Patent Abstract:
The present invention is a double-walled tank for a generator set including an integral mounting assembly. The tank is formed of an outer basin having an open top, a bottom wall and a number of side walls that define an interior within the basin and form the exterior of the tank. An enclosed inner member having a top panel, a bottom panel and a number of side walls connecting the top and bottom panels is attached within the interior of the basin and provides a double-walled construction that serves to retain fuel within the tank when the external walls of the tank are damaged. An integral mounting assembly is attached to and extends across the basin over the inner member between the side walls of the basin and is configured to receive and support a generator, engine, and radiator to form a complete generator set.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to generator sets and more specifically to a fuel tank in a generator set that functions as a support for the other components of the generator set and also holds an amount of fuel to be utilized by the generator set. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Generator sets are often used to provide a source of either primary or supplemental electrical power at locations where more conventional sources of this type of power are limited or not available. A generator set generally includes an internal combustion engine that is connected to an electrical generator which supplies power to the generator. The engine is connected opposite the generator to a radiator that is used to cool the engine while it is in operation. 
     All of the above components of the generator set assembly are supported by a tank to which the engine, generator and radiator are mounted. The tank is generally a large enclosure having a capacity of hundreds of gallons in order to allow the generator set to operate continuously for an extended period of time. 
     The tank is formed as a generally rectangular single-wall enclosure having a top wall to which the remaining components of the generator set are mounted, a bottom wall opposite the top wall and a series of side walls joining the top and bottom walls and enclosing the tank. The top wall includes a number of openings, some of which receive conduits that allow fuel to be supplied to and from the tank. The tank may be constructed to include a releasable frame assembly that is securable to the top wall and on which the engine, generator and radiator are mounted in order to attach these components to the tank. As an alternative to the frame assembly, the tank may include an integral mounting arrangement that is fixedly attached to the side walls of the tank and extends across the top wall of the tank. The mounting arrangement receives the portions on each generator set component that are used to secure the components to the tank. 
     However, due to the increased attention given to environmental concerns, particularly with respect to those industries utilizing highly hazardous materials such as the heavy hydrocarbon fuels utilized with generator sets, the single-walled construction of most generator set tanks is not adequate to ensure that the fuels contained within these tanks will not leak excessively and cause serious environmental damage if the exterior of the tank is damaged. 
     Therefore, it is desirable to develop a generator set tank that includes a double-walled construction that minimizes and/or eliminates any leakage of fuel from the tank due to damage caused to the exterior of the tank. The generator set tank should also include an integral mounting arrangement such that once the construction of the tank is completed, the respective components of the generator set may be mounted directly to the tank and the generator set can be immediately transported in its entirety and placed into service. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a generator set tank that includes a double-walled construction capable of minimizing or eliminating any leakage of fuel from the tank in response to damage done to the outer chamber or wall of the tank. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide a generator set tank having a double-walled construction that also includes an integral mounting arrangement which allows the internal combustion engine, generator and radiator of the generator set to be mounted directly to the tank without the need for a releasable frame assembly. 
     It is still another object of the invention to provide a generator set tank having the above features that is inexpensive to manufacture in conventional generator set construction techniques. 
     The present invention is a tank that is used with a generator set and includes an integral mounting arrangement and a double walled construction. The tank is formed with an outer member or basin having a lower wall, a pair of side walls, a front wall, and a rear wall. The outer member has an open top end and defines an interior between the side, front and rear walls accessible through the top end. An inner member is mounted within the interior of the outer member, and the inner and outer members cooperate to form a generator tank. The inner member includes a front panel, a pair of side panels, a rear panel, and a top panel. When the inner member is mounted within the outer member, the resulting generator tank has a double walled construction along the bottom, opposite sides, front and rear of the tank. 
     Once the inner member is mounted within the outer member, a number of support beams can be secured between the opposite sides of the outer member over the top panel of the inner member to provide an integral mounting arrangement for the radiator, generator and internal combustion engine components of the generator set. 
     Various other features, objects and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following detailed description taken together with the drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The drawings illustrate the best mode presently contemplated of carrying out the invention. 
