Patent ID: 6086312
Filing Date: 2000-07-11
Classification: B60P,Y10S

Abstract:
A tank handling apparatus for transferring a tank between a locked tank storage position and an accessible tank servicing position particularly usable within an emergency vehicle comprising:A. a base member;B. an arm assembly pivotally attached to said base member and movably extending outwardly therefrom;C. a tank retaining means being detachably securable with respect to a tank for holding thereof and to facilitate handling thereof, said tank retaining means being pivotally attached to said arm assembly to be movable therewith, said tank retaining means and said arm assembly being movable between a tank servicing position for accessing the tank for servicing thereof and a tank storage position for secure retainment of the tank with respect to said base member;D. an actuator means being longitudinally extensible and retractable and being pivotally secured to said base member and to said arm assembly, said actuator means being longitudinally extensible to urge movement of said arm assembly to the tank servicing position and being longitudinally retractable to urge movement of said arm assembly to the tank storage position; andE. a locking mechanism comprising:(1) a locking hook means fixedly secured to said tank retaining means;(2) a locking housing means attached to said base member and at least partially spatially disposed therefrom to define therebetween a locking channel means, said locking housing means further defining a locking slot means therein adjacent said locking channel means, said locking slot means being adapted to receive said locking hook means extending therethrough into said locking channel means responsive to said tank retaining means being in the tank storage position for facilitating selective securement thereof with respect to said base member;(3) a locking slide means mounted movably within said locking channel means defined between said locking housing means and said base member, said locking slide means defining a locking tongue means positionable adjacent said locking slot means and adapted to be engageable with said locking hook means positioned extending through said locking slot means into said locking channel means for selective securement of said tank retaining means in the tank storage position, said locking slide means being movable within said locking channel means between an engaged position retaining said locking hook means with respect to said base member and a disengaged position releasing said locking hook means from said base member;(4) a locking handle means pivotally secured to said base member and pivotally attached to said locking slide means to urge movement thereof, said locking handle means being pivotally movable to a locking position to urge movement of said locking slide means to the engaged position, said locking handle means being pivotally movable to an unlocking position to urge movement of said locking slide means to the disengaged position.