CA2639516A1 - Containment device and method for use in cleaning of an oil tank - Google Patents
Containment device and method for use in cleaning of an oil tank Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2639516A1 CA2639516A1 CA 2639516 CA2639516A CA2639516A1 CA 2639516 A1 CA2639516 A1 CA 2639516A1 CA 2639516 CA2639516 CA 2639516 CA 2639516 A CA2639516 A CA 2639516A CA 2639516 A1 CA2639516 A1 CA 2639516A1
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- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- collection body
- containment device
- tank
- lid
- access opening
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
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Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B08—CLEANING
- B08B—CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
- B08B9/00—Cleaning hollow articles by methods or apparatus specially adapted thereto
- B08B9/08—Cleaning containers, e.g. tanks
- B08B9/093—Cleaning containers, e.g. tanks by the force of jets or sprays
- B08B9/0933—Removing sludge or the like from tank bottoms
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Cleaning In General (AREA)
Abstract
A containment device for installation on an access opening of an oil tank features a collection body having a hollow interior, a closed bottom, a top, opposing front and rear ends and opposing sides. The containment body is open at the front end and closed off at the rear end and sides by upwardly extending respective wall sections. The front end is arranged for removable mounting to the tank to communicate the access opening of the oil tank with the hollow interior of the collection body at the open front end thereof so that the collection body projects outward from the oil tank from about a bottom portion of the access opening therein.
Description
CONTAINMENT DEVICE AND METHOD FOR USE lN CLEANING OF AN OIL
TAN K
This invention relates to a device and method for use during cleaning of an oil tank, and more particularly to a method and device for capturing materials exiting such a tank through an access opening therein during cleaning procedures relying on access to the tank's interior through this opening.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Oilfield production tanks are often cleaned by one or a combination of (a) running a stinger back and forkh within the tank interior through the manway or access opening of the tank to flush out the bottom of the tank; (b) mounting a water cannon at the manway and delivering high pressure fluid thereto from a water truck or other suitable high pressure source to jet or spray down the interior of the tank;
and (c) entering the tank interior through the manway with a pressure washer to rinse down the tank walls with water or chemical cleaners. Materials loosened from the tank interior during such processes are typically removed through a discharge line, such as the hose of a vacuum truck. To minimize environment contamination, it is desirable to prevent debris or material from reaching the ground of the surrounding environment through the manway or access opening of the tank.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a containment device for installation on an access opening of an oil tank to contain materials exiting the oil tank through the access opening during cleaning, the containment device comprising:
TAN K
This invention relates to a device and method for use during cleaning of an oil tank, and more particularly to a method and device for capturing materials exiting such a tank through an access opening therein during cleaning procedures relying on access to the tank's interior through this opening.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Oilfield production tanks are often cleaned by one or a combination of (a) running a stinger back and forkh within the tank interior through the manway or access opening of the tank to flush out the bottom of the tank; (b) mounting a water cannon at the manway and delivering high pressure fluid thereto from a water truck or other suitable high pressure source to jet or spray down the interior of the tank;
and (c) entering the tank interior through the manway with a pressure washer to rinse down the tank walls with water or chemical cleaners. Materials loosened from the tank interior during such processes are typically removed through a discharge line, such as the hose of a vacuum truck. To minimize environment contamination, it is desirable to prevent debris or material from reaching the ground of the surrounding environment through the manway or access opening of the tank.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a containment device for installation on an access opening of an oil tank to contain materials exiting the oil tank through the access opening during cleaning, the containment device comprising:
a collection body having a hollow interior, a closed bottom, a top, opposing front and rear ends and opposing sides interconnecting said front and rear ends, the containment body being open at the front end and closed off at the rear end and sides by upwardly extending respective wail sections;
the front end of the containment cavity being arranged for removable mounting to the tank to communicate the access opening of the oil tank with the hollow interior of the collection body at the open front end thereof so that the collection body projects outward from the oil tank from about a bottom portion of access opening therein.
Preferably there is provided gasket material installed on the front end of the collection body to extend along the bottom of the collection body and the sides thereof at the front end for sealing against the tank below and to the sides of the access opening therein.
Preferably there are provided mounting elements projecting outward from the open front end of the collection body along the bottom of the collection body and the sitles thereof to support the gasket material.
Preferably there is provided an openable Eid positioned at the top of the collection body and movable between open and closed conditions respectively opening and closing off the top of the collection body.
Preferably the openable lid comprises first and second lid portions, the closed condition of the lid positioning the first lid portion to extend from the rear end of the collection body toward the front end thereof and position the second lid portion to extend upward from the first lid portion to position an upper end of the second lid portion over the open front of the collection body.
Preferably, with the lid in the closed condition, the second lid portion slopes upwardly and toward the open front end of the collection from a distance therefrom.
Preferably the lid portions are movably attached to one another to facilitate lowering of the upper end of the second lid portion away downward from over the front of the collection body toward the first lid porition.
Preferably the first lid portion is pivotally supported at the rear end of the collection body for pivoting of the lid portions together over the rear end of the collection body to open the top of the collection body.
Preferably there is provided a cleanout opening communicating the hollow interior of the collector body with an exterior thereof and arranged to allow passage of a vacuum hose into the interior of the collection body.
Preferably there is provided a cover movably supported on the collection body for movement between open closed position closing off the cleanout opening and an open position allowing access thereto.
Preferably the cleanout opening is provided in the lid.
Preferably the cleanout opening is provided in the first lid portion of the lid.
Preferably there is provided a seal disposed about the cleanout opening to seal against the vacuum hose when passed therethrough.
the front end of the containment cavity being arranged for removable mounting to the tank to communicate the access opening of the oil tank with the hollow interior of the collection body at the open front end thereof so that the collection body projects outward from the oil tank from about a bottom portion of access opening therein.
Preferably there is provided gasket material installed on the front end of the collection body to extend along the bottom of the collection body and the sides thereof at the front end for sealing against the tank below and to the sides of the access opening therein.
Preferably there are provided mounting elements projecting outward from the open front end of the collection body along the bottom of the collection body and the sitles thereof to support the gasket material.
Preferably there is provided an openable Eid positioned at the top of the collection body and movable between open and closed conditions respectively opening and closing off the top of the collection body.
Preferably the openable lid comprises first and second lid portions, the closed condition of the lid positioning the first lid portion to extend from the rear end of the collection body toward the front end thereof and position the second lid portion to extend upward from the first lid portion to position an upper end of the second lid portion over the open front of the collection body.
Preferably, with the lid in the closed condition, the second lid portion slopes upwardly and toward the open front end of the collection from a distance therefrom.
Preferably the lid portions are movably attached to one another to facilitate lowering of the upper end of the second lid portion away downward from over the front of the collection body toward the first lid porition.
Preferably the first lid portion is pivotally supported at the rear end of the collection body for pivoting of the lid portions together over the rear end of the collection body to open the top of the collection body.
Preferably there is provided a cleanout opening communicating the hollow interior of the collector body with an exterior thereof and arranged to allow passage of a vacuum hose into the interior of the collection body.
Preferably there is provided a cover movably supported on the collection body for movement between open closed position closing off the cleanout opening and an open position allowing access thereto.
Preferably the cleanout opening is provided in the lid.
Preferably the cleanout opening is provided in the first lid portion of the lid.
Preferably there is provided a seal disposed about the cleanout opening to seal against the vacuum hose when passed therethrough.
Preferably there are provided clamping mechanisms operable to clamp the collection body to a flange surrounding the access opening of the tank.
Preferably the collection body is smaller in height than the access opening of the tank so as to leave a top portion of the access opening unobstructed by the collection body.
Preferably there is provided at least one hanger element connected to the collection body proximate the front end thereof and defining a respective hook by which the collection containment device can be hung from a top end of the access opening.
Preferably each hanger elements comprises a slidable arm on which the respective hook is carried, the slidable arm being lockable in an extended position projecting upward from the collection body further than a retracted position.
Preferably the collection body comprising handles positioned exteriorly on the opposing sides thereof.
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of cleaning an oil tank having an access opening therein, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) installing a containment device according to any one of claims 1 to 19 on the tank;
(b) passing a stinger through an open top portion of the collection body of the containment device into an interior of the tank and operating the stinger to flush materials from the tank into the hollow interior of the collection body through the access opening of the tank and fihe open front end of the collection body;
(c) removing the materials flushed into hollow interior of the collection body; and (d) uninstalling the containment device from the tank.
Preferably the method includes, prior to step (d), mounting a high 5 pressure fluid Iine at the access opening of the tank above the containment device, closing the open top portion of the collection body and spraying down the interior of the tank through the access opening from a position above the containment device.
