Auxiliary installation tools and installation methods for tank truck manhole covers

Abstract

This invention discloses an auxiliary installation tool and method for tank truck manhole covers. The auxiliary installation tool includes a screw chain, a threaded head, and a push nut. The screw chain is composed of multiple screws of the same diameter and thread specification, hinged end to end, with continuous threads when coaxial. The push nut can move across the hinge points. The threaded head at the front end of the screw chain is adapted to the bolt holes of the tank truck manhole flange, and is used to push the push nut of the tank truck manhole cover into the screw chain. During installation, at least two sets of tools are used. First, the threaded head is screwed into the bolt hole, and the screw chain is passed through the installation hole of the tank truck manhole cover. Then, the push nut is rotated to make the two fit together. Subsequently, depending on whether the bolt hole is empty, it is directly connected or gradually replaced with bolts to complete the fixation. This solution can achieve precise positioning without adjusting the posture of the tank truck manhole cover, avoids interference by eliminating the need for a forklift, and relies on the self-locking characteristics of the threaded pair to stabilize the position, saving manpower and reducing safety risks.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of tank truck manhole cover installation technology, and particularly to auxiliary installation tools and methods for tank truck manhole covers. Background Technology

[0002] Tank trucks are core equipment for transporting chemicals in the petroleum, chemical, metallurgical, and food industries. Their safe operation is directly related to the safety of personnel, property, and the environment. Manholes are important components of tank trucks, providing convenience for workers to inspect corrosion and maintain the internal structure. Most tank trucks have manholes located at the rear, primarily consisting of a manhole flange and a manhole cover. The manhole cover is bolted to the manhole flange fixed to the tank body, allowing for the tank to be closed and opened. During periodic inspections, the bolts must be removed and the manhole cover taken off to create a passage for personnel. After inspection, the manhole cover must be reinstalled and tightened.

[0003] In existing technology, the manholes of some tank trucks are sloping downwards. When performing installation work on these tank trucks after maintenance, the following problems arise:

[0004] Tanker truck manhole covers typically weigh 100-200 kg, classifying them as heavy components. During reinstallation, they are usually lifted using a gantry crane. However, because the manhole is angled downwards, the manhole cover is suspended vertically by the gantry crane. This vertical suspension cannot naturally align with the angled manhole flange, making it difficult to align the bolt holes and preventing direct installation (see Appendix). Figure 1 ).

[0005] To address the issue of manhole cover placement on tank trucks, the current mainstream approach involves extensive manual labor during installation. Specifically, even with a crane bearing most of the manhole cover's weight, three to four workers are still required to manually push and pull the cover to its intended position and hold it in place before tightening the bolts. This method is not only inefficient but also poses a significant safety hazard, as the manhole cover's weight and limited operating space greatly increase the risk of injuries such as crushing or crushing injuries.

[0006] To improve the above-mentioned operating methods, some operating scenarios have attempted to introduce small forklifts (such as manual or electric forklifts) to assist in the installation of manhole covers on tank trucks. However, safety warning signs are usually installed at the rear of tank trucks, and the position and size of these signs often obstruct the operation of forklifts, preventing them from effectively approaching the manhole mounting surface. This greatly limits the practical application of mechanical assistance methods.

[0007] Therefore, there is a need for a manhole cover installation tool and method that can save manpower and avoid interference with the safety warning signs at the rear of the tanker truck. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is how to provide an auxiliary installation tool and installation method for tank truck manhole covers that can save manpower and avoid interference with the safety warning signs at the rear of the tank truck.

