Patent ID: 6279612
Filing Date: 2001-08-28
Classification: B60K,B60Y,B66F,Y10T

Abstract:
A pressurized propane or natural gas fuel tank system having an auxiliary fuel source for a vehicle having an internal combustion engine, said vehicle from a group comprising fork lift trucks, prime movers, automobiles, trucks and buses, said system comprising, in combination:a replaceable tank of pressurized fuel removably mounted on the vehicle;a fuel line from the replaceable tank connecting to the engine of the vehicle;a first tee in said fuel line having an inlet and two outlets, one of said outlets connected to the fuel line to the engine;an auxiliary fuel tank permanently mounted on the vehicle;an auxiliary fuel line from the other outlet of the tee to the auxiliary tank;a valve mechanism in the auxiliary fuel line operable to open and close the auxiliary fuel line;a check valve in the lines on each outlet from the tee;a second auxiliary line connecting from the first auxiliary line intermediate the check valve on the auxiliary line and the valve mechanism; andat least one check valve in the fuel line from the replaceable tank to prevent flow back of pressurized gas into the replaceable tank whereby the valve mechanism is operable to simultaneously allow fuel flow to the engine and auxiliary tank from the replaceable tank to at least partially fill the auxiliary tank, and subsequently isolate the auxiliary tank, said valve mechanism being further operable to connect the auxiliary tank to the engine when the fuel in the replaceable tank is exhausted.