Preferably the step of mounting the high pressure fluid line comprises mounting a covering to the tank in a position over the containment device and passing the high pressure fluid into the interior of the tank through an opening in the covering to substantially close off the access opening entirely.
Preferably the method inciudes, prior to step (d), entering the interior of the tank through the open top portion of the collection body and spraying down the interior of the tank from within, once having removed the covering, if used, from the tank to reopen a portion of the access opening positioned above the containment device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present invention:
Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a containment device according to an embodiment of the present invention installed on the manway of an oil storage tank with a lid and cleanout cover of the device each closed.
Preferably the collection body is smaller in height than the access opening of the tank so as to leave a top portion of the access opening unobstructed by the collection body.
Preferably there is provided at least one hanger element connected to the collection body proximate the front end thereof and defining a respective hook by which the collection containment device can be hung from a top end of the access opening.
Preferably each hanger elements comprises a slidable arm on which the respective hook is carried, the slidable arm being lockable in an extended position projecting upward from the collection body further than a retracted position.
Preferably the collection body comprising handles positioned exteriorly on the opposing sides thereof.
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of cleaning an oil tank having an access opening therein, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) installing a containment device according to any one of claims 1 to 19 on the tank;
(b) passing a stinger through an open top portion of the collection body of the containment device into an interior of the tank and operating the stinger to flush materials from the tank into the hollow interior of the collection body through the access opening of the tank and fihe open front end of the collection body;
(c) removing the materials flushed into hollow interior of the collection body; and (d) uninstalling the containment device from the tank.
Preferably the method includes, prior to step (d), mounting a high 5 pressure fluid Iine at the access opening of the tank above the containment device, closing the open top portion of the collection body and spraying down the interior of the tank through the access opening from a position above the containment device.
Preferably the step of mounting the high pressure fluid line comprises mounting a covering to the tank in a position over the containment device and passing the high pressure fluid into the interior of the tank through an opening in the covering to substantially close off the access opening entirely.
Preferably the method inciudes, prior to step (d), entering the interior of the tank through the open top portion of the collection body and spraying down the interior of the tank from within, once having removed the covering, if used, from the tank to reopen a portion of the access opening positioned above the containment device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present invention:
Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a containment device according to an embodiment of the present invention installed on the manway of an oil storage tank with a lid and cleanout cover of the device each closed.
Figure 2 is an overhead plan view of the containment device of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is an overhead plan view of the containment device with the lid closed and the cleanout cover opened.
Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the containment device with the lid in an intermediate position during opening thereof.
Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the containment device with the lid fully opened.
Figure 6 is an overhead plan view of the containment device in isolation with the lid fully opened.
Figure 7 is an overhead plan view of a frame of the containment device with walls of a collection body of the containment device shown in broken lines.
Figure 8 is an end view of the containment device showing connecfiion end thereof at which the device connects to the tank.
Figure 9 is a cross sectional view of a hanger of the containment device.
Figures 10A and 10B show a clamping mechanism of the containment device insfialled on a vertical front member thereof as they would be seen from a side of the containment device and a rear end thereof respectively.
Figures 11A and 11B are partially cross sectioned and side elevational views respectively of an alternate embodiment hanger of the containment device.
Figure 3 is an overhead plan view of the containment device with the lid closed and the cleanout cover opened.
Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the containment device with the lid in an intermediate position during opening thereof.
Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the containment device with the lid fully opened.
Figure 6 is an overhead plan view of the containment device in isolation with the lid fully opened.
Figure 7 is an overhead plan view of a frame of the containment device with walls of a collection body of the containment device shown in broken lines.
Figure 8 is an end view of the containment device showing connecfiion end thereof at which the device connects to the tank.
Figure 9 is a cross sectional view of a hanger of the containment device.
Figures 10A and 10B show a clamping mechanism of the containment device insfialled on a vertical front member thereof as they would be seen from a side of the containment device and a rear end thereof respectively.
Figures 11A and 11B are partially cross sectioned and side elevational views respectively of an alternate embodiment hanger of the containment device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Figure 1 shows a containment device 10 installed on a conventional oilfield production tank 200 having a rectangular manway 202 defining an access opening through the tank wall into the tank interior. The containment device features a frame 11 releasably mounted to the manway frame at a perimeter flange 204 thereof, which in a conventional manner projects outward around the manway opening on all four sides thereof at a distance outward from the tank wall to present surfaces facing outwardly away from the tank interior for fastening of a removable manway cover to the flange by engaging threaded fasteners through holes in the flange spaced about the manway opening with aligned holes in the manway cover.
The frame 11 of the containment device 10 carried a collection body 12 having a hollow interior surrounded on three of its four sides by a rear end wall 14 and a pair of matching parallel sides walis 16. A planar bottom 18 of the collection body closes off the hollow interior of the collection body 12 from below, with a movable lid assembly 20 ailowing selective opening and closing of a top end of the collection body 12. When installed on the manway of an oil storage tank, as shown in Figures 1 to 5, the hollow interior of the collection body communicates with the manway opening through an open front end of the device opposite the rear end wall 14 over a full width of the manway at the bottom thereof such that oil, sand, water, cleaning fluids or other materials that may tend to pass through the manway opening from the tank interior during cleaning flow into the hollow interior of the device's collection body 12 rather than spilling onto the ground 300 around tne tank, thereby avoiding environmental contamination.
Figure 1 shows a containment device 10 installed on a conventional oilfield production tank 200 having a rectangular manway 202 defining an access opening through the tank wall into the tank interior. The containment device features a frame 11 releasably mounted to the manway frame at a perimeter flange 204 thereof, which in a conventional manner projects outward around the manway opening on all four sides thereof at a distance outward from the tank wall to present surfaces facing outwardly away from the tank interior for fastening of a removable manway cover to the flange by engaging threaded fasteners through holes in the flange spaced about the manway opening with aligned holes in the manway cover.
The frame 11 of the containment device 10 carried a collection body 12 having a hollow interior surrounded on three of its four sides by a rear end wall 14 and a pair of matching parallel sides walis 16. A planar bottom 18 of the collection body closes off the hollow interior of the collection body 12 from below, with a movable lid assembly 20 ailowing selective opening and closing of a top end of the collection body 12. When installed on the manway of an oil storage tank, as shown in Figures 1 to 5, the hollow interior of the collection body communicates with the manway opening through an open front end of the device opposite the rear end wall 14 over a full width of the manway at the bottom thereof such that oil, sand, water, cleaning fluids or other materials that may tend to pass through the manway opening from the tank interior during cleaning flow into the hollow interior of the device's collection body 12 rather than spilling onto the ground 300 around tne tank, thereby avoiding environmental contamination.
The frame 11 of the collection device 10 features a pair of matching, parallel, and vertically oriented front end frame members 22 are interconnected at their bottom ends by a horizontally oriented front end frame member 24, as best seen in Figures 7 and 8, such that the vertical and horizontal front end frame members 22, 24 close around three sides of a rectangular area. To one side of the plane in which this rectangular area lies, in a horizontal direction perpendicular thereto, a pair of parallel side frame members 26 project an equal distance from the horizontal front end frame member 24 at the positions therealong at which the vertical front end frame members 22 project upward therefrom. At aligned ends of the side frame member 26 opposite the front end members 22, 24, a rear end frame member 28 horizontally interconnects the side frame members 26. When viewed in plan, such as in Figure 7, the bottom front end member 24, opposed side members 26 and rear end member 28 delimit a rectangular area.
In the iilustrated embodiment, the front end frame members are each formed of rectangular tubing, while the side and rear frame members are each formed of angle iron, each frame member thus having a linearly extending elongate structure extending along a respective longitudinal axis. The angle iron side and rear end members 26, 28 are each oriented so that its two perpendicular legs (in cross section) define a vertical leg 26a, 28a and a horizontal leg 26b, 28b projecting horizontally inward relative to the rectangular area bound by these angle iron members 26, 28 and the horizontal front end member 24 when viewed in plan.
With reference to Figure 8, the angle iron side and rear end members 26, 28 are connected to each other and to the front end frame members 22, 24 at such relative elevations that the horizontal ledges defined by the horizontal legs 26a, 28a of the angle iron members 26, 28 are coplanar, with their upper surfaces flush with the flat upper surface 24a of the horizontal front end. Still with reference to Figure 8, these horizontal surFaces thus define a flat support system atop which the bottom panel 18 of the collection body 12 can sit. The angle iron side and rear end members 26, 28 are connected to each other and to the front end frame members 22, 24 also such that the rear end member 28 is parallel to the front end horizontal member 24 and the together-facing surFaces of the side members' vertical legs 26a are flush with the together-facing surfaces 22a of the vertical front end members 22 that define opposing sides of the rectangular area bound on three sides by the front end members 22, 24.
