Device for washing and drying the inside tank of a tanker truck

• US 4,941,493 A
• Filed: 08/15/1988
• Issued: 07/17/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Superior BULK Logistics Incorporated (Heniff Transportation Systems LLC)
• Original Assignee: Carry Companies of Illinois
• Inventors: Wieringa, Tom
• Primary Examiner(s): Stinson, Frankie L.
• Application Number:
  US07/232,661
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 134/166 R, 134/169 R, 134/182, 134/183, 134/200, 134/99, 239/214.11, 239/214.19, 239/222.11, 239/223, 239/224
• US Class Current: 134/166.00R
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/093 by the force of jets or sprays B08B9/0813 , B08B9/20 take precedence

Abstract

A device for washing and drying the inside tank portion of a tanker truck. The device is adaptable for fitting into a manway located in the tank and comprises a cone-shaped base which fits into a plugs the manway. A washing medium tube passes through the base in an axial direction and extends above and below the base. A drying medium tube also passes through the base in an axial direction and extends above the top of the base and terminates near the bottom of the base. A cone-shaped deflector is located below the bottom of the base and deflects drying medium throughout the entire inside portion of the tank. The device further comprises vent tubes which pass through the base in an axial direction and provides sufficient ventilation of the tank while maintaining a pressure greater than atmospheric in the tank. The positive pressure in the tank allows hoses connected to the tank to be cleaned and dried in an efficient manner.

Claims

1. A device for washing and drying the inside tank portion of a tanker truck, said device being adaptable for fitting into a manway located in the tank, said device comprising:

a cone-shaped base comprising an upper portion having a top and a lower portion having a bottom, the diameter of the lower portion being sufficiently small to allow said lower portion to pass through the manway and the diameter of the upper portion being sufficiently large to prevent said upper portion from passing through said manway;

a washing medium tube having an inlet and an outlet, said washing medium tube passing through said base in an axial direction, said inlet extending above the top of said base and said outlet extending below the bottom of said base;

a drying medium tube having an inlet and an outlet, said drying medium tube passing through said base in an axial direction, said inlet extending above the top of said base and said outlet terminating near the bottom of said base;

the longitudinal axis of a portion of the washing medium tube and the longitudinal axis of a portion of the drying medium tube are on the same line and the diameter of said drying medium tube portion is larger than the diameter of said washing medium tube portion thereby forming an annulus about said washing medium tube portion to provide a drying medium passageway;

a cone-shaped deflector located below the bottom of said base and having its center on the axis of said drying medium tube, said deflector having an upper portion and a lower portion, the diameter of the upper portion being less than the diameter of the lower portion; and

at least one vent tube having an inlet and an outlet, said vent tube passing through said base in an axial direction, said inlet terminating near the bottom of said base and said outlet terminating near the top of said base.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the diameter of said vent tube is sufficiently large to allow ventilation of said tank but sufficiently small to maintain a pressure greater than atmospheric in the tank.

3. The device of claim 1 comprising two vent tubes.

4. The device of claim 1 further comprising a wash distributor means at the outlet end of said washing medium tube.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the base is hollow.

6. A device for washing and drying the inside tank of a tanker truck, said device being adaptable for fitting into a manway located in the tank, said device comprising:

a cone-shaped base comprising an upper portion having a top and a lower portion having a bottom, the diameter of the lower portion being sufficiently small to allow said lower portion to pass through the manway and the diameter of the upper portion being sufficiently large to prevent said upper portion from passing through said manway;

a washing medium tube having an inlet and an outlet, said washing medium tube passing through said base in an axial direction, said inlet extending above the top of said base and said outlet extending below the bottom of said base;

a drying medium tube having an inlet and an outlet, said drying medium tube passing through said base in an axial direction, said inlet extending above the top of said base and said outlet terminating near the bottom of said base;

the longitudinal axis of a portion of the washing medium tube and the longitudinal axis of a portion of the drying medium tube being on the same line, the diameter of said drying medium tube portion being larger than the diameter of said washing medium tube portion thereby forming an annulus about said washing medium tube portion to provide a drying medium passageway;

a cone-shaped deflector located below the bottom of said base and having its center on the axis line of said drying medium tube portion and said washing medium tube portion, said deflector having an upper portion and a lower portion said upper portion being slidably affixed to said washing medium tube below the bottom of said base, the diameter of the upper portion being less than the diameter of the lower portion; and

a plurality of vent tubes each having an inlet and an outlet, said vent tubes passing through said base in an axial direction, said inlets terminating near the bottom of said base and said outlets terminating near the top of said base, the diameter of said vent tubes being sufficiently large to allow ventilation from the tank but sufficiently small to maintain a pressure greater than atmospheric in the tank.