US3399553A

US3399553A - Protective cover for liquefied petroleum gas systems

Info

Publication number: US3399553A
Authority: US
Inventors: Lehto Eric
Original assignee: Erie Lehto
Current assignee: ERIE LEHTO
Priority date: 1966-12-20
Filing date: 1966-12-20
Publication date: 1968-09-03
Anticipated expiration: 1985-09-03

Description

E. LEHTO Sept. 3, 1968 PROTECTIVE COVER FOR LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS SYSTEMS Filed Dec. 20, 1966 a d m m mm M 4 s n m J 5. T1: M W H o I 1 F 7 B- V .l y a W a w a Fil 3:3

3,399,553 PROTECTIVE COVER FOR LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS SYSTEMS Eric Lehto, 4649 Redding St., Oakland, Calif. 94619 Filed Dec. 20, 1966, Ser. No. 603,268 5 Claims. (Cl. 70-158) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The technical disclosure in specification is directed to a removable hood for protecting portable LP. gas systems from theft, damage or tampering. The hood fits over the upper ends of the LP. tanks and the valves, regulator and tubing, and is removably locked in place to block off effective use of tools on the LP. valves, etc., or on the locking mechanism.

The present invention relates to improvements in a protective cover for liquefied petroleum gas systems, and more particularly to a device for preventing accidental damage and unauthorized tampering with or removal of the tanks, valves, and regulators from their location of use.

For reasons of convenience, portable liquefied petroleum gas tanks and their associated distribution system are commonly placed in exposed locations where they may be tampered with or stolen. Damage by accidental impact, such as maladjustment or breakage, is also a hazard where the system is exposed. A protective cover for the system eliminates both the expense of its repair or replacement and the potential safety hazards posed by leaking gas and by excessive gas pressure due to tampering with the regulator.

Applicants device is especially useful for protecting the tanks and their distribution system on house trailers, camper trucks, and the like, but it will be appreciated that the device is useful in any situation in which the liquefied petroleum gas tanks are placed in locations accessible to unauthorized persons. The problem is particularly acute in connection with house trailers, as the tanks are commonly placed in the open on the tongue of the trailer, within easy reach of all, including children,

Applicants protective device restricts both manual and tool access to the area of the tanks in which the valves are disposed and the area in which the regulator and tubing are commonly mounted. A vertical member extends up from the base on which the tank rests, such as the tongue of a house trailer, alongside the tank and the hood is secured in place by a handle member which engages the vertical member and retains the hood on it.

' The hood is rendered more secure against removal by providing a keeper means which restrains the handle member against removal from the vertical member, and a lock for the keeper means. Security is provided for the tanks and distribution equipment against even the more determined thieves, as the handle member, keeper means, and lock are formed so as to obstruct the use of a hacksaw, bolt cutter or similar tool on them. In particular, the keeper means and lock are disposed so that the hood shields them from such lock-breaking tools, while the lock remains accessible by hand for locking and unlocking.

An additional advantage of applicants protective device is that it provides a simple and uncluttered appearance more appealing to the eye than the mechanisms concealed beneath it. The concealment also lessens the temptation toward mischief by removing the equipment from sight.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a protective device for portable liquefied petroleum gas tanks and the distribution system astitted States Patent ()1 fice Patented Sept. 3, 1968 sociated therewith to prevent unauthorized removal of the tanks and distribution system from the location of their use. 7

It is a further principal object of the present invention to provide a protective device of the character described for preventing tampering and malicious mischief with the distribution system associated with the tanks.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a protective device of the character described in which the distribution system is protected against accidental damage by impact.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a protective device of the character described which is locked in place against improper removal and yet readily removable by hand by authorized persons.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a protective device of the character described in which the locking mechanism is protected against access of lock-breaking tools thereto without substantially impairing manual access to the lock for its proper removal.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a protective device of the character described which improves the appearance of the tanks and distribution system by concealing the upper end of the tanks and the equipment from view, thereby also reducing the temptation toward malicious mischief.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a protective device of the character described which is simple and economical in construction and both durable and uncomplicated in its operation.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the protective device of the present invention shown installed over two liquefied petroleum gas tanks.