The collection body, when so rested atop the horizontal support provided by the frame, spans generally fully from the vertical leg 28a of the rear end frame member 28, against which the collection body rear wall 14 sits, to the front-facing side of the horizontai front end frame member 24 opposite the rear end member 28. The planar open front end of the collection body 12 is situated generally coplanar with the flush front-facing sides 22b, 24b of the front end frame members 22, 24 opposite the sides thereof from which the side members 26 projects. The collection body 12 also spans generally fully between the vertical legs 26a of the side frame members 26, against each of which a respective one of the collection body's planar vertical sidewalls 16 sits. When the collection body is so installed to fit into the frame 11, it is permanently fastened thereto. and sealant is applied between the collection body side walis 16 and the vertical front end frame members 22 and between the collection body bottom and the horizontai front end member to provide a tight seal between the frame 11 an the collection body 12 at the open front end thereof.
A gasket 30 is fixed to the front-facing sides 22b, 24b of the tubular 5 front end frarne members 22, 24 to extend fully therealong in a U-shaped path about the bottorn and up the sides of the collection body's open front end. The distance between the vertical front end mernbers 22 is selected so that each can be aligned with a respective one of the two opposing verticai portions of the tank's manway flange 204 for face-to-face engagement of the front-facing sides 22b of the vertical 10 front end members 22 with these vertically elongated manway flange portions with the gaskefi 30 therebetween. During installation of the containment device, the height of its frame 11 is also adjusted to align the front-facing side 24b of the horizontal front end member 24 with the corresponding horizontally extending bottom portion of the rectangular manway's flange 204.
On the laterally outward side 22c of each verticai front end member 22 facing away from the other vertical front end member is provided a pair of clamping mechanisms 40 for securing the containment device to the manway flange 204 of the tank 200 on which the device is to be used. Each mechanism features a threaded rod 42 extending through a channel ear or lug 44 projecting horizontally outward from this laterally outward side 22c in a direction opposite the other vertical front end member 22. The channel ear 44 has a straight sided U-shape defining a channel or passage 44a between itself and the outward side 22c of the vertical front end member 22 from which it projects. This channel or passage 44a extends horizontally and normal to the plane of the flush front-facing surfaces 22b, 24b of the front end members 22, 24 and the rectangular area partially bound thereby. The channel or passage 44a defined by the ear or lug 44 has a horizontally elongated rectangular cross section of sufficient height to allow the threaded rod 42 to pass horizontally through the channel 44a and be rotatable therein and slidable along the longer dimension of the passage's cross section.
Disposed around the rod 42 on the side of the vertical front end member 22 opposite the gasket-equipped front facing side 22b is a cylindrical tube 43 of circular cross section. The tube 43 features a handle 46 that is located proximate an end of the tube 43 opposite the ear or lug 44 and is manually operable to effect rotation of the tube 43 about the tube's central longitudinal axis, about which the tube's cross section closes. As illustrated, the handle 46 may be of a known type conventionally used in clamps and vices, comprising a bar slidably disposed within a diametrical through-hole in the tube 43 and having an enlarged cross section at each end to prevent sliding of the bar fuliy out from the diametrical through-hole. A nut 45 is fixed to the tube 43 at the end thereof nearest the ear or lug 44 so as to be concentric with the tube 43 and threading[y receive the rod within it. At the end of the threaded rod 42 on the side of the ear or lug 44 opposite the tube 43, the rod 42 carries a clamping plate 4$ that is fixed to the rod 42 and projects radially outward relative thereto. The nut 45 engaged about the threaded rod 42 and the tube 43 to which the nut is fixed have outer diameters larger than the height of the channel ear's channel or passage 44a, so as to give them dimensions incapable of allowing passage of the nut and tube into and through the passage 44a.
In the iilustrated embodiment, the front end frame members are each formed of rectangular tubing, while the side and rear frame members are each formed of angle iron, each frame member thus having a linearly extending elongate structure extending along a respective longitudinal axis. The angle iron side and rear end members 26, 28 are each oriented so that its two perpendicular legs (in cross section) define a vertical leg 26a, 28a and a horizontal leg 26b, 28b projecting horizontally inward relative to the rectangular area bound by these angle iron members 26, 28 and the horizontal front end member 24 when viewed in plan.
With reference to Figure 8, the angle iron side and rear end members 26, 28 are connected to each other and to the front end frame members 22, 24 at such relative elevations that the horizontal ledges defined by the horizontal legs 26a, 28a of the angle iron members 26, 28 are coplanar, with their upper surfaces flush with the flat upper surface 24a of the horizontal front end. Still with reference to Figure 8, these horizontal surFaces thus define a flat support system atop which the bottom panel 18 of the collection body 12 can sit. The angle iron side and rear end members 26, 28 are connected to each other and to the front end frame members 22, 24 also such that the rear end member 28 is parallel to the front end horizontal member 24 and the together-facing surFaces of the side members' vertical legs 26a are flush with the together-facing surfaces 22a of the vertical front end members 22 that define opposing sides of the rectangular area bound on three sides by the front end members 22, 24.
The collection body, when so rested atop the horizontal support provided by the frame, spans generally fully from the vertical leg 28a of the rear end frame member 28, against which the collection body rear wall 14 sits, to the front-facing side of the horizontai front end frame member 24 opposite the rear end member 28. The planar open front end of the collection body 12 is situated generally coplanar with the flush front-facing sides 22b, 24b of the front end frame members 22, 24 opposite the sides thereof from which the side members 26 projects. The collection body 12 also spans generally fully between the vertical legs 26a of the side frame members 26, against each of which a respective one of the collection body's planar vertical sidewalls 16 sits. When the collection body is so installed to fit into the frame 11, it is permanently fastened thereto. and sealant is applied between the collection body side walis 16 and the vertical front end frame members 22 and between the collection body bottom and the horizontai front end member to provide a tight seal between the frame 11 an the collection body 12 at the open front end thereof.
A gasket 30 is fixed to the front-facing sides 22b, 24b of the tubular 5 front end frarne members 22, 24 to extend fully therealong in a U-shaped path about the bottorn and up the sides of the collection body's open front end. The distance between the vertical front end mernbers 22 is selected so that each can be aligned with a respective one of the two opposing verticai portions of the tank's manway flange 204 for face-to-face engagement of the front-facing sides 22b of the vertical 10 front end members 22 with these vertically elongated manway flange portions with the gaskefi 30 therebetween. During installation of the containment device, the height of its frame 11 is also adjusted to align the front-facing side 24b of the horizontal front end member 24 with the corresponding horizontally extending bottom portion of the rectangular manway's flange 204.
On the laterally outward side 22c of each verticai front end member 22 facing away from the other vertical front end member is provided a pair of clamping mechanisms 40 for securing the containment device to the manway flange 204 of the tank 200 on which the device is to be used. Each mechanism features a threaded rod 42 extending through a channel ear or lug 44 projecting horizontally outward from this laterally outward side 22c in a direction opposite the other vertical front end member 22. The channel ear 44 has a straight sided U-shape defining a channel or passage 44a between itself and the outward side 22c of the vertical front end member 22 from which it projects. This channel or passage 44a extends horizontally and normal to the plane of the flush front-facing surfaces 22b, 24b of the front end members 22, 24 and the rectangular area partially bound thereby. The channel or passage 44a defined by the ear or lug 44 has a horizontally elongated rectangular cross section of sufficient height to allow the threaded rod 42 to pass horizontally through the channel 44a and be rotatable therein and slidable along the longer dimension of the passage's cross section.
Disposed around the rod 42 on the side of the vertical front end member 22 opposite the gasket-equipped front facing side 22b is a cylindrical tube 43 of circular cross section. The tube 43 features a handle 46 that is located proximate an end of the tube 43 opposite the ear or lug 44 and is manually operable to effect rotation of the tube 43 about the tube's central longitudinal axis, about which the tube's cross section closes. As illustrated, the handle 46 may be of a known type conventionally used in clamps and vices, comprising a bar slidably disposed within a diametrical through-hole in the tube 43 and having an enlarged cross section at each end to prevent sliding of the bar fuliy out from the diametrical through-hole. A nut 45 is fixed to the tube 43 at the end thereof nearest the ear or lug 44 so as to be concentric with the tube 43 and threading[y receive the rod within it. At the end of the threaded rod 42 on the side of the ear or lug 44 opposite the tube 43, the rod 42 carries a clamping plate 4$ that is fixed to the rod 42 and projects radially outward relative thereto. The nut 45 engaged about the threaded rod 42 and the tube 43 to which the nut is fixed have outer diameters larger than the height of the channel ear's channel or passage 44a, so as to give them dimensions incapable of allowing passage of the nut and tube into and through the passage 44a.
