Liquid reservoir and method of using a vehicle to dispense liquid therefrom

A method of dispensing a liquid including providing a liquid containing resilient storage reservoir, positioning the reservoir in the path of traction portions a vehicle, providing a shroud which is generally outwardly open and adapted to receive a hose and storing the hose therein. The hose is removed from the shroud and secured to connector which communicates with the interior of the reservoir. The vehicle is moved over the reservoir in such a manner that the traction portions runs over at least a portion of the liquid storage reservoir in a generally longitudinal axial direction to urge the liquid out of the reservoir while resisting substantial lateral expansion of the reservoir in front of the traction portions. The method and reservoir may be employed to refuel a vehicle by connecting the reservoir with a fuel inlet of the vehicle. The hose is preferably secured within the shroud when the reservoir is not receiving or dispensing liquid. Reservoir engaging devices are provided to facilitate handling as well as purging and drying of the reservoir. Apparatus for bleeding undesired air out of the reservoir may be provided.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field Of The Invention 
This invention relates to a method of dispensing a liquid by means of a 
vehicle and, more specifically, it relates to such a method which involves 
a uniquely designed compressible reservoir which is adapted to be 
compressed between the ground and the vehicle traction means so as to 
express liquid from the reservoir. 
2. Description Of The Prior Art 
Systems for remote delivery of liquids, such as fuel, water for drinking, 
bathing, cooking or other purposes, agricultural irrigation liquids and 
fire extinguishing materials have been known. One common approach has been 
to employ tanker trucks having a rigid or flexible reservoir of the liquid 
and an associated power driven pump to dispense the same. 
With respect to most needs for refueling vehicles, it has generally been 
known to position the vehicle adjacent to a stationary, permanently 
installed fuel reservoir and to employ a power energized (as by electric 
motor or internal combustion engine) pump to transfer the fuel from the 
reservoir to the vehicle's fuel tank. 
It has also been known to move such storage reservoirs on vehicles in order 
that the vehicles carrying the fuel may be moved to the vehicles to 
receive fuel and to employ power energized pumps to effect the transfer. 
In many situations, it is inefficient and sometimes dangerous to rely on 
such known approaches. One such situation occurs in respect of the need to 
supply water or to refuel military vehicles, such as tanks, for example, 
in combat zones. The need to rely on mobile tanker trucks not only 
substantially increases the amount of time involved, but also in respect 
of refueling only one or two military vehicles can receive fuel from such 
a truck at one time. The need to refuel such vehicles substantially 
increases the risks of loss of life and equipment. A further problem is 
the uncertainty of being able to drive such a tanker truck to the combat 
zone. Also, a grouping of such vehicles creates an easy target for the 
enemy. 
It has also been known to use the so-called bladder collapsible storage 
containers to deliver fuel which is to be transferred by means of a power 
energized pump. One of the advantages of this approach over the tanker 
trucks is the ability to put the trucks to other uses and the fact that a 
single vehicle can return a large number of empty bladders to every 
filling center. 
It has also been known to employ the "fuel cell" which by means of a 
portable power pump and skilled personnel can be used to deliver fuel to 
military vehicles. One of the advantages of such fuel cells is that they 
are small enough to be delivered by helicopter and dropped to the desired 
location. It also requires a power pump and special packaging. 
A further problem with the approaches requiring a power pump is that the 
pump may break down at a critical time. 
Yet another problem exists in connection with the need to refuel or provide 
a supply of water or other liquids at sights of major disasters, such as 
earthquakes, floods and severe storms, for example. In such circumstances 
electricity with which to operate pumps may be unavailable and access 
roads may be blocked or severely damaged. 
It has been known to drop liquid containing vessels from planes to deliver 
the same to a desired location. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,334,676 and 
2,784,755. This patent also contains an allusion to using a vehicle to 
discharge contents from the container. 
