Tank fitting apparatus and method

A method for installing a tank fitting apparatus on a tank wall of a storage tank, comprising:

• attaching an installation handle tool onto a bottom plate apparatus to position the bottom plate apparatus in a deployment position, wherein the bottom plate apparatus comprises a bottom plate having a top surface, a bottom surface, a bottom plate passageway, and a plurality of bolts connected to the bottom plate and extending from a top surface of the bottom plate;
• positioning the bottom plate apparatus through a tank opening to a tank interior in the storage tank while the bottom plate apparatus is in the deployment position;
• inserting the installation handle tool from the tank interior, through a tank fitting opening in the tank wall, and to a tank exterior while the bottom plate apparatus is in the deployment position;
• inserting the plurality of bolts of the bottom plate apparatus from the tank interior, through the tank wall, and to the tank exterior so that the bottom plate is positioned adjacent to an interior surface of the tank wall and the plurality of bolts extend from an exterior surface of the tank wall while the bottom plate apparatus is in the deployment position;
• detaching the installation handle tool from the bottom plate apparatus after inserting the plurality of bolts so as to position the bottom plate apparatus in a non-deployment position;
• positioning a valve apparatus at the exterior of the storage tank proximate the tank fitting opening, wherein the valve apparatus comprises a pipe, a valve having a valve housing integrally connected to the pipe, a top plate integrally connected to the pipe and extending outwardly from the pipe, and wherein the valve is movable between an open valve position and a closed valve position;
• inserting the plurality of bolts extending from the exterior surface of the tank wall through the top plate when the bottom plate apparatus is in the non-deployment position;
• attaching a plurality of bolt nuts to the plurality of bolts to connect the bottom plate apparatus to the valve apparatus in a connected tank fitting position where the valve apparatus is installed on the storage tank.

A tank fitting apparatus comprising:

• a bottom plate apparatus comprising:
• a bottom plate having a bottom surface, a top surface, and a bottom plate passageway;
• a bolt connected to the bottom plate and extending from the top surface of
• the bottom plate;
• a valve apparatus comprising:
• a pipe;
• a valve integrally formed with the pipe, and wherein the valve is movable between an open valve position and a closed valve position;
• a top plate integrally formed on the pipe and extending outwardly from the pipe;
• wherein the valve apparatus has a connected tank fitting position where the bolt of the bottom plate apparatus extends through the top plate of the valve apparatus to connect the valve apparatus with the bottom plate apparatus;
• and
• an installation handle tool, wherein the installation handle tool is detachably attached to the bottom plate apparatus to position the bottom plate apparatus in a deployment position, and wherein the bottom plate apparatus has a non-deployment position where the installation handle tool is detached from the bottom plate apparatus.