System for holding down underground storage tanks and method of using
AssigneeMaskell Productions Limited
InventorsDavid Duncan Craig, Donald Andrew Craig
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for holding down underground storage tanks, such as fuel tanks at petrol stations, wherein the tank is tied down to anchors buried with the tank using straps. In order to tension and clamp the ends of the straps a clamping axle is used atop the tank which, when rotated, tightens the strap. The clamping axle is then locked into position and buried with the tank. Apparatus are provided to facilitate tightening of the clamping axle and to lock it into place once the strap reaches an appropriate tension.
Claims24
Clamping apparatus adapted to connect and tension the two unterminated ends of a strap means, said strap means adapted to be positioned substantially in a strap plane around an article, said clamping apparatus comprising:
- first clamp plate means,
- second clamp plate means,
- spacing means connecting and spacing said first and second clamp plate means and forming a strap feeding space therebetween to allow said two unterminated ends of said strap means to be fed between said first and second clamp plate means, said first clamp plate means positioned between said article and said ends of said strap means,
- wherein said clamping apparatus is also provided with lever means adapted to rotate said first and second clamp plate means in a clamping direction around an axis substantially perpendicular to said strap plane, the rotation of said clamping means causing said strap means to wrap around said clamping apparatus upon itself thereby tensioning said strap means.
A method of clamping the ends of a strap means around an object using a clamping axle means comprising two clamping plates separated by spacing means comprising the steps of:
- i) arranging said strap means around said object,
- ii) inserting said ends of said strap means between said two clamping plates of said clamping axle,
- iii) rotating said clamping axle means thereby wrapping said strap means around said clamping axle means and tensioning said strap means, said step of rotating said clamping axle means also causing said strap means to wrap around said clamping axle means upon itself thereby clamping said ends of said strap means together.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.