In spite of the previously known systems for refueling vehicles at remote 
locations, such as in military combat zones, for example, or other systems 
for remote delivery of liquids, there remains the need for an improved 
method and associated reservoir. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is an improvement over the invention disclosed in my 
prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,567,918 entitled "LIQUID RESERVOIR AND METHOD OF 
DISPENSING A LIQUID THEREFROM BY MEANS OF A VEHICLE" which issued on Feb. 
4, 1986. The disclosure of this patent is expressly incorporated herein by 
reference. 
The approach of the present invention is to provide a method of dispensing 
liquids to remote locations without requiring dependence on power driven 
pumps or tanker trucks and to facilitate hose storage, purging of the 
system and purging of undesired air from the system. 
The liquid storage and dispensing reservoir of the present invention is 
collapsible and has an elongated unitary reservoir body composed of a 
resilient material. The reservoir has a fluid storage chamber which 
cooperates with outlet means which extend outwardly therefrom for 
providing communication with the interior of the storage chamber. Hose 
means are adapted to be operatively associated with the outlet means and a 
tubular shroud receives the hose means for storage. Hose securing means 
for retaining the hose within the shroud are preferably provided. 
The reservoir preferably has reservoir handling means which facilitate not 
only movement of the reservoir, but also hanging of the same to facilitate 
purging and drying of the system. 
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved, efficient 
means for delivering liquid by means of a vehicle. 
It is a further object of the invention to provide an efficient and rapid 
method of refueling vehicles at a remote location. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such methods 
wherein the use of tanker trucks, power operated pump means and skilled 
personnel is not required. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a compressible 
reservoir which is adapted to receive, store and deliver liquid, such as a 
fuel, to a vehicle's tank and which system provides integral means for 
storage of discharge hose means. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such reservoirs 
which resist undesired lateral expansion and are readily reusable. 
These and other objects of the invention will be more fully understood from 
the following description of the invention on reference to the 
illustrations appended hereto.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
As used herein the term "traction means" refers to a vehicle's ground 
engaging means which permits it to move along the ground and shall 
expressly include, but not be limited to, wheels, tire, endless tread 
belts and other such members. 
As used herein the term "ground" shall be intended to refer broadly to the 
surface supporting a vehicle be it earth, gravel, paved roads or any other 
surface on which liquid delivery is to be achieved. 
As used herein "fire extinguishing material" shall refer to a liquid, 
slurry or foam, with or without flame retarding additives and shall 
expressly include water. 
While for clarity of description specific reference will be made to use of 
the invention in connection with a preferred use in dispensing of fuels, 
other uses including but not limited to use in connection with drinking 
water, bathing water, plant irrigation and fire extinguishing material, 
for example, will be equally advantageous. 
Referring more specifically to FIGS. 1 through 4, it will be appreciated 
that the reservoir in the form shown has an elongated generally 
cylindrical lateral body wall 2 which terminates in a generally circular 
front wall 4 and a generally circular rear wall 6. The reservoir body is 
preferably composed of a resilient material so as to accomodate changes in 
shape of the reservoir depending upon the amount of liquid contained 
therein and the extent to which a vehicle has compressed the same between 
the vehicle traction means and the ground. 
Outlet means 12 are secured to and cooperate with front wall 4 and are 
adapted to provide communication between the interior of the reservoir and 
the exterior to permit liquid to be introduced into the reservoir and 
liquid to be removed therefrom. In general, the outlet means 12 may take 
the form of a tube. In the form shown, valve 14 is adapted to open and 
close the outlet means 12 to initiate and terminate flow therethrough. As 
will be described hereinafter, it is contemplated that hose means (not 
shown in these views) will be secured to the outlet means 12 to facilitate 
controlled discharge of the liquid in the reservoir. 
