Abstract:
The present invention is a liquid transport apparatus which is attachable to a typical four wheel all terrain vehicle, popularly called an ATV. The apparatus comprises a rear tank, a forward tank, a pump, hoses and fittings connecting the tanks to each other and the pump, and a dispensing hose. The result is a relatively low profile apparatus when it is installed on a four wheel all terrain vehicle.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Provisional Application for Patent No. 60/157,196 of Sep. 30, 1999, with the same title, “ATV Liquid Transport Apparatus: which is hereby incorporated by reference. Applicant claims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. Par. 119(e)(i). 
    
    
     STATEMENT AS TO RIGHTS TO INVENTIONS MADE UNDER FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to an apparatus that when added to a typical four wheel all terrain vehicle is useful for transporting liquids. This is of value in fighting fires in relatively inaccessible areas such as forests and meadows. 
     2. Background Information 
     Transporting liquids such as, but not restricted to, water into off-road locations can be a problem for individuals, campers, and volunteer fire departments. Currently, many firefighters have to lug five gallon cans of water to fight fires in woodland locations. As volunteer fire fighters often tend to be middle aged, this is a problem area. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,476,146, Brown, Dec. 19, 1995 addressed this in his invention, a Fire Fighting All Terrain Vehicle. However, Brown&#39;s invention tends to be top heavy and might have stability problems negotiating some inclines. 
     As will be seen from the subsequent description, the preferred embodiments of the present invention overcome these and other shortcomings of existing liquid transport apparatuses. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a low profile liquid transport apparatus which is attachable to the frame and structure of a typical four wheel all terrain vehicle, said vehicle typically referred to as a four wheel ATV. The liquid transport apparatus is directed to, but not restricted to, transporting water to, and dispersing water on, a fire at a location that is not easily accessible by conventional fire trucks. The transport apparatus can also be used to transport foam for fighting fires, or potable water for consumption purposes. The apparatus comprises a forward tank, a rear tank, hoses and fittings connecting said tanks, a check valve, a shut off valve, an electrically powered pump, a lever operated spray nozzle, a dispensing hose, a hose reel, and a support frame, said support frame supporting the hose reel, hose, electrically powered pump, and lights. Said support frame complements and is attachable to the typical four wheel ATV. Said tanks comprise equipment tie down rails, vent pipes, tank mounts, caps, and fenders. The rear tank attaches to the frame and structure of the ATV and wraps around a seat of the ATV. The front tank has a recess that complements the ATV gas tank and handlebars. The electrically operated pump is powered by the ATV&#39;s battery. The tanks replace the original fenders, racks, and front lights of the ATV upon which the tanks are mounted. This results in a lower profile for the ATV liquid transport apparatus as installed on an ATV. As the support frame supporting the hose reel, hose, and pump is at the front of the ATV, at the bottom edge of the front tank, this also helps maintain a lower profile. A low profile for the ATV liquid transport apparatus is highly desirable for achieving a low center of gravity for the combination of said apparatus and an ATV upon which it is installed, so as to avoid stability problems in negotiating the inclines to be expected in rough terrain. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a liquid transport apparatus installed on an ATV. 
     FIG. 2 illustrates front and rear tanks. 
     FIG. 3 illustrates a support frame. 
     FIG. 4 illustrates the front and rear tanks with hoses, fittings, and a water pump. 
     FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate the rear tank. 
     FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate the front tank. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As shown in FIGS. 1,  2 ,  3  and  4 , the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a low profile wheeled vehicle liquid transport apparatus  1 , that is attachable to a prior art ATV  100  comprises a rear tank  10 , a forward tank  20 , a frame support  30 , an electrically powered pump  35 , a hose reel  31 , a dispensing hose  32 , a dispensing nozzle  33 , connecting hoses  50 , and connecting T fittings  52 . The connecting hoses  50  and the connecting T fittings connect the rear tank  10  and the forward tank  20  to each other and to said pump  35 . The tanks  10  and  20  replaced the ATV  100 &#39;s original front and rear fenders, a lower profile results than would have been the case if the apparatus  1  had merely been added on top of the ATV  100 . A lower profile means a lower center of gravity, which is desirable in rough terrain. The tanks  10  and  20  attach to the frame and structure of the ATV  100  by tank mounts  15  and complement the frame and structure of the ATV  100 , wrapping around portions of the ATV  100 , including the seat  103 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 1,  2 ,  4 ,  5 , and  6 , the rear tank  10  comprises rear equipment tie down rails  11 , a rear tank filler cap  12 , a rear outlet  14 , tank mounts  15 , and rear fenders  16 . The rear outlet  14  permits liquid in the rear tank  10  to flow into hoses  50  connected to said rear outlet  14 . The tank mounts  15  permit attachment of the rear tank to the ATV  100 . 
