AU768205B2 - A tank transporting device - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT (Original) APPLICATION NO:

LODGED:

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION LODGED:

ACCEPTED:

PUBLISHED:

RELATED ART: NAME OF APPLICANT: ACTUAL INVENTOR(S): ADDRESS FOR SERVICE: INVENTION TITLE: 0 JOHN MICHAEL PAULEY

APPLICANT

LORD COMPANY Patent Trade Mark Attorneys 4 Douro Place West Perth, Western Australia, 6005

AUSTRALIA.

"A TANK TRANSPORTING DEVICE" DETAILS OF ASSOCIATED PROVISIONAL APPLICATION NO'S: Australian Provisional Patent Application Number PP7462 filed on December 2, 1998 The following Statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to me/us:

TITLE

"A TANK TRANSPORTING DEVICE" The present invention relates to a tank transporting device, in particular for transporting water tanks of the type commonly used for animals.

It is common to provide a water tank which includes a water containing portion and a trough portion, the water tank being disposed, in use, on farming land within close proximity to farm animals.

While such water tanks are satisfactory in providing animals with a supply of water, such tanks are heavy and cumbersome to transport to other required locations around the farm. In order to avoid the need to transport the tank around the farm, it has been common to provide several water tanks disposed at different locations on the farm.

However, this solution is undesirable as the tanks are expensive.

The present invention seeks, among other things, to overcome at least some of the above mentioned disadvantages.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a tank transporting device comprising: oooo a connecting portion connectable to a vehicle; ooooo an engaging means including a first engaging portion and a second engaging portion, the first and second engaging portions configurable in a first open configuration in which a tank is receivable between the first and second engaging portions and a second closed configuration in which the first and second engaging portions engage with an outer surface of the tank on opposite sides thereof; and a wheel assembly positionable in a first lowered position wherein a tank received, in use, in the engaging means rests on the ground and a second raised position wherein a tank received, in use, in the engaging means is raised relative to the ground; wherein when the first and second engaging means are configured in the second closed configuration, first ends of the first and second engaging means are connected to the connecting portion and a second opposed end of the first engaging portion is secured to a second opposed end of the second engaging portion by a releasable fixing means.

The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with,reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a tank transporting device in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a diagrammatic side view of the tank transporting device shown in Figure 1 with a wheel assembly of the tank transporting device shown in a raised position; Figure 3 is a diagrammatic plan view of the tank transporting device shown in Figures 1 and 2 with the tank transporting device shown in a disconnected configuration; Figure 4 is a diagrammatic side view of the tank transporting device engaged with a water tank; Figure 5 is a diagrammatic plan view of the tank transporting device engaged with a water tank; Figure 6 is a diagrammatic side view of the tank transporting device engaged with a *.ps*water tank with a wheel assembly of the tank transporting device shown in a lowered position; and 0. 0 Figure 7 is a diagrammatic plan view of a tank transporting device in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Figures 1 to 6 of the drawings, there is shown a tank transporting device which includes a connecting portion 12 of substantially A-shaped configuration, an engaging means 14, a first wheel assembly 16 and a second wheel assembly 18.

The connecting portion 12 includes a substantially flat connection plate 20 having a connection aperture 22 for engaging with a rear portion of a vehicle, a first fork portion 24 connected to the connection plate 20 and a second fork portion 26 connected to the connection plate 20. The first and second fork portions 24, 26 extend rearwardly of the connection plate 20 and are inclined relative to the connection plate A reinforcing plate 28 of substantially triangular configuration is disposed intermediate the connection plate 20 and the first and second fork portions 24, 26.

An end of the first fork portion 24 remote from the connection plate 20 is connected to a first longitudinal tube member 30. Likewise, an end of the second fork portion 26 remote from the connection plate 20 is connected to a second longitudinal tube member 32. Extending between the first and second longitudinal tube members 30, 32 ooo° is a first transverse member 34.

o••o• -The engaging means 14 includes a first engaging portion 36 and a second engaging oooo portion 38.

The first engaging portion 36 includes a third longitudinal tube member telescopically received in the first longitudinal tube member 30, a first engaging tube member 42 shaped so that an inner surface 43 of the first engaging tube member 42 is of complementary shape to the shape of an outer surface of a water tank to be engaged, in use, with the engaging means 14. Connected to an end of the first ooooo* engaging tube member 42 remote from the third longitudinal tube member 40 is a fourth longitudinal tube member 44, the fourth longitudinal tube member 44 being connected to a second transverse tube member 46.

The second engaging portion 38 includes a fifth longitudinal tube member 48 telescopically received in the second longitudinal member 32, a second engaging tube member 50 connected to the fifth longitudinal tube member 48 and having an inner surface 51 of complementary shape to an outer surface of a water tank to be engaged, in use, with the engaging means 14. An end of the second engaging tube member remote from the fifth longitudinal tube member 48 is connected to a sixth longitudinal tube member 52, the sixth longitudinal tube member 52 being connected to a third transverse tube member 54 telescopically received in the second transverse tube member 46.

The third and fifth longitudinal tube members 40, 48 and the third transverse tube member 54 are restrained from moving relative to the first and second, longitudinal tube members 30, 32 and the second transverse tube member 46 respectively by releasable fixing means, which may be a nut and bolt arrangement 56 and a plurality of apertures 58, or any other suitable releasable fixing means.

o:o.oi Each of the first and second wheel assemblies 16, 18 includes an arm member ••go pivotably mounted on a stub 62 connected to the respective first or second engaging tube member 42, 50, the arm member 60 being restrained from disengaging with the stub 62 by a restraining pin 64. Each wheel assembly 16, 18 also includes a wheel 66 rotatably mounted on an axle 68 connected to an end of the arm member remote from the stub 62, and a stop member 70 connected to the respective first or second oo •go•.