[0009] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: First, a tank truck manhole cover auxiliary installation tool is disclosed, comprising a screw chain, a threaded head, and a push nut. The screw chain is formed by hinged ends of at least two screws, with threads on at least the hinged ends of the screws. The threaded head is fixed to the front end of the screw chain and is adapted to the bolt holes of the tank truck manhole flange. The push nut is threaded to the screws and is used to push the tank truck manhole cover to move. The diameter of each screw is the same, smaller than the diameter of the mounting hole provided on the tank truck manhole cover, and the thread specifications of each screw are consistent. When adjacent screws are coaxial, their threads are continuous, allowing the push nut to cross the hinge point of the screw chain. The screw chain structure with at least two screws hinged ends enables the tool to switch between flexibility and rigidity, thereby adapting to the downward-sloping installation angle of the tank truck manhole flange. Specifically, the front end of the screw chain connects to the bolt holes of the inclined manhole flange of the tank truck via a threaded head. The screw chain bends at the hinge point to ensure that the rear end can smoothly pass through the mounting hole when the tank truck manhole cover is vertically suspended. This design can adapt to the installation angle of the inclined manhole, and alignment can be completed without manual adjustment of the tank truck manhole cover's posture, solving the problem of difficulty in aligning the tank truck manhole cover with the inclined flange during hoisting. The design of each screw diameter being smaller than the mounting hole diameter ensures that the screw chain passes smoothly through the tank truck manhole cover mounting hole, while also providing a certain adjustment space at the hinge point within the hole, preventing the hinge point from getting stuck in the mounting hole when the push nut pushes the tank truck manhole cover. In addition, all screws have the same diameter and consistent thread specifications, and the threads are continuous when adjacent screws are coaxial, ensuring that the push nut can cross the hinge point of the screw chain and maintain continuous screwing, achieving continuous pushing of the tank truck manhole cover. This structure allows the auxiliary installation tool to directly connect the bolt holes of the tanker manhole flange to the mounting holes of the tanker manhole cover without altering its orientation, thus completing the installation and positioning. Furthermore, installing the tanker manhole cover using this tool eliminates the need for a forklift, avoiding interference with safety signs. The threaded connection replaces manual pushing and pulling operations, and its self-locking characteristic ensures the manhole cover remains stable after operation ceases, eliminating the need for continuous manual maintenance. This saves manpower and reduces safety risks to some extent.

[0010] The diameter of the screw is smaller than the diameter of the threaded head, forming a tapered transition section between them. This tapered transition section guides and limits the mounting hole of the tank truck manhole cover after the threaded head is screwed into the bolt hole. This allows the manhole cover to automatically align with the hole as it approaches the flange, preventing misalignment between the mounting hole and the bolt hole, further reducing the difficulty of hole alignment. Simultaneously, it prevents radial movement of the manhole cover during the pushing process, improving installation accuracy.

[0011] A push sleeve is also provided between the tank truck manhole cover and the push nut. The push sleeve is slidably fitted onto the screw chain, with its front inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the screw and its rear inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the push nut. On one hand, the push sleeve prevents the rotating push nut from directly rubbing against the tank truck manhole cover, thus preventing damage to the surface of the manhole cover. On the other hand, the smaller inner diameter of the rear section of the push sleeve ensures that the push nut transmits force to the push sleeve; while the larger inner diameter of the front section of the push sleeve allows it to partially fit into the tapered transition section, thereby pushing the tank truck manhole cover closer to the tank truck manhole flange for subsequent bolt installation.

[0012] The length of the threaded head is greater than the depth of the bolt hole; the maximum axial insertion depth of the push sleeve along the transition section is LA, the thickness of the tanker manhole cover is LB, and the axial length of the transition section is LC, satisfying that the sum of LA and LB is greater than LC. The threaded head length being greater than the bolt hole depth ensures that after the threaded head is fully screwed into the bolt hole of the flange, a portion remains protruding, providing space for the tanker manhole cover to hang on the protruding threaded head after passing through the transition section. Furthermore, by limiting the geometric relationship between the push sleeve insertion depth, the tanker manhole cover thickness, and the transition section length (LA+LB>LC), it is ensured that the push sleeve, under the action of the push nut, can completely push the tanker manhole cover through the transition section, thereby hanging it on the protruding threaded head for subsequent bolt installation.

[0013] The screw chain is formed by three or more screws hinged end to end, with each hinge axis being skewed. By using three or more screws and ensuring their hinge axes are skewed (i.e., not in the same plane), the screw chain gains bending capability in three-dimensional space. This allows the tool to flexibly adapt to different initial positional relationships between the tank truck manhole flange and the tank truck manhole cover, greatly improving the versatility and adaptability of the auxiliary installation tool. It enables it to be used with tank trucks of different models and manholes with different tilt angles, expanding the tool's application range.

