FUEL STATION AND METHOD FOR ASSEMBLING OF THE SAME

Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel dispensing station, comprising at least one underground fuel tank (1), a pump island (2) including at least one fuel pump (3) for dispensing the fuel contained in said tank, as well as a pump roofing (4). The fuel dispensing station is provided with a common foundation (5) whereupon - directly or indirectly - said fuel tank or tanks (1) and other necessary tanks, the pump island (2) and pump roofing (4) are connected to each other as an integral unit. The dispensing station is adapted to be transported to an installation site as readily erectable blocks.

Description: FUEL STATION AND METHOD FOR ASSEMBLING OF THE SAME The present invention relates to a fuel dispensing station, comprising at least one underground fuel tank, a pump island including at least one fuel pump for dispensing the fuel contained in said tank, as well as a pump roofing. The erection of a fuel dispensing station usually requires the construction of separate foundations. The fuel tank, pump island, and pump roofing are usually each provided with their own foundation. The construction of foundations and the provision of various electrical, data transfer, fuel, gas, water and sewage connections between the various elements at the construction site requires a lot of time and costs. In order to eliminate these drawbacks, the arrangement of the invention is such and a fuel dispensing station of the invention is characterized in that the fuel tank and other possibly necessary tanks, the pump island and pump roofing are assembled together as an integral unit provided with a common foundation. One preferred embodiment of the invention is arranged such that the dispensing station is adapted to be carried to an installation site as readily erectable blocks. When using a solution of the invention, all structures can be nearly finished at a factory with only earthmoving operations and simple erecting and coupling operations required at the construction site. The invention further relates to a method as set forth in the preamble of claim 6, characterized in that the dispensing station is carried to an installation site as readily erectable blocks and that the fuel tank, and other possibly necessary tanks, the pump island and pump roofing are assembled together at the installation site as an integral unit provided with a common foundation. Some preferred further developments of the invention are disclosed in the subclaims. The invention will now be described in more detail with reference made to the accompanying drawing, in which: Fig. 1 is a partially sectional side view of a dispensing station of the invention. Fig. 2 is a partially sectional end view of a dispensing station of the invention. Figs. 3 and 4 are views equivalent to figs. 1 and 2, showing a second preferred embodiment for a dispensing station. A fuel dispensing station, an example of which is schematically shown in figs. 1 and 2 and installed in position and buried partially underground, includes a fully underground fuel tank 1, a pump island 2, laid substantially on ground level or slightly thereabove and provided with two fuel pumps 3, as well as a pump roofing 4 serving as a rain shelter for refuellers. In addition to the fuel tank 1 , the number of which may be more than one, other necessary tanks may be included as well. In the example shown in figs. 1 and 2, a foundation 5 comprises a reinforced concrete slab, which is laid or cast in a desired depth as required by the surrounding soil. All elements included in a dispensing station of the invention are directly or indirectly supported on the foundation 5, whereby the fuel tank 1 , pump island 2 and pump roofing 4 are connected together as an integral unit provided with this common foundation 5. The fuel tank 1 and frame structures for the pump roofing 4 are supported on top of the foundation 5 as known in the art. The pump island 2 is in turn secured to the frame structures of pump roofing 4 and further on top of the fuel tank 1 through the intermediary of the wall structure of an inspection well 6 for tank 1 , the pump island 2 being provided with an openable gate for the access into the inspection well 6. The mass of all structures included in a dispensing station are thus utilized for anchoring the tank 1 against the buoyancy caused by ground-water. The dispensing station is adapted to be carried to an installation site as readily erectable blocks. All operations requiring precision and high skill are performed at the factory and, thus, the construction site only involves eathmoving operations and assembling the blocks together as well as necessary simple coupling operations. In view of minimizing the costs the frame structures of pump roofing 4 and pump island 2, preferably consisting of tubular girders, are used as fuel, gas and drain pipes or as protective pipes therefor. Foundation 5 can be provided in several ways. In addition to a slab transported to the site or a slab to be cast on site, which mould with its necessary reinforcements may be included in the frame structure of a station, the foundation can be produced e.g. in a manner such that the outer wall of the fuel tank provides an anchorage, foundation and runoff basin. Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate one particularly preferred embodiment for a dispensing station of the invention. The components equivalent to those in figs. 1 and 2 are indicated by the same reference numerals. In this example, a foundation 5 is provided by using two elongated, spaced-apart reinforced beams, the frame structures of a pump roofing 4 being supported upon said beams in a per se known fashion. Also pump islands 2 along with pumps 3 as well as all tanks 1 and all other tanks and equipment included in a station are indirectly or directly supported upon said reinforced beams 5. Tanks 1 are fastened with suitable ties 7, 8 to the pump roofing frame structures. In a finished dispensing station, the entire mass of a station rests upon the beams providing the foundation 5 and, thus, even when the tanks are empty, the buoyancy is not capable of dislodging the tanks. Since the entire load is exclusively concentrated on foundation 5, the latter can thus be provided by means of structures that are very simple and as light as possible. This is important in view of transportability. The solution shown in figs. 3 and 4 is intended to be carried to its site in a manner such that the pump islands 2 and the elements therebelow, including fuel pumps 1 and other equipment, e.g. an oil separation tank with its maintenance shaft 9, are intended to be transported as a completely finished block to be lowered into a previously excavated and flat-bottomed pit. Once said block has been set in position and connected to the eletric and communication mains, the pit is filled and pakced with gravel. This is followed by erecting the pump roofing 4 and setting up the fuel pumps 3 and the like. All block components are pre-assembled at the factory. Thus, no precision demanding procedures need be performed at the actual erection site. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, all components having anything to do with fuel are provided with a double wall for minimizing the environmental contamination hazard. The practical arrangement for this is that the tanks are provided with double walls and all fuel pipes 10 are adapted to extend within the inspection well 6 and inside the pump island 2.