*oooo engaging tube member 42, 50. The stop member 70 serves to restrict pivotal movement of the arm member 60 about the stub 62.

The arrangement of each wheel assembly 16, 18 is such that each arm member 60 and corresponding wheel 66 are positionable by pivoting the arm member 60 about the stub 62 in a first lowered position as shown in Figure 6 or a second raised position as shown in Figures 1 to As shown in Figure 3, the tank transporting device 10 is disconnectable for transporting purposes or for facilitating engagement with a water tank.

In use, in order to transport a water tank 72 to another location, the connecting portion 12, the first engaging portion 36 and the second engaging portion 38 are disconnected from each other as shown in Figure 3 by releasing the fixing means 56, 58 and disengaging the third and fifth longitudinal tube members 40, 48 and the third transverse tube member 54 from the first and second longitudinal tube members 32 and the second transverse tube member 46 respectively. The first, and second wheel assemblies 16, 18 are positioned in the lowered position as shown in Figure 6.

The tank transporting device 10 is then engaged with a water tank as shown in Figure .oo.

6 by surrounding the water tank with the first and second engaging tube members 42, 50 such that the inner surfaces 43, 51 contact the water tank. The third and fifth longitudinal tube members 40, 48 and the third transverse tube member 54 are received in the first and second longitudinal tube members 30, 32 and the second transverse tube member 46 respectively, and the connecting portion 12 and the first and second engaging portions 36, 38 are fixed to each other by virtue of the fixing means 56, 58. Once the tank transporting device 10 has been engaged with the water tank 72 in this way, the wheel assemblies 16, 18 are moved from the first lowered ooooo configuration shown in Figure 6 to the second raised position as shown in Figures 1 to thereby raising the tank 72 from the ground. The connection aperture 22 of the connecting portion 12 is then connected to a rear portion of a vehicle and the water tank pulled by the vehicle to the desired location.

It will be appreciated that instead of providing first and second engaging portions 36, 38 which are separate from and connectable to the connection portion 12, the first engaging portion 36 and/or the second engaging portion 38 may be pivotably connected to the connecting portion 12.

Alternatively, as shown in Figure 7, instead of providing first and second engaging portions 36, 38 which are separate from each other, the first engaging portion 36 and the second engaging portion 38 may be pivotally connected to each other at a pivot connection 74. This may be achieved by providing a second transverse member 46 in the form of a C-section channel member so that the second transverse tube member 46 is pivotable about the pivot connection 74 into and out of engagement with the third transverse tube member 54. Movement of the second transverse tube member 46 relative to the third transverse tube member 54 may be restricted by fixing means 56.

It will also be appreciated that the tube members 30, 32, 40, 44, 46, 48, 52, 54 and the engaging portions 36, 38 may be formed of tubing of generally circular cross section, generally square cross section or any other suitably shaped cross section.

Modifications and variations as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention.

Claims (4)

1. A tank transporting device comprising: a connecting portion connectable to a vehicle; an engaging means including a first engaging portion and a second engaging portion, the first and second engaging portions configurable in a first open configuration in which a tank is receivable between the first and second engaging portions and a second closed configuration in which the first and second engaging portions engage with an outer surface of the tank on opposite sides thereof; and a wheel assembly positionable in a first lowered position wherein a tank received, in use, in the engaging means rests on the ground and a second raised position wherein a tank received, in use, in the engaging means is raised relative to the ground; wherein when the first and second engaging means are configured in the second closed configuration, first ends of the first and second engaging means are connected to the connecting portion and a second opposed end of the first engaging portion is secured to a second opposed end of the second engaging portion by a releasable fixing means.

10. A tank transporting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second engaging portions is pivotably mounted relative to the connecting portion.

11. A tank transporting device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion are pivotably mounted relative to the

25. connecting portion. *99999 12. A tank transporting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first engaging portion is pivotably connected to the second engaging portion and the fixing means selectably restrict pivotal movement of the first and second engaging portions relative to each other. 13. A tank transporting device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein each of the first and second engaging portions includes an engaging surface of complementary shape to an outer surface of a tank to be engaged, in use, with the said device. 14. A tank transporting device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the wheel assembly includes a first arm member pivotably mounted to the first engaging portion and a second arm member pivotably mounted to the second engaging portion, each said arm member being provided with a rotatably mounted wheel. 15. A tank transporting device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the wheel assembly further includes a first stop member mounted on the first engaging portion and a second stop member mounted on the second engaging portion, each said stop member being adapted to restrict pivotal movement of the respective first or second arm member and thereby retain the wheel assembly in the second raised position. 0 af fute nldeo is to ebrmune ntefisonaig oto n 20scn tpmebrmutdo tescn nain otoec si tpmme ben dpe orstitpvtlmvmnto h epcie is rscn r 16. A tank transporting device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the connecting portion is substantially A-shaped. 17. A tank transporting device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figures 1 to 6 or Figure 7 of the accompanying drawings. DATED THIS 13 TH DAY OF OCTOBER 2003. JOHN MICHAEL PAULEY By his Patent Attorneys LORD COMPANY PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. **o a