One of the improvements which the present invention provides over my prior 
invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,567,918 is the presence of a 
tubular shroud 20 which may be composed of the same material as the 
reservoir or, alternatively, may be composed of other materials. If 
desired, in order to maintain a desired degree of stiffness, the shroud 
may be provided of uniform material of suitable thickness or of material 
containing reinforcing means such as reinforcing rods or fibers placed 
within the material. It will be noted that the annular shroud 20 is 
preferably annularly substantially continuous and cooperates with the 
front wall 4 to define a recess 22 within which a hose may be stored. In 
this manner, the hose may be rolled into a spool-like configuration and 
stored within recess 22. This also facilitates delivery of the hose and 
reservoir as a unit. Such delivery is particularly important with respect 
to reservoir devices which are going to be dropped from planes in order to 
make sure that after bouncing along the ground the hose and the reservoir 
are in close proximity so as to facilitate ready engagement and use. 
It is contemplated as is shown in FIG. 3 that a plurality of openings 26, 
28, 30, 32 of any desired number or position will be located through the 
free end portion of the shroud and preferably within about 3 to 10 inches 
of free end 32. A rope, a strap, cable or other hose securing means such 
as a metal, rope or synthetic material elongated securing member may then 
be threaded through the openings and tied so as to retain the hose within 
recess 22. As is shown in FIG. 3, rope 38 passes through opening 26 and 
then through opening 30 from where it goes exteriorly of the shroud into 
opening 32 through opening 28 and out of the other end. The free ends may 
either be knotted so as to resist undesired return passage through 
openings 26, 28 or may be tied to each other if desired, or other suitable 
retainer means may be employed. 
It will be appreciated that shroud 20 may be integrally formed with the 
reservoir body or may be separately formed and secured thereto. In order 
to facilitate ease of handling, it is desirable to provide external means 
which may be gripped manually or by suitable lifting equipment, such as a 
crane, forklift or hoist. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 through 4, a 
series of circumferential strap members 46, 48, 50 are secured to the 
reservoir and are connected to each other by means of a generally 
longitudinally oriented pair of straps 52, 54. Strap 52 has in the region 
of straps 46, 48, 50 engageable loops 60, 62, 64. Similarly, strap 54 has 
engageable loops 68, 70, 72. Alternately, if desired, handles may be 
provided integrally within the body wall 2, as by molding, for example. 
Referring to FIG. 5, there is shown a vehicle in the form of a military 
tank 78 which is disposed with its traction means 82 in the form of an 
endless tread member in contacting overlying relationship with the 
reservoir 84 to compress the same between the tread 82 and the underlying 
ground 86. The tank is moving progressively in the direction indicated by 
the arrow A. 
The hose means 92 has been removed from recess 22 of shroud 20 and has been 
sealingly engaged in a manner to be described hereinafter with outlet 
means 12 such that with the hose means extending into fuel filler inlet 94 
fuel will flow in the direction of the arrow B as the tank advances in the 
direction A. 
Referring to FIG. 6, there is shown a preferred form of locking means. The 
outlet means may be provided with a male member 102 which is engageable by 
a female member 104 which is secured to a free end of the hose means. In 
the form shown, the locking means 102, 104 take the form of a preferred 
quick-connect quick-disconnect means which by pulling of rings 106, 108 
permit sealing engagement between the male member 102 and the female 
member 104 to be achieved rapidly. If desired, the male member 102 and the 
female member 104 may be placed respectively on the hose means 92 and 
outlet means 12. Also, means other than quick-connect quick-disconnect 
means may be employed. If desired, the outlet and hose may be permanently 
attached to each other. 
Referring to FIG. 7, a further feature of the invention will be considered. 
The male locking means 102 which in the form shown is part of outlet means 
12 cooperates with female locking means 104 which is shown without rings 
106, 108 in this view. A slit sleeve of resiliently compressible material 
such as rubber or other resiliently compressible materials has leaves 110, 
112 which will under normal circumstances when not in use under the 
natural spring action of the material be in relative closed position 
surrounding the outlet means 112 and male member 102. In this manner, 
additional protection is provided for the outlet means. Should a vehicle 
run over the shroud 20 the danger of undesired damage to outlet means 12 
is reduced as a result of the protection provided by the shroud and the 
further protection provided by the split tube leaves 110, 112. 
