The claims defining the invention are as follows
1. In an open topped body used for the stowing, storage, or transport of goods, the body having a base bounded by side(s); a rigid tank supported from an upper region of said body, said rigid tank being supported on a base member, said base member being movable between an upward position in which said rigid tank is raised substantially above said body and said body can be used for stowage of goods, and a downward position in which said rigid tank is located substantially within said body and can be used for holding fluid.
2. In said open topped body, a rigid tank as claimed in claim 1, wherein sealing means are provided to seal said body when said base member is in said upward position to prevent loss of goods during transport.
3. In said open topped body, a rigid tank as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein said base member is supported from a frame assembly which attaches to said body, said frame assembly having an aperture located therein through which said rigid tank may pass, said sealing means being provided to seal between said base member and said frame assembly in said upward position to form a cover for said body.
4. In said open topped body, a rigid tank as claimed in claim 2 or 3 wherein said sealing means is attached to said base member.
5. In said open topped body, a rigid tank as claimed in claim 3 or 4 wherein said base member has dimensions which exceed the maximum dimensions of said aperture, said sealing means being provided between the upper surface of said base member and the lower surface of said frame assembly around said aperture.
6. In said open topped body, a rigid tank as claimed in claim 3 or 4 wherein said sealing means is located proximal to said base member, to interfere with said frame assembly as said base member is moved toward said raised position.
7. In said open topped body, a rigid tank as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said frame assembly is pivotally attached to said body to facilitate loading of said body with bulk solids when in said upward position.
8. An adaptor to allow an open topped body used for the stowing, storage, or transport of goods, to hold bulk fluid without cross contamination, the body having a base bounded by side(s), wherein said adaptor comprises a rigid tank supported from an upper region of said body, said rigid tank being supported on a base member, said base member being movable between an upward position in which said rigid tank is raised substantially above or in an upper region of said body and said body can be used for stowage of goods, and a downward position in which said rigid tank is located within said body and can be used for holding fluid.
9. An adaptor as claimed in claim 8 wherein sealing means are provided to seal said body when said base member is in said upward position to prevent loss of goods during transport.
10. An adaptor as claimed in claim 9 wherein said sealing means is attached to said adaptor.
11. An adaptor as claimed in claim 7 or 8 wherein said base member is supported from a frame assembly which attaches to said body, said frame assembly having an aperture located therein through which said rigid tank may pass, said sealing means being provided to seal between said base member and said frame assembly in said upward position to form a cover for said body.
12. An adaptor as claimed in claim 11 wherein said sealing means is attached to said base member.
13. An adaptor as claimed in claim 11 or 12 wherein said base member has dimensions which exceed the maximum dimensions of said aperture, said sealing means being provided between the upper surface of said base member and the lower surface of said frame assembly around said aperture.
14. An adaptor as claimed in claim 11 or 12 wherein said sealing means is located proximal to said base member, to interfere with said frame assembly as said base member is moved toward said raised position.
15. An adaptor as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 14 wherein said frame assembly is pivotally attached to said body to facilitate loading of said body with bulk solids when in said upward position.
16. A freight vehicle comprising an open topped body used for the stowing, storage, or transport of goods, the body having a base bounded by side(s); wherein a rigid tank is provided, supported from an upper region of said body, said rigid tank being supported on a base member, said base member being movable between an upward position in which said rigid tank is raised substantially above said body and said body can be used for stowage of goods, and a downward position in which said rigid tank is located substantially within said body and can be used for holding fluid.
17. A freight vehicle as claimed in claim 16 wherein sealing means are provided to seal said body when said base member is in said upward position to prevent loss of goods during transport.
18. A freight vehicle as claimed in claim 16 or 17 wherein said base member is supported from a frame assembly which attaches to said body, said frame assembly having an aperture located therein through which said rigid tank may pass, said sealing means being provided to seal between said base member and said frame assembly in said upward position to form a cover for said body.
19. A freight vehicle as claimed in claim 17 or 18 wherein said sealing means is attached to said base member.
20. A freight vehicle as claimed in claim 18 or 19 wherein said base member has dimensions which exceed the maximum dimensions of said aperture, said sealing means being provided between the upper surface of said base member and the lower surface of said frame assembly around said aperture.
21. A freight vehicle as claimed in claim 18 or 19 wherein said sealing means is located proximal to said base member to interfere with said frame assembly as said base member is moved toward said raised position.
22. A freight vehicle as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 21 wherein said frame assembly is pivotally attached to said body to facilitate loading of said body with bulk solids when in said upward position.
23. A freight vehicle substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings.
24. An adaptor to allow an open topped body used for the stowing, storage, or transport of goods, to hold bulk fluid without cross contamination, substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings.
25. In an open topped body used for the stowing, storage, or transport of goods, the body having a base bounded by side(s); a rigid tank supported from an upper region of said body, substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A battery separator comprising at least one fibrous layer and at least one support layer, wherein said support layer is formed of an acid-resistant material and comprises a plurality of macroscopic openings.
