Fuel tank and battery combination structure

DETAILED DESCRIPTION What is claimed is: 1.
A fuel tank and battery combination mountable in select arrangements dictated by space requirements on a truck chassis having a vertically oriented support frame surface, said fuel tank comprising walls cooperating to circumscribe a generally rectangular volume, said walls being arranged relative to each other so as to bound within said volume an internal fuel storage compartment and also an external battery-receiving compartment opening into two adjacent side walls of said fuel tank, said fuel tank-battery arrangements comprising means mounting said battery to extend laterally of said supporting frame surface, and means to support said fuel tank from said supporting frame surface either in adjacent position to said battery with said external battery-receiving compartment thereof in an outwardly facing relation to said support surface or in a space-saving operative position in relation to said battery, said space-saving operative position being provided by movement of said fuel tank through a 180 degree rotational traverse to reorient said external battery-receiving compartment thereon into an inwardly facing relation to said support surface and disposing said fuel tank such that said laterally extending battery is projected within said fuel tank external battery-receiving compartment and said fuel tank is in enclosing relation thereabout, whereby there is an option available in the selection of the positional arrangement of said battery and fuel tank according to the available mounting space for same.
2.
A fuel tank and battery combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said fuel tank has two inlets disposed in spaced apart relation on one of said side walls of said fuel tank so that one said fuel inlet is available for use in each position of said fuel tank, and a centrally located outlet on said fuel tank between said inlets, whereby said central outlet is available for use in any position of said fuel tank.




Description:
The present invention relates generally to improvements in the mounting of the fuel tank and battery box (and/or batteries) for refuse trucks, the improvements more particularly providing an option in the positional arrangement of these components that can be exercised economically, without difficulty, and in accordance with the mounting space available for these and other essential components for the truck