Rolling pipe line assembly, system and method

Claim 2

A movable system for accommodating consecutive loading, transporting and unloading fluids in a plurality of wheeled tank cars comprising in combination a plurality of wheeled tank cars removably connected, each of said tank cars including a fluid storage tank, conduit means extending outwardly adjacent one end of said storage tank and conduit means extending outwardly adjacent the opposed end of said storage tank, each of said conduit means being in fluid communication with said storage tank, connector means removably engaged to and interconnecting adjacent conduit means extending from adjoining tank cars, said connector means establishing fluid communication between adjoining tank cars, whereby fluids may be consecutively pumped through a series of said tank cars until said tank cars are loaded, transported and unloaded while said connector means remains engaged on said adjacent conduit means thereby facilitating the loading, transporting and unloading of fluids.

Claim 3

The system as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein said conduit means each comprises an rigid pipe fixedly mounted on said tank car and in fluid communication therewith.

Claim 4

The system as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein said connector means comprises a flexible tubular coupler member having an internal diameter slightly greater than the external diameter of said conduit means whereby said tubular coupler is slidably mountable over each of the ends of adjacent conduit means thereby to establish fluid communication therebetween.

Claim 5

The system as set forth in claim 3 above, wherein said tubular coupler is formed of a flexible metallic material.

Claim 6

The system as set forth in claim 3 above, wherein said tubular coupler is formed of a flexible rubber.

Claim 7

The system as set forth in claim 3 above, wherein said tubular coupler further includes engagement means for disengageably engaging the outer ends of adjoining conduit means respectively.

Claim 8

The system as set forth in claim 6 above, wherein said engagement means comprises a pair of inflatable collars fixedly secured along the inner peripheral surface of said tubular coupler, one of each said pair of inflatable collars being disposed at each end of said tubular coupler, and further provided with valve means for inflating and deflating said collars thereby to firmly grip and engage the outer surface of a corresponding end of said conduit means.

Claim 9

The system as set forth in claim 1 above, which further includes evacuation means in fluid communication with said connector means whereby fluids disposed in said connector means may be evacuated into said adjoining tank cars during transit thereby to prevent accidental spillage of fluids from said connector means.

Claim 10

The system as set forth in claim 8 above, wherein said evacuation means comprises a valve assembly in Fluid communication with said connector means and connected to compressed air means whereby compressed air may be introduced into said connector means thereby to force the evacuation of fluids therefrom.

Claim 11

A wheeled tank car for receiving, storing and transporting fluids and adapted for interconnection in fluid communication with a pair of similar such tank cars comprising a storage tank mounted on a support frame having a plurality of wheels rotatably mounted thereon, first conduit means mounted on said storage tank adjacent one end thereof and in fluid communication with said storage tank and second conduit means mounted on said storage tank adjacent the opposed end thereof and in fluid communication with said storage tank, whereby fluids may be caused to flow through one of said conduit means into said storage tank and through the second of said conduit means thereby permitting a series of said tank cars to be interconnected in fluid communication one to the other facilitating the loading, transporting and unloading of fluids.

Claim 12

A wheeled tank car for receiving, storing and transporting fluids and adapted for interconnection in fluid communication with a pair of similar such tank cars comprising a storage tank mounted on a support frame having a plurality of wheels rotatably mounted thereon, first conduit means mounted on said storage tank adjacent one end thereof and in fluid communication with said storage tank and second conduit means mounted on said storage tank adjacent the opposed end thereof and in fluid communication with said storage tank, whereby fluids may be caused to flow through one of said conduit means into said storage tank and through the second of said conduit means thereby permitting a series of said tank cars to be interconnected in fluid communication one to the other facilitating the loading, transporting and unloading of fluids.

Claim 13

In a tank car assembly having at least a pair of tank cars interconnected and each of he tank cars including a storage tank mounted on a support frame having a plurality of wheels rotatably mounted thereon and first conduit means mounted on the storage tank adjacent one end thereof and extending outwardly therefrom and second conduit means mounted on the storage tank adjacent the opposed end thereof and extending outwardly therefrom and second conduit means mounted on the storage tank adjacent the opposed end thereof and extending outwardly therefrom, both of the conduit means being in fluid communication with the storage tank, a connector member for interconnecting adjacent conduit means extending outwardly from interconnected adjoining tank cars comprising a flexible tubular member having an internal diameter slightly greater than the external diameter of the conduit means, said tubular member being slidably mountable over each of two adjacent conduit means extending outwardly from interconnected adjoining tank cars to establish a fluid communication relationship therebetween, and engagement means for disengageably engaging said tubular member in fixed relationship with each of said adjacent conduit means, whereby a plurality of tank cars may be interconnected in fluid communication relationship by connecting adjacent conduit means of each pair of adjoining tank cars with one of said connector members thereby to facilitate the loading, transporting and unloading fluids from a plurality of such interconnected tank cars and avoiding the necessity of loading and unloading each of the tank cars separately.

Claim 14

In a tank car assembly having at least a pair of tank cars interconnected and each of he tank cars including a storage tank mounted on a support frame having a plurality of wheels rotatably mounted thereon and first conduit means mounted on the storage tank adjacent one end thereof and extending outwardly therefrom and second conduit means mounted on the storage tank adjacent the opposed end thereof and extending outwardly therefrom and second conduit means mounted on the storage tank adjacent the opposed end thereof and extending outwardly therefrom, both of the conduit means being in fluid communication with the storage tank, a connector member for interconnecting adjacent conduit means extending outwardly from interconnected adjoining tank cars comprising a flexible tubular member having an internal diameter slightly greater than the external diameter of the conduit means, said tubular member being slidably mountable over each of two adjacent conduit means extending outwardly from interconnected adjoining tank cars to establish a fluid communication relationship therebetween, and engagement means for disengageably engaging said tubular member in fixed relationship with each of said adjacent conduit means, whereby a plurality of tank cars may be interconnected in fluid communication relationship by connecting adjacent conduit means of each pair of adjoining tank cars with one of said connector members thereby to facilitate the loading, transporting and unloading fluids from a plurality of such interconnected tank cars and avoiding the necessity of loading and unloading each of the tank cars separately.

Claim 15

The connector member as set forth in claim 11 above, wherein said flexible tubular member is formulated of a flexible spring steel.

Claim 16

The connector member as set forth in claim 11 above, wherein said flexible tubular member is formulated of a flexible rubber.

Claim 17

The connector member as set forth in claim 11 above, wherein said engagement means comprises a pair of inflatable collars fixedly secured along the inner peripheral surface of said tubular member, one of each of said pair of inflatable collars being disposed adjacent each end of said tubular member, and further provided with valve means for inflating and deflating said collars thereby to firmly grip and engage the outer surface of a corresponding end of said conduit means.

Claim 18

The connector member as set forth in claim 14 above, wherein each of said valve means of each of said collars are in fluid communication with a master fluid line whereby all of said collars may be inflated simultaneously fixedly securing said tubular members in position and establishing fluid communication between the interconnected tank cars.