Collection tank

• US 8,360,260 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2010
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vermeer Manufacturing Company
• Original Assignee: McLaughlin Group, Inc. (Vermeer Corporation)
• Inventors: Maybury, Charles Robert Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): GROSSO, HARRY A
• Application Number:
  US12/979,114
• Publication Number:
  US 20110088289A1
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: 220/211, 220/314, 220/252, 220/582, 220/810, 220/827, 493/24, 493/39, 493/40, 493/44, 493/45, 373/04
• US Class Current: 220/314
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/22 Tank vehicles vehicles convertible from transport of fluids to transport of other types of goods B60P3/426; tank aspects B65D90/00, F17C
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/2245 Adaptations for loading or unloading
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 45/28 Elongated members, e.g. leaf springs, located substantially at right angles to closure axis and acting between the face of the closure and abutments on container
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/8816 Mobile land installations
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/8891 wherein at least a part of the soil-shifting equipment is handheld
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/925 with jets
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 5/003 for uncovering conduits
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 7/00 Equipment for conveying or separating excavated material barges adapted for carrying-away material from floating dredgers B63B35/28
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6855 Vehicle

Abstract

A collection tank for use in a vacuum operated earth reduction system, the collection tank comprising a closed first end, an open second end defining a tank sealing flange and a body extending between the closed first end and the open second end. An internal chamber defined by the body, the closed first end and the open second end has a door coupled to the open second end and is configured to releasably seal the open second end. An automated door closer is coupled to a center of the door, wherein the automated door closer provides a closing force at the center of the door so that the closing force is equally distributed about a periphery of the door to seal the door against the tank sealing flange.

Claims

1. A mobile digging and backfill system for removing and collecting material, comprising:

a wheeled vehicle chassis;

a collection tank mounted to the chassis and comprising a body having a closed end, an open end opposite the closed end, a central section extending between the closed end and the open end, and a door having a generally circular periphery that is movable to seat against a generally circular periphery of the open end;

a vacuum pump mounted to the chassis and connected to the collection tank that draws an air stream through the collection tank that carries material into the collection tank;

a cross-member connected to the door on a side of the door opposite the collection tank'"'"'s open end at a center of the door'"'"'s generally circular periphery so that application of force to the cross-member in a direction toward the door and parallel to an axis passing through the center of the door'"'"'s generally circular periphery and a center of the collection tank'"'"'s closed end applies a closing force to the door parallel to the axis;

wherein the cross-member is fixed in movement with respect to the door in a plane that includes the axis and that is perpendicular to a plane that includes both the axis and the force applied to the cross-member; and

a linkage assembly coupled between the door and the tank body so that movement of the door to a closed position with respect to the body moves the linkage assembly to a position at which the linkage assembly retains the door in the closed position so that the door'"'"'s generally circular periphery seats against the open end'"'"'s generally circular periphery in a sealed contact.

2. The system as in claim 1, wherein the cross-member is rigidly attached to the center of the door'"'"'s generally circular periphery.

3. The system as in claim 1, wherein the linkage assembly is coupled to the door by a direct connection of the linkage assembly to the cross-member.

4. The system as in claim 1, wherein the linkage assembly has a first point pivotally coupled to the cross-member, a second point pivotally coupled to the body, and a third point intermediate the first point and the second point at which the force to the cross-member is applied and so that the movement of the door moves the third point across a line including the first point and the second point.

5. The system as in claim 1, comprising an actuator coupled between the chassis and the door so that actuation of the actuator applies the force to the cross-member.

6. The system as in claim 5, wherein the actuator is a hydraulic-powered device.

7. The system as in claim 6, wherein the actuator comprises a hydraulic cylinder.

8. The system as in claim 4, comprising an actuator coupled between the chassis and the third point so that actuation of the actuator applies the force to the cross-member through the linkage assembly.

9. The system as in claim 8, wherein the actuator is a hydraulic-powered device.

10. The system as in claim 9, wherein the actuator comprises a hydraulic cylinder.

11. The system as in claim 8, wherein the cross-member is rigidly attached to the center of the door'"'"'s generally circular periphery.

12. A collection tank for mounting to a wheeled vehicle chassis of a mobile digging and backfill system for removing and collecting material, wherein the digging and backfill system has a vacuum pump mounted to the chassis and connected to the collection tank, comprising:

a collection tank body comprising a closed end, an open end opposite the closed end, a central section extending between the closed end and the open end, and a door having a generally circular periphery that is moveable to seat against a generally circular periphery of the open end, for mounting to the chassis;

a cross-member connected to the door on a side of the door opposite the collection tank'"'"'s open end at a center of the door'"'"'s generally circular periphery so that application of force to the cross-member in a direction toward the door and parallel to an axis passing through the door'"'"'s center and a center of the collection tank'"'"'s closed end applies a closing force to the door parallel to the axis;

wherein the cross-member is fixed in movement with respect to the door in a plane that includes the axis and that is perpendicular to a plane that includes both the axis and the force applied to the cross-member; and

a linkage assembly coupled between the door and the tank body so that movement of the door to a closed position with respect to the body moves the linkage assembly to a position at which the linkage assembly retains the door in the closed position so that the door'"'"'s generally circular periphery seats against the open end'"'"'s generally circular periphery in a sealed contact.