FIGURE 2 is a cross-section taken along lines 22 of FIGURE 1 with the hood broken away to show the details of the apparatus beneath the hood.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary cross-section taken along lines 33 of FIGURE 1.

While the preferred form of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings and described herein, it will be apparent that various changes and modifications may be made within the ambit of this invention as defined in the accompanying claims.

Referring to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the protective device 11 of the present invention is adapted for use with a liquefied petroleum gas system 12 having a pair of liquefied petroleum gas tanks. 13, 14 retained in place on a base 16 by a cross bar 18 mounted on an upstanding member 19 between

tanks

13, 14. Base 16 may be attached to or be a part of housetrailer 17.

Tanks

13, 14 are normally equipped with upstanding valve guard collars 21 partially surrounding the manually operated valves 22 at the upper end of

tanks

13, 14, and cross bar 18 bears down on collars 21 to retain

tanks

13, 14 in place on base 16. The system is also normally equipped with a pressure regulator 23 supported on upstanding member 19 between

tanks

13, 14 and valves 22. Regulator 23 is connected to valves 22 by tubing 24 and to gas-consuming appliances within house trailer 17 by tubing 26. A hood means or cover 27 is adapted to fit over and surround the valves 22, regulator 23, and the upper end of

tanks

13, 14, and is retained in place by a retaining means 28 attached to house trailer 17 and formed to releasably lock hood 27 over the top of

tanks

13, 14, and regulator 23.

Hood means or cover 27 is formed with a relatively flat surface 29 extending across the top of both

tanks

13, 14, and a skirt portion 31 depending from the circumr a ference of top surface portion 29 to a depth sutficient to impede hand access to the area occupied by valves 22 and regulator 23. Hood 27 is, formed with an aperture 32 for passing the upper end of upstanding member 19, and an aperture 33 spaced from aperture 32.

As here shown, the upper end of upstanding member 19 is threaded in a male configuration, and retaining means 28 includes a nut 34 having female threads corresponding to those on upstanding member 19. Nut 34 is formed with at least one laterally projecting arm or handle 36 having an aperture 37 near its outer end alignable with aperture 33. Nut 34 may be formed with as many lateral arms as are found convenient, but it is here provided with a second lateral arm 38 having an aperture 39 near its outer end identical in form and location to third aperture 37.

Arms

36 and 38 permit nut 34 to be engaged by hand to rotate'it for removal from upstanding member 19. It should also be understood that the configuration of upstanding member 19 and nut 34 could be reversed without departing from the spirit of this invention, so that

arms

36 and 38 would be formed on the head o f afmale threaded bolt structure engaging a nut attached to upstanding member 19. As a further alternative, upstanding member 19 could form the shank of such a wing-headed bolt, with the male thread being near the bottom of member 19 and engaging a female threaded member mounted on or a part of base 16..

Retaining means 28 also includes a keeper means 41 which is formed as a pin having a head 42 and a shank 43. Head 42 is dimensioned so as not to pass through aperture 33, while shank 43 is dimensioned to pass freely through both aperture 33 and aperture 37. An aperture 44 is formed in the shank 43 to receive the hasp 46 of a lock 47 which retains pin 41 in place. Aperture 44 is positioned along shank 43 at a point just far enough from head 42 to make the fourth aperture accessible from the underside of hook 27 when pin 41 is fully inserted into the

