Abstract:
The vehicle ( 1 ) has a trailer unit ( 3 ) for receiving intermediate bulk carrier (IBC) compartments ( 4 ) an integrated liquid recovery system ( 20 ), an IBC mounting system ( 30 ) and an evacuation system ( 40 ) with tapping points ( 42, 43 ) along either side of the vehicle ( 1 ). Wasted journeys are minimised by optimising the shape and size of IBC for a given delivery and load balancing enhances vehicle stability. The cost and environmental impact of accidental damage is also reduced.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to a delivery vehicle and more particularly to a delivery vehicle and associated method for use in the distribution of bulk liquids.  
           [0002]    A variety of such vehicles are known for delivering the wide variety of lubrication and heating oils. These vehicles or tankers are loaded at a central depot and driven to a customer&#39;s site where the oil is pumped into a holding tank. There are many problems associated with such deliveries. For example, a customer is unlikely to require an entire tanker load of a particular oil at any given time. This is particularly true in respect of domestic home heating oil. These deliveries typically will not exceed fifteen hundred liters. To overcome this the distributor seeks to analyse the delivery logistics to link a number of deliveries along a given route to optimize storage capacity usage and time.  
           [0003]    A further problem arises from the variety of oils in common use. Even in domestic heating systems the product to be delivered is equally likely to be kerosene as oil. Obviously, the distributor cannot afford to have many vehicles on the road with intersecting delivery routes as this would increase costs and increase delivery times beyond acceptable levels. To overcome this problem tankers have been developed with a number of internally isolated compartments. Different oils a loaded into these compartments and as a result a single vehicle is capable of delivering a number of different oils along a given delivery route. While this represents a significant improvement over the previous tankers the number and size of compartments limit its effective use. Vehicles of this type characteristically have six, eight or ten compartments, however, there are many more than ten varieties of oil. Indeed, the range of applications for which such oils are used means that there are now many hundreds of oil grades. The volumes of the individual compartments and the limited number of such compartments often leads to wholesale inefficiencies in tanker operation. If a given customer orders one thousand liters of a relatively rare oil for use in a particular production process the vehicle will have to leave the distribution depot with the unused capacity of that compartment unused. The problem is exacerbated when a second delivery vehicle must be dispatched to the same geographic area to make further deliveries where the order volumes are less that the unused capacity. This increases delivery costs and ultimately the price charged to the consumer.  
           [0004]    There is therefore a need for a vehicle, which will overcome the aforementioned problems.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    Accordingly, there is provided a method for distributing bulk liquids comprising the steps of:  
           [0006]    securing a plurality of storage compartments on a vehicle;  
           [0007]    transporting the vehicle between delivery points and selectively pumping bulk liquids from the compartments to preserve vehicle balance.  
           [0008]    Preferably, the method includes the further steps of distributing storage compartments on the vehicle in accordance with liquid stored and compartment size.  
           [0009]    According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a vehicle for the distribution of bulk liquids wherein the vehicle has means for releaseably engaging a plurality of storage compartments.  
           [0010]    Ideally, the storage compartments are of varying volumes.  
           [0011]    In one arrangement, the invention provides for the delivery of compartments to the vehicle using a forklift vehicle.  
           [0012]    Preferably, intermediate bulk carriers (IBC) provide the storage compartments. Conveniently, it is thus ensured that before departing from the depot the vehicle is carrying the optimum delivery load. This is obtained by ensuring that there is no unnecessary waste of space. Customer requirements for a small volume of infrequently ordered oil does not result in a reduced capacity as a small IBC appropriate to the order can be loaded and unused capacity can house another IBC containing another oil. This IBC in turn can house another specialist oil or be used to supplement more traditional oil capacity.  
           [0013]    According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided an oil recovery system comprising a sump tank and a delivery means for collecting spilled oil and delivering the oil to the sump tank.  
           [0014]    In one arrangement, a longitudinal side channel on the vehicle connected to the sump provides the delivery means.  
           [0015]    In a preferred arrangement the delivery means is provided by two longitudinal side channels carried on an exterior longitudinal surface of a trailer unit and having an interconnecting cross channel the channels being formed for directing retrieved spilled oil to delivery pipes connected to the sump.  
           [0016]    In this way when a delivery hose is changed and a small amount of oil is lost or when flushed oil falls to the floor of the trailer it is directed along the channels to the delivery pipes and into the sump.  
           [0017]    Preferably, the sump is dimensioned to have a greater volume than an IBC.  
           [0018]    In one embodiment of the invention the channels are angled toward the delivery pipe.  
