Oil tank catwalk assembly for automotive service facility
OwnerStephen R. Congletoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automotive servicing facility that includes an oil storage tank removably disposed in the lower portion of a vehicle service pit. A catwalk is mounted on the oil storage tank to provide a walk-on surface for a mechanic working in the pit, e.g. to change the crankcase oil, grease the wheel bearings, etc. One tank may store oil and/or sludge drained from vehicles incident to oil changing operations, while a second separate tank may store fresh new oil to be delivered to the vehicle.
Claims21
In association with a motor vehicle servicing pit structure that includes an elongated bottom wall, two upstanding widely spaced end walls defining the length dimension of the pit structure, and two closely spaced upstanding side walls defining the width dimension of the pit structure, the improvement comprising:
- an oil storage tank structure adapted to rest on said pit structure elongated bottom wall;
- said oil storage tank structure having width and length dimensions less than corresponding dimensions of said pit structure, whereby said oil storage tank structure can be removably installed in said pit structure by lowering said oil storage tank structure into said pit structure;
- and
- a catwalk overlying said oil storage tank structure to provide a walk-on platform for a mechanic who is to service an overhead vehicle.
In association with a motor vehicle servicing pit structure that includes an elongated bottom wall, two widely spaced end walls defining said length dimension of said pit structure, and two closely spaced side walls defining said width dimension of said pit structure, the improvement comprising:
- a rectangular oil storage tank structure adapted to rest on said pit structure elongated bottom wall;
- said oil storage tank structure having width and length dimensions less than corresponding width and length dimensions of said pit structure, whereby said oil storage tank structure can be removably installed in said pit structure by lowering said tank structure into said pit structure;
- and
- a catwalk overlying said oil storage tank structure to provide a walk-on platform for a mechanic who is to service an overhead vehicle;
- said rectangular oil storage tank structure comprising a bottom wall, two upstanding side walls, two upstanding end walls, and a top wall;
- said oil storage tank structure further comprising two spaced parallel skid bars extending along said bottom wall of said oil storage tank structure in said length dimension of said oil storage tank structure;
- said oil storage tank structure further including two spaced parallel rails extending along said top wall of said oil storage tank structure in said length dimension of saidoil storage tank structure;
- and
- said catwalk comprises a series of separate catwalk sections individually detachably connected to said two spaced parallel rails to form a walk-on surface that is substantially coextensive with said width dimension of said pit structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.