Portable heating oil dispensing apparatus and delivery method

Abstract

Apparatus for dispensing home heating oil comprises a skid carrying a tank having just under 119 gallons capacity, a pump, a weights and measures-approved flow meter subsystem, and preferably a battery power supply. The apparatus weighs less than 1500 pounds when the tank is full of heating oil and is transported on the bed of an un-placarded light duty truck, driven by a driver having an ordinary driver's license. In a method of supplying home heating oil to a customer, a dealer uses the foregoing apparatus in combination with using a conventional large local-delivery heating oil tank truck having 1,000 gallons or more tank capacity, and bearing hazardous material placards.

1 . A home heating oil delivery apparatus comprising:
 (a) a tank having a capacity of about 119 gallons, for containing heating oil;   (b) a pump having a flow rate of about 2-29 gallons per minute, in fluid communication with the tank, for drawing heating oil from the tank and flowing it to and through a meter subsystem;   (c) a meter subsystem meeting NTEP certification requirements in fluid communication with the pump, for measuring the quantity of heating oil pumped at a rate of 2 to 29 gallons per minute from the tank and through a dispensing conduit by the pump;   (d) an air and vapor eliminator, interconnected between the pump and the meter subsystem;   (e) a dispensing conduit in fluid communication with the meter subsystem, for flowing oil received from the meter subsystem to a container adapted for receiving an oil delivery;   (f) a power supply for powering the pump; and,   (g) a skid;   wherein the elements (a) through (f) are mounted on said skid.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  in combination with a truck motor vehicle having a bed for transporting things and having a gross vehicle weight of 1,500 pounds or less, wherein said skid is removably mounted on said bed, further comprising up to 119 gallons of home heating oil contained within the tank; and, wherein said combination weighs no more than 10,000 pounds. 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the power supply comprises one or more electric storage batteries. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the dispensing conduit is a hose, further comprising a hose reel assembly for holding and reeling off and on a length of said hose. 
     
     
         6 . A home heating oil delivery apparatus comprising:
 (a) a tank having a capacity of about 119 gallons, substantially filled with heating oil;   (b) a pump, in fluid communication with the tank, for drawing heating oil from said tank and flowing it to and through a meter subsystem to a conduit, wherein the pump has a flow rate of 2 to 29 gallons per minute;   (c) a meter subsystem meeting NTEP certification requirements, in fluid communication with the pump;   (d) an air and vapor eliminator, in the fluid flow path between the pump and meter subsystem;   (e) a conduit in fluid communication with the meter subsystem, for receiving heating oil flowed through the meter subsystem and for conveying said heating oil to a container of a person desirous of receiving an oil delivery;   (f) a power supply for powering the pump; and,   (g) a skid;   wherein the elements (a) through (f) are mounted on the skid in interconnected fashion; and, wherein the apparatus weighs no more than 1,500 pounds.   
     
     
         7 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 6  in combination with a truck having a bed for transporting things and a load rating of 1,500 pounds or less; wherein said skid is removably mounted on said bed; and, wherein said combination weighs no more than 10,000 pounds. 
     
     
         13 . A method for delivering home heating oil to a residential or commercial heating oil storage tank which comprises:
 a. providing a portable assembly comprised of a heating oil tank, an electric powered pump connected to the tank, a meter subsystem meeting NTEP certification requirements in fluid communication with the pump, and a dispensing conduit in fluid communication with the meter subsystem, wherein the tank has a capacity of about 119 gallons and wherein the tank contains heating oil;   b. carrying said portable assembly on a truck having a gross vehicle weight of less than 26,001 pounds to a delivery point;   c. powering the electric pump, to cause flow of heating oil from the tank to and through the meter subsystem and to the dispensing conduit, to thereby flow a quantity of heating oil which is between 1 and 25 gallons through said dispensing conduit and into a residential or commercial storage tank at said delivery point, wherein the heating oil flow rate is between 2 and 29 gallons per minute; and,   d. measuring the quantity of heating oil as it is being flowed through the NTEP certified meter subsystem in a weights and measures approved fashion.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein, in step (b) said truck has a gross vehicle weight of 10,000 pounds or less. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  where step (d) further includes making a permanent record of heating oil quantity flowed through the meter subsystem. 
     
     
         16 . A method for supplying home heating oil to a customer which comprises:
 (a) making a first delivery to a home heating oil customer by steps which comprise:
 i. providing a first truck having a permanently attached first heating oil tank with a capacity of more than 119 gallons and containing more than 119 gallons of heating oil, a pump for pumping oil from said truck tank to a residential or commercial heating oil storage tank, and a first meter subsystem for metering home heating oil pumped from the truck tank, the truck having a gross vehicle weight capacity of 26,001 pounds or more; 
 ii. moving the first truck along a public road while operated by a driver who holds a CDL license with endorsements for operating said first truck, to a point of delivery to a residential or commercial heating oil storage tank of said customer; and, 
 iii. pumping more than 119 gallons of home heating oil into said residential or commercial storage tank from the first heating oil tank of said first truck in weights and measures approved fashion for custody transfer of home heating oil; 
 wherein said steps (a)i, (a)ii, and (a)iii are carried out by a first truck operator; and, 
   (b) making a second delivery to said home heating oil customer by steps which comprise:
 i. providing a second truck having a gross vehicle weight capacity of less than 26,001 pounds, upon which is removably mounted a skid carrying
 a second heating oil tank having a capacity of about 119 gallons or less and containing up to 119 gallons of home heating oil, 
 a pump interconnected with the tank, for pumping oil from the second heating oil tank to said residential or commercial storage tank, and 
 a second meter subsystem, interconnected with the pump, for metering oil flowed from said second tank by the pump; 
 
 ii. moving the second truck along a public road while operated by a driver to said point of delivery to said residential storage tank of said customer; and, 
 iii. pumping less than 119 gallons of home heating oil into said residential or commercial storage tank in weights and measures approved fashion for custody transfer of home heating oil. 
   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein during step (b)(ii) the second truck is operated a driver who lacks either a CDL license or the endorsements required for operating said first truck. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein during step (b)(iii) less than 25 gallons is pumped into said residential or commercial storage tank. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16  wherein step (b)(i) further comprises providing a power supply for powering said pump, carried on said skid. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein during step (b)(ii) the second truck heating oil tank is substantially filled with home heating oil and wherein said skid together with all said components carried thereon weighs 1,500 pounds or less. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16  wherein during step (b)(ii)) said second truck has a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less and weighs less than 10,000 pounds. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising: (c) removing from said second truck the skid with the second tank, pump, and meter subsystem carried thereon; and placing the skid on the ground or the bed of another truck.