GB807592A - Method of making a structure having curved walls and a structure made thereby - Google Patents

Abstract

807,592. Making tanks, tank vehicles, &c. FRUEHAUF TRAILER CO. Dec. 27, 1956 [Feb. 3, 1956], No. 39364/56. Class 83 (2). [Also in Group XXXII] A method of making a structure such as a tank having curved walls comprises forming a plurality of flat metal blanks each consisting of several sheets welded together, bending each blank to the shape of one of the curved walls and welding the bent blanks together along generator lines of the walls, the plurality of bent blanks comprising two blanks to form a top and bottom wall respectively, and two blanks each to form a side-wall, at least one of the blanks having a pair of flanges and the side walls first being welded to the top wall, end walls then being welded on and the tank finally completed by welding on the bottom wall. Three flat metal sheets, preferably of high tensile steel, are welded together to form a flat blank which is then bent by rolling to form a portion 8, Fig. 3, of the curved bottom wall of a vehicle tank-trailer. Integral flanges 10, 12 are formed at the edges to provide tension rails when the tank is loaded. Further portions 14, 16, Fig. 12, of the bottom wall are similarly made and are welded together, piping 20, wheel brackets 18 and a coupling assembly and the like may also be attached. Side walls 40, 42, Fig. 10, and top wall 30 are made in a similar fashion and may also be composed of a number of bent blanks. The top wall has flanged edges 32, 34 which subsequently serve as compression members and cat-walk guard rails. The tank is assembled in the inverted position, the side walls 40, 42 being first welded to the top wall 30 along lines 44, 46. Internal baffles and end bulk-heads 48, 50 are then spot-welded to side walls 40, 42 and to the top section 30; finally the bottom wall is welded in place along lines 54 and closing gussets 56 added.