     The rear tank  10  replaced the ATV  100 &#39;s original rear fenders and racks, serving the same function as the original rear fenders and racks, mounted on the ATV  100  with said rear tank  10  recessed so it complements the ATV&#39;s seat. This achieves a lower profile than if said rear tank  10  was merely mounted on top of the ATV. 
     The rear tank  10  has a bottom surface  10 A that forms at least a portion of the rear fenders  16  so when said apparatus  1  is placed on a vehicle, such as the prior art ATV  100 , the rear tank  10  covers the rear wheels  101  of said vehicle such that the rear tank  10  protects an operator seated on the vehicle from material flying off said rear wheels  101 . 
     The support frame  30  comprises mount holes  34  as a convenience for mounting the support frame  30  to an ATV  100  with bolts. The support frame  30  supports lights  40 , the electrically operated pump  35 , a strainer  36 , the hose reel  31  and the dispensing hose  32  with the spray nozzle  33 . 
     In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, further apparatus  1  further comprises a one way check valve  50  between said tanks  10  and  20 , a shut off valve  38 , a pump outlet connection  35 A, and a hose reel liquid supply hose  37  (Ref. FIG.  4 ). 
     In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the spray nozzle  33  is a lever operated spray nozzle  33 . However, as obvious to anyone skilled in the art, other types of nozzles would suffice, albeit perhaps not as well. The strainer  36  as well as the lights  40  are optional componentry. As the original ATV lights were molded in the original ATV fender, aftermarket lights  40  were installed on the support frame as replacement lights for the original ATV lights. If one wants lights  40 , the support frame  30  serves as a convenience mount. As shown in FIG. 3, a hose real liquid supply hose  37  connects from a pump outlet connection  35 A to the hose reel  32 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 1,  2 ,  4 ,  7 , and  8 , the forward tank  20  comprises forward equipment tie down rails  21 , a forward tank filler cap  22 , a forward outlet  24 , fenders  16 A, and tank mounts  15 . The forward outlet  24  permits liquid in the forward tank  20  to flow into hoses  50  connected to said forward outlet  24 . 
     The forward tank  20  replaced the ATV&#39;s front fenders and racks, serving the same function. The forward tank  20  is recessed so said forward tank  20  complements the ATV&#39;s gas tank  104 , which permits a lower profile, which means a lower center of gravity, than would have been the case if said forward tank  20  was merely added on top of the ATV  100 . 
     The forward tank  20  has a bottom surface  20 A which forms at least a portion of the fenders  16 A so when the apparatus  1  is placed on a vehicle, such as the prior art ATV  100 , the bottom surface  20 A covers prior art front wheels  102  of said vehicle such that it protects an operator seated on the vehicle from material flying off said front wheels  102 . 
     Referring to FIG. 4, the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ATV liquid transport apparatus  1  further comprises a ground wire  61 , a switch positive wire  62 , a switch  64 , and a switch to pump positive wire  63  wherein the switch positive wire  62  connects a prior art battery  101  to the switch  64  while the switch to pump positive wire  63  connects the switch  64  to the electrically operated pump  35 . A ground wire  61  grounds the electrially operated pump  35  to said battery  101 . 
     The tanks  10  and  20  can be fabricated as collapsing fuel tanks of a rubberized fabric, as is known in the trade or they can be fabricated of a suitable metal or plastic. Mild steel worked fine for the prototype. 
     Although the description above contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. 
     As an example, the support frame  30  comprises mount holes  34  for bolting the support frame  30  onto the ATV  100 . The support frame  30  could be attached to the ATV  100  a number of different ways, including welding. 
     Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims in the formal application and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.