     In the drawings: 
     FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a generator set tank assembled according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded isometric view of the generator set tank of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view along line  3 — 3  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view along line  4 — 4  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view along line  5 — 5  of FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 6 is a circular sectional view along line  6 — 6  of FIG.  3 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference now to the drawing figures in which like reference numerals represent like parts throughout the disclosure, a generator set is shown in FIG. 1 generally at  8 . The generator set  8  includes a tank  10  formed generally of metal components and an engine  11   a,  generator  11   b  and radiator  11   c  secured to the tank  10 . The engine  11   a,  generator  11   b  and radiator  11   c  can be any conventional components used for supplying power from generator sets such as components made by Caterpillar, Inc. of Peoria, Ill. bearing Model Number 3412. 
     The tank  10  includes an inner member or enclosure  12  mounted within an outer member or basin  14 . The basin  14  is formed with a bottom wall  15  that connects a pair of opposed side walls  16 , and a front wall  18  and a rear wall  19  that, in turn, connect adjacent ends of the side walls  16 . The basin  14  also includes a venting channel wall  20  spaced inwardly from the rear wall  19  and extending across the bottom wall between the side walls  16  that defines a venting channel  21  between the rear wall  19  and channel wall  20 . The structure of the respective walls of the basin  14  defines an open interior  22  within the basin  14 . 
     Referring now to FIGS. 2-4, each side wall  16  includes a perpendicularly extending upper flange  23  and a perpendicularly extending lower flange  24  that extend outwardly away from the interior  22 . The upper flange  23  includes a downwardly depending lip  25  along its length and is joined to the lower flange  24  by a pair of end plates  26  disposed at either end of side walls  16 . Each side wall  16  also includes a pair of lifting eye gussets  28  spaced from one another and from the end plates  26 . Each gusset  28  includes a lifting eye  30  that defines a circular opening  32  through which a shackle (not shown) or other lifting implement may be inserted to lift and move the tank  10 . 
     The bottom wall  15  of the outer basin  14  has a number of tank feet  34  along an upper surface  33  of the bottom wall  15 . Each foot  34  is generally an inverted U-shape with a base  35  and a pair of legs  36  extending from opposite sides of the base  35 . Each leg  36  is secured to the upper surface  33  of the bottom wall  15  opposite the base  35  by welds  37  to define channels  38  between the feet  34  and the bottom wall  15 . 
     Adjacent the front wall  18 , the bottom wall  15  also supports a pair of stub-up walls  39 . The stub-up walls  39  are generally L-shaped having a first section  40  extending from the front wall  18  in a direction parallel to the side walls  16 , and a second section  41  extending perpendicularly from the first section  40  opposite the front wall  18 . Each second section  41  is connected with the adjacent side wall  16  and cooperates with the corresponding first section  40  to enclose a chamber  42 . The chamber  42  is accessible through a pair of stub openings  43  and  44  in each side wall  16 . The respective stub openings  43  and  44  allow for conduit connections (not shown) to be made through the side wall  16  of the tank  10  to other components of the generator set which are mounted above the basin  14 . The openings  43  and  44  can selectively be covered by removable plates  46  securable to the side walls  16  after the necessary connections are made. 
     As best shown in FIGS. 2-6, the inner member  12  is insertable within the interior  22  of the basin  14 . Inner member  12  has a bottom panel  48  that includes a main section  50  that conforms generally to the width between the side walls  16  of the basin  14 . The bottom panel  48  also includes a narrow section  52  extending from the main section  50  towards the front wall  18  of the basin  14  that corresponds in width to the distance between the first sections  40  of the stub-up walls  39 . The inner member  12  also includes a front panel  54  extending upwardly from the narrow section  52  opposite the main section  50  and a rear panel  56  extending upwardly from the main section  50  opposite the front panel  54 . The front panel  54  and rear panel  56  are spaced from the front wall  18  and venting channel wall  20 , respectively. The inner member  12  further includes a pair of long side panels  58  extending along the main section  50  from opposite ends of the rear panel  56  and a pair of short side panels  60  extending from opposite ends of the front panel  54  along the narrow section  52 . The long panels  58  and short panels  60  are joined by a pair of shoulder panels  62  extending along the main section  50  between the long and short side panels  58 ,  60 , respectively. Each shoulder panel  62  has a length slightly greater than that of the second section  41  of each stub-up wall  39 . A top panel  64  secured to the respective side panels opposite the bottom panel  48  encloses an interior  66  within the inner member  12  and extends outwardly over each of the side, rear and front panels to define a flange  68  about the periphery of the inner member  12  opposite the bottom panel  48 . The flange  68  is connected by welds to the front wall  18 , stub-up walls  39 ,  40 , side walls  16 , and rear wall  19  of the basin  14  to secure the inner member  12  within the basin  14  when the inner member  12  is placed in the interior  22  of the basin  14 . 
