WO2008111864A1

WO2008111864A1 - Tank container for water supply

Info

Publication number: WO2008111864A1
Application number: PCT/PT2007/000026
Authority: WO
Inventors: Paulo Alexandre Lucas Macedo
Original assignee: Paulo Alexandre Lucas Macedo
Priority date: 2007-03-09
Filing date: 2007-06-26
Publication date: 2008-09-18
Also published as: PT103679B; PT103679A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a tank container 1 for water supply, particularly for the transport of water for forest fire fighting, which has the structure of a sea container. It is essentially characterised in that it has a covering 2 divided in two doors 3 and 4, these doors being provided with boxes 5 with a U-shaped transverse section, formed by two vertical bulkheads 6 and a transverse bulkhead 7 that connects the edges of the two vertical bulkheads, which provide for the restraint in the transverse direction.

Description

"TANK CONTAINER FOR WATER SUPPLY"

Field of the invention

The present invention refers to a tank container for water- supply, specifically a sea container for the transport and supply of water for forest fire fighting.

As is known, the main cost of aerial forest fire fighting means, namely of helicopters, relates to the time spent during the travel to reach the places where water refilling is carried out. The availability of points for refilling forest fire fighting means is naturally a fundamental factor in this fight .

Nevertheless, helicopters provide good flexibility in the use of water points, which results in a greater capacity for using refilling points. However, some territories have areas where water points for refilling are scarce, whether natural or artificial, such as pools.

It is therefore urgent to design a structure which can be easily transported and will enable aerial means (helicopters) to refill in places very near the fire, thus avoiding long travels to reach the nearest water point available.

Prior art

The applicant is unaware of the existence of structures of the type referred to in claim 1 which, being transportable, make it possible for helicopters to refill with water. In fact, the containers which are known, namely in the nature of sea containers, have not been designed for the transportation of water by motor vehicles, such as lorries, trailers, etc., through bumpy roads. The inexistence of adequate restrainers in the containers known does not confer on them much capability for the transportation of water. In fact, without the aforesaid restrainers, the container loaded with water transported by an adequate vehicle through forest roads would be submitted to severe mechanical strains and instability, provoked by the volume of water in movement, which could easily cause undesirable and dangerous mishaps.

Merely for illustrative purposes, hereafter we refer to a container for liquids, which is the subject matter of document GB509397. This container can be used for fire fighting and transported in a cargo vehicle. It comprises a flexible tank having a rectangular base and trapezoidal side walls which overhang it, together with an easily foldable structure, which supports the aforesaid flexible tank. As can be verified, the container which is the objective of the abovementioned patent has no characteristics in any way similar to those of the objective of the present invention.

Other containers, such as the container which is the subject matter of PCT application WO 2006041729, a typical container for transporting bulk granular material, cannot be used, as is easily understood, for transporting liquids in vehicles adequate for fire fighting, for they are not provided with restrainers of any kind.

Summary of the invention

The present invention relates to a container in the nature of a sea container as substantially described in claim 1, which can be used for transporting water for refilling aerial forest fire fighting means. Other characteristics of this new container are described in the dependent claims.

We would point that the restrainer used in the container which is the objective of this application has been designed in order not to hinder the free access of the water refill bucket of the helicopter, which means that once the covering is removed, there will be nothing in the container to hinder the filling of the bucket or the access of any other filling device. As such, it does not include any fixed structural restrainers connecting the various -A-

parts of the container.

Brief description of the drawings

The following description refers to the drawings attached hereto which, without any restrictive character, represent :

In figure 1, a perspective view of the closed container;

In figure 2, also a perspective view of the closed container, but seen from the opposite side of that of figure 1 ;

In figure 3, a perspective view of the container with its doors in the open position;

In figure 4, a plant view of the container with its doors in the open position, this time seen from the opposite side of that of figure 3; and

In figure 5, a schematic view of the container being used.

Detailed description of the invention

As can be observed, the tank container which is the objective of this invention consists of a structure generically represented as 1, which is provided with a covering 2. The aforesaid covering 2 is formed by two doors 3, 4, which open rotating about a horizontal longitudinal axle. The fundamental characteristic of the invention lies in the fact that the aforesaid doors 3 and 4 have boxes 5 which show a U-shaped transverse section, formed by two vertical bulkheads 6 and a transverse bulkhead 7 that connects the edges of the two vertical bulkheads.

Restraining transverse bars 8 are mounted between the bulkheads 6, guaranteeing a better rigidity to each box 5. For the same reason, the transverse bulkheads 7 are duly supported by right angle triangles 11, as can be observed in figures 3 and 4. The transverse bulkheads 7 which connect the edges of the bulkheads 6 have several rows of circular openings 9. These openings, besides substantially reducing the weight of the bulkhead, make it possible for the water to flow through the openings 9, when doors 3 and 4 are closed with the container full of water. Otherwise, i.e. if the aforesaid bulkheads were compact, they would offer great resistance to water during the operation of closing the doors with the tank full of water.

The aforesaid boxes 5 are fixed to each half of the doors 3 and 4 so that, when together, they will not coincide with one another. As can be observed, the edges of the vertical bulkheads 6, i.e. the edges opposite to those through which these bulkheads are connected to the respective lids, are curved to allow the complete rotation during the closing of the doors, until the transverse bulkheads touch the side walls of the container, and are connected by means of a curved closing wall 18.

As can be understood from the above, the aforesaid boxes 5 open at the same time as the doors, so as to let the upper and inner part completely unobstructed for the access of the bucket or suction tube 12 from helicopters that must be refilled with water.

Hydraulic motors 13 have been provided for opening doors 3 and 4. To enable both doors 3 and 4 to open simultaneously, the aforesaid motors 13 operate crossed chains 14.

Additionally, container 1 has also been provided with a filling or transfer pump 15, water entries 16 and a draining exit 17.

Claims

1. Tank container 1 for water supply, particularly for the transport of water for forest fire fighting, which has the structure of a sea container, characterised in that it has a covering 2 divided in two doors 3 and 4, these doors being provided with boxes 5 with a U-shaped transverse section, formed by two vertical bulkheads 6 and a transverse bulkhead 7 that connects the edges of the two vertical bulkheads, which provide for the restraint in the transverse direction.

2. Tank container 1 for water supply in accordance with the precedent claim, characterised in that the aforesaid boxes 5 open at the same time as doors 3 and 4, so as to let the upper and inner part completely unobstructed .

3. Tank container 1 for water supply in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that restraining transverse bars 8 are mounted between bulkheads 6.

4. Tank container 1 for water supply in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that transverse bulkheads 7 are duly supported by right angle triangles 11.

5. Tank container 1 for water supply in accordance with claims 1 and 4, characterised in that bulkheads 7 which connect the edges of bulkheads 6 are provided with several rows of circular openings 9.

6. Tank container 1 for water supply in accordance with claims 1 and 3, characterised in that the edges of vertical bulkheads 6 are curved to allow the complete rotation during the closing of doors 3 and 4 until transverse bulkheads 7 touch the side walls of container 1, these edges being connected by curved closing walls 18.

7. Tank container 1 for water supply in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that the aforesaid boxes 5 are fixed to each half of doors 3 and 4 so that, when together, they will not coincide with one another.

8. Tank container 1 for water supply in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that the door opening is carried out with the aid of two hydraulic motors 13 and crossed chains 14, so that they will open simultaneously.

9. Tank container 1 for water supply in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that it additionally comprises a filling or transfer pump 15.

10. Tank container 1 for water supply in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that it additionally comprises water entries 16 and a draining exit 17.