Referring to FIG. 8, additional features of the present invention will be 
considered. As is shown in FIG. 8, the reservoir is disposed in a 
horizontal position with the locking means 102, 104 disposed in spaced 
adjacent relationship. The opposite end of the hose means 116 may have any 
desired sort of valve such as a manually operated valve of the type 
frequently employed in dispensing gasoline. Marking indicia is preferably 
provided on the exterior of the reservoir in order to provide information 
regarding the nature of the contents and the manner in which the reservoir 
will be employed. It is noted that markings 120, 122 are arrows provided 
on the exterior surface 2 of the reservoir and point in the direction 
which the vehicle should move in moving from the closed end of the 
reservoir 6 to the outlet means 12. Mark 126 is preferably a mark which 
identifies the position of end wall 4 (not shown in this view) in order 
that the vehicle may be instructed to stop before its traction means 
progresses into a position where it is overlying the outlet means. Marking 
band 128 is preferably a color coded band which indicates whether the 
reservoir has been used for fuel, water, fire extinguisher or any other 
material so as to avoid undesired comingling of the materials. 
Referring once again to FIGS. 1 through 4 it will be appreciated that in 
general it will be desired after use to purge the system of the prior 
material. This may readily be accomplished by providing a suitable opening 
in the reservoir adjacent to end wall 6 either on the end wall or on the 
sidewall 2 (not shown) in order to facilitate connection to a source of 
flushing fluid. Valve 14 may be then opened and the cleansing or purging 
action allowed to take place. After this has been accomplished it will 
generally be desired to hang the reservoir with its longitudinal axis in a 
generally vertical direction. This may readily be accomplished by 
supporting the reservoir by means of loops 64, 72. After residual liquid 
has drained out of the outlet means 12, the reservoir may be allowed to 
hang until its interior has dried. In this manner, spent material such as 
fire extinguishing solution, for example, or undesired water which may 
have condensed in the reservoir and may interfere with future use may be 
eliminated. It is generally desirable to flush the reservoir with a 
material which is compatible with the material which is used in the 
reservoir. For example, kerosene may be employed to flush fuel and water 
may be employed to flush other materials. 
Referring now to FIG. 9, there is shown a means of bleeding undesired air 
from the reservoir interior. An opening 130 having a suitable pressure 
sensitive valve is provided in reservoir wall 2. The opening in valve 
output is in communication with resilient tube 132 which runs generally 
longitudinally inside the reservoir and is preferably positioned freely 
inside the container and emerges in the forward recess 22 provided by 
shroud and has an air discharge end 134. The tube 132 may emerge from body 
2 by an opening in the wall (not shown) or through outlet means 12. A 
suitable closure may be provided over cap 134 during transport of the 
reservoir if desired. 
If desired, the air bleeder line 132 may be employed to introduce air into 
the container interior to provide a compressible air cushion to assist the 
container which filled with liquid to absorb shock when it is dropped and 
hits the ground. For this purpose the air may be provided in such volume 
as to occupy about 5 to 20 percent of the volume of the container interior 
and may be bled prior to discharge of the liquid. 
A further use of injected air is to provide floating capability to the 
filled container. 
While for convenience of reference the end wall 6 remote from discharge 
means 12 is disposed generally in a plane perpendicular to the 
longitudinal axis of the container, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, other 
configurations may be provided. For example, the remote end may taper 
outwardly and rearwardly as by a uniform taper toward the longitudinal 
axis. Also, this portion may be formed as an open tube which is clamped 
closed as by any suitable mechanical clamp to establish sealed closure of 
the tube. 
It will be appreciated, therefore, that the present invention provides an 
efficient means of storing a hose and transporting the same as part of the 
reservoir unit. It further provides for rapid securement of the hose and 
transfer of the liquid. In addition, the invention facilitates improved 
handling of the unit, purging of the same and hanging up the same to dry. 
Finally, air bleeding where desired may be readily accomplished. 
Whereas particular embodiments of the invention have been described above 
for purposes of illustration, it will be evident to those skilled in the 
art, that numerous variations of the details may be made without departing 
from the invention as defined in the appended claims.