Tank-refilling pump arrangements

Abstract

A refilling pump arrangement comprises a refilling hose ( 1 ), and a pump ( 2 ) mounted at the free end of the hose which takes in fluid. This hose and pump arrangement can be stored anywhere, either on or off a vehicle or other machine that receives fluid, and when stored on the machine the hose and pump can be stored in an area that does not need to be adjacent the liquid tank. This enables space savings for the parts of the vehicle which have the most critical space demands.

1 . A method for supplying fluid to a first machine that has a fluid storage tank, comprising:
 transporting fluid by storing fluid in a mobile container while transporting said mobile container by movement of a vehicle to a mobile fluid location adjacent to said first machine;   moving a second end of a hose on which a pump is mounted, to and through an access opening in said mobile container and into said fluid therein so said pump is immersed in said fluid therein;   with a first end of said hose connected to said first machine storage tank, energizing an electric motor of said pump to energize a pump element of said pump, to pump said fluid from said mobile container through said hose to said fluid storage tank.   
   
   
       2 . The method described in  claim 1  wherein:
 supplying current at a constant voltage to said electric motor, sensing the amount of current flowing to said electric motor, and when the level of current falls below a predetermined level ceasing to supply further current to said motor.   
   
   
       3 . A method of refilling a storage tank of a vehicle, comprising:
 connecting a hose first end to a vehicle storage tank of the vehicle and mounting a pump on a second end of the hose;   immersing the pump in a mobile reservoir of liquid; and   controlling the pump to pump liquid from the mobile reservoir to the vehicle storage tank.   
   
   
       4 . Apparatus for pumping liquid from a container to a vehicle storage tank of a first vehicle, comprising:
 a hose having a hose first end connected to said vehicle storage tank and having a hose second end;   a pump mounted on said hose second end, with the combination of said hose second end and said pump thereon being insertable into said container with said pump immersed in liquid in said container to pump fluid from said container into said vehicle storage tank.   
   
   
       5 . The apparatus described in  claim 4  wherein:
 said hose has a second end that is disconnectable and reconnectable to said vehicle storage tank;   said first vehicle has a storage area where said hose and pump are stored when not in use;   said container is a mobile container and including a second vehicle for transporting said mobile container to a location adjacent to said first vehicle.   
   
   
       6 . The apparatus described in  claim 4  wherein:
 said container has an upper end with an opening that is capable of passing a round 65 mm hose and pump into the container, and said pump is of cylindrical shape and has a diameter that fits through a 65 mm round opening.   
   
   
       7 . The apparatus described in  claim 4  wherein:
 said pump comprises a cylindrical housing, a cylindrical electric motor lying in said housing and occupying a majority of the cross-section of the housing, and a centrifugal pump element lying at an end of said motor.   
   
   
       8 . The apparatus described in  claim 4  wherein:
 said pump includes an electric motor and a pump element that is driven by said electric motor; and including   a shut off switch connected to said motor which shuts off power to the motor when the current drawn by the motor is below a threshold level.   
   
   
       9 . A pump arrangement for pumping liquid from a mobile reservoir to a vehicle storage tank, comprising
 a hose having first and second ends with said first end releasably coupled to the vehicle storage tank; and   a pump mounted on said second end of the hose, and constructed to be temporarily immersed in the liquid of said mobile reservoir.   
   
   
       10 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein:
 said pump comprises an electric motor and a centrifugal pump element connected to the motor.   
   
   
       11 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein:
 said pump includes a cylindrical housing at an end of the hose and a pump element contained within said housing;   said housing having an outer diameter of less than 65 mm.   
   
   
       12 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 9 , further comprising: a strainer and flow straightener positioned at the pump inlet. 
   
   
       13 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein:
 the pump comprises a pump element and an electric motor, and electrical wires extending through the inside of the hose.   
   
   
       14 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein:
 said pump includes a pump element, an electric motor connected to said pump element, and a shut off device that shuts off power to the motor when the current drawn by the motor is below a threshold level.