Abstract:
A portable tank apparatus has a yoke pivotal on a transverse member between a service towing position and a raised position, and a pair of hingedly connected brace members at the rear of the apparatus and operable by an actuator to retract the wheels or lower the wheels to the ground.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   Reference is made to my Provisional Application No. 60/564,693, filed Apr. 22, 2004, entitled Portable Water Tank. 

   BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The tank apparatus of the present invention is typically utilized in the fighting of forest fires and other large fires. 
   In fighting such fires, portable water tanks are often utilized, and helicopters and other aircraft may often be employed. These aircraft may typically be capable of scooping water from a body or tank of water and depositing it on a fire. A helicopter or other aircraft may suspend a container to dip water from bodies of water or tanks for dropping on a fire area. 
   The present invention relates to a portable and towable tank assembly for movement to a forest fire or other fire are for quick positioning in a fire area utilizing any source of water available, such as a hydrant or a body of water. 
   The portable tank apparatus comprises a body, beam members disposed along each side of the tank body to support it on the ground. A yoke at the front of the apparatus is rotatable between a raised position and a lowered towing position. A brace member is pivotal on an upper portion of the tank and another brace member is hingedly connected therewith and with the yoke for movement to raise and lower the yoke by acting at the hinged connection between the brace members. 
   Another pair of brace members are hingedly connected, a first one at the rear of the tank and the other connected therewith and carrying rotatable ground wheels maintained extended by the braces when aligned. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an elevational view of a tank apparatus according to the invention with a cooperating helicopter; 
       FIG. 2  is a tank apparatus according to the invention in relation to a towing vehicle; 
       FIG. 3  is a top view of the tank apparatus of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing the rear portion of the apparatus of  FIGS. 1-3 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a rear perspective view of the apparatus of  FIGS. 2-4 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a partial perspective view of a front portion of the apparatus of  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 7  is a partial perspective view of the frontal portion of the apparatus of  FIGS. 5 and 6 ; 
       FIG. 8  is a partial perspective view showing the tank apparatus lowered to set on the ground; 
       FIG. 9  is a partial perspective view of the rear portion of the tank apparatus of the invention; and 
       FIG. 10  is a partial perspective view of a lower rear portion of the tank apparatus. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring to the drawings,  FIG. 1  shows a tank apparatus  10  according to the invention having a tank  12  from which water is removed as by dipping a container  14  suspended from a helicopter  16 . The tank may typically hold 6,000 gallons of water. It is typically filled by means of a hydrant or by water pumped from a body of water, etc. 
   Secured as by welding about the upper edge portion of the tank is a heavy hollow steel tubing  18  which provides strong reinforcement for the top portion of the tank  12 . The tubing and upper portion of the tank are supported primarily by strong supporting reinforcement beams, beam  20  being secured as by welding to the front wall  22  of the tank, and two similar heavy reinforcement beams  24 ,  26  being secured as by welding to the rear wall  28  of the tank. Much of the weight of the tank and water therein is borne principally by these beams. Referring to  FIGS. 5 ,  7  and  8 , the beams are welded to cross-members  72  which extend transversely between longitudinal I-beams  32 ,  34 , and which support the tank apparatus on the ground. 
   The tank is supported by four legs  30  which extend between their lug connections on plural portions of the tank, as shown, and are secured as by welding to the heavy I-beams  32 ,  34  which extend in generally parallel relation from welded connections to the tank, The I-beams support the tank on the ground when the tank is in its lower position of  FIGS. 1 ,  7  and  8 . 
   The raising and lowering of the tank between its lowered position of  FIGS. 7 and 8  and its elevated position of  FIG. 5  is effected by operation of hydraulic actuators  36 ,  38  at the rear of the tank apparatus, and by hydraulic actuator  39  at the front of the tank  12 . 
   Components and features of hydraulic actuators, related connections and control devices, are well-known in the art and are therefore not herein described and illustrated in detail. 
   Referring to  FIG. 4 , at the rear of the tank braces  40 ,  42  are pivotally mounted at  41  relative to the tank on one heavy beam member, as shown, and at the rear axle (not shown). Hydraulic actuators  36 ,  38  have their lower ends pivotally mounted relative to the tank at  44 , and have actuator rods  46 ,  48  extending therefrom with their end portions pivoted at  50 , as shown. In the configuration shown, vehicle wheels  52  are raised from the ground.  FIG. 4  shows the vehicle wheels resting on the ground and supporting the tank apparatus in elevated position in cooperation with actuators  39  at the front portion of the apparatus, shown in  FIG. 6 . The braces  40 ,  42  are in their retracted positions disposed at an angle to each other, thus to elevate the wheels  52  and enable the lowering of the tank apparatus to the ground to be supported by the I-beams  32 ,  34 . 
     FIG. 4  shows braces  40 ,  42  in aligned and abutting relation, thus effecting self-locking so that accidental or inadvertent lowering or collapse of the apparatus is prevented, as when the tank is being towed. 
   At the front of the tank, as shown in  FIG. 6 , a single hydraulic actuator  39  is pivotally mounted at its connection with the tank and has a rod  56  extended outwardly pivotally connected at  64 , the braces  60 ,  62  being pivotal relative to the same head member, as shown. With actuator rod  56  extended, the braces  60 ,  62  are in bent relation for the lowerint of the tank to be supported on the ground on I-beams  32 ,  34 . The tank is thus lowered into its position of  FIGS. 6 and 8  by the operation of the hydraulic actuators, two at the rear and one at the front of the apparatus. 
   Each of the hydraulic actuators is a double-acting actuator, pressure being applied to the opposite side of the piston to each actuator, with the pressure applied to one side being greater than the pressure applied to the opposite side of the piston. Lower pressure on one side prevents the sudden application of force and sudden movement, which might cause possible collapse of the tank apparatus. For towing and travel of the tank apparatus, the brace members are disposed in aligned abutting relation with no hydraulic pressure in the actuators. 
     FIG. 6  shows the front hydraulic actuator  39  extended to raise tongue or yoke  58  into its upward position. Tongue  58  is pivotal with the outer pipe  70  which is rotatable relative to a stationary inner cross member  72  and which is welded to the I-beams  32 ,  34  through which it extends via openings provided. Cross member  72  may typically be 5″ in diameter and the outer pipe  70  may be 6″ in diameter. The outer pipe  70  is rotatable with the tongue or yoke  58  to move the yoke upwardly and downwardly. The cross member  72  is mounted in openings in opposite I-beam members and is a cross-member of the frame comprising the heavy I-beam members  32 ,  34 . 
   The arrangement of components shown in  FIGS. 5 and 5A  including an outer pipe rotatable relative to a fixed rod, pivoting arrangement, etc., enables multiple functions by a relatively simplified combination and arrangement. The rod or pipe  72 , which is a cross-member of the frame, is secured between I-beam members  32 ,  34 , as shown. 
   The yoke  58  is mounted on the pipe  70  to rotate therewith between its upward position of  FIGS. 6 and 7  and its downward position of  FIG. 5 . 
   The relatively simplified arrangement provided by the invention eliminates or reduces component deflection, and the assembly serves essentially three functions rather than utilizing multiple structures. 
   It will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made from the preferred embodiment discussed above without departing from the scope of the present invention, which is established by the following claims and equivalents thereof.