Similarly, the clamping plate 48 positioned within a vertical plane has dimensions exceeding those of the passage's cross section to prevent entry thereto.
To install the containment device on the tank 200, the clamp mechanisms 40 are first loosened on each side of the device by holding either the clamping plate 48 and attached threaded rod 42 or the tube 43 and attached nu#
rotationally stationary about the axis shared by the engaged rod 42 and nut 45 while rotating the other of these two assemblies in a ioosening direction causing withdrawai of the rod 42 from the nut 45, for example by holding the clamping plate 48 stationary while rotating the tube and nut via the handle 46 to move the clamping plate 48 away from the respective front end vertical frame member 22. Under sufficient loosening of the threaded rod 42 and nut 45 to nearly or completely withdraw the end 42a of the threaded rod 42 opposite the clamping plate 48 from the tube 43, but without disengaging the rod 42 from the nut 45, pushing the handle-equipped tube 46 toward the channel ear 44 to abut the nut 45 thereagainst slides the threaded rod through the ear's channel so that the horizontal distance from the channei ear 44 to the clamping plate 48 exceeds the combined thickness of the containment device's gasket 30 and the manway flange 204.
The rotational position of each threaded rod 42 is adjusted such that the elongated dimension of the respective rectangular clamping plate 48 hangs vertically downward from the respective end of the threaded rod 42 and the position of each threaded rod 42 along #he cross section of the ear or lug's channel is adjusted to position the rod at the distal end of the ear channel opposite the respective front end vertical frame mernber 22. These actions maximize the horizontal space between the clamping piates 48 on opposite sides of the containment device to accommodate the manway 202 and manway flange 204 between them during installation of the containment device on the tank 200.
The frame 11 and the collection body 12 mounted thereon is elevated off the ground in front of the manway 202 and moved about as needed to generally align the vertical and horizontal front end frame members 22, 24 of the containment device wi#h the verticaf sides and horizontal bottom of the manway flange respectively.
These generally aligned objects are brought together to bring the gasket 30 into contact against the respective portions of the manway flange 204 and position the clamping plates 48 of the clamping mechanisms 40 on the side of the manway fiange 204 opposite the frame 11 and collection body 12 of the containment device 10, the manway and flange being disposed between the clamping plates on the opposite sides of the containment device. Each clamping pi:ate 48 is then rotated so as to project toward the respective clamping plate on the opposite side of the containment device. This, together with sliding movement of the rod 42 and the nut 45 and tube 43 engaged therewith toward the respective front end vertical frame member 22 within the channel or passage defined by the ear or lug 44, if needed, positions the distal end of the clamping plate 48 behind the manway flange 204.
The clamping plate 48 is initially held in place while the tube 43 and attached nut 45 are rotated in a tightening direction pulling the threaded rod 42 further into the tube 43 toward the handle 46, this acting to pull the clamping plate 48 back toward the respective vertical front end members 22 of the containment device frame 11, thus clamping these frame members against the manway fiange 204 with the gasket 30 therebetween. This is performed for each clamping rnechanism 40 such that the clamping mechanisms releasably fix the containment device 10 in place on the tank 200 with the hollow interior of the containment device in communication through its open front end with a bottom portion of the manway opening, wi#h the gasket 30 providing a good seal between the tank and the containment device to prevent leakage therebetween.
The horizontally elongated channels or passages provided by the channel ears or lugs 44 allowing horizontal sliding of the threaded rods and attached nuts and tubes to give an installer control over the distance between the clamping plates 48 on opposite sides of the containment device, thereby facilitating adjustment of the clamping mechanisms to accommodate variations in width dimensions of rnanways and associated flanges from one tank to another. In an alternate embodiment, ears or lugs with round threaded bores therethrough could instead be used to directly engage a threaded rod carrying a clamping plate, in which case the nut and tube would not be required and the handle could instead be provided on the threaded rod itself. Such an embodirnent would not allow sliding of the threaded rod, but rather only allow loosening and tightening of the clamping mechanisms by threaded rotational engagement of the rod wi#h the threaded bore of the ear or lug. In such an embodiment, connection of the clamping plate 48 to an unthreaded end portion of the rod by a bearing would allow relative rotation between the rod and the clamping plate so that the clamping plate can be manually held in a position projecting inward from the relative front end vertical member 22 behind the manway flange 204 while the threaded rod is rotated in a tightening direction in the threaded bore of the ear or iug to pull the clamping plate against the manway flange and clamp the containment device in place thereaginst.
In the illustrated embodiment, two clamping mechanisms 40 are provided on each vertical front end frame member 22, one proximate the bottom end 5 thereof and another upward therefrom approximately three quarters the way up #he respective frame member 22. The clamping mechanisms at the bottom are at the same elevation as the horizontal front end frame member 24 and corresponding bottom portion of the manway door flange 204 and thus each encourage a good seal at both the bottom of the containment device's open front end and the respective 10 side thereof. It will be appreciated that the number and positioning of the clamping mechanisms may be altered. For example, one or more clamping mechanisms of the type described could be used at a position along the horizontal front end frame member 24, with the ear channel projecting vertically downward therefrom to allow vertical sliding displacement of the respective rod 42 and the tube 43 and nut 15 engaged thereto, to improve sealing of the gasket 30 against the bottom portion of the manway flange 204, but with reference to Figure 1, 4 or 5, the bottom of the co[lection body 12 may interfere with convenient operation of the mechanisms handle. In such an arrangement, the threaded rod and or the tube could thus be extended to reach back past the rear end 14 of the collection body 12, preferably with at least one additional channel or other support depending downward from the frame closer to the rear end of the collection body to support the added length and weight. However, using the side-mounted clamping mechanism arrangement of the illustrated embodiment reduces not only the overall weight of the device relative to the aforementioned use of longer rods, but reduces the tendency for the upper end of the device to pull away from the manway flange under a cantilevered effect caused by weight acting downward at a distance from the mounting of the device to the tank. In other embodiments, commercially available clamping mechanisms sold separately or w+th the containment device could be used to clamp it in place on the tank.
The movable lid assembly 20 features two interconnected lid portions 50, 52 corresponding to two differently sloped sections of the top end of the collection body 12. A first planar top portion extends from the top of the rectangular rear end wall 14 toward the open front end at an upward sloping angle defined by oblique linear sloping of a first portion 16a of the side walls' top edge.
From an end of this first portion 16a opposite the rear wall 14, the top edge of each side wall 16 then slopes more steeply upward and forward at a greater angle at a second portion 16b oblique to the first portion 16a along the top of the planar side wall 16.
In a closed position, the first lid portion 50 is a rectangular panei that lies flat atop, and fully covers, the top edge of the rear wall 14 and the first portion 16a of each side wall's top edge. In a respective closed position, the second lid portion 52 projects upward toward the open front end of the collection body 12 from an end of the first portion 50 opposite the rear wall 14, lying against and fully covering the second portions 16b of the top edges of the side walls 16. The two lid portions 50, 52 are pivotally interconnected, by a piano hinge 54 in the illustrate embodiment, for pivoting relative to one another about an axis extending across the top edges of the opposing side walls 16 at the intersections of the first and second portions 16a, 16b of the top edges thereof with the first lid portion 50 closed. With both lid portions 50, 52 closed, the entire top of the collection body is closed off from the rear wall 14 to the open front end. With the lid portions closed, the first lid portion 50 prevents materials collecting therebelow within the collection body's hollow interior from passing upward out of the containment device into the surrounding environment, while the second lid portion 52 forms a shield-like flap having a more vertical orientation to prevent splashing or spraying out from the interior of the tank on which the containment device is mounted through the manway thereof.
To secure the second lid portion 52 in the closed position, a rubber longitudinal strap 56 is fastened to each of the vertical front end frame members 22 at a height therealong part way up the second portion 16b of the respective side wali's top edge. A first end of this strap 56 is fixed to the vertical frame member 22 by a threaded fastener 58 passed through a central slot 56a in the strap extending in the elongate direction thereof to clamp this end of the straps against the frame. A
catch 60 is defined on a side of the second lid portion 52 facing away from the open front end of the collection body 12 with the lid closed, at a position proximate but inward from the side of the second lid portion 52 adjacent the respective vertical frame member 22 on which each strap 56 is carried at an elevation similar to that of the fastener 58. When the second lid portion 52 is closed, the free end of the strap 56 is pulled around this side edge of the second lid portion 52 past the respective catch 60 and the strap is lowered over the catch 60 so as to close therabout with the catch 60 disposed in the slot 56a and catching on the free end of the strap 56. The tension of the resilient strap 56 pulls the second lid portion 52 toward the respective vertical frame member 22 against the second portion 16b of the respective side wall's upper edge, thereby holding the second lid portion 52 closed. The strap 56 is puiled against its resilient tension to disengage from the catch 60 and then pulled outward away from the catch-equipped face of the second lid portion 52 to remove the strap 56 from about the catch to release the second lid portion 52 and allow opening thereof. It will be appreciated that the fastener 58 may be positioned elsewhere on another stationary part of the containment device proximate the open front of the collection body to cooperate with the strap to retain the second lid portion in the closed position, for example mounted on the side wall 16 beneath the second portion 16b of the side wall's top edge.
