many other inputs will influence the course of this rule making.

We are not in a position to comment on the features of any particular device, since our concern is primarily with performance requirements in order to permit originality and choice of different means for design of improved performance. We appreciate the information about your patented fuel tank safety valve assembly, and shall place a copy of this patent in our Docket No. 70-20. This docket is a public file to receive information and comments on matters pertaining to the rule making action on fuel system integrity.

We appreciate your interest in motor vehicle safety.