[0014] The screw chain is formed by three screws hinged end-to-end, with the two hinge axes perpendicular to each other in opposite planes. This specific structure, using three screws to form the screw chain with two perpendicular hinge axes in opposite planes, ensures the screw chain has the necessary degrees of freedom to adapt to the installation of the inclined manhole, while restricting excessive degrees of freedom to avoid unnecessary swaying or twisting of the screw chain under force, making the transmission of the jacking force more stable and reliable. The arrangement of the perpendicular hinge axes allows the screw chain to bend in two mutually perpendicular planes, accommodating both the downward tilt of the manhole and allowing for lateral adjustment according to the specific position of the tank truck manhole cover, achieving precise positioning and improving the stability and controllability of the installation operation.

[0015] The push nut is provided with a handle that protrudes radially. The handle facilitates the operator's gripping and rotation of the push nut, reducing the force required for rotation through leverage. This allows a single person to easily operate the push nut to move the tank truck manhole cover, further reducing manpower requirements. Simultaneously, the handle provides the operator with a clear point of force application, facilitating control of the speed and force of the push nut's rotation. This enables precise fine-tuning of the tank truck manhole cover's position, ensuring accurate alignment of the manhole cover's mounting holes with the bolt holes, thus improving installation efficiency and precision.

[0016] Then, a method for installing a tank truck manhole cover is disclosed, which uses at least two sets of the aforementioned auxiliary installation tools and includes the following steps: S1, the threaded head is threaded to the bolt hole, and the screw chain passes through the mounting hole corresponding to the bolt hole; S2, by rotating the push nut, push the tank truck manhole cover closer to the side wall of the tank truck manhole flange; S3. If there are empty bolt holes, first connect the empty bolt holes with bolts, and then replace the thread heads in sequence so that the tank truck manhole cover is fixed to the tank truck manhole flange under the connection of the bolts. If there are no empty bolt holes, replace the threaded heads with bolts in sequence so that the manhole cover of the tank truck is fixed to the manhole flange of the tank truck under the connection of the bolts.

[0017] This installation method utilizes the aforementioned auxiliary installation tools. Through the threaded connection between the threaded head and the bolt hole, and the threaded chain passing through the installation hole, a temporary connection and guiding relationship is established between the tank truck manhole cover and the tank truck manhole flange. By rotating the jacking nut to push the tank truck manhole cover, the manhole cover is mechanically moved closer to the tank truck manhole flange and its position is adjusted. The manhole cover's gravity swaying can be overcome without manual pushing or pulling, and the manhole cover is stably adjusted to the installation position. By first connecting the empty bolt holes with bolts or replacing the threaded heads in sequence, a smooth transition from temporary fixation to permanent fixation is achieved, ensuring that the tank truck manhole cover remains under control throughout the entire installation process and avoiding the risk of the tank truck manhole cover accidentally falling off during installation. This method requires only one or two operators to complete the installation work that originally required three or four workers to work together, which significantly improves installation efficiency and eliminates the safety hazards of manual installation. At the same time, because the auxiliary installation tools are small in size and can be installed directly using existing bolt holes, they are not obstructed by the space of the safety warning sign at the rear of the tanker truck, effectively solving the problem that forklifts cannot approach the work surface in the existing technology.

[0018] Each set of auxiliary installation tools is evenly distributed along the manhole flange of the tank truck. This even distribution ensures that the jacking force is applied uniformly along the circumference of the manhole cover, preventing tilting or deformation caused by uneven force. It also ensures the manhole cover maintains the correct posture as it approaches the manhole flange, facilitating simultaneous alignment of the mounting holes with the corresponding bolt holes, thus improving installation efficiency and quality.

[0019] One set of auxiliary installation tools is connected to the bolt holes at the highest or lowest point of the tank truck manhole flange. By preferentially placing one set of auxiliary installation tools at the highest or lowest point of the tank truck manhole flange, the effect of gravity is cleverly utilized. When the tank truck manhole is tilted downwards, force is applied to the manhole cover from the highest and lowest points, making it easier to control the change in its tilt angle, thereby improving the stability and success rate of installation. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the manhole cover of the tank truck and the inclined manhole flange of the tank truck in the hoisting state; Figure 2 This is a structural diagram of the auxiliary installation tool (thread not shown). Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the process of installing a tank truck manhole cover using auxiliary installation tools. Figure 1 ; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the process of installing a tank truck manhole cover using auxiliary installation tools. Figure 2 ; Figure 5This is a schematic diagram of the process of installing a tank truck manhole cover using auxiliary installation tools. Figure 3 ; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the process of installing a tank truck manhole cover using auxiliary installation tools. Figure 4 ; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the process of installing a tank truck manhole cover using auxiliary installation tools. Figure 5 ; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the process of installing a tank truck manhole cover using auxiliary installation tools. Figure 6 ; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the process of installing a tank truck manhole cover using auxiliary installation tools. Figure 7 ; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the process of installing a tank truck manhole cover using auxiliary installation tools. Figure 8 ; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the process of installing a tank truck manhole cover using auxiliary installation tools. Figure 9 ; Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the process of installing a tank truck manhole cover using auxiliary installation tools. Figure 10 ; Figure 13 This is a partial image of the auxiliary installation tools.

