Fuel transfer system for tractor trailer vehicles

Claim 2

In a fuel supply system for supplying fuel to an engine of a motor vehicle which is articulated to a trailer, the improvement comprising the combination of: at least one small-capacity fuel tank carried by said motor vehicle for containing an initial supply of fuel which can be supplied to said engine, and including a first fuel pump means for pumping fuel from said small-capacity fuel tank to a point of consumption for said engine, separate fuel tank means carried by said trailer for storing a relatively large supply of auxiliary fuel which can be transferred either to said small-capacity fuel tank or to said engine, and transferring means for removing fuel from said separate fuel tank means, said transferring means including: conduit means for carrying fuel from said separate fuel tank means, said conduit means including a flow path for carrying fuel directly to said engine without first going through said small-capacity fuel tank, and wherein said first fuel pump means comprises the sole pumping means for pumping fuel to the engine from said small-capacity fuel tank and from said separate fuel tank means, manual control means for opening a valve means connected to said conduit means from said separate fuel tank means for delivering fuel from said separate fuel tank when said initial supply of fuel has been depleted, second pump means for selectively transferring fuel from said separate fuel tank to said small-capacity fuel tank, and reservoir means associated with a fuel injector means of the engine for recEiving fuel delivered from the separate fuel tank, overflow means connected to said reservoir means and to said small-capacity fuel tank for returning to said small-capacity fuel tank any excess of fuel which may be delivered to said reservoir, and control means for controlling the transfer of fuel from said separate fuel tank means.

Claim 3

The system of claim 1 wherein said transferring means carries fuel from said separate fuel tank and into said small-capacity fuel tank carried by the motor vehicle, and including a manual control means operable by an occupant of said vehicle to turn said second pumping means on and off to maintain a desired quantity of fuel in said small-capacity fuel tank for consumption by the engine of the vehicle.

Claim 4

The system of claim 1 wherein said control means includes a manual switch which can be opened and closed to operate the transferring means, said switch being included in an ignition circuit for said vehicle so that the transferrinG means can be operated only when the ignition circuit of said vehicle is completed.

Claim 5

The system of claim 1 wherein said valve means connected to the conduit means includes two passageways, a first passage connected to said conduit means for delivering fuel from the separate fuel tank to said engine, and a second passage connected to additional conduit means for delivering fuel from the small-capacity tank to said engine, said valve means being operational to provide a fuel delivery through only one of said passages at a time.

Claim 6

The system of claim 1 wherein said second fuel pump comprises an electric pump means, and wherein said first fuel pump means comprises a mechanical pump.

Claim 7

In a fuel supply system for supplying fuel to an engine of a motor vehicle which is articulated to a trailer, the improvement comprising the combination of: at least one small-capacity fuel tank carried by said motor vehicle for containing an initial supply of fuel which can be supplied to said engine, and including a first fuel pump means as the sole pumping means for pumping fuel from said small-capacity fuel tank to a point of consumption for said engine separate fuel tank means carried by said trailer for storing a relatively large supply of auxiliary fuel which can be transferred either to said small-capacity fuel tank or to said engine, transferring means for removing fuel from said separate fuel tank means, said transferring means including: conduit means for carrying fuel from said separate fuel tank means, said conduit means having a flow path for carrying fuel directly to said engine without first going through said small-capacity fuel tank, control means including a manual control means for opening a valve means connected to said conduit means for delivering fuel from said separate fuel tank means when an initial supply of fuel has been depleted, said valve means having two passageways: (a) a first passageway communicating with said conduit means for delivering fuel from the separate fuel tank to said engine, and (b) a second passageway communicating with additional conduit means for delivering fuel from the small-capacity tank to said engine, said valve means being operational to provide fuel delivery through only one of said passageways at a time, pressure sensing means to shut-off the transfer of fuel through said first passageway in said valve means when the small-capacity fuel tank is full and to simultaneously open up said second passageway for delivery of fuel to the engine from the small-capacity tank, and second pump means for selectively transferring fuel from the separate fuel tank to the small-capacity fuel tank, reservoir meanS associated with a fuel injector means of the engine for receiving fuel delivered from the separate fuel tank, and overflow means connected to said reservoir means and to said small-capacity fuel tank for returning to said small-capacity fuel tank any excess of fuel which may be delivered to said reservoir means.

Claim 8

In a fuel supply system for supplying fuel to an engine of a motor vehicle which is articulated to a trailer, the improvement comprising the combination of: at least one small-capacity fuel tank carried by said motor vehicle for containing an initial supply of fuel which can be supplied to said engine, and including a first fuel pump means as the sole pumping means for pumping fuel from said small-capacity fuel tank to a point of consumption for said engine separate fuel tank means carried by said trailer for storing a relatively large supply of auxiliary fuel which can be transferred either to said small-capacity fuel tank or to said engine, transferring means for removing fuel from said separate fuel tank means, said transferring means including: conduit means for carrying fuel from said separate fuel tank means, said conduit means having a flow path for carrying fuel directly to said engine without first going through said small-capacity fuel tank, control means including a manual control means for opening a valve means connected to said conduit means for delivering fuel from said separate fuel tank means when an initial supply of fuel has been depleted, said valve means having two passageways: (a) a first passageway communicating with said conduit means for delivering fuel from the separate fuel tank to said engine, and (b) a second passageway communicating with additional conduit means for delivering fuel from the small-capacity tank to said engine, said valve means being operational to provide fuel delivery through only one of said passageways at a time, pressure sensing means to shut-off the transfer of fuel through said first passageway in said valve means when the small-capacity fuel tank is full and to simultaneously open up said second passageway for delivery of fuel to the engine from the small-capacity tank, and second pump means for selectively transferring fuel from the separate fuel tank to the small-capacity fuel tank, reservoir meanS associated with a fuel injector means of the engine for receiving fuel delivered from the separate fuel tank, and overflow means connected to said reservoir means and to said small-capacity fuel tank for returning to said small-capacity fuel tank any excess of fuel which may be delivered to said reservoir means.