US3675670A

US3675670A - Liquid transporting tank for tank cars

Info

Publication number: US3675670A
Application number: US55547A
Authority: US
Inventors: Osamu Ogawa
Original assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd
Current assignee: Subaru Corp
Priority date: 1969-11-14
Filing date: 1970-07-16
Publication date: 1972-07-11
Anticipated expiration: 1989-07-11
Also published as: JPS5231610B1

Abstract

A liquid transporting tank for tank cars which has a first pipe for introducing liquid into the bottom of the tank car and a second pipe for removing liquid from the top of the tank car. Hoses interconnect the outlet pipe of a preceding car to the inlet pipe of a subsequent car so that both cars may be filled through the inlet to the preceding car.

Description

United States Patent Ogawa 151 3,675,670 [451 July 11,1972

LIQUID TRANSPORTING TANK FOR TANK CARS Osamu Ogawa, Utsunomiya-shi. Tochigi. Japan Assignee: Fugi Heavy Industries, Ltd.

Filed: July 16, I970 Appl.No.: 55,547

Inventor:

Foreign Application Priority Date Nov. 14, 1969 Japan ..44/91254 ..Fl7d 1/00 ..l37/l 57$ [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS [126,529 3/1969 Lichtenberger et a1. I 37/575 X 1,150,269 8/1915 Heuling;................... ...137/$75 X 1,627,574 5/1927 Phillippi 137/575 2,186,723 1/1940 Harr eta] ..137/575 Primary Examiner-Henry T. Klinksiek Atlomey-Sughrue, Rothwell, Mion. Zinn & Macpeak ABSTRACT A liquid transporting tank for tank cars which has a first pipe for introducing liquid into the bottom of the tank car and a second pipe for removing liquid from the top of the tank car, Hoses interconnect the outlet pipe of a preceding car to the inlet pipe of a subsequent car so that both cars may be filled through the inlet to the preceding car.

4 China, 7 Drawing figures PATENTEDJUL 1 1 I972 sum 1 or 2 INVENTOR- OSAMU OGAWA wwgz ATTOEA/G Y5 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Heretofore, the loading and unloading of liquid to and from tank cars was carried out separately at each of the cars. Accordingly separate operations have been necessary at each of the cars, including the transfer of the cars past the loading dock. Moreover, in loading of liquid into tank cars, it has been necessary to check each 'car with a level gauge to see if the prescribed quantity has been loaded. Also, a liquid discharging pipe, a discharge valve, an operating means therefor, a sluice valve, and a large number of parts associated therewith was required for each of the cars.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is one object of the present invention to eliminate these conventional disadvantages, and to simplify the tank for liquid transportation.

It is another object of the present invention to load and unload a large number of tank cars in a single operation.

The invention will be described with respect to one embodiment referring to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings show the embodiment according to the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a front view of the tank car, FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the tank, FIG. 3 is a side elevation explaining an example which is in operation, FIG. 4 is a view explaining the loading of liquid FIG. 5 is a view explaining the unloading of liquid, and FIG. 6 shows the present invention applied to a liquid container in which (A) is a side elevation of the container, and (B) is a side elevation explaining its operation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The symbol T in FIG. I designates a tank of the tank car. Liquid is loaded into the tank T from the pipe E through the opening B at the bottom portion of the tank.

When the liquid reaches to the opening C of a pipe F at the upper portion of the tank, the space in the tank above C level is kept as an empty space for the tank car, and the liquid is delivered through the pipe F to outlet D. By connecting outlet D of the pipe F with an inlet A of a pipe E of the following tank by means of a hose I, liquid is filled successively, beginning from the left end of the tank cars, from a base tank G or a tanker or the like through hose H, to a plurality of tank cars as shown in FIG. 3. The air driven from the tank cars during loading is discharged from outlet J of the rearmost tank car (see FIG. 3).

By means of a measuring rod Klas shown in FIG. 2), it is possible to confirm whether the rearmost tank car is loaded with a predetermined quantity of liquid.

When the loading of all the cars is finished, H portion of the foremost car and J portion of the rearmost car are closed with blind covers.

If necessary, each of the tank cars are equipped with ball valves or the like at portions E, F as shown in FIG. 2.

As described above, according to the present invention, loading operation becomes extremely simple, and the separate loading of an individual tank car is omitted. Also, no transfer operation is necessary for respective tank cars past the position where the loading equipment is installed. Furthermore, according to the present invention, the loading operation can conveniently be effected even when the lengths of respective cars are different.

When it is desired to unload the tank cars the blind covers are removed, and an air pressure or the like is applied at D as shown in FlG. 5. This causes the liquid to be discharged from A through a sump L, pipes B and E. This unloading operation can be effected equally for a single car as well as for two or more cars coupled successively.

In this manner, the unloading operation can be simplified similar to the case of the loading.

By utilizing such a kind of tanks, it is possible to reduce the cost of the tank cars, the cost of installation of the base, and the personal expenses.

The present invention can be applied not only for the tank cars, but also for handling a large number of containers.

FIG. 6 shows an example of the present invention when it is applied to containers. The function and the effect thereof are similar to the above examples, but in this case, since the transportation is effected for small-lot users, it is possible to unload the containers immediately at the arrival station by means of an outlet M provided on the underside of the tank vessel.

