LP Gas, March 2014
HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES Continued from page 47 Jarvis more than 40 years ago when Myers was with Petrolane Inc and responsible for buying its bobtails When retailers sold butane and propane he says twin tanks made it possible for a driver to deliver both But retailers who exclusively delivered propane did not need that extra weight Caseys real innovation was to get rid of ancillary steel Myers says describing Above JARCOs facilities in Salem Ill At left is a JARCO restored 1966 Blue Star Gas bobtail next to a newer one the large iron skirts and doors that added to the weight and rusted Casey figured out early on that was just hauling around a lot of steel that was unnecessary Without the doors and skirting the barrel became the major component on the chassis giving drivers easier access to the valves Removing the heavy doors also eliminated the frequent need to replace their springs That was the big contribution that Casey made in my view to the design because it saved a lot of weight and a lot of operating expense Myers says Although the barrel part of the unit was good for 20 to 25 years the chassis would wear out and need to be replaced every seven to 10 years he explains After talking with Myers Jarvis simplified the replacement so that only six bolts were removed to detach the barrel from the chassis Jarvis was interested in more than selling trucks He first wanted to learn exactly how the equipment was to be used and he worked backward to determine the most efficient design Myers says He didnt look at a bobtail as a piece of art that you put all this time and effort into he adds We needed something easy to change out as light as it could be and efficient for the bobtail operator With a keen eye for efficiency Jarvis did such things as relocate the pumps from the middle of the tank which often 48 LPGas March 2014 www LPGasmagazine com
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