As shown in Figure 4, during opening of the lid assembly 20, the second lid portion 52 is pivoted on the hinge 54 to fold its catch-equipped face downward toward a face-to-face compacted arrangement against the still-closed first lid portion 50, thereby opening the top of the collection body 12 only along and between the second portions 16b of the side walls' top edges. A palr of hinges connects the first lid portion 50 to the rear wall 14 at spaced positions along the top edge thereof for pivoting of the first lid portion 50 out of the closed position about an axis extending along this rear wall top edge. With the second lid portion 52 opened to sit against the first lid portion 50, the lid portions can thus be pivoted together about this axis extending along the top edge of the rear wall 14 to pivot over the rear wall 14 into a fully open position where the entire top end of the collection body 12 is completely unobstructed by them. With the containment device installed on a conventional tank 200 in which the bottom of the manway flange is only a few inches off the ground 300, as shown in the Figures, the two lid portions engage the ground 300 at their hinged-together edges in the completely open position of the lid assembly.
As shown in Figure 3, the first lid portion 50 features a cleanout opening 64 therein, defined by a circular hole through this plate or panel like lid portion 50. An annular rubber, or other suitable material, seal 66 surrounds and projects into this circular hole on an exterior side of the first lid portion 50 opposite the interior space of the collection body 12, leaving the round cleanout opening 64 in the center of the seal 66 and circular hole. A plate 68, having a rectangular periphery and a central circular hole equally sized and aligned with circular hole in the first lid portion 50, is fixed to the exterior face of the planar first lid portion 50 over the seal 66 to clamp the seal 66 flat in place against this .face or side. In the illustrated embodiment, threaded fasteners 70 spaced about the cleanout opening 64 pass through the rectanguiar plate 68, first lid portion plate 50 and seal therebetween for fixing these elements together. A cleanout cover 72 produced from the circufar portion of the plate cut out to communicate with the circular hole in the first iid portion 50 is pivotally connected to the plate 68 by a hinge 74 mounted on a side thereof opposite the first lid portion 50. The cover 72 is thus pivotable about a horizontal axis disposed just above the plate 68 into and out of a closed position sitting atop the seal 66 within the circular hole in the plate 68 so as rest generally flush therewith, so close and open the cleanout opening 64. A handle fastened to the cleanout cover 72 has a stem projecting from the side thereof opposite the cleanout opening 64 to support a knob at a distance from the cover to facilitate easy lifting thereof out of the closed position recessed flush into the plate 68.
To ease installation of the containment device 10 on the tank 200, it is provided with hangers 78 by which the device can be hung on the manway of the 5 tank prior to clamping of the device to the manway flange to sealed installation. This way, the installer{s} need not support the device themselves while trying to align the gasket equipped frame of the device with the manway flange and subsequentiy tighten the clamping mechanisms 40. In the illustrated embodiment, each hanger features a slidable elongate arm 80 telescopically received within a respective one of 10 the two vertical frame members 22 so as to project verticaily from the open top end thereof. Each arm is formed of a piece of rectangular solid stock having a cross section slightly smaller than that of the vertical member 22 in which it is received so as to be slidable therealong between a retracted position projecting slightly upward from the open top end of the vertical member 22 and an extended position projecting 15 further upward from this open top end. A hook 82 is fixed to the arm 80 at the top end thereof before and is bent or curved to extend downward along the arm to form a hook having a mouth of suitable size to fit over the horizontal top section of the tank's manway fiange 204. In the illustrated embodiment, the hook is defined by a right angle member having a first leg fixed flush atop the arm 80 so as to project 20 horizontally therefrom past the open front end of the collection body 12 and a second leg projecting perpendicularly downward from a distal end of the first leg opposite the arm 80 to hook over the top of the manway flange.
To install the containment device on the tank 200, the clamp mechanisms 40 are first loosened on each side of the device by holding either the clamping plate 48 and attached threaded rod 42 or the tube 43 and attached nu#
rotationally stationary about the axis shared by the engaged rod 42 and nut 45 while rotating the other of these two assemblies in a ioosening direction causing withdrawai of the rod 42 from the nut 45, for example by holding the clamping plate 48 stationary while rotating the tube and nut via the handle 46 to move the clamping plate 48 away from the respective front end vertical frame member 22. Under sufficient loosening of the threaded rod 42 and nut 45 to nearly or completely withdraw the end 42a of the threaded rod 42 opposite the clamping plate 48 from the tube 43, but without disengaging the rod 42 from the nut 45, pushing the handle-equipped tube 46 toward the channel ear 44 to abut the nut 45 thereagainst slides the threaded rod through the ear's channel so that the horizontal distance from the channei ear 44 to the clamping plate 48 exceeds the combined thickness of the containment device's gasket 30 and the manway flange 204.
The rotational position of each threaded rod 42 is adjusted such that the elongated dimension of the respective rectangular clamping plate 48 hangs vertically downward from the respective end of the threaded rod 42 and the position of each threaded rod 42 along #he cross section of the ear or lug's channel is adjusted to position the rod at the distal end of the ear channel opposite the respective front end vertical frame mernber 22. These actions maximize the horizontal space between the clamping piates 48 on opposite sides of the containment device to accommodate the manway 202 and manway flange 204 between them during installation of the containment device on the tank 200.
The frame 11 and the collection body 12 mounted thereon is elevated off the ground in front of the manway 202 and moved about as needed to generally align the vertical and horizontal front end frame members 22, 24 of the containment device wi#h the verticaf sides and horizontal bottom of the manway flange respectively.
These generally aligned objects are brought together to bring the gasket 30 into contact against the respective portions of the manway flange 204 and position the clamping plates 48 of the clamping mechanisms 40 on the side of the manway fiange 204 opposite the frame 11 and collection body 12 of the containment device 10, the manway and flange being disposed between the clamping plates on the opposite sides of the containment device. Each clamping pi:ate 48 is then rotated so as to project toward the respective clamping plate on the opposite side of the containment device. This, together with sliding movement of the rod 42 and the nut 45 and tube 43 engaged therewith toward the respective front end vertical frame member 22 within the channel or passage defined by the ear or lug 44, if needed, positions the distal end of the clamping plate 48 behind the manway flange 204.
The clamping plate 48 is initially held in place while the tube 43 and attached nut 45 are rotated in a tightening direction pulling the threaded rod 42 further into the tube 43 toward the handle 46, this acting to pull the clamping plate 48 back toward the respective vertical front end members 22 of the containment device frame 11, thus clamping these frame members against the manway fiange 204 with the gasket 30 therebetween. This is performed for each clamping rnechanism 40 such that the clamping mechanisms releasably fix the containment device 10 in place on the tank 200 with the hollow interior of the containment device in communication through its open front end with a bottom portion of the manway opening, wi#h the gasket 30 providing a good seal between the tank and the containment device to prevent leakage therebetween.
The horizontally elongated channels or passages provided by the channel ears or lugs 44 allowing horizontal sliding of the threaded rods and attached nuts and tubes to give an installer control over the distance between the clamping plates 48 on opposite sides of the containment device, thereby facilitating adjustment of the clamping mechanisms to accommodate variations in width dimensions of rnanways and associated flanges from one tank to another. In an alternate embodiment, ears or lugs with round threaded bores therethrough could instead be used to directly engage a threaded rod carrying a clamping plate, in which case the nut and tube would not be required and the handle could instead be provided on the threaded rod itself. Such an embodirnent would not allow sliding of the threaded rod, but rather only allow loosening and tightening of the clamping mechanisms by threaded rotational engagement of the rod wi#h the threaded bore of the ear or lug. In such an embodiment, connection of the clamping plate 48 to an unthreaded end portion of the rod by a bearing would allow relative rotation between the rod and the clamping plate so that the clamping plate can be manually held in a position projecting inward from the relative front end vertical member 22 behind the manway flange 204 while the threaded rod is rotated in a tightening direction in the threaded bore of the ear or iug to pull the clamping plate against the manway flange and clamp the containment device in place thereaginst.
