Self-propelled vehicle for cleaning roads and the like

1. Self-propelled vehicle for cleaning roads and the like, of the type comprising: a chassis ( 1 a ) extending in a longitudinal direction ( 1 b ) and with lateral sides ( 1 c ) substantially parallel to said longitudinal direction ( 1 b ); a storage apparatus ( 5 ) for a fuel gas; an engine ( 2 ) suitable to utilize fuel gas; wheels ( 2 a ) at least partly driven by said engine ( 2 ); driving means ( 14 ); a container ( 3 ) for refuse and pollutants, having side panels ( 3 a ) provided with recesses ( 15 ) expanding toward the inside of the container and extending above said lateral sides ( 1 c ) and in continuity therewith; and conveying members ( 4 ) suitable to convey refuse and pollutants from said roads to said container ( 3 ), in which said storage apparatus ( 5 ) comprises a plurality of tanks suitable to contain said fuel gas disposed at least prevalently in said recesses ( 15 ) and supported by said chassis ( 1 a ).

2. Vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein said recesses ( 15 ) are at least partly connected to said side panels ( 3 a ) of said container ( 3 ) by means of connecting walls tilted in a manner suitable to facilitate the flow of refuse inside said container ( 3 ).

3. Vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein said recesses ( 15 ) extend in height for a length below the height of said side panels ( 3 a ) and comprise upper connecting walls ( 15 a ) tilted with respect to a horizontal plane, to facilitate a flow of refuse fed from above.

4. Vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein said container ( 3 ) has a front inlet ( 8 ) suitable to allow entry of refuse and a rear discharge door ( 9 ) opposite said inlet ( 8 ), and wherein said front inlet ( 8 ) extends substantially for the entire width of said container ( 3 ), between said side panels ( 3 a ), and is located in an upper portion of said container ( 3 ) without said recesses ( 15 ).

5. Vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein said recesses ( 15 ) comprise front connecting walls ( 15 b ) facing said front entry inlet ( 8 ) and suitable to facilitate a flow of refuse toward said rear discharge door ( 9 ).

6. Vehicle according to claim 5 , wherein coinciding with said front inlet ( 8 ) said container ( 3 ) has a front face ( 8 a ) substantially perpendicular to said side panels ( 3 a ), and wherein secondary connecting walls ( 8 c ) are provided, positioned between said front face ( 8 a ) and said recesses ( 15 ) and suitable to define surfaces tilted toward the bottom of said container ( 3 ), to eliminate areas in which refuse accumulates between said front face ( 8 a ) and said recesses ( 15 ).

7. Vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein said container ( 3 ) is of the tipping type and said tanks ( 5 ) are secured on said chassis ( 1 a ), said recesses ( 15 ) being dimensioned and shaped in a manner suitable to allow said container ( 3 ) to be tipped.

8. Vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein said tanks ( 5 ) disposed in said recesses ( 15 ) of said side panels ( 3 a ) comprise a plurality of bottles ( 16 ), parallel to one another and disposed according to rows on said side panels ( 3 a ).

9. Vehicle according to claim 8 , wherein said bottles ( 16 ) are superposed on one another and each has a substantially horizontal position parallel to said longitudinal direction ( 1 b ).

10. Vehicle according to claim 9 , wherein said bottles ( 16 ) are present in a number of six and have capacities ranging from 65 dm3 to 100 dm3.

11. Vehicle according to claim 9 , wherein said bottles ( 16 ) are superposed on one another above rear wheels ( 2 a ).

12. Vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein supplementary tanks are provided comprising at least one supplementary bottle ( 16 a ) disposed under said chassis ( 1 a ).

13. Vehicle according to claim 12 , wherein said supplementary tanks are disposed substantially under said engine ( 2 ).

14. Vehicle according to claim 12 , wherein said supplementary tanks comprise two supplementary bottles ( 16 a ) positioned transverse to said side panels.

15. Vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein said container ( 3 ) houses a filter system ( 11 ) positioned in an upper portion of said container ( 3 ) without said recesses ( 15 ).