apertures

33 and 37. For ease of access by hand to the lock 47, aperture 33 is located toward the side of hood 27 which faces away from the front of the house trailer. Keeper means 41 could take other forms, such as a hinged latch interfering with the rotation of arm 36 and lockable into such interfering relation, but the form here shown is preferred as it offers a minimum exposure of the keeper means 41 and lock 47 to attack by tools. In this connection, the low profile of retaining means 28, as best seen in FIGURE 3, should be noted together with the upstanding boss or collar 48 which surrounds aperture 33. Disposing arm 36 a slight distance above upper surface 29 renders its hand operation more convenient but would render the shank 43 vulnerable to attack by tools were it not for the protection afforded by boss Cross bar 18 has an aperture 53 in the middle of it dimensioned to pass over the end of upstanding member 19 and is commonly formed with a depending tongue 49 on which regulator 23 and other associated distributing equipment may be mounted.

Tanks

13 and 14 are grasped at their upper end by the teeth of cross bar 18 which engage collars 21 and are retained on base 16 at their lower end by any appropriate means, which may include a ringshaped collar 51 mounted on base 16 and adapted to mate with and retain the ring-shaped collar 52 commonly found on the bottom of the portable liquefied petroleum gas tanks.

In operation,

tanks

13, 14 are installed on trailer 17 with the bottom collars 52 engaging collars 51 mounted on base 16, so that one collar fits inside the other. Cross bar 18 is fitted onto member 19 with its teeth in engagement with collars 21 and then

tubing

24 and 26 is connected to valves 22, to regulator 23 and to any other associated distribution equipment. At this time valves 22 are opened or closed as desired, and regulator 23 is set to the desired supply pressure. Any other adjustments in distributing equipment are made and then hood 27 is r 4 dropped over the upper area of the tanks with the threaded end of member 19 projecting through aperture 32. Nut 34 is then threaded onto 'member 19 and spun down tight to lock hook 27 in place over the tanks and also to urge cross bar 18 against collars 21 to retain the tanks in place. Nut 34 is'irotated untiloneof the

apertures

37, 39 in one of the l'ateralarms 36, 38'is brought into alignment with aperture '33 and then keeper'41 is inserted through apertures 32 and 33 to prevent further rotation of nut 34. Lock 47 may then be inserted under hood 27 and its hasp 46 passed through aperture 44 to lock keeper 41 against removal. To remove the hood the sequence of operations is merely reversed.

The collars "21

ontanks

13, 14 areusually formed as an incomplete ring with the break in the ring occurring opposite the outlet of the valve to facilitate the fitting of tubing to the valve. For the greatest protection, therefore,

tanks

13, 14 may be turned so that the break in collar 21 faces rearwardly near the front wall of house trailer 17, thereby further impeding access to the valve area of the tanks, as hood 27 impedes access from the top and from the outer sidcsand cooperates with collars 21 in impeding access from the front, while the front wall of trailer 17 and hood 27 cooperate to impede access from the rear, and the side of collar 21 impedes access to the valve area from the sides of the tanks facing upstanding member 19. V

The protective device of applicants invention has been described here as adapted for protecting the pair of liquefied petroleum gas tanks commonly associated with house trailers. However, it must beappreciated that applicants protective device may likewise be applied for the protection of a single tank by correspondingly decreasing the area of hood 27 and dimensioning it to allow hand access to lock 47, preferably locating the tank so that the break in collar 21 is diametrically opposite the point at which keeper means 41 and lock 47 are located. Hood 27 could be provided, ,if desired, with a gripping means corresponding to cross bar 18 for engaging and retaining collar 21, and could be dimensioned to accept regulator 23 in a secure location beneath the hood. The security afforded against access of saw or cutters to upstanding member 19 by the close proximity of two

tanks

13, 14 to it could be replaced in the single tank embodiment by locating upstanding member 19 between the front wall of, trailer 17 and tank 13 so that the trailer itself serves toshield member 19. It should also be appreciated that both the single and double tank forms of applicants protective device may be used to protect small liquefied petroleum gas tanks in any sort of stationary location in which the tanks are exposed to unauthorized public access, to preventtheft and tampering.