In the illustrated embodiment, two clamping mechanisms 40 are provided on each vertical front end frame member 22, one proximate the bottom end 5 thereof and another upward therefrom approximately three quarters the way up #he respective frame member 22. The clamping mechanisms at the bottom are at the same elevation as the horizontal front end frame member 24 and corresponding bottom portion of the manway door flange 204 and thus each encourage a good seal at both the bottom of the containment device's open front end and the respective 10 side thereof. It will be appreciated that the number and positioning of the clamping mechanisms may be altered. For example, one or more clamping mechanisms of the type described could be used at a position along the horizontal front end frame member 24, with the ear channel projecting vertically downward therefrom to allow vertical sliding displacement of the respective rod 42 and the tube 43 and nut 15 engaged thereto, to improve sealing of the gasket 30 against the bottom portion of the manway flange 204, but with reference to Figure 1, 4 or 5, the bottom of the co[lection body 12 may interfere with convenient operation of the mechanisms handle. In such an arrangement, the threaded rod and or the tube could thus be extended to reach back past the rear end 14 of the collection body 12, preferably with at least one additional channel or other support depending downward from the frame closer to the rear end of the collection body to support the added length and weight. However, using the side-mounted clamping mechanism arrangement of the illustrated embodiment reduces not only the overall weight of the device relative to the aforementioned use of longer rods, but reduces the tendency for the upper end of the device to pull away from the manway flange under a cantilevered effect caused by weight acting downward at a distance from the mounting of the device to the tank. In other embodiments, commercially available clamping mechanisms sold separately or w+th the containment device could be used to clamp it in place on the tank.
The movable lid assembly 20 features two interconnected lid portions 50, 52 corresponding to two differently sloped sections of the top end of the collection body 12. A first planar top portion extends from the top of the rectangular rear end wall 14 toward the open front end at an upward sloping angle defined by oblique linear sloping of a first portion 16a of the side walls' top edge.
From an end of this first portion 16a opposite the rear wall 14, the top edge of each side wall 16 then slopes more steeply upward and forward at a greater angle at a second portion 16b oblique to the first portion 16a along the top of the planar side wall 16.
In a closed position, the first lid portion 50 is a rectangular panei that lies flat atop, and fully covers, the top edge of the rear wall 14 and the first portion 16a of each side wall's top edge. In a respective closed position, the second lid portion 52 projects upward toward the open front end of the collection body 12 from an end of the first portion 50 opposite the rear wall 14, lying against and fully covering the second portions 16b of the top edges of the side walls 16. The two lid portions 50, 52 are pivotally interconnected, by a piano hinge 54 in the illustrate embodiment, for pivoting relative to one another about an axis extending across the top edges of the opposing side walls 16 at the intersections of the first and second portions 16a, 16b of the top edges thereof with the first lid portion 50 closed. With both lid portions 50, 52 closed, the entire top of the collection body is closed off from the rear wall 14 to the open front end. With the lid portions closed, the first lid portion 50 prevents materials collecting therebelow within the collection body's hollow interior from passing upward out of the containment device into the surrounding environment, while the second lid portion 52 forms a shield-like flap having a more vertical orientation to prevent splashing or spraying out from the interior of the tank on which the containment device is mounted through the manway thereof.
To secure the second lid portion 52 in the closed position, a rubber longitudinal strap 56 is fastened to each of the vertical front end frame members 22 at a height therealong part way up the second portion 16b of the respective side wali's top edge. A first end of this strap 56 is fixed to the vertical frame member 22 by a threaded fastener 58 passed through a central slot 56a in the strap extending in the elongate direction thereof to clamp this end of the straps against the frame. A
catch 60 is defined on a side of the second lid portion 52 facing away from the open front end of the collection body 12 with the lid closed, at a position proximate but inward from the side of the second lid portion 52 adjacent the respective vertical frame member 22 on which each strap 56 is carried at an elevation similar to that of the fastener 58. When the second lid portion 52 is closed, the free end of the strap 56 is pulled around this side edge of the second lid portion 52 past the respective catch 60 and the strap is lowered over the catch 60 so as to close therabout with the catch 60 disposed in the slot 56a and catching on the free end of the strap 56. The tension of the resilient strap 56 pulls the second lid portion 52 toward the respective vertical frame member 22 against the second portion 16b of the respective side wall's upper edge, thereby holding the second lid portion 52 closed. The strap 56 is puiled against its resilient tension to disengage from the catch 60 and then pulled outward away from the catch-equipped face of the second lid portion 52 to remove the strap 56 from about the catch to release the second lid portion 52 and allow opening thereof. It will be appreciated that the fastener 58 may be positioned elsewhere on another stationary part of the containment device proximate the open front of the collection body to cooperate with the strap to retain the second lid portion in the closed position, for example mounted on the side wall 16 beneath the second portion 16b of the side wall's top edge.
As shown in Figure 4, during opening of the lid assembly 20, the second lid portion 52 is pivoted on the hinge 54 to fold its catch-equipped face downward toward a face-to-face compacted arrangement against the still-closed first lid portion 50, thereby opening the top of the collection body 12 only along and between the second portions 16b of the side walls' top edges. A palr of hinges connects the first lid portion 50 to the rear wall 14 at spaced positions along the top edge thereof for pivoting of the first lid portion 50 out of the closed position about an axis extending along this rear wall top edge. With the second lid portion 52 opened to sit against the first lid portion 50, the lid portions can thus be pivoted together about this axis extending along the top edge of the rear wall 14 to pivot over the rear wall 14 into a fully open position where the entire top end of the collection body 12 is completely unobstructed by them. With the containment device installed on a conventional tank 200 in which the bottom of the manway flange is only a few inches off the ground 300, as shown in the Figures, the two lid portions engage the ground 300 at their hinged-together edges in the completely open position of the lid assembly.
As shown in Figure 3, the first lid portion 50 features a cleanout opening 64 therein, defined by a circular hole through this plate or panel like lid portion 50. An annular rubber, or other suitable material, seal 66 surrounds and projects into this circular hole on an exterior side of the first lid portion 50 opposite the interior space of the collection body 12, leaving the round cleanout opening 64 in the center of the seal 66 and circular hole. A plate 68, having a rectangular periphery and a central circular hole equally sized and aligned with circular hole in the first lid portion 50, is fixed to the exterior face of the planar first lid portion 50 over the seal 66 to clamp the seal 66 flat in place against this .face or side. In the illustrated embodiment, threaded fasteners 70 spaced about the cleanout opening 64 pass through the rectanguiar plate 68, first lid portion plate 50 and seal therebetween for fixing these elements together. A cleanout cover 72 produced from the circufar portion of the plate cut out to communicate with the circular hole in the first iid portion 50 is pivotally connected to the plate 68 by a hinge 74 mounted on a side thereof opposite the first lid portion 50. The cover 72 is thus pivotable about a horizontal axis disposed just above the plate 68 into and out of a closed position sitting atop the seal 66 within the circular hole in the plate 68 so as rest generally flush therewith, so close and open the cleanout opening 64. A handle fastened to the cleanout cover 72 has a stem projecting from the side thereof opposite the cleanout opening 64 to support a knob at a distance from the cover to facilitate easy lifting thereof out of the closed position recessed flush into the plate 68.
To ease installation of the containment device 10 on the tank 200, it is provided with hangers 78 by which the device can be hung on the manway of the 5 tank prior to clamping of the device to the manway flange to sealed installation. This way, the installer{s} need not support the device themselves while trying to align the gasket equipped frame of the device with the manway flange and subsequentiy tighten the clamping mechanisms 40. In the illustrated embodiment, each hanger features a slidable elongate arm 80 telescopically received within a respective one of 10 the two vertical frame members 22 so as to project verticaily from the open top end thereof. Each arm is formed of a piece of rectangular solid stock having a cross section slightly smaller than that of the vertical member 22 in which it is received so as to be slidable therealong between a retracted position projecting slightly upward from the open top end of the vertical member 22 and an extended position projecting 15 further upward from this open top end. A hook 82 is fixed to the arm 80 at the top end thereof before and is bent or curved to extend downward along the arm to form a hook having a mouth of suitable size to fit over the horizontal top section of the tank's manway fiange 204. In the illustrated embodiment, the hook is defined by a right angle member having a first leg fixed flush atop the arm 80 so as to project 20 horizontally therefrom past the open front end of the collection body 12 and a second leg projecting perpendicularly downward from a distal end of the first leg opposite the arm 80 to hook over the top of the manway flange.
