Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TANK CONTAINER EOR DIFFERENT SIZE TANKS
SPECIFICATION
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Field of the Invention
The present lnvention relates to a tank container. More
particularly this invention concerns a tank container in which
liquids are shipped and stored.
Background of the Invention
In these days of containerized freight it is standard
practice to ship bulk liquids by truck or rail in so~called tank
containers, which at their simplest are cylindrical tanks about
which are built parallepipedal frames so they can be easily
handled. Such a tank is normally of preexisting standard
construction, of a size and shape determined by the type of
liquid or gas it contains. The frame that holds such a tank is
also of standardlzed dimensions, and must hold its tank snugly
and securely.
To this end it is standard to provide support blocks
between the cylindxical outer surface of the tank and the square
inner surface of the frame. Typically such a block is simply a
metal element formed as a right-triangle with a circularly
arcuate hypotenuse concave away from the right angle. It is
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secured by welding or bolting to the circumferentially ridged
tank and is normally welded to the frame. Such an arrangement,
as described in German patent document 2,543,729, has the
disadvantage of transmitting any vibration from the tank to the
frame, as for instance when the liquid inside the tank moves.
The result is dynamic loading of parts intended mainly for static
loading, so that material failure from metal fatigue is common in
such a tank container, the blocks usually failing first.
Such tank containers do not always sit on a ievel
surface, and frequently are lifted by cranes or lift trucks.
They are occasionally stacked on each other, and frequently are
set off the floor on spacers. In short they are subject to
considerable stressing, principally as torsion. The
fixed-together cylindrical tank and prismatic, normally
parallelpipedal, frame are extremely rigid when connected
together~ They resist deformation in any direction so that the
entire assembly must be very heavily built to withstand the
frequently heavy loads.
When it is necessary to change tank size, as one
normally can store the tanks on fixed stands so that the frames
are used principally for transport, the blocks must also be
changed. First they must be unbolted from the frame or the old
tank and then the tank is lifted out. ~he blocks are removed
from the tank or frame, wherever they are, and new appropriately
sized blocks are fixed to the new tank or old frame. Then the
new tank is installed in the old frame. For each size tank there
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must be a set of blocks for each size of frame, and vice versa.
These elements are expensive and difficult to keep track of, and
even with them changing over from one size tank to another is not
easy.
Objects of the Invention
It is therefore an object of the present invention to
provide an improved tank container.
Another object is the provision of such a tank container
which overcomes the above-given disadvantages.
A further object is to provide a tank container which
has a long service life, and whose tank can readily be changed
for a tank of another size.
Sllmmary of the Invention
These objects are attained according to the instant
invention in a tank container having a prismatic and
longitudinally extending support frame formed of longitudinal and
transverse members and having a floor, sides extending up from
the 100r, and an openable top bridging the sides and provided
with a plurality of support saddles each having a transversely
and inwardly concave tank-holding part, a base part supported on
the frame, and pivot means supporting the holding part on the
base part for relative pivotal movement of the parts about a
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respective longitudinal axis. An elongated tank of rounded cross
section is received within the frame and rests on the holding
parts. Respective adjustable securing means fix the bases on the
frame each in any of a respective plurality of transversely
offset positions.
The ability of the upper saddle parts to pivot according
to this invention has several important advantages. Such hinging
allows the saddles to accommodate to differently sized tanks. It
also permits limited relative movement between the very stiff
tank and the frame, so that the frame can deform slightly when
stressed. Such limited deformation in no way endangers the tank,
in fact protects it against damage by, for instance,
overstressing of the tank wall where it is connected to the
fitter block. It is possible for the frame of this invention to
be of relatively light construction and still have a lvnger
service life than the heavier prior-art frames.
According to another feature of this invention means is
provided for securing the holding parts to the tank. This means
can be simple bolts, or even permanent welds, in which latter
case the holding parts stay with the tank. When the holding
parts are permanently secured to the tank, the base parts
nonetheless remain with the frame so that these latter parts need
not be duplicated. Such an arrangement is fitted together, once
the base parts are at the right spacing, by engaging a pivot bolt
between them. The base parts are mounted on respective
transverse members, normally on those of the floor of the frame
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and can be slid transversely thereon into any position necessary
for the range of tanks that will fit the frame.
To allow limited tank/frame movement, the pivot means
include at least one elastic element for limited relative
transverse movement between the respective parts. This elastic
element can simply be a rubber or synthetic-resin elastomeric
sleeve surrounding a pivot pin, with the sleeve gripped
circumEerentially by one of the saddle parts and the pin fixed on
the other.
The holding parts according to this invention normally
include curved support channels extending circumferentially of
the tanlc. These channels may be permanently fixed on the tanks
at the appropriate locations for meeting the pivots.
