Fuel equalization line for vehicles and method of using same
OwnerC. Bradford Helminventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fuel equalization line device couples in fluid communication vehicle tanks and has one or two conduits joined together by a removable coupling device, which provides for fluid communication between the conduits when engaged to equalize fuel levels within the tanks, and enables the fuel equalization line to be separated into two parts to free the tanks from the vehicle frame during a tank removal operation. A pair of shutoff valves enable the fuel to be retained in the tanks when they are removed from the frame.
Claims10
A fuel equalization device for use with a tank means mounted removably on a vehicle frame to facilitate the removal of the tank means from the vehicle frame, the tank means having a pair of ports for providing fluid communication of fuel contained in the tank means, comprising:
- conduit means adapted to be connected in fluid communication to one of the ports for transporting fuel away from the tank means through the port to help provide a uniform fuel level within said tank means;
- another conduit means adapted to be connected in fluid communication to the other one of the ports for transporting fuel away from the tank means through the other port;
- a separable coupling means disposed in fluid communication between said conduit means and said another conduit means for removably coupling said conduit means and said another conduit means to facilitate removal of the tank means from the vehicle frame;
- and
- said coupling means including valve means coupled to said conduit means for controlling the flow of fuel through said conduit means when said coupling means is separated, and said coupling means further including another valve means coupled to said another conduit means for controlling the flow of fuel through said another conduit means when said coupling means is separated, wherein said valve means and said another valve means enable said conduit means and said another conduit means to be decoupled by said coupling means so that the tank means can be readily removed from the vehicle frame without draining the fuel from the tank means.
A fuel equalization device for connection in fluid communication between a pair of ports in a tank means mounted removably on a vehicle to help maintain a uniform fuel level therewithin, comprising:
- first conduit means having a pair of ends, with one end connected in fluid communication to one of the ports;
- second conduit means having a pair of ends, with one end connected in fluid communication to the other port;
- wherein said conduit means are substantially the same length;
- separable coupling means for removably connecting in fluid communication the other ends of said conduits;
- said coupling means including a valve means for controlling the flow of fuel through said first conduit means and another valve means for controlling the flow of fuel through said second conduit means;
- and
- wherein said valve means and said another valve means prevent fuel from flowing out of said other ends when said coupling means is separated between said valve means and said another valve means to enable the tank means to be removed from the vehicle.
A method of removing a tank means having a pair of ports from a vehicle frame, comprising:
- using a fuel equalization device including a conduit means coupled to one of the ports, another conduit means coupled to the other one of the ports, a valve means secured to said conduit means and another valve means secured to said another conduit means, said fuel equalization device enabling said ports to be connected in fluid communication;
- separating said conduit means from said another conduit means to permit the tank means to be removed from the vehicle frame without said fuel equalization device impeding the removal of the tank means;
- controlling the flow of fuel through said conduit means and said another conduit means with said valve means and said another valve means, respectively;
- and
- removing the tank means from about the vehicle frame without draining fuel from the tank means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.