GB2087835A - Elevating receptacle - Google Patents

Abstract

A receptacle 7 is connected to a trailer chassis 1 by arms 5 and 9 of a parallelogram linkage. The linkage maintains the receptacle in a desired orientation as it is raised by an elevating ram 12. The receptacle is provided with an outlet hose 16 having a flow control nozzle. The receptacle preferably contains fuel and, by elevating the receptacle, a head is created which enables a vehicle to be re-fuelled, say, in a field away from a central fuel pump. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Elevating receptacle The invention relates to an elevating receptacle for a flowable medium and is particularly, but not exclusively, concerned with a receptacle for use in the field of agriculture.

According to the invention, there is provided an elevating receptacle for a flowable medium comprising support means, means on the support means for elevating the receptacle to provide a head for the flowable medium and for controlling the orientation of the receptacle relative to the support means, and outlet means on the receptacle through which the flowable medium can flow from the receptacle.

The means for controlling the orientation of the receptacle may comprise a parallelogram-type linkage between the support means and the receptacle which ensures that the receptacle maintains a desired orientation as it is elevated or lowered. Conveniently, the parallelogram linkage may include a single parallelogram arm extending between the support means and attachment means adjacent the receptacle, and two further parallelogram arms parallel with the single arm and extending between the support means and further attachment means adjacent the receptacle, the further parallelogram arms lying outboard of the single arm. This arrangement provides a three point support for the receptacle.Preferably the elevating means comprises an extensible device arranged between the support means and an attachment means adjacent the receptacle, the attachment means for the extensible device being adjacent the attachment means for the single parallelogram arm.

The support means may comprise a trailer having a pair of coaxial wheels, the axis of the wheels lying beneath the receptacle.

One of the problems which face farmers is the refuelling of vehicles such as tractors and combine harvesters when they are in the fields away from a central fuel pump. In order to refuel, farmers sometimes carry several drums of fuel to the vehicle and use a hand pump to transfer the fuel from the drums to the fuel tank. Obviously this is a labourious exercise and wastes a considerable amount of time.

Alternatively, the farmer simply pours the fuel from a drum or fuel can into the fuel tank of the vehicle but during such an operation there is a high risk of spillage. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the said receptaccle comprises a reservoir for fuel which can be transported, say, to a remote farm vehicle. The reservoir, when elevated provides a head of fuel which can simply be piped to the fuel tank of the vehicle. Obviously such an arrangement is far less laborious than operating a hand pump over a long period and the risk of spillage is minimal.

The outlet means may include a flexible hose connected at one end to an outlet of the receptacle, the hose having a flow control nozzle at its opposite end.

An elevating receptacle in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is an elevation of one form of elevating receptacle with the latter in its lowered position, Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the receptacle in its elevated position, and Figure 3 is a plan view of the elevating receptacle shown in Figure 1.

Atrailercomprises a rectangular chassis 1 having a centrally mounted draw bar 2 extending beneath the chassis to an axle 3 for wheels 3a. A towing hitch 2a is provided at the forward end of the draw bar 2.

Mounting brackets 4 are provided on the draw bar 2 adjacent the hitch 2a. The brackets 4 pivotally support the lower end of a parallelogram arm 5 and upper end of which is pivotally supported between elongate attachment brackets 6 carried beneath a rectangular receptacle 7.

The chassis 1 carries two further mountings 8 arranged inboard of each side member 1a of the chassis 1. The lower ends of two further parallelogram arms 9 are pivotally supported between the mountings 8 and the chassis side members 1 a, the upper ends of the arm 9 being pivotally connected to associated attachment brackets 10 at the rear of the receptacle 7. The arms 9 lie outboard of the arm 5.

Afluid operable ram 11 has its cylinder 12 pivotally mounted between brackets 12a extending between a rear cross member 1b of the chassis and the axle 3. The ram has a pair of telescopic output members the inner member 14 of which is pivotally connected to the brackets 6.

The brackets 4 and 1 2a lie adjacent the longitudinal centreline C of the chassis.

The receptacle 7 is provided with an outlet 15 connected to a hose 16 which has an openable and closable nozzle 17 at its free end. The receptacle is preferably used to carry fuel such as diesel oil and may be provided with a removable lid.

In use, the trailer is towed to a convenient location, e.g. into a field being worked by a combine harvester. To refuel the combine harvester, the receptacle is raised from the Figure 1 position to the Figure 2 position by extending the ram 11. This is done by connecting the cylinder 12 to the usual hydraulic system of an agricultural tractor or by providing a hand pump on the chassis for pressurising the cylinder. As the receptacle rises, the parallelogram arms 5,9 maintain the horizontal orientation of the receptacle. Raising the receptacle creates a head of fuel and the nozzle 17 can be inserted in the fuel inlet of the fuel tank to enable the tank to be filled from the receptacle. After use, the receptacle is simply lowered by venting the cylinder 13 and eventually resumes the Figure 1 position. Of course, it may be found convenient to leave the receptacle in the raised position for repeated use over short period.

Although the receptacle 7is particularly useful for holding fuel it could instead be used to hold granular or powdered material to be deposited at a particular location. Moreover, the receptacle could be used as a platform on which a person can stand to reach high objects.

Claims (12)

1. An elevating receptacle for a flowable medium comprising a support means, means on the support means for elevating the receptacle to provide a head for the flowable medium and for controlling the orientation of the receptacle relative to the support means, and outlet means on the receptacle through which the flowable medium can flow from the receptacle.

2. An elevating receptacle according to claim 1 in which orientation of the receptacle is controlled by a parallelogram-type linkage between the support means and the receptacle which ensures that the receptacle maintains a desired orientation as it is elevated or lowered.

3. An elevating receptacle according to claim 2 in which the parallelogram linkage includes a single parallelogram arm extending between the support means and attachment means adjacent the receptacle, and two further parallelogram arms parallel with the single arm and extending between the support means and further attachment means adjacent the receptacle, the further parallelgram arms lying outboard of the single arm.

4. An elevating receptacle according to claim 3 ir which the receptacle is elevated by means of an extensible device arranged between the support means and an attachment means adjacent the receptacle, the attachment means for the extensible device being adjacent the attachment means for the single parallelogram arm.

5. An elevatng receptacle according to claim 4 in which the extensible device passes between the further parallelogram arms.

6. An elevating receptacle according to claims 4 or 5, in which the single parallelogram arm and the extensible device are attached to the support means at spaced apart positions and the further parallelogram arms are attached to the support means at positions intermediate and spaced apart positions.

7. An elevating receptacle according to claim 6 in which the support means is elongate and the said spaced apart positions lie adjacent the iongitudinal centreline of the support means.

8. An elevating receptacle according to any preceding claim in which the support means is a trailer having a pair of coaxial wheels, the axis of the wheels lying beneath the receptacle.

9. An elevating receptacle according to claim 8 when appendantto claim 6 or 7 in which the position at which the first parallelogram arm is attached to the trailer is adjacent a towing hitch at one end of the trailer and the position at which the extensible device is attached to the trailer is adjacent the wheels of the trailer, the wheels being adjacent the opposite end of the trailer.

10. An elevating receptacle according to any preceeding claim in which the receptacle is a resevoir for fuel.

11. An elevating receptacle according to any preceding claim in which the outlet means includes a flexible hose connected at one end to an outlet of the receptacle, the hose having a flow control nozzle at its opposite end.

12. An elevating receptacle constructed and arranged substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.