     Referring now to FIGS. 3-6, the interior  66  of the inner member  12  includes a number of supporting or bracing features. First, a number of stiffeners  70  extend along the length of the top panel  64  parallel to the long side panels  58  to provide support for the top panel  64 . Stiffeners  70  extend throughout nearly the entire length of interior  66 , such that the ends of stiffeners  70  are located closely adjacent front and rear panels  54 ,  56  respectively. Each stiffener  70  is shaped similarly to the tank feet  34 , with a base  71  and a pair of legs  72  on opposite sides of the base  71 , and is secured to the top panel  64  by each leg  72 . The inner member  12  also includes a number of tie rods  73  extending vertically between the bottom panel  48  and the top panel  64 . The tie rods  73  are located between stiffeners  70 , and extend through openings  74  in the bottom panel  48  and top panel  64  and are secured therein by welds  75 . Both the tie rods  73  and the stiffeners  70  provide additional rigidity to the inner member  12  to reduce the likelihood of leakage of fuel from the tank  10  due to damage done to the tank  10  and to enable the engine  11   a,  generator  11   b  and radiator  11   c  to be supported over the inner member  12 . 
     The top panel  64  also includes a number of openings which allow fuel to be placed within and withdrawn from the interior  66  of inner member  12 . As shown in FIG. 2, the top plate  64  includes a fuel filling coupling  76  to allow the inner member  12  to receive fuel, a fuel supply coupling  78  for withdrawing fuel from within the inner member  12 , a vent  80  for releasing gas trapped in the inner member  12 , and a fuel level gauge  82  for measuring the fuel remaining within the inner member  12 . 
     When the inner member  12  is positioned within the basin  14 , the rods  73  are aligned with the feet  34  disposed on the bottom wall  15  of the basin  14 . Because each rod  73  extends through the opening  74  in the bottom panel  48 , the rods  73  engage and are supported by the base  35  of each foot  34  to provide additional support to the rods  73  and the inner member  12 . Furthermore, when the inner member  12  is positioned within the basin  14 , the engagement of the feet  34  with the rods  73  cooperates to define a plurality of spaces  82  between the bottom panel  48  of the inner member  12  and the bottom wall  15  of the basin  14 . Similarly, once the inner member  12  rests upon the feet  34  within the basin  14 , a pair of spaces  83  are also defined between the front panel  54  of inner member  12  and the front wall  18  of basin  14 , and the rear panel  56  of inner member  12  and the rear wall  19  of the basin  14 . The location of the respective spaces  82  and  83  between the inner member  12  and the basin  14  provides the tank  10  with the capacity to sustain damage to the basin  14  without damaging the inner member  12 . Further, the spaces  82  and  83  enable the tank  10  to prevent any fuel leaking from the inner member  12  into the basin  14  from leaking into the outside environment. 
     As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, once the inner member  12  is secured within the basin  14 , a mounting arrangement  84  may be attached to the basin  14  above the inner member  12 . The mounting arrangement  84  includes an access plate  86  that is connected to the front wall  18  and between the side walls  16  of the basin  14  to overlie the chambers  42  defined by the stub-up walls  39 . The access plate  86  has a pair of rails  87  that extend parallel to the side walls  16  and are used to support the generator  11   b  placed on the plate  86 . A pair of access panels  88  are also located on the top of the plate  86  outside of the rails  87 . Each of the panels  88  include a resilient pad  89  at one end of the panel  88  that resiliently supports the panel  88  above the plate  96 . This enables the panels  88  to be removed to allow access to the chambers  42  within the stub-up walls  39 . 