2. A battery separator according to claim 1, wherein the fibrous layer has an average pore size of 3 to 15 m.
3. A battery separator according to claim 1, wherein the fibrous layers essentially consist of glass fibers.
4. A battery separator according to claim 3, wherein the fibrous layers comprise 20 to 40% by weight of glass microfibers having an average diameter of less than 1 m and 60 to 80% by weight of coarse glass fibers having an average diameter of about 3 m.
5. A battery separator according to claim 1, wherein the fibrous layers essentially consist of polymeric fibers.
6. A battery separator according to claim 5, wherein the fibrous layers comprise polymeric fibers having a diameter of 0.1 to 10 m.
7. A battery separator according to claim 6, wherein at least 10% by weight of the polymeric fibers of the fibrous layers have diameters of less than 1 m and at least 60% by weight of the polymeric fibers have diameters of less than 5 m.
8. A battery separator according to claim 7, wherein at least 15% by weight of the polymeric fibers have diameters of less than 1 m.
9. A battery separator according to claim 8, wherein the fibrous layers comprise 20 to 40% by weight of polymeric microfibers having an average diameter of less than 1 m.
10. A battery separator according to claim 6, wherein the polymeric fibers have diameters ranging from 0.1 to 5 m.
11. A battery separator according to claim 5, wherein the polymeric fibers are polyolefin fibers.
12. A battery separator according to claim 11, wherein the polyolefin is polyethylene andor polypropylene.
13. A battery separator according to claim 1, wherein the fibrous layers comprise a mixture of glass fibers and polymeric fibers.
14. A battery separator according to claim 13, wherein the fibrous layers comprise glass fibers having a diameter of 0.1 to 10 m.
15. A battery separator according to claim 14, wherein the glass fibers have diameters ranging from 0.1 to 5 m.
16. A battery separator according to claim 13, wherein the fibrous layers comprise polymeric fibers having a diameter of 0.1 to 10 m.
17. A battery separator according to claim 16, wherein the polymeric fibers have diameters ranging from 0.1 to 5 m.
18. A battery separator according to claim 13, wherein the polymeric fibers are polyolefin fibers.
19. A battery separator according to claim 18, wherein the polyolefin is polyethylene andor polypropylene.
20. A battery separator according to claim 1, wherein the fibrous layer has a thickness of 0.2 mm to 3.6 mm.
21. A battery separator according to claim 1, wherein the openings of the support layer cover more than 60% of the surface of the support layer.
22. A battery separator according to claim 21, wherein the openings of the support layer cover more than 70% of the surface of the support layer.
23. A battery separator according to claim 22, wherein the openings of the support layer cover more than 80% of the surface of the support layer.
24. A battery separator according to claim 23, wherein the openings of the support layer cover more than 90% of the surface of the support layer.
25. A battery separator according to claim 1, wherein the openings are spaced apart 0.01 to 5 mm.
26. A battery separator according to claim 1, wherein the support layer basically consists of a filled or unfilled polymer.
27. A battery separator according to claim 26, wherein the polymer is a thermoplastic polymer.
28. A battery separator according to claim 26, wherein the polymer is a polyolefin.
29. A battery separator according to claim 28, wherein the polyolefin has a molecular weight of at least 600,000, a standard load melt index of substantially 0, and a viscosity number of not less than 600 mlg.
30. A battery separator according to claim 28, wherein the polyolefin is polyethylene.
31. A battery separator according to claim 26, wherein the support layer is a microporous polymer layer with an average pore size of less than 1 m.
32. A battery separator according to claim 31, wherein more than 50% of the micropores of the microporous polymer layer are 0.5 m or less in diameter.
33. A battery separator according to claim 1, wherein at least two opposing edge regions of the support layer are not covered by the fibrous layer to provide edges for sealing.
34. A battery separator according to claim 1, wherein the openings of the support layer have a greatest possible diameter of more than 1 mm.
35. A battery separator according to claim 1, wherein the openings of the support layer have the form of slots or long holes.
36. A battery separator according to claim 1, wherein the support layer basically consists of a glass fiber fabric.
37. A battery separator according to claim 1, wherein the support layer basically consists of a polymer fiber fabric.
38. A battery separator according to claim 1, wherein the support layer basically consists of a polymer fiber fleece layer.
39. A battery separator according to claim 1, wherein the support layer basically consists of a fleece layer containing polymer fibers and glass fibers.
40. A battery separator according to claim 1, wherein the support layer has a thickness of 0.01 to 1 mm.
41. A battery separator according to claim 1, wherein the separator has the form of a pocket with an open top, a closed bottom and closed sides.
42. A valve-regulated lead-acid battery comprising at least two oppositely charged electrodes in a closed case, a body of an electrolyte and a separator between adjacent ones of said electrodes, wherein said separator is a separator according to claim 1.