I claim:

1, A tank car for transporting measured volumes of liquid comprising:

a wheeled vehicle supporting a tank,

a protrusion within the bottom of said tank at the center thereof,

a first pipe extending vertically within said tank with its open end terminating within said protrusion, said opening being coplanar with the tank bottom,

a second pipe projecting vertically through the top of said tank, near the center thereof, with its open end terminating near the top of said tank,

a source of liquid,

means for connecting said source of liquid to said first pipe,

a discharge reservoir and means for connecting said discharge reservoir to said second pipe,

whereby; liquid is introduced into said tank by said first pipe, rises to the level of said second pipe horizontal elongated and passes through said second pipe to said discharge reservoir after filling a predetermined.

volume of liquid within said tank car, and whereby a compressed gas may be introduced into said second pipe to force liquid from said tank car through said first pipe to essentially insure maximum volume of liquid being introduced into said tank car during filling and complete removal of the same during discharge.

2. The liquid transporting tank car as claimed in claim 1, wherein said discharge reservoir constitutes a second identically formed tank, whereby; liquid introduced into said first tank car will fill that tank to the level of the second pipe whence liquid will then be introduced into the first pipe of the second tank car. 3. A method of loading liquid into a plurality of relatively movable and separately inclinable identically formed tank cars, each of which transports measured volumes of liquid, each having a horizontal, elongated tank, a protrusion within the bottom of said tank at the center thereof, a first pipe extending vertically within said tank and terminating within said protrusion such that the opening thereof is coplanar with the tank bottom and a second pipe projects vertically through the top of said tank near the center thereof with its open end terminating near the top of the tank and having the second pipe of the leading tank coupled to the first pipe of the following tank by flexible hydraulic connection, said method comprising the steps of:

introducing liquid into the first pipe of the first of said plurality of tanks, until liquid fills all of said tanks, and venting the rearmost tank to the atmosphere through the second pipe thereof.

4. A method of unloading liquid from a plurality of separately inclinable relatively movable series connected tank cars which transport measured volumes of liquid, each of said tank cars including a horizontal elongated tank a protrusion within the bottom of said tank at the center thereof, a first pipe extending vertically within said tank and terminating within said protrusion with the opening thereof coplanar with the tank bottom and a second pipe projecting vertically through the top of said tank near the center thereof with its open end terminating near the top of said tank to determine the volume of measured liquid carried thereby, flexible hydraulic connections existing between the second pipes of the first and succeeding tanks and the first pipe of the tanks next succeeding them, said method comprising the steps of:

introducing pneumatic pressure into the second pipe of the last tank of said series of tanks and communicating the first pipe of said tank most remote from the tank receiving initially the pneumatic pressure to a discharge reservoir.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 6Y5,6?O Dated July 11, 1972 Inventor(s) Osamu Ogawa It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Cancel columns 1, 2, 3 and L bearing Patent No. 3,675,570

and substitute the attached columns 1, 2, 3 and LL.

Signed and sealed this 2nd day of April 19714..

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHEB, JR Attesting Officer C. MARSHALL DANN Commissioner of Patents FORM PO-105O (IO-69] USCOMM DC nosnhpug 1 us, GOVUINMENY rnmvmc orrlcs 195a o-au-ss4.

Claims

1. A tank car for transporting measured volumes of liquid comprising: a wheeled vehicle supporting a horizontal elongated tank, a protrusion within the bottom of said tank at the center thereof, a first pipe extending vertically within said tank with its open end terminating within said protrusion, said opening being coplanar with the tank bottom, a second pipe projecting vertically through the top of said tank, near the center thereof, with its open end terminating near the top of said tank, a source of liquid, means for connecting said source of liquid to said first pipe, a discharge reservoir and means for connecting said discharge reservoir to said second pipe, whereby; liquid is introduced into said tank by said first pipe, rises to the level of said second pipe and passes through said second pipe to said discharge reservoir after filling a predetermined volume of liquid within said tank car, and whereby a compressed gas may be introduced into said second pipe to force liquid from said tank car through said first pipe to essentially insure maximum volume of liquid being introduced into said tank car during filling and complete removal of the same during discharge.

2. The liquid transporting tank car as claimed in claim 1, wherein said discharge reservoir constitutes a second identically formed tank, whereby; liquid introduced into said first tank car will fill that tank to the level of the second pipe whence liquid will then be introduced into the first pipe of the second tank car.

3. A method of loading liquid into a plurality of relatively movable and separately inclinable identically formed tank cars, each of which transports measured volumes of liquid, each having a horizontal, elongated tank, a protrusion within the bottom of said tank at the center thereof, a first pipe extending vertically within said tank and terminating within said protrusion such that the opening thereof is coplanar with the tank bottom and a second pipe projects vertically through the top of said tank near the center thereof with its open end terminating near the top of the tank and having the second pipe of the leading tank coupled to the first pipe of the following tank by flexible hydraulic connection, said method comprising the steps of: introducing liquid into the first pipe of the first of said plurality of tanks, until liquid fills all of said tanks; and venting the rearmost tank to the atmosphere through the second pipe thereof.

4. A method of unloading liquid from a plurality of separately inclinable relatively movable series connected tank Cars which transport measured volumes of liquid, each of said tank cars including a horizontal elongated tank, a protrusion within the bottom of said tank at the center thereof, a first pipe extending vertically within said tank and terminating within said protrusion with the opening thereof coplanar with the tank bottom and a second pipe projecting vertically through the top of said tank near the center thereof with its open end terminating near the top of said tank to determine the volume of measured liquid carried thereby, flexible hydraulic connections existing between the second pipes of the first and succeeding tanks and the first pipe of the tanks next succeeding them, said method comprising the steps of: introducing pneumatic pressure into the second pipe of the last tank of said series of tanks and communicating the first pipe of said tank most remote from the tank receiving initially the pneumatic pressure to a discharge reservoir.