     Opposite the front wall  18 , the access plate  86  is connected to a generator support beam  90 . The support beam  90  is generally an inverted U-shape and includes a top section  92  that includes an opening (not shown) and a pair of downwardly depending side sections  94 . Each side section  94  and the top section  92  is connected to each side wall  16 , such as by welding, to secure the generator support beam  90  within the basin  14 . Opposite the side sections  94 , the top section  92  includes a pair of generator mounts  96  and a pair of manual pump support brackets  97  disposed outside of the mounts  96  and welded to the top section  92 . The mounts  96  are secured directly to the beam  90  over the openings in the beam  90  and are reinforced by triangular support gussets  98  extending between the mounts  96  and the top section  92  of the beam  90 . Each generator mount  96  is generally an inverted U-shape, similarly to the generator support beam  90 , and supports a circular mounting pad  99  above the generator support beam  90 . Each mounting pad  99  includes a central opening  100  aligned with the opening in the beam  90 . A bolt (not shown) extending from the generator  11   b  can be inserted through and secured within the respective openings to retain the generator  11   b  on the beam  90 . 
     The mounting arrangement  84  also includes a battery cross support  102  that extends perpendicularly from the support beam  90  opposite the access plate  96 . The support  102  is generally an inverted U-shape, similar to the generator support beam  90 , with a base  104  and a pair of legs  105  extending from opposite sides of the base  104 . The cross support  102  includes a pair of battery supports  106  that extend upwardly from the cross support  102 . The battery supports  106  are arranged such that batteries (not shown) connected to the engine  11   a  rest on the battery supports  104 . 
     Opposite the generator support beam  90 , the battery cross support  102  is connected to an engine support beam  110  as shown in FIG.  3 . The engine support beam  110  is formed similarly to the generator support beam  90  and includes a top section  112  and a pair of downwardly depending side sections  114  secured to the respective side walls  16 . The side sections  114  have a length shorter than that of side sections  94  on the generator support beam  90  such that the engine support beam  110  has an overall height less than that of the generator support beam  90 . The top section  112  of the engine support beam  110  supports a pair of engine mounts  116  that are formed identically to generator mounts  96 , including openings  117 , support pads  118  with corresponding central openings  120 , and support gussets  122  secured between the mounts  116  and the beam  110 . 
     The mounting arrangement  84  also includes a pair of radiator support members  124  that are secured to the side walls  16  adjacent the rear wall  19 . Each radiator support member  124  includes an L-shaped support pad  126  and a pair of support gussets  128  extending angularly from the support pads  126  to the side walls  16 . The support pads  126  include a plurality of openings  130  that are used to attach the radiator  11   c  between the support pads  126  over the inner member  12 . 
     Finally, opposite the access plate  86  and beneath the radiator  11   c,  the interior of the basin  14  is enclosed by an end panel  132  extending upwardly from the rear wall  19  and connected between the side wall  16  and rear wall  19 . The end panel  132  does not close off the channel  21  between the rear wall  19  and the venting channel wall  20 , such that any gas trapped between the inner member  12  and the basin  14  can escape through a vent  134  secured to the rear wall  19  in communication with the channel  21 . 
     The tank  10  can also be manufactured in various sizes to conform to the respective sizes of the generators, engines and radiators that are to be utilized with the tank  10 . Further, the configuration of the tank  10  can also be altered when necessary to fit a specific application for which the tank  10  is to be used. More specifically, depending upon the size of the engine, generator and/or radiator with which the tank  10  is to be used, the tank  10  can be modified to remove or include additional feet  34 , rods  73  and stiffeners  70  as necessary. 
     The tank  10  could also be modified by attaching the inner member  12  to the basin  14 , or attaching the mounting arrangement  84  to the inner member  12  and basin  14  by means other than welds, such as rivets, industrial strength adhesives, or other suitable means. With these alternative means for securing the respective components of tank to one another, alternative methods of forming the tank  10  are also contemplated. For example, individual sections of the inner member  12  can be secured to the adjacent portions of the basin  14  before attachment to form the basin  14  or inner member  12  in order to form a tank  10  that can be assembled from prefabricated sections. 
     Also, the mounting arrangement  84  can have a variety of configurations other than that shown in the drawing figures, such as an arrangement connected only to the inner member  12  and supported thereon, or a flat panel completely covering the interior  22  of the basin  14  without any connection to the inner member  12 . This panel could be supported by the extension of the rods  73  through the top panel  64  of the inner member  12  such that the rods  73  contact the lower surface of the panel to support the weight of the generator, engine and radiator placed thereon. 
     Various alternatives and embodiments are contemplated as being in the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter regarded as the invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5