[0021] The labels in the diagram represent: 01. Tanker truck manhole flange; 011. Bolt holes; 02. Tanker truck manhole cover; 021. Mounting holes; 03. Bolts; 1. Screw chain; 11. Screw; 2. Threaded head; 3. Push nut; 31. Handle; 4. Transition section; 5. Push sleeve. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0023] Example 1 This embodiment is an example of an auxiliary installation tool for manhole covers on tank trucks.

[0024] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 13 As shown in this embodiment, the auxiliary installation tool for the tanker manhole cover includes a screw chain 1, a threaded head 2, and a push nut 3.

[0025] The screw chain 1 is formed by hinged ends of three screws 11, with the two hinge axes being perpendicular and not in the same plane (in other embodiments, it can also be formed by hinged ends of other screws 11, with each hinge axis being non-plane). The three screws 11 have the same diameter, which is smaller than the diameter of the mounting hole 021 provided on the manhole cover 02 of the tank truck, and the thread specifications of the three screws 11 are consistent. When two adjacent screws 11 are flipped to the coaxial state, the threads of the two screws 11 are exactly continuous.

[0026] The threaded head 2 is located at the front end of the screw chain 1 and is integrally formed with the frontmost screw 11. The threaded head 2 is thicker than the screw 11 and its size is adapted to the bolt hole 011 of the manhole flange 01 of the tank truck.

[0027] The push nut 3 is threaded to each screw 11 and is connected to the screw 11. By rotating, the push nut 3 can move along the length of the screw 11 and push against the manhole cover 02 of the tank truck. When two adjacent screws 11 are rotated to a coaxial state, the push nut 3 can cross the hinge point of the screw chain 1 and move from one screw 11 to another. Furthermore, the push nut 3 has three radially protruding handles 31, which are evenly distributed.

[0028] The diameter of the screw 11 is smaller than the diameter of the threaded head 2. A conical transition section 4 is formed between the frontmost screw 11 and the threaded head 2, which makes the screw 11 and the threaded head 2 form a smooth transition.

[0029] A push sleeve 5 is also provided between the manhole cover 02 of the tank truck and the push nut 3, and is slidably sleeved on the screw chain 1. The front section of the push sleeve 5 forms a conical cavity, the inner diameter of which is larger than the outer diameter of the screw 11 and matches the shape of the transition section 4; the rear section of the push sleeve 5 forms a cylindrical cavity, the inner diameter of which is smaller than the outer diameter of the push nut 3.

[0030] The length of the threaded head 2 is greater than the depth of the bolt hole 011; the maximum axial insertion depth of the push sleeve 5 that can be inserted along the transition section 4 is LA; the plate thickness of the tank truck manhole cover 02 is LB; the axial length of the transition section 4 is LC; and the sum of LA and LB is greater than LC.

[0031] Example 2 This embodiment is an example of a method for installing a manhole cover on a tank truck.

[0032] In this embodiment, the tank truck manhole cover installation method uses two sets of the above-mentioned auxiliary installation tools (in other embodiments, three or more sets of the above-mentioned auxiliary installation tools may also be selected, with each set of auxiliary installation tools evenly distributed along the tank truck manhole flange 01). The screw chain 1 in each set of auxiliary installation tools is formed by two screws 11 hinged end to end. One set of auxiliary installation tools is connected to the bolt hole 011 at the highest point of the tank truck manhole flange 01, and the other set of auxiliary installation tools is connected to the bolt hole 011 at the lowest point of the tank truck manhole flange 01.