           [0019]    In one arrangement, the trailer is angled to direct spilled oil to a channel.  
           [0020]    The use of an oil recovery system of this type represents both a safety enhancement for the public and for the operators of such vehicles. The use of this sump also allows salvaged oil to be returned to commercial use as the contents of the sump can be extracted at the depot and used as the lowest grade of lubrication oil  
           [0021]    According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a securing system for detachably mounting a container in position on a vehicle having a securing bar dimensioned to the container, the bar having at least one locking leg formed for engagement with a corresponding recess on the vehicle. In this way when an IBC is loaded onto the trailer the securing bar can be positioned to prevent movement of the IBC  
           [0022]    Preferably, the bar is dimensioned for securing two IBC&#39;s the vehicle.  
           [0023]    According to another aspect of the invention there is provided an evacuation system for pumping contents of a container on the vehicle for delivery to an outlet pump, the system having alternately white oil tapping and coloured oil tapping points disposed along and about the vehicle. The arrangement of tapping points in this way allows an operative ease of access to a given IBC thus obviating the necessity to carry a multiplicity connection pipes and reducing potential for waste.  
           [0024]    For the purposes of this specification, the invention is described with reference to the distribution of oil, however, it will be understood that the invention may be equally applied to the distribution of any bulk material, which can be pumped from a holding tank.  
           [0025]    According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a vehicle for the distribution of bulk liquids characterised in that the vehicle has means for releaseably engaging a plurality of storage compartments ( 4 ) in which bulk liquids are held.  
           [0026]    Preferably, the storage compartments are provided by intermediate bulk carriers (IBC).  
           [0027]    Ideally, the vehicle includes an integrated evacuation system for pumping a bulk liquid from a container.  
           [0028]    Preferably, having tapping points disposed on alternate sides of the vehicle.  
           [0029]    In one arrangement the vehicle has a plurality of tapping points on a side of the vehicle.  
           [0030]    In a particularly preferred arrangement, a tapping point includes a white oil tapping and a coloured oil tapping point.  
           [0031]    In one arrangement, the vehicle incorporates an oil recovery system comprising a sump tank and a delivery means for directing liquid to the sump tank.  
           [0032]    Preferably, the delivery means includes a longitudinal side channel on the vehicle.  
           [0033]    In one configuration, the delivery means includes a pair of spaced apart longitudinal side channels, each channel extending along an exterior longitudinal surface of the vehicle.  
           [0034]    Preferably, the channels have an interconnecting cross channel.  
           [0035]    Preferably, the delivery means includes a detachably mounted flexible hose connected between a channel and the sump.  
           [0036]    Ideally, the sump is dimensioned to have a greater volume than that of a storage compartment. Thus, in the event of a catastrophic rupture of a single compartment or IBC the entire contents can be recovered from the sum. This limits both the cost of the loss and environmental damage.  
           [0037]    In a preferred arrangement of the invention the vehicle includes a floor on which the compartments are carried, the floor being angle to facilitate direction of spilled oil to the delivery means.  
           [0038]    Ideally, the vehicle includes a securing system for detachably mounting a container in position on the vehicle having a securing bar dimensioned to accommodate the container and the bar having at least one locking leg formed for engagement with a corresponding recess on the vehicle.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0039]    [0039]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle in accordance with the invention;  
         [0040]    [0040]FIG. 2 is a partial side view of the vehicle of FIG. 1;  
         [0041]    [0041]FIG. 3 is an end view of the vehicle illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2;  
         [0042]    [0042]FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the end view of the vehicle shown in FIG. 5 in the direction if the arrows IV-IV showing an oil recovery system forming part of the invention;  
         [0043]    [0043]FIG. 5 is a plan view of vehicle as shown in FIG. 2 with the roof removed;  
         [0044]    [0044]FIG. 6 is partial perspective view of the vehicle illustrating a securing system forming part of the invention; and  
         [0045]    [0045]FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic plan view of an evacuation system forming part of the invention. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0046]    Referring to the drawings and initially to FIG. 1 there is shown a vehicle in accordance with the invention indicated generally by the reference numeral  1 . The vehicle  1  has a tractor unit  2  and a trailer unit  3 . The trailer unit  3  is adapted for releaseably engaging a plurality of storage compartments provided in this case by intermediate bulk carriers (IBC&#39;s)  4 . The IBC&#39;s  4  may be of uniform volume or be varied to meet requirements. An important feature of this invention is that the IBC&#39;s may be readily loaded and unloaded using for example a forklift vehicle (not shown). In this way, it is ensured that prior to departure from the depot the vehicle  1  carries an optimum load. This optimum load ensures that there is negligible space wasted. Customer requirements for a small volume of infrequently ordered oil does not result in a reduced capacity load as a small IBC appropriate to the order can be loaded and unused capacity can house another IBC containing another oil.  