Figure 9 shows a cross sectional view of one of the hangers 78 to illustrate the use of ball and detents to form stops for automatically locking the arm 80 in each of the extended and retracted positions when slid thereinto. A
blind cylindrical hole 84 extends horizontally into the rectangular arm 80 from one of the side faces thereof at a central position horizontally across this side and houses a compression spring 86 having one end thereof situated against the closed end of the blind hole 84. At an end of the spring 86 opposite the closed end of the blind hole 84 is situated a spherical metal ball 88 that is biased outward away from the central longitudinal axis of the arm 80 against the interior surface of the respective side wall of the tubular vertical frame member 22 faced by the side of the arm in which the blind hole 84 is formed. The blind hole 84 is positioned at a short distance upward from the arm's bottom end. Corresponding through holes 92 each of a diameter slightly less than that of the metal ball 88 are positioned near the bottom and top ends of the tubular vertical frame member 22 in the respective wall thereof at central positions horizontally thereacross. Figure 9 shows the arm 80 in the retracted position, in which the ball 88 projects partially through the bottom hole in the respective side wall while remaining partially within the blind hole 84 in the arm 80 due to the close spacing between the similarly sized arm 80 and tubular frame member 22, thereby blocking sliding of the arm 80 out of this position. In this position, the top end of the arm projects only slightly out of the top end of the frame member 22. To extend the arm 80, the user pushes the ball 88 firom outside the frame member 22 to release it from the bottom hole so that the arm 80 can be slid upward along the frame member 22 until the ball 88 reaches the top hole 92 and automatically pops thereinto to once again lock the arm 80 in place, this time in the extended position of Figures 1 to 8. This way, the arms can be left retracted when the containment device is not in use to make it relatively compact for storage and transportation, until the device is to be installed on the tank 200. Then the arms are extended to a height suitable for hanging of the device on the tank manway flange to support the bottom of the collection body at a height at or shortly below the bottom of the manway, so that the device can be manually moved by small amounts to align the gasket-equipped frame members with the manway bottom and side flanges for clamping thereo..
l=igures 11A and 11B show an alternate embodiment hanger that also makes use of a spring to achieve automatic locking of the telescoping hanging arm in the fully extended position. In this embodiment, the arm 80' is a piece of holloe rectangular tubing having a cross section slightly smaller than the rectangular tubing of the vertical member 22 in which it is received. At the same height along the front end vertical frame member 22 that the upper one of the two through-holes 92 of the first embodiment hanger of Figure 9 is found, the front end vertical frame member 22' of the second embodiment hanger features a through-hole 92' in laterally outward side 22c thereof. To this same side is fixed a U-shaped member 100 having two parallel legs 100a that project perpendicularly outward from this side of the front end vertical frame member 22' and are interconnected at their distal ends by a central portion 100b that is perpendicular to the parallel legs. The U-shaped mernber 100 is positioned to span over the through-hole 92' in side 22c of the front end vertical frame member 22' with a through-hole 102 in the central portion of the U-shaped member 100 axially aligned with through-hole 92'. A pin 103 passes through aligned through-holes 92', 102 and has a stop-collar 104 or other structure of larger diameter than the shaft portions of the pin 103 passing through aligned through-holes 92', 102, this enlarged portion 104 projecting radially outward relative to the shaft portions and being positioned between the front end vertical frame member 22' and the central portion 100b of the U-shaped member 100. Between the stop collar 104 and the central portion 100b of the U-shaped member 100 is a compression coil spring 106 disposed about the pin shaft and having an inner diameter Iess than the diameter of the stop collar 104 and an outer diameter greater than through-hole 102. The spring forces the stop collar 104 against side 22c of the front end vertical frame member 22'.
The blind hole 86 in the solid arm 80 of the first embodiment hanger is replaced with a through-hole 86' through a side of the hollow tubular arm 80' facing side 22c of the front end vertical frame member 22' in the second embodiment hanger. When the arm 80' is pulled upward into the extended position, through-hole 86' aligns with through-holes 92', 102 and the force of the spring 106 pushing on the stop collar 104 and forcing an inner end 103a of the pin 103 further into the interior of the hollow front end vertical frame member 22' causes the inner end 103a of the pin 103 to slide into the interior of the hollow tubular arm 80' through the through-hole 86' therein. To retract the arm 80' back further into the front end vertical frame member 22' or to widthdraw it therefrom through the top end thereof, the pin 103 is pulled outward by a user against the spring force to retract the pin's inner end 103a out of the tubular arm 80' via through-hole 86' to once again allow sliding of the arm 80' within the front end vertical frame member 22'. The spring 106 between the stop collar 104 and the central portion 100b of the U-shaped member 100 limits movement of the stop collar 104 toward the central portion 100b to an amount insufficient to withdraw the inner end 103 a of the pin from through-hole 92'.
As shown in Figure 11A, an outer end 103b of the pin opposite the inner end 103a may be provided with a head 108 or other feature having an enlarged outer diameter relative to an adjacent portion of the pin to form a shoulder 110 which the user can use to better grip the pin for pulling thereof to release the telescoping arm frorn the locked extended position.
In this second hanger embodiment, the bottom of the front end vertical frame member 22' is closed ofP by a blocking plate 112 so that the arm 80' merely sits atop the blocking plate 112 in the retracted position, rather than being locked by a second locking mechanism on the same front end vertical frame member 22'. In other embodiments where the bottom of the front end vertical frame member 22' is left open, engagement of the hook 82 with the top end of the frame member 22 may instead defined the stop that determines the fully retracted position. In the embodiment using the pin-based locking mechanisms, the spring biased locking component is carried on the frame of the containment device, not the telescoping arm of fihe hanger. The telescoping arm 80' can thus be completely withdrawn from the front end vertical frame member 22' without fear of damage to or loss of any locking mechanism components. Such removal of the telescoping arms from the containment device after securing thereof to the tank using the clamping mechanisms is useful, for example to provide access to the manway flange at the portion of the manway left open above the collection body and frame of the containment device to allow securing of an additional covering over this portion during spray down, as describe herein further below. Alternatively, access to the manway flange above the collection body and frame ma be provided in another 5 embodiment by having the hook 82 mounted for swiveling about a vertical axis extending along the front end vertical frame member, so that after the containment unit is clamped to the manway flange, the arm can be unlocked and moved upward to disengage the hook from about the upper portion of the manway flange, where the hook can then be rotated or pivoted about this vertical axis to point away from the 10 manway flange so that the arm can be subsequently lowered back into its retracted position, leaving the manway filange unobstructed above it.
Further alternative locking mechanisms for locking of the arm 80 into the extended position may instead rely on completely removable pins rather than pin or ball and detent mechanisms carried entirely on the containment device itself.
15 However, the device-carried mechanisms of the illustrated embodiments have the advantages of avoiding the potential to lose, misplace or forget to bring pins and providing spring actuated automatic locking upon pulling of the arm into the extended position for hanging the device on the tank. Embodiments not featuring telescoping hanger arms could feature bolt holes in the front end vertical frame 20 members of the cflntainment device frame that are alignable with existing bolt holes in the manway flange to facilitate coupling thereto using bolts. Use of horizontally elongated bolt holes could accommodate variations in manway and manway flange widths from one tank to another.
The illustrate embodiment of the containment device features linearly extending strip-like planar brace members 94 extending diagonally upward from the side frame members 26, proximate the connection thereof to the rear end frame member 28, to the vertical frame members 22 to strengthen the frame 11 of the containment device for better support of the collection body 12. Each brace member 94 is fixed to the outer face of the vertical leg 26a of a respective one of the side frame members 26, opposite the face of this vertical leg 26a against which the respective side wall 16 of the collection body 12 sits against, proximate the lower end of the brace member so that one side of the planar brace member's faces toward the respective collection body side wall 16. An opposite end of the brace member is fixed to the respective vertical tubular frame member 22 at the face or side thereof opposite the gasket 30 at a position across this face proximate the inner face 22a facing the other vertical frame member 22 so that the brace members 94 sit in close proximity to the collection body 12 situated between them. Each brace member 94 connects to the respective vertical frame member 22 at a height therealong corresponding to the steeper second portion 16b of top edge of the respective side wall 16. The illustrated embodirnent also features a pair of generally D-shaped handies 96, each mounted to a respective one of the collection body side walls 16 on an exterior side thereof in a position beneath the respective brace member 94. The handles 96 project laterally outward away from the collection body's hollow interior, with the handle opening defined between the handle body and the respective side wall 16 opens about an axis parallel to the side wall and perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the brace member.
In use, the containment device is installed on the manway opening of the tank to seal against the flange thereof about a bottom portion of the manway opening so to catch materials flowing outward from the tank therethrough during one or more cleaning processes. An exemplary use of the containment device is outline in the following paragraphs.
First the containment is installed on the tank in a sealing arrangement with the manway flange as described herein above. In first cleaning step, the lid assembly of the collection body is completely opened and an operator passes a stinger through the resulting open top of the collection body of the containment device into the interior of the tank and operates in the stinger in a known manner to flush materials from the tank into the hollow interior of the collection body through the communicating manway opening of the tank and open front end of the collection body. Materials flushed into the hollow interior of the collection body by the stinger are removed from the containment device, for example using the suction hose of a vacuum truck.