[0033] The method for installing the manhole cover on this tanker truck includes the following steps: S1, the threaded head 2 is threaded to the bolt hole 011, and the screw chain 1 passes through the mounting hole 021 corresponding to the bolt hole 011; S2, by rotating the push nut 3, push the tank truck manhole cover 02 to bring it close to the side wall of the tank truck manhole flange 01; S3, if there is a bolt hole 011 that is empty, first use bolt 03 to connect the empty bolt hole 011, and then replace the thread head 2 in sequence so that the tank truck manhole cover 02 is fixed to the tank truck manhole flange 01 under the connection of bolt 03. If bolt hole 011 is empty, replace thread head 2 with bolt 03 in sequence so that tank truck manhole cover 02 is fixed to tank truck manhole flange 01 under the connection of bolt 03.

[0034] While the present invention has been disclosed above with reference to preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the invention. Any person skilled in the art can make many possible variations and modifications to the technical solutions of the present invention, or modify them into equivalent embodiments, without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, any simple modifications, equivalent changes, and modifications made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention, without departing from the scope of the present invention, should fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. Auxiliary installation tool for manhole covers on tank trucks, characterized in that, include: The screw chain (1) is formed by hinged ends of at least two screws (11), wherein the screws (11) are threaded at least at the hinged ends; The threaded head (2) is fixed to the front end of the screw chain (1) and is adapted to the bolt hole (011) of the manhole flange (01) of the tank truck. The push nut (3) is threaded to the screw (11) and is used to push the manhole cover (02) of the tank truck to move. The diameter of each screw (11) is smaller than the diameter of the mounting hole (021) provided on the manhole cover (02) of the tank truck. When adjacent screws (11) are coaxial, their threads are continuous. At this time, the push nut (3) can cross the hinge point of the screw chain (1).

2. The auxiliary installation tool according to claim 1, characterized in that: The diameter of the screw (11) is smaller than the diameter of the thread head (2), and a tapered transition section (4) is formed between them.

3. The auxiliary installation tool according to claim 2, characterized in that: A push sleeve (5) is also provided between the manhole cover (02) of the tank truck and the push nut (3); the push sleeve (5) is slidably sleeved on the screw chain (1), and the inner diameter of its front section is greater than the outer diameter of the screw (11), and the inner diameter of its rear section is smaller than the outer diameter of the push nut (3).

4. The auxiliary installation tool according to claim 3, characterized in that: The length of the threaded head (2) is greater than the depth of the bolt hole (011); the maximum axial insertion depth of the push sleeve (5) that can be inserted along the axial direction of the transition section (4) is LA; the plate thickness of the tanker manhole cover (02) is LB; the axial length of the transition section (4) is LC; and the sum of LA and LB is greater than LC.

5. The auxiliary installation tool according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that: The screw chain (1) is formed by three or more screws (11) hinged together end to end, and each hinge axis is on opposite sides.

6. The auxiliary installation tool according to claim 5, characterized in that: The screw chain (1) is formed by three screws (11) hinged end to end, with the two hinge axes perpendicular to each other.

7. The auxiliary installation tool according to claim 1, characterized in that: The push nut (3) has a handle (31) protruding radially.

8. A method for installing manhole covers on tank trucks, characterized in that, Using at least two sets of the auxiliary installation tools as described in any one of claims 1-7, and including the following steps: S1, the threaded head (2) is threaded to the bolt hole (011), and the screw chain (1) passes through the mounting hole (021) corresponding to the bolt hole (011). S2, by rotating the push nut (3) to push the tank truck manhole cover (02) so that it is close to the side wall of the tank truck manhole flange (01); S3, if there is a bolt hole (011) that is empty, first use bolt (03) to connect the empty bolt hole (011), and then replace the thread head (2) in sequence so that the tanker manhole cover (02) is fixed to the tanker manhole flange (01) under the connection of bolt (03); If there is no bolt hole (011) left empty, replace the thread head (2) with bolts (03) in sequence so that the manhole cover (02) of the tank truck is fixed to the manhole flange (01) of the tank truck under the connection of the bolts (03).

9. The method for installing a manhole cover on a tanker truck according to claim 8, characterized in that: Each set of auxiliary installation tools is evenly distributed along the manhole flange (01) of the tank truck.

10. The method for installing a tanker truck manhole cover according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that: One of the auxiliary installation tools is connected to the bolt hole (011) at the highest or lowest point of the tank truck manhole flange (01).

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