         [0047]    In use, and referring now in particular to FIGS. 2 and 3 the IBC&#39;s  4  are loaded onto the trailer unit  3  from the sides having drawn back a retractable cover  5 . The IBC&#39;s may also be loaded from the rear of the unit  3  by opening rear doors. Where height and weight restrictions allow it will be noted that the IBC&#39;s  3  can be loaded on top of each other as shown in interrupted lines on FIG. 2.  
         [0048]    Referring now to FIGS.  2  to  5  there is shown an oil recovery system forming part of the invention indicated generally by the reference numeral  20 . The system  20  comprises a sump tank  21  and a delivery means provided in this case by two longitudinal side channels  22  and an interconnecting cross channel  23 . At the end of the side channels  22  there are delivery pipes  23  connected to the sump tank  21 .  
         [0049]    In use, when a delivery hose is changed between IBC&#39;s  4  a small amount of oil is lost from the outlet or from the hose. This oil falls to the floor of the trailer  3 . Movement of the trailer in transit or an angle on the floor of the trailer  3  delivers spilled oil to the channels  22 ,  23 . This oil thus recovered is then directed along the channels to the delivery pipes  23  and into the sump  21 . It is an important feature of the current invention that, in addition to collecting spilled oil the sump may also be used to recover oil which is flushed from a pumping system when changing oils. In the event that one of the IBC&#39;s  4  ruptures as a result of wear or following an accident, the sump  21  is sufficiently large to recover the entire contents. This represents a significant safety enhancement over previously known solutions. Additionally, the use of this sump allows salvaged oil to be returned to commercial use, typically as the lowest grade of lubrication oil because of the mixes that it contains. It will be understood that the cross channel  23  may also be fitted with a sump connection and that any or all of the channels may be so constructed as to define retaining walls for IBC&#39;s mounted on the vehicle  1 .  
         [0050]    According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a securing system for detachably mounting an IBC  4  in position indicated generally by the reference numeral  30 . The securing system  30  has a single securing bar  31  and a double securing bar  32 . The single securing bar  31  has the same length dimension as a single IBC  4  and similarly, the double securing bar  32  has the same length dimension as two IBC&#39;s  4 . Both of the securing bars  31 ,  32  have handles  33  and locking legs  34 . The locking legs  34  are formed for engagement with a corresponding recess  35  in a floor  36  of the trailer  33 .  
         [0051]    In use, the IBC  4  is loaded onto the trailer  3  and the securing bar  31  is removed from a stowed position on a front face  37  of the trailer  3 . The bar  31  is then positioned so that the locking legs  34  are positioned above corresponding recesses  35 . The bar  31  is then lowered into position. The bar  31  prevents movement of an IBC  4  on the trailer  3  when not fully loaded. The operation of the double locking bar  32  is identical to that described with reference to the bar  31  in securing two IBC&#39;s  4  on the trailer  3 .  
         [0052]    Referring now in particular to FIG. 7 there is illustrated an evacuation system indicated generally by the reference numeral  40  forming part of the current invention. The evacuation system  40  is used in pumping contents of the IBC&#39;s  4  for delivery to outlet pumps  41 . There are two outlet pumps  41  to accommodate what are known in the industry as white oils and non-white oils. It is important when delivering oil to prevent cross contamination of these oils as white oils can easily be contaminated. The vehicle  1  has three white oil tapping points  42  and three coloured oil tapping points  43  disposed along the sides of the vehicle  1 . The arrangement of tapping points in this way allows an operative ease of access to a given IBC thus obviating the necessity to carry a multiplicity connection pipes (not shown) and reducing potential for waste. By locating tapping points for the different coloured oils alternatively around the vehicle access to a white oil pumping circuit  44  and a coloured oil pumping circuit  45  is facilitated.  
         [0053]    It will be understood that the term vehicle is taken to include lorries, trucks, tankers, rolling stock and any other form of vehicle capable of transporting and pumping as described.  
         [0054]    It will further be understood that a vehicle formed in accordance with the invention represents a significant improvement over known solutions in that accidental damage results in a greatly reduced loss of liquid volume. This can be particularly important when high cost liquids are being transported or indeed where environmentally hazardous liquids are being distributed.  
         [0055]    It will of course be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details as herein described, which are given by way of example only, and that various alterations and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the scope of the invention.