From the foregoing itmay be seen that the protective device of the present invention provides a novel and useful apparatus for preventing accidental damage to and unauthorized tampering with or removal of the, liquefied petroleum gas tanks and the distribution system associated therewith which is readily removable. by authorized persons by hand and yet protected against the use of lock breaking tools. It may also be seen that the coverapparatus of thepresentinvention covers and disguises the cluttered appearance of the valves, tubing and regulating equipment associated with the tanks yielding a neat and trim look for the. liquefied petroleum gas system and removing temptation to tamper by hiding vulnerable parts of the system from view.

I claim: a

1. In a house trailer liquefied petroleum gas system having a pair of liquefied petroleum .gas tanks retained in place by a crossbar mounted on an upstanding member betweenthe tanks to bear down on upstanding valve guard collars surrounding manually operable valves at the upper ends of the liquefied petroleum gas tanks and having a pressure regulator supportedon said upstanding member between thevalves and connected to the valves and house trailer by tubing, a device for preventing accidental damage and unauthorized tampering with or removal of the liquefied petroleum gas tanks, valves and regulator, comprising:

hood means adapted to fit over and surround the upper end of the tanks and the valves and regulator and retaining means adapted for attachment to the house trailer and formed for releasably locking said hood in such position, said retaining means including a manually engageable member carried on the upper surface of said hood means and thread means on said manually engageable member and said upstanding member positionable through said first aperture for releaseably securing said hood means in place,

said upstanding member having a threaded upper end formed to project through said first aperture when said hood means is fitted Over the distribution sys tem, and said retaining means including a nut formed for engagement with said upstanding member to retain said hood means in such position,

said nut formed with a lateral extension and said retaining means including keeper means selectively engageable in cooperative relationship with said lateral extension for restraining said nut against rotation on said upstanding member.

2. A device for preventing accidental damage and unauthorized tampering with or removal of liquefied petroleum gas tanks, valves and regulator as described in claim 1, and wherein said retaining means includes a lock for locking said keeper means into said cooperative relationship with said extension.

3. A device for preventing accidental damage and unauthorized tampering with or removal of liquefied petroleum gas tanks, valves and regulator as described in claim 2, and wherein said hood means is formed with a second aperture therein, and said extension is formed with a third aperture therein alignable with said second aperture, said keeper means comprising a pin formed to pass through said second and third apertures and having a head formed thereon larger than one of said second and third apertures, said pin having a fourth aperture in the shank thereof, said lock being formed with a hasp for fitting through said fourth aperture after said pin is placed head upward through said second and third apertures, said aperture being located a distance along said shank from the head of said pin sutficient to dispose said aperture on the underside of said hood means after insertion of said pin through said second and third apertures.

4. A device for preventing accidental damage and unauthorized tampering with or removal of liquefied petroleum gas tanks, valves and regulator as described in claim 2, and wherein said hood means being formed of sufiicient depth to obstruct manual access to the valves and regulator and to obstruct access of lockbreaking tools to said lock while permitting manual access thereto.

5. Cover apparatus for securing portable liquefied petroleum gas tanks having valves and upstanding valve guard collars to a base for preventing tampering therewith, comprising:

a hood adapted for positioning to enclose the valve and the collar portions of the tank and having first and second apertures formed therein,

a threaded member attached to the base and adapted to protrude through said first aperture in said hood when said hood is so positioned over the tanks,

a nut adapted for engagement with said threaded member and having a lateral extension providing a third aperture alignable with said second aperture in said hood,

a pin adapted to pass through said second and third apertures to prevent rotation of said nut and a locking device formed for lockably securing said pin against removal from said second and third apertures so as to prevent unauthorized removal of said hood from the tank.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,639,208 5/1953 Obenchain 312-100 2,985,310 5/1961 Norris 21l74 3,065,857 11/1962 Sanders 2l1-71 MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner.

EDWARD J. MCCARTHY, Assistant Examiner.