US2294855A

US2294855A - Island for dispensing apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2294855A
Application number: US345651A
Authority: US
Inventors: Paul E Thomason
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1940-07-15
Filing date: 1940-07-15
Publication date: 1942-09-01
Anticipated expiration: 1959-09-01

Description

Sept. 1, 1942.

P. E. THOMASON ISLAND FOR DISPENSING APPARATUS 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1

Filed July 15 AN. PAUL'ETHOMHSON P. E. THOMASON ISLAND FOR DISPENSING APPARATUS Sept. 1, 1942.

' Filed July 15, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PAUL E.

3 vcnto Tuomnsou Patented Sept. 1, 1942 UN 1 TE D STATES PAT EN T OF P 1 CE ISLAND FOR DISPENSING APPARATUS Paul E. Thor'nason, Charlotte, IN. 0.

Application July 15, 1940, Serial *No. 345,651

'3 Claims.

This invention relates to a hollow island for supporting dispensing apparatus, such as gasoline pumps and the like, at service stations and more especially to an article-of this type preferably made of structural steel so that it may be easily moved from one location to another and so that access can be had to the interior thereof.

Heretofore, service station islands have commonly been made of concrete. When using concrete, it is necessary to first install the pipe and electrical conduits, and then pour the concrete therearound to form the island. Once the concrete has set, it is impossible to change the piping system without destroying all, or at least a part, of the concrete island. Furthermore, the service stations very often operate on property leased for short term intervals. Under such circumstance, it is objectionable to the lessor for a concrete island to be left upon his property-after the lease has terminated and after the lessee has vacated. The objection to a concrete structure being left upon the premises is based 'upon the expense involved in breaking the island into small pieces and removing it so that the premises will be suitable for other uses.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a hollow island for supporting dispensing apparatus for service stations and the like, which is so constructed that it can be moved from place to place, as the occasion demands, and so that access to the interior thereof can be more easily obtained for inspection and alteration of the plumbing.

It is another object of this invention to provide a hollow portable island for service stations which is formed in sections and which can be easily assembled and dismantled. By providing removable sections, a two pump station can 'be increased to a three pump station or more by merely adding other sections. If the number of dispensing apparatus such as Dumps mustbe decreased, the side of the island can be decreased accordingly, by merely removing sections. In other words, the size of the island 'canbe altered to correspond to the number of dispensing mechanisms used, thereby providing a balanced .structure at all times.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a hollow service station island which has a apertures in the side walls thereof in which advertising matter is located, and in which lighting means is disposed on the interior thereof fordisplaying advertising matter at night, and illumination of the driveways adjacent thereto. Also means maybe provided for heating the interior of the island.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description :proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an isometric view'of my improved service station island, showing a plurality'of sections, each of which has a service station pump mounted thereon;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken alon the line 2-2 in Figure 1';

Figure 3 is 'an enlarged sectional detail view taken along the line 33 in Figure 1, showing the means employed for removably attaching the sections to each other;

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view "taken along the lines '44 in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken alon the lines 5-5 in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 6 is an enlarged transverse sectional View similar to the upper central portion ofFigure 4 :showing the means for removably placing a plate over the access port of one of the sections;

Figure 7 is an inverted isometric view of one of the end sections of the island shown in Figure 1;

Figure 8 is an inverted isometric view of the center island section shown in Figure 1.

Referring morespecifically to the draw-ings the numeral I 0 denotes theground or other supporting means in which a plurality of anchor bolts H are mounted. The upperends of the anchor bolts H project a substantial distance above the surface of the ground or other support l0, and are so located as-to be in a position to penetrate holes 12 in the base frames l4 and 15 of island sections it and I! respectively. If the surface I0 is not level, suitable washers, not shown, may be placed between the island and surface to cause sition. When the sections have been properly positioned and "leveled, suitable nuts Ha are screwed onto the upper ends of the anchor bolts l I to hold the sections in anchored position.

The structural features of the island sections l6 and I! are essentially the same. It will be noted by observing Figure 1 that there is one center island section I5 and two end sections which are identical except one is opposite hand to theother; and therefore both end sections are indicated by the reference characters Ill. The section 16 has a frame "20 disposed directly above the bottom frame 1'4. 'These frames are held in spaced relation to each other by side plates 2| and 22 by any suitable means such as welding or the like. On top of the frame is secured suitable parallel

elongated plates

23 and 24 by any suitable means such as welding or the like, said elongated plates being spaced apart from each other, thereby leaving openings 25 which are normally closed by means of plates 26. These openings serve as manholes or access ports which are used when it is desired to gain access to the interior of the hollow sections.