Claims: Claims 1. A fuel dispensing station, comprising at least one underground fuel tank (1), a pump island (2) including at least one fuel pump (3) for dispensing the fuel contained in said tank, as well as a pump roofing (4), c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the fuel dispensing station is provided with a common foundation (5) whereupon - directly or indirectly - said fuel tank or tanks (1) and other necessary tanks, the pump island (2) and pump roofing (4) are connected to each other as an integral unit, and that the dispensing station is adapted to be transported to an installation site as readily erectable blocks. 2. A dispensing station as set forth in claim 1, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d in that an inspection well (6) included in the fuel tank (1) is fixedly connected to the pump island (2). 3. A dispensing station as set forth in claim 1 or 2, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d in that the frame structures of the pump roofing (4) and pump island (2) are used as fuel, gas and sewer pipes. 4. A dispensing station as set forth in claim 1, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d in that said blocks include a foundation (5). 5. A dispensing station as set forth in claim 4, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d in that the foundation (5) consists of reinforced beams, preferably two beams, which are fitted along the sides of the fuel tank (1). 6. A dispensing station as set forth in any of claims 1 - 5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that fuel pipes (10) are adapted to extend within the inspection well (6) and inside the pump island (2) for providing a double-walled design for the fuel pipes (10). 7. A method for erecting a fuel dispensing station, said station comprising at least one underground fuel tank (1), a pump island (2) including at least one fuel pump (3) for dispensing the fuel contained in said tank, as well as a pump roofing (4), c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the dispensing station is carried to installation site as readily erectable blocks, which are connected together at the installation site into an integral unit provided with a common foundation (5).

Inventors: SISTONEN JARI, SISTONEN, JARI
Applicants: SAVON KONEHITSAUS OY, SISTONEN JARI, SISTONEN, JARI
Application year: 1993
Main classification: B60S5
IPC codes: B60S5, B67D5