The lid assembly of the containment device is then returned to the fully closed position to close of the top of the collection body and seal the interior thereof.
A water cannon connected to a high-pressure water source is mounted in a known manner on the manway flange of the tank for positioning above the collection body at a top portion of the manway opening left open thereabove and used to spray down the interior of the tank through this open top portion of the manway opening.
Installation of the water cannon may include mounting a covering to the tank in a position over the containment device and passing the high pressure fluid into the interior of the tank through an opening in the covering, so that the manway opening is substantially closed off in entirety around the water cannon. Canadian Patent Application No. 2,571,597 of the present applicant teaches a sheet or skirt like manway or door covering device described for covering a full access opening in an oil storage tank. Simply by cutting away a bottom portion of this covering or producing the covering without the bottom portion would allow use of such a device with that of the present application, the bottom portion being taught in the aforementioned to include a draped opening therein for passage of a vacuum truck suction hose therethrough, as the containment device described and illustrated herein would replace such a bottom portion of the sheet-like covering to complete full closure of the manway opening. During or after one or repeated cycles of spraying down the tank interior with the water cannon or jet, the suction hose of the vacuum truck can be used to empty out the interior of the collection body of the containment device without opening thereof. That is, when not spraying, the hose is passed through the closed lid assembly of the collection body through the cleanout opening, the seal of which is dimensioned to seal around the hose to ensure that the interior of the collection body remains closed off from the surrounding environment.
Once the jetting and vacuum cleanout operations are complete, the water cannon and cover are removed and the lid assembly of the containment device is once again opened. The operator then enters the interior of the tank with a pressure washer through the open top of the collection body and the open front end thereof communicating with the manway opening and uses the pressure washer wand to spray down the interior of the tank from with cleaning chemicals. The containment device remains installed during this step to continue collecting materials leaving the tank through the manway to prevent environment contamination. As the collection body of the illustrated containment device extends only a partial height of the manway opening when installed at the bottom thereof, a significant portion of the manway remains open to ensure the safety of the pressure washer operator therein by ensuring adequate air exchange and allowing quick uninterrupted escape from the tank interior in an emergency. Even if a person were to close the lid assembly with the operator in the tank, a good push on the second lid portion 52 from within the tank through the manway opening would be sufficient to release the resilient rubber straps 56 from the catches 60 to allow the lid to be quickly opened from within the tank with little effort. Other easy-release fasteners such as hook and loop fasteners could similarly be used to facilitate opening of the lid with little effort or manipulation.
It will be appreciated that the containment device may be used in any oil tank cleaning process conventionally carried out with a manway or other access opening of the tank in an open state, or may be used in place of other containment devices previously used to prevent or reduce the possibility of environmental contamination through such an opening. Used as described above, the containment device provides the advantage that it can be installed once and left in place through multiple cleaning processes requiring different degrees or positions of access to the manway opening.
Prototypes of the containment device have been produced using steel frame members and puck board collection body walls, lid portions and cleanout covering. Production of a future frame from aluminum components will reduce the overall weight of the device while still providing sufficient strength for its intended functions, while production of the walls and bottom of the collection body as a single integral unit, for example using plastic molding techniques, will minimize the 5 possibility of leakage and ease production by eliminating the need to not only fasten together different wall components, but take care to provide sufficiently tight seals therebetween to prevent oil, sand, water, cleaning chemicals or other debris or materials from escaping the collection body. It will be appreciated that other materials and constructions may also be applied, for example constructing the 10 collection body from metal or plastic sheet or panels.
Since various modifications can be made in my invention as herein above described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claims without department from such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall 15 be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.
blind cylindrical hole 84 extends horizontally into the rectangular arm 80 from one of the side faces thereof at a central position horizontally across this side and houses a compression spring 86 having one end thereof situated against the closed end of the blind hole 84. At an end of the spring 86 opposite the closed end of the blind hole 84 is situated a spherical metal ball 88 that is biased outward away from the central longitudinal axis of the arm 80 against the interior surface of the respective side wall of the tubular vertical frame member 22 faced by the side of the arm in which the blind hole 84 is formed. The blind hole 84 is positioned at a short distance upward from the arm's bottom end. Corresponding through holes 92 each of a diameter slightly less than that of the metal ball 88 are positioned near the bottom and top ends of the tubular vertical frame member 22 in the respective wall thereof at central positions horizontally thereacross. Figure 9 shows the arm 80 in the retracted position, in which the ball 88 projects partially through the bottom hole in the respective side wall while remaining partially within the blind hole 84 in the arm 80 due to the close spacing between the similarly sized arm 80 and tubular frame member 22, thereby blocking sliding of the arm 80 out of this position. In this position, the top end of the arm projects only slightly out of the top end of the frame member 22. To extend the arm 80, the user pushes the ball 88 firom outside the frame member 22 to release it from the bottom hole so that the arm 80 can be slid upward along the frame member 22 until the ball 88 reaches the top hole 92 and automatically pops thereinto to once again lock the arm 80 in place, this time in the extended position of Figures 1 to 8. This way, the arms can be left retracted when the containment device is not in use to make it relatively compact for storage and transportation, until the device is to be installed on the tank 200. Then the arms are extended to a height suitable for hanging of the device on the tank manway flange to support the bottom of the collection body at a height at or shortly below the bottom of the manway, so that the device can be manually moved by small amounts to align the gasket-equipped frame members with the manway bottom and side flanges for clamping thereo..
l=igures 11A and 11B show an alternate embodiment hanger that also makes use of a spring to achieve automatic locking of the telescoping hanging arm in the fully extended position. In this embodiment, the arm 80' is a piece of holloe rectangular tubing having a cross section slightly smaller than the rectangular tubing of the vertical member 22 in which it is received. At the same height along the front end vertical frame member 22 that the upper one of the two through-holes 92 of the first embodiment hanger of Figure 9 is found, the front end vertical frame member 22' of the second embodiment hanger features a through-hole 92' in laterally outward side 22c thereof. To this same side is fixed a U-shaped member 100 having two parallel legs 100a that project perpendicularly outward from this side of the front end vertical frame member 22' and are interconnected at their distal ends by a central portion 100b that is perpendicular to the parallel legs. The U-shaped mernber 100 is positioned to span over the through-hole 92' in side 22c of the front end vertical frame member 22' with a through-hole 102 in the central portion of the U-shaped member 100 axially aligned with through-hole 92'. A pin 103 passes through aligned through-holes 92', 102 and has a stop-collar 104 or other structure of larger diameter than the shaft portions of the pin 103 passing through aligned through-holes 92', 102, this enlarged portion 104 projecting radially outward relative to the shaft portions and being positioned between the front end vertical frame member 22' and the central portion 100b of the U-shaped member 100. Between the stop collar 104 and the central portion 100b of the U-shaped member 100 is a compression coil spring 106 disposed about the pin shaft and having an inner diameter Iess than the diameter of the stop collar 104 and an outer diameter greater than through-hole 102. The spring forces the stop collar 104 against side 22c of the front end vertical frame member 22'.
The blind hole 86 in the solid arm 80 of the first embodiment hanger is replaced with a through-hole 86' through a side of the hollow tubular arm 80' facing side 22c of the front end vertical frame member 22' in the second embodiment hanger. When the arm 80' is pulled upward into the extended position, through-hole 86' aligns with through-holes 92', 102 and the force of the spring 106 pushing on the stop collar 104 and forcing an inner end 103a of the pin 103 further into the interior of the hollow front end vertical frame member 22' causes the inner end 103a of the pin 103 to slide into the interior of the hollow tubular arm 80' through the through-hole 86' therein. To retract the arm 80' back further into the front end vertical frame member 22' or to widthdraw it therefrom through the top end thereof, the pin 103 is pulled outward by a user against the spring force to retract the pin's inner end 103a out of the tubular arm 80' via through-hole 86' to once again allow sliding of the arm 80' within the front end vertical frame member 22'. The spring 106 between the stop collar 104 and the central portion 100b of the U-shaped member 100 limits movement of the stop collar 104 toward the central portion 100b to an amount insufficient to withdraw the inner end 103 a of the pin from through-hole 92'.
As shown in Figure 11A, an outer end 103b of the pin opposite the inner end 103a may be provided with a head 108 or other feature having an enlarged outer diameter relative to an adjacent portion of the pin to form a shoulder 110 which the user can use to better grip the pin for pulling thereof to release the telescoping arm frorn the locked extended position.
In this second hanger embodiment, the bottom of the front end vertical frame member 22' is closed ofP by a blocking plate 112 so that the arm 80' merely sits atop the blocking plate 112 in the retracted position, rather than being locked by a second locking mechanism on the same front end vