Dual draw and return fuel manifold with integral mounting bracket for a vehicle

Abstract

A dual draw and return fuel manifold with an integral mounting bracket for use on a mobile vehicle containing at least two fuel tanks such as a heavy duty truck. The invention overcomes problems associated with assembling several fittings to a bracket and reduces the opportunities for leaks to develop in a vehicle fuel system by incorporating the fittings and mounting apparatus into a one piece design. There is a manifold which contains two three way tees integrated onto a mounting bracket or body. The mounting bracket has two engagement legs for engagement to a chassis mounted component over and to a vehicle drive train component. In a preferred embodiment these engagement legs will be engaged on either side of a transmission of the vehicle. The return and supply manifolds are located one on top of another on the manifold such that they may be easily connected to the high pressure tubing of the fuel system. The mounting bracket in one embodiment is on a slight angle such that the hook up to the engine from each of the return and supply three way tee is at a slight up angle rather than horizontal. The slight up angle of the hook up to engine port of the three way tees further improves the accessibility for installation on an assembly line. In a second embodiment the two three way tees may be integrated into a single body unit with the two engagement legs.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.