Dual fuel tank system for an earthmoving vehicle
OwnerTimothy J. Bennett, Shandy L. Hill +1inventors
InventorsTimothy J. Bennett, Shandy L. Hill, Kevin J. Wilkening
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A side mount fuel tank system installed on an earth moving vehicle such as a motor grader. The side mount fuel tank system is designed to allow the installation of an air-to-air aftercooler onto a motor grader without requiring the lengthening of a rear frame of the motor grader. The side mount fuel tank system includes a support apparatus and a fuel tank apparatus. The fuel tank system includes a first fuel tank attached to a first side of an engine compartment, and a second fuel tank attached to a second side of the engine compartment. Each of the fuel tanks includes tank plates positioned to deflect material impinging on the tanks.
Claims11
A side mount fuel tank system for a motor grader having a support apparatus including a first mounting structure provided on a first side of a motor grader frame and a second mounting structure provided on a second side of a motor grader frame, said side mount fuel tank system comprising:
- a first and second vertical plate each being attached to a respective one of said first and second sides of said machine frame;
- a first and second lower plate each having a downwardly extending flange and joining a respective one of said first and second vertical plates, said lower plates extending a predetermined distance outward from said machine frame;
- a first and second upper plate each joining a respective one of said first and second vertical plates, each of said first and second upper plates extending outward from said machine frame;
- a first and second opening each being defined between respective ones of said first and second upper plates and said first and second lower plates at a location outward from said vertical plates;
- a first and second fuel tank each positioned in a respective one of said first and second openings and resting upon its associated lower plate;
- fasteners adapted to attach a respective one of said first and second fuel tanks to said support apparatus, at least one fastener attaching a respective one of the first and second fuel tanks to the flange of the respective lower plate with which it is associated.
A motor grader having a front frame and a rear frame attached to the front frame, an engine compartment and a side mount fuel tank system having a support apparatus and being attached to the rear frame, said motor grader comprising:
- a first and second vertical plate each being attached to a respective one of said first and second sides of said rear frame;
- a first and second lower plate each joining a respective one of said first and second vertical plates and said first and second lower plates, extending a predetermined distance outward from said frame;
- a first and second upper plate each joining a respective one of said vertical plates, each of said upper plates extending outward from said rear frame;
- a first and second opening each being defined between respective ones of said first and second upper plates and said first and second lower plates at a location outward from said vertical plates;
- a first and second fuel tank each positioned in a respective one of said first and second openings;
- and
- a first and second fastener each adapted to attach a respective one of said first and second fuel tanks to said support apparatus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.