Propane Tanks Spur Invention
Earl Cogswell noticed a curious phenomenon three years ago when he started working at his father-in-law’s business, Dick’s Power Equipment in Hanover. He would refill propane tanks for customers, then load the tanks in their vehicles – and it wasn’t easy.
“People were using all different configurations to keep them from tipping over,” he said. “Women would come after grocery shopping and pack the groceries around it. It would fall over and crunch the groceries.”
Cogswell asked his suppliers for something to secure the tanks, but couldn’t find anything. Thus was born the idea for the Tank Nanny, a skid-free plastic holder that provides a snug fit for the standard 20-pound propane tank. It costs $18.95 and has a built-in seat belt loop.
The potential market is huge. Millions of Americans use refillable propane tanks, mainly for outdoor grills. The tanks last for years but often rust, which can stain a back seat – another reason to have a holder.
Photo by Tank Nanny.
Angela Shupe on March 31st, 2009 6:10 pm
That’s a handy invention! I used to work at a gas station and customers would come to switch out their empty container, buying a new full one, regularly. I’m willing to bet that the Tank Nanny would sell pretty well there and at other gas stations just like it.
CB on April 1st, 2009 7:07 am
I did some research into this one. It is a good idea, but turns out the guy has only sold 150 of them. Seems there are already several manufacturers of this type of thing out there. Full article is in the Boston Globe archives.
Jen on April 9th, 2009 12:59 pm
I did some research on this too! He’s sold nearly 1,000 of them, and the product debuted on March 31st, 2009. This article was written basically on the day that this product went live.
midorisan on April 9th, 2009 7:26 pm
I got one of these from Uhaul, and love it. Glad to see it’s getting some news.
@CB Yeah, this guy definitely hasn’t just sold 150 of them… I’ve seen this everywhere. And nearly everyone who see’s mine wants or has gotten one.
Good for you Cogswell and Thanks!
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