13. The collection tank as in claim 12, wherein the cross-member is rigidly attached to the center of the door'"'"'s generally circular periphery.

14. The collection tank as in claim 12, wherein the linkage assembly has a first point pivotally coupled to the cross-member, a second point pivotally coupled to the body, and a third point intermediate the first point and the second point at which the force to the cross-member is applied and so that the movement of the door moves the third point across a line including the first point and the second point.

15. The collection tank as in claim 14, comprising an actuator for coupling between the chassis and the third point so that actuation of the actuator applies the force to the cross-member through the linkage assembly.

16. The collection tank as in claim 15, wherein the actuator is a hydraulic-powered device.

17. The collection tank as in claim 15, wherein the cross-member is rigidly attached to the center of the door'"'"'s generally circular periphery.

18. In use of a mobile digging and backfill system to remove and collect material, a method comprising the steps of:

providing a mobile digging and backfill system comprising

a wheeled chassis,

a collection tank mounted to the chassis for storing material, and

a vacuum pump mounted to the chassis and connected to the collection tank that draws an air stream through the collection tank,

wherein the collection tank comprises

a body with a closed end, an open end, and a central section extending between the closed end and the open end, and

a door having a generally circular first periphery that is moveable to seat against a generally circular second periphery of the open end, and

a cross-member coupled to the door on a side of the door opposite the collection tank'"'"'s open end at a center of the door'"'"'s first periphery;

applying a force to the cross-member that drives the door'"'"'s first periphery into sealing engagement with the open end'"'"'s second periphery; and

without applying compressive force at discrete points at the sealing engagement between the first periphery and the second periphery, actuating the vacuum pump to thereby draw the air stream through the collection tank.

19. The method as in claim 18, wherein, in the providing step, the cross-member is fixed in movement with respect to the door in a plane that includes an axis passing through the center of the first periphery and a center of the collection tank'"'"'s closed end and that is perpendicular to a plane that includes both the axis and the force applied to the cross-member.

20. The method as in claim 19, wherein, in the providing step, the cross-member is rigidly attached to the center of the door'"'"'s periphery.

21. The method as in claim 19, wherein, in the providing step, a linkage assembly is coupled between the door and the tank body so that movement of the door to a closed position with respect to the body moves the linkage assembly to a position at which the linkage assembly retains the door in the closed position so that the door'"'"'s first periphery seats against the open end'"'"'s second periphery in a sealed contact.

22. The method as in claim 21, wherein, in the providing step, the linkage assembly has a first point pivotally coupled to the cross-member, a second point pivotally coupled to the body, and a third point intermediate the first point and the second point at which the force to the cross-member is applied and so that the movement of the door moves the third point across a line including the first point and the second point.

23. The method as in claim 22, wherein the providing step comprises providing an actuator coupled between the chassis and the door so that actuation of the actuator applies the force to the cross-member.

24. The method as in claim 23, wherein, in the providing step, the actuator is a hydraulic-powered device.

25. A mobile digging and backfill system for removing and collecting material, comprising:

a motor vehicle chassis;

a collection tank mounted to the chassis and comprising a body having a closed end, an open end opposite the closed end, a central section extending between the closed end and the open end, and a door having a generally circular periphery that is movable to seat against a generally circular periphery of the open end;

a vacuum pump mounted to the chassis and connected to the collection tank that draws an air stream through the collection tank that carries material into the collection tank;

a cross-member connected to the door on a side of the door opposite the collection tank'"'"'s open end at a center of the door'"'"'s generally circular periphery so that application of force to the cross-member in a direction toward the door and parallel to an axis passing through the center of the door'"'"'s generally circular periphery and a center of the collection tank'"'"'s closed end applies a closing force to the door parallel to the axis;

wherein the cross-member is fixed in movement with respect to the door in a plane that includes the axis and that is perpendicular to a plane that includes both the axis and the force applied to the cross-member; and

a linkage assembly coupled between the door and the tank body so that movement of the door to a closed position with respect to the body moves the linkage assembly to a locked.

26. The system as in claim 25, wherein the cross-member is rigidly attached to the center of the door'"'"'s generally circular periphery.

27. The system as in claim 25, comprising an actuator coupled between the chassis and the door so that actuation of the actuator applies the force to the cross-member.

28. The system as in claim 27, wherein the linkage assembly has a first point pivotally coupled to the cross-member, a second point pivotally coupled to the body, and a third point intermediate the first point and the second point at which the force to the cross-member is applied and so that the movement of the door moves the third point across a line including the first point and the second point.

29. The system as in claim 28, wherein the actuator is a hydraulic-powered device.