GB2399546A

GB2399546A - Arrangement of tanks on road and rail tankers

Info

Publication number: GB2399546A
Application number: GB0306108A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Allan William Stobart
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-03-18
Filing date: 2003-03-18
Publication date: 2004-09-22
Anticipated expiration: 2023-03-18
Also published as: GB0306108D0; GB2399546B

Abstract

A tanker provided with a plurality of individual tanks (5,6,7,9) mounted in series one behind the other to a wheeled chassis. Two or more of the tanks (6,7) are interconnected and mounted as a unit to the wheeled chassis by way of a plurality of flexible mounts (10). The tanks may be mounted on a common platform or sub chassis (13) that is so mounted other tanks are directly flexibly mounted to the chassis.

Description

Title: Improvements in and relating to road and rail tankers

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to road and rail tankers.

In my co-pending UK Patent Application No. 0022239.8 I describe a tanker carrying a plurality of tanks mounted in series one behind the other on a wheeled chassis and in which the tanks are each mounted independently to the chassis using a plurality of flexible mounts to allow the tanks to move individually relative to the chassis and each other. The tanks may be single or multi compartment tanks.

I also describe a system for accurately measuring the quantity of liquid in the tanks by using a pair of calibrated sight gauges. To obtain the best accuracy it is preferable to use individual tanks rather than multi compartment tanks. Preferably all the tanks have substantially the same external cross-section, or at least height and width. Where the tanks are required to have a small capacity, say less than 3000 litres. The length of the tanks is quite small, and as a consequence, when individually mounted to the chassis using flexible mounts, the mounts have to be closely spaced in the longitudinal direction. The height of the tanks will be considerably greater than the spacing between the mounts and as a consequence the stability of the tanks is reduced.

The present invention aims to provide a solution.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a tanker comprising a plurality of individual tanks mounted in series one behind the other to a wheeled chassis, and wherein two or more of the tanks are carried on a common platform or sub-chassis or otherwise connected together and mounted to the wheeled chassis by way of a plurality of flexible mounts.

Where provided, the common platform or sub chassis is mounted to the wheeled chassis by way of the plurality of flexible mounts. The mounts preferably allow movement of the tanks mounted positioned thereby in all directions relative to a rest position. One or more additional tanks may be provided that are directly mounted to the chassis using a plurality of flexible mounts. The flexible mounts allow the tanks or tank assemblies (in the case of two or more interconnected tanks) to move independently of one another.

In this way, the individual tanks may be provided with the aforesaid sight gauges, whilst the longitudinal spacing of the mounts is sufficient to give stability to the tanks so mounted. Conveniently the pairs of sight gauges for each tank are disposed at the ends of the tanks in the spaces therebetween. The tanks are mounted fixedly to the common platform or sub-chassis.

Stability of the individual flexibly mounted tanks or tank assemblies in the longitudinal direction can be further aided by placing a resilient buffer between the individual tanks at a location towards the top of the tanks. This does not inhibit the relative movement of the tanks that occurs when the chassis twists, but merely serves to distribute the fore and aft loads that arise on braking and acceleration. The interconnected tanks are preferably interconnected adjacent the mountings therefor, and preferably also at or adjacent to the top of the tanks.

Each of the tanks is provided with a vent pipe that connects with a manifold.

That in turn has provisions for connecting to an external vapour recovery tank, when the tanker is being filled. Advantageously the manifold is disposed in the vicinity of the tank mounting. Preferably the vent pipes are disposed externally at the end of the tanks in the spaces between the adjacent tanks to enter the tanks at the top of the tanks. Advantageously, the vent pipes have an elliptical or flattened eross-seetion so as to occupy a reduced longitudinally distance between the tanks whilst having the same overall volume as a circular vent pipe.

The present invention will now be described further by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings; in whieh: Figure I is a side view of a road tanker embodying the present invention, and Figure 2 is a plan view of the road tanker of Figure 1.

The road tanker comprises a wheeled chassis 3 having a cab 1. The tanker has tour tanks 5,6,7 and 9 in the illustrated embodiment. Tanks 5 and 9 are mounted directly to the chassis 3 using four flexible mounts 10 (two longitudinally spaced to each side of the tanks). Tanks 6 and 7 are mounted to a sub-chassis 13 which may comprise laterally spaced longitudinal elements with transverse interconnecting elements. The subchassis is resiliently mounted to the chassis 3 by flexible mounts 10. This ensures that the longitudinal spacing of the flexible mounts for the sub- chassis provides sufficient stability. The tanks 6 and 7 are preferably also connected at the top by extending the valance 43 so as to interconnect the tanks at the top.

All the flexible mounts comprising a first flange 17 fixed to the wheeled chassis, and a flange fixed to either the tanks 5, 9 or the sub-chassis 11 as the case may require; and with a resilient element 19 interposed therebetween. Thus the flexibly mounted tanks and the sub-chassis are able to move in all directions relative to a rest position, sufficient to accommodate any tilting movement of the wheeled chassis 3, and thereby avoid stressing of the tanks.

The tanks of the illustrated tanker are constructed to be horizontally symmetrical about a volumetric centre line. The ends of the adjacent tanks are complimentary curved, whilst the opposite ends of each tank are correspondingly curved. In the example tanks 5 and 7 have concavely swept ends, and tanks 6 and 9 have convexly swept ends. Each tank is provided with a pair of calibrated sight gauges 21,23 disposed on a diameter passing through the volumetric centre line 25.

This enables the quantity of liquid in each tank to be determined even when the tank is displaced from the horizontal, by averaging the two readings.