Each of the holding parts can be relatively easily and
cheaply constructed. It has a pivot pin defining a respective
pivot axis and two transversely extending and longitudinally
spaced flanges generally perpendicular to the respective axis and
carrying the respective pin. A crosspiece bridges the respective
flanges and extends generally parallel to the respective axis and
generally perpendicular to the respective flanges. An upwardly
or radially outwardly flaring plate lies generally in a plane
including the respective axis, extends generally perpendicular to
the respective crosspiece, and is welded to same. Gusset plates
fixed between the respective flaring plate and the respective
crosspiece stiffen same together into a rigid assembly. A curved
element, which may be the above-described channel, is fixed to
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the tank and to the respective gusset plates. Such a holding
part can easily be fitted to any tank. The gusset plates allow a
broad connection surface for bolting to the curved element for a
very strong joining of the two.
Each flaring plate according to this invention has an
upper edge which bears via a force-transmitting stiffening plate
on the tank. Thus considerable weight can easily be carried,
while keeping the device of inexpensive construction. The tank
has stiffening ridges offset longitudinally from the pivot means
and separate from the above-mentioned curved element, so the
system can be adapted to any size or style of tank. The flaring
plate is in fact formed with an upwardly open notch through which
the respective curved element passes. This makes it easy for
force to be transmitted perfectly radially by this flaring plate,
while nonradial forces are resisted by the gusset plates.
Description of_the Drawin~
The above and other features and advantages will become
more readily apparent from the following, reference being made to
the accompanying drawing in which:
Fig. 1 is a side view of the tank container according to
the instant invention;
Figs. 2 and 3 are top and end views of the tank
container; and
Fig. 4 is a large-scale partly broken-away perspective
view of a detail of the tank container.
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~ s seen in Figs 1-3, the tank container according to the
invention has a frame provided with longitudinal and transverse
floor members or beams 1 and 2 forming a rectangular 1Oor 1, 2
elongated in direction L. Posts 3 extend up from the corners of
the floor 1,2 and a roof made of removable longitudinal and
transverse beams 4 and 5 bridges the top ends of the posts 3.
The outline of a cylindrical tank with rounded ends is
shown at 6. On the right-hand sides of Figs. 1-3 the outline is
that of a large-diameter tank of 2300mm diameter and on the left
of a small-diameter tank of 1550mm diameter. These two sizes,
which represent the ends of the typical range, are easily
accommodated by a single frame 1-5.
The tank 6 is seated in saddles 7 which according to
this invention have respective pivots 8 defining respective
lon~itudinal pivot axes A and displaceable in transverse
direction T on respective transverse floor I-beams 9 and 10 that
are seated at their ends in reinforcement plates 21 o the
longitudinal floor beams 1.
Each of these pivots 8 includes a pair of journal plates
8a and 8b of complementary shape with semicylindrical centers and
coplanar flanges that are bolted together around a pivot pin 11
and an elastomeric sleeve lla surrounding the pivot pin 11. The
lower plate 8b is ixed to a plate 22 that has transversely
extending edges each formed with a row of throughgoing holes 23.
The flanges of the beams 1 and 10 are similarly formed with
transverse rows of holes 24. It is therefore possible to secure
each of the saddles 7 at any of a plurality of transversely
offset locations on the frame 1-5 by means of bolts 25 passing
through the aligned holes 23 and 2~.
Each pivot pin 11 is fixed between two transversely
extending and longitudinally spaced flanges or plates 12 and 13
perpendicular to the respective axis A and bridged by a
crosspiece 14 extending parallel to the axis A and perpendicular
to the flanges 12 and 13. An upwardly flaring trapezoidal plate
15 lying in a plane including the a~is A and perpendicular to the
crosspiece 1~ is welded to this crosspiece, and is stiffened
thereon by right-trapezoidal gusset plates 17.
The tank 6 has conventional circumferential stiffening
ridges 20 and is provided according to this invention with four
appropriately longitudinally spaced support elements 19 formed as
part-cylindrical U-section channels 19 open toward the tank 6.
The plate 15 is formed with a rectangular notch 26 in which this
element 19 sits, and the tank is provided with stiffening plates
18 against which the upper edge of the plate 15 bears and to
which it is connected. The gusset plates 16 are connected to the
respective element 19.
It is possible to switch from a tank of one size to one
of another relatively easily. The bolts 26 are withdrawn and the
tank 6 is simply lifted out. Then the bolts 26 are removed and
replaced when the saddle 7 has been slid along the transverse
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beams 9 and 10 to the right position. The new tank 6 is set in
place and the upper saddle part formed by the element 12-16 is
pivoted into position and the bolts 26 are replaced. This
operation is extremely simple and does not require the stocking
of any adaptor blocks.
All the tanks 6 need be provided with are appropriate
curved elements 19 and stiffening plates 18 at the required
longitudinal spacing. The elements 19 are drilled out at the
right spacing so that ~he plates 16 and 17 can be bolted to
them. The entire system is extremely easy to adapt to existing
tanks, and can easily be adapted to tanks not normally intended
for use in tank containers.
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