Figure 6 shows an enlarged detailed view of the manner in which plates 26 are removably secured to the top side of the sections. It is here seen that suitable screws 2'! are employed which penetrate the plates 25 and have the lower ends thereof threadably embedded in the top frame 29 of the section. Disposed between the openings 25 and between the proximate ends of plates 26 is an opening 30 over which a suitable gasoline pump 3| is adapted to be disposed. This pump is shown in dotted lines in Figure 1. When it is desired to gain access to the interior of the center section, the screws 21 can be removed thereby making it possible to lift the plates 25 from over the opening 25.

The sidewall 2| of the center section l6 has an aperture 34 therein, said aperture being covered by a suitable transparent material such as glass plate 35 having advertising matter 36 painted thereon. Disposed behind plate 35 is a suitable reflector 31, which reflector is pivoted as at 38 and has its upper free end latched as at 39. Disposed within this reflector is a suitable illuminating means such as an incandescent light bulb 40. The light produced by the bulb is reflected through the glass 35, thus displaying the advertising matter 36 painted thereon. If desired, both sides of the sections of the island may be of transparent material and have advertising matter thereon and have illuminating means as described.

When it is desired to gain access to the interior of the hollow section for purposes of altering the piping system or for the inspection of the reflector 31, it is only necessary to remove the screws 21 and lift one of the plates 26.

Figure 7 shows an inverted view of end section H which is adapted to be used in conjunction with center sections it. End section II comprises a bottom frame I5, previously described, and a top frame 4| disposed in spaced relation thereabove and held in such position by means of a vertically disposed plate 42, this plate being welded to the frame or secured by any desired means. It will be noted that one end of section I! is rounded as at 43, so as to eliminate sharp corners which might prove a hazard to automobiles which move in close proximity thereto during a servicing operation.

The top frame 4| has a plate 44 secured thereon by any suitable means such as welding or the like and this plate is cut away at opening 45 in the frame 4|, said opening 45 being closed by means of a suitable plate 26, previously described, which plate is held over the opening by means of screws 21. Another opening 46 is adapted to be covered by the lower end of a suitable pump 3|.

Likewise one of the sidewalls of section IT has an aperture 34 therein which is identical in all respects to the aperture shown and described in connection with the section It, hence another description will not be made, but like reference characters will be applied to like parts.

In order to removably connect the sections l8 and I1 together, the ends of frames l4 and 2B of section I6 have suitable holes 50 provided therein. These holes are adapted to match holes 5| in the ends of frame members l5 and 4| of sections When the sections are assembled as shown in Figures 2 and 3, suitable bolts 52 are placed in the matched holes to thereby removably secure the sections together. Also the side plates 2| and 22 of the center section l6 have holes 54 therein. Similar holes 55 are disposed in the ends of plates 42 of section II. These holes are matched by suitable holes in a splice plate 56 and when the splice plate is placed over these holes suitable bolts 51 are adapted to penetrate the same to bind the sidewalls of the adjacent sections together.

One of the outstanding advantages of a hollow structural island of the type disclosed, is its adaptability for use in cold climates where there is a tendency for ice to freeze on the upper surface thereof. Frozen ice upon islands presents a hazard which often results in injury to employees as well as customers. In order to easily r eliminate these hazards, a suitable heating coil 60 is disposed in each of the hollow sections. These coils may be heated in the winter so that the interior of the island will be of a sufficient temperature to prevent ice on the exterior thereof.

Another advantage is that of having a place for the fill pipe to be located so that the pipe can be shielded from the weather and also so that easy access by unauthorized persons can be prevented. In the present dis-closure, a fill pipe 6| is provided within the hollow case and directly beneath removable plate 26. It is seen that this plate prevents moisture from entering the fill pipe and also places the pipe out of view so that there will be less likelihood of tampering by those who wish to withdraw gasoline therefrom illegally.

It is thus seen that the island which I have provided is capable of being easily assembled or dismantled and it is also capable of being removed easily from place to place when it is desired to do so. An additional attractive feature is that of adjustment of the island length to correspond to the number of pumps which are to be placed at a service station; thereby producing a harmonious, symmetrical appearance, so far as the pump and the island are concerned.

In the drawings and specification, there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A portable island for supporting service station dispensing apparatus, comprising a hollow structural member, said hollow member having an opening therein over which the dispensing apparatus is adapted to be placed, said member also having an access port therein, a plate removably mounted over said port and means for anchoring said island in stationary position.

2. A portable island for supporting service station pumps and the like, comprising an elongated hollow structural framework having a top portion and side portions, plates covering the top and side portions of the framework, said top portion having an opening therein over which a pump is adapted to be placed, a removable plate adjacent said opening, and means for removably anchoring said island in stationary position.

plates secured to the top of the framework to provide a pair of openings for each pump, one of the openings being adapted to be closed by a pump disposed thereover and the other open- 3. A portable island for supporting dispensing 5 ing having a plate removably secured thereover pumps for service stations and the like comprising a rectangular metal framework having a flat top and vertical sidewalls, plates secured to the framework and covering the sidewalls, other whereby access may be gained to the interior of the island while a pump is supported thereby.

PAUL E. THOMASON.