Also shown is a vapour recovery system comprising a manifold 27 disposed beneath the tanks and running longitudinally from the front to the rear of the tanker.

Vent pipes 29 connect with the manifold and each pipe runs up the one end of its associated tank to enter the tank at the top 41. The vent pipes have a rectangular or flattened oval/elliptical cross-section with the minor axis aligned in the longitudinal direction to minimise the longitudinal space occupied between the tanks by the vent pipes, to minimise (avoid) the risk of fouling when a tank moves relative to an adjacent tank. In practice only the vent pipes between tanks 5 and 6 and 7 and 9 need to adopt this configuration.

The vent pipe may have a flexible connection with the manifold, or the manifold may have a respective section for each flexibly mounted tank or sub-chassis with flexible connections therebetwoen.

The manifold has provisions for connecting to an external vapour recovery system.

The tanker is provided with the usual filling and delivering provisions, but as these are not part of the invention and are of conventional construction they are not described or illustrated.

The invention has been described in relation to its application to a road vehicle, but it is also applicable to a rail tanker.

Claims

1. A tanker comprising a plurality of individual tanks mounted in series one behind the other to a wheeled chassis, and wherein two or more of the tanks are carried on a common platform or sub-chassis or otherwise connected together and mounted to the wheeled chassis by way of a plurality of flexible mounts.

2. A tanker as claimed in claim 1 in which the flexible mounts connect with the tanks.

3. A tanker as claimed in claim 1 in which the flexible mounts connect with the platform, sub chassis or such like means connecting the tanks together.

4. A tanker as claimed in any one of claims I to 3 in which the tanks are mounted fixedly to the common platform or sub-chassis.

5. A tanker as claimed in any one of claims I to 4 in which the individual tanks are each provided with a pair of sight gauges.

6. A tanker as claimed in claim 5 in which the pairs of sight gauges for each tank are disposed at the ends of the tanks in the spaces thcrebetween.

7. A tanker as claimed in any one of claims I to 6 in which the stability of the individual tanks in the longitudinal direction is further aided by placing a resilient buffer between the individual tanks at a location towards the top of the tanks.

8. A tanker as claimed in any one of claims I to 7 in which each of the tanks is provided with a vent pipe that connects with a manifold.

9. A tanker as claimed in claim 8 in which the manifold is disposed in the vicinity of the tank mounting.

10. A tanker as claimed in claim 8 or 9 in which the vent pipes are disposed externally at the end of the tanks in the spaces between the adjacent tanks to enter the tanks at the top of the tanks.

11. A tanker as claimed in claim 8, 9 or 10 in which the vent pipes have an elliptical or flattened cross-section.

12. A tanker as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the tanks are Constructed to be horizontally symmetrical about a volumetric eentre line.

13. A tanker as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12 in which the ends of the adjacent tanks are complimentary curved, whilst the opposite ends of each tanks are correspondingly curved.

14. A tanker as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 1 1 in which the vent pipe has a flexible connection with the manifold.

15. A tanker as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 1 1 in which the manifold has a respective section for each flexibly mounted tank or tank assembly with flexible connections therebetween.

16. A tanker constructed a.lcl arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

16. A tanker constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

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Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows: 1. A tanker comprising a plurality of individual tanks mounted in series one behind the other to a wheeled chassis, and wherein two or more of the tanks are carried on a common platform or sub-chassis or otherwise connected together and mounted to the wheeled chassis by way of a plurality of flexible mounts.

2. A tanker as claimed in claim I in which the flexible mounts connect with the tanks.

3. A tanker as claimed in claim I in which the flexible mounts connect with the platform, sub chassis or such like means connecting the tanks together.

4. A tanker as claimed in any one of claims I to 3 in which the tanks are mounted fixedly to the common platiOnil or SUb-CIlaSSiS.

5. A tanker as claimed in any one of claims I to 4 in whicl, the individual tanks are each provided with a pair of sight gauges.

6. A tanl<er as claimed in claim 5 in which the pairs of sight gauges for each tank are disposed at the cods of the tanks in spaces therebetween.

7. A tanker as clainecl in any one of claims I to in which the stability ol tile indiviclua.l tanks in the longitudinal direction is further aided by placing a resilient banner between the individual tanks at a location towards the top ofthe tanks.

Q. A 'air as ciai?ne/?i i?? ally one of claims I to 7 i?' Wl?iCl? each of talc tal?ks is ?.rovicled with a vent pipe that connects with a manifolcl.

3. tank- as c]aimcd in ciai?n in which the nar?ifold is disposed in tl?c vicinity ol tile tank Il?OU??ti?lg. /

10. A tanker as claimed in claim 8 or 9 in which the vent pipes are disposed externally at the end of the tanks in spaces between the adjacent tanks to enter the tanks at the top of the tanks.

11. A tanker as claimed in claim 8, t) or 10 in which the vent pines have an elliptical or flattened cross-section.

12. A tanker as claimed in any one ol the preceding claims in which the tank-e are constructed to be horizontally symmetrical about a volumetric centre line.

13. A tanker as claimed in any one of claims T to 12 in which the ends of the adjacc,t tanks are complimentary curved, whilst the opposite ends of each tanks are correspondingly curved.

14. A tanker as claimed in ally one of claims 8 to 1 1 in which the vent pipe has a flexible connection with the manifold.

15. A tanker as claimed in ar,y one o! ciaii,is 8 to 1 1 in, wl,ich the ii.ai,ifold has a respective SCCtiO?I for each flexibly mounted lank or tank assembly with flexible connections therebetween.