The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has awarded LeRoy G. Hagenbuch, P.E. of Philippi-Hagenbuch (PHIL) a patent for the Variable Volume feature on the company’s line of HiVol Water Tanks.
Hagenbuch and PHIL have received multiple U.S. patents for water tank innovations. The other patents cover advancements such as the unique structure for baffling and the system of interior and exterior access doors. Since its founding in 1969, PHIL and Hagenbuch, the company's co-founder, have earned more than 65 patents for innovations and designs related to heavy-duty, off-highway haul truck enhancements.
“Our focus at Philippi-Hagenbuch is to continue to design and engineer innovative solutions that provide customers with safe, superior equipment for their jobsites,” says Josh Swank, Philippi-Hagenbuch Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “These patents continue to reaffirm our position as a leader in developing industry-changing innovations.”
PHIL specifically developed its water tanks with a focus on increasing productivity, minimizing maintenance and enhancing safety in applications such as dust suppression, fire protection, road construction and wash down. They provide a unique design that optimizes capacity and enhances travel safety. Unlike traditional water tanks, which typically utilize only 80% of the truck’s capacity, PHIL HiVol Water Tanks are engineered to maximize the truck’s capabilities.
To do it, PHIL calculates the dynamic center of gravity of the fluid within the tank to engineer the HiVol series with the lowest weight and greatest carrying capacity. This capacity can range up to 60,000 gallons, or more than half the capacity of a water tower.
PHIL’s newly patented variable volume feature enables operators to regulate the water volume of the tank with a simple adjustment. When full water tank capacity is not needed, operators can adjust the variable volume to the desired level in less than five minutes. This option is ideal for operations that have haul roads with significant grades and can be used to effectively Load Profile water to specific compartments to achieve proper load distribution and balance.
Another hallmark of the PHIL tradition is safety, a critical consideration when hauling liquid. To ensure maximum safety, the patented system for fluid baffling not only stops water surges from back to front, but effectively provides a full-height/full-length/full-center Bacbone structure that eliminates surging from side to side, as well. Each tank features a series of compartments to completely eliminate any occurrence of surging, providing maximum stability during hauling. To further enhance safety, HiVol tanks are built with square corners and internal water deflectors designed to slow water churn within individual compartments. This nearly eliminates instability and the potential for unharnessed energy to turn the truck on its side.
The patented design of the HiVol tanks minimizes confined space issues and provides easy access for maintenance by incorporating full-size exterior and interior access doors as well as access points on the top of the tank. All interior access doors provide rustproof pivots; when all the doors are open, clean air flows through and natural light bathes the tank. This clears the tank of anaerobic bacteria, which can be dangerous to workers entering the tank to clean it.
The commitment to durability and minimal maintenance is reflected in the quality of materials used to manufacture the PHIL HiVol Series. With a nominal yield of 180,000 psi and a corresponding Brinell hardness of 450, the abrasion-resistant, superior-grade steel utilized by PHIL is more than three times harder than the steel used in most competitive water tanks, providing years of reliable use in the most adverse conditions. After more than 14 years on the market, the first tanks manufactured show no signs of rust, corrosion or failure.
Rear-mounted spray heads, an optional remote controlled water cannon and individual in-cab component controls ensure precise yet simplified water control. Horizontal spray heads operate independently, allowing users to utilize any or all spray heads at the same time and offer multiple settings from wide to narrow for added versatility. With the remote controlled water cannons, operators can disperse water with precise control and accuracy from 150 to 200 ft. away. This allows operation from inside the cab or externally while roaming within a quarter mile of the vehicle.
The exclusive soft-start/soft-stop system allows users to start and stop the water pump at any engine rpm. This enables water to be turned on at full throttle quickly and easily with no damage to the pump.
HiVol Water Tanks are fully customizable to any make or model of off-highway articulated or rigid frame truck, making it easy to convert existing haul trucks into water trucks. For clients in cold weather climates, PHIL offers an insulated version of its tanks. That versatility makes PHIL HiVol Water Tanks ideal for nearly any application and in almost any environment.
