Fuel tank construction

2,500,535

March 14, 1950

R. E. FROOM

FUEL TANK CONSTRUCTION

Filed May 20, 1946

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INVENTOR:

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Patented Mar. 14, 1950

2,500,535

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,500,535

FUEL TANK. CONSTRUCTION Randall E. Froom, Glendale, Calif.

Application May 20,1946, Serial No. 670,920

Claim. (Cl. 220—70)

This invention relates to self-propelled toy airplanes such as commonly found on the market at the present time. Such airplanes are equipped with complete power plants and accessories, including fuel tanks.

The present invention has particular reference to improvements in the manufacture of such fuel tanks, and it has for its object to provide a fuel tank structure which is economical to make and convenient to install in the various types of toy airplanes now on the market.

To this end, the invention consists in the combinations hereinafter fully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, of which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a fuel tank embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a substantially corresponding end view of the device and with parts thereof arranged in a particular manner, the importance of which will be hereinafter fully explained; 20

Fig. 3 is a detail view of one of the end plates of the device;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the part illustrated in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is an end view of the device showing parts thereof arranged in a different manner.

Fuel tanks of toy airplanes generally include a light tubular, cylindrical body. Circular end plates are made with flanges fitting tightly over the ends of the body and soldered in position thereon.

Brackets are thereupon placed on the cylinder and soldered thereon in proper position for correctly mounting the tank on some particular make of toy airplane. It is found, however, that although airplanes of different makes may follow a generally accepted pattern, variations are present in the position taken by the fuel tank on such planes. Due to such structural variations, it becomes necessary in most cases to move 40 the brackets at one end of the tank circumferentially relative to the brackets at the other end thereof.

Soldering such brackets correctly in position on the tank is, in itself, a slow and painstaking 45 operation, and when it becomes necessary to modify the angular relation of the brackets at one end relative to the other, the operation becomes quite expensive and the result not very satisfactory. Furthermore, it is often found 50 necessary to bend or twist the brackets into some required shape and, in doing this, danger is present that the brackets may become dislodged.

I have solved these problems, which are com- 55 mon in toy airplanes, by forming the end plates with a plurality of ears II, 12, which generally are arranged in diametrically aligned pairs as indicated in Figs. 1 to 4. When such composite end plates are used, it is seen that the angular 6 position of the ears of the two plates, relative to each other and to the filling nozzle 5 at the top of the tank, may be quickly and accurately adjusted, whereupon it is merely required to solder the plates in position on the cylinder. It is fur10 thermore found that each ear may be bent, or formed into any desired shape for mounting purposes after the end plates have been soldered in position, without danger of severing the ears from the tank. Fig. 5 is added in order to illus15 trate how the end plates may be relatively adjusted and the ears thereof formed, as indicated at 15, 16, or twisted as shown at IT, 18 to suit some particular mounting requirements.

It is seen from the foregoing description that I have provided a very simple and inexpensive fuel tank which may be conveniently adjusted to suit various installation requirements and which may be so adjusted without danger of damaging the tank, or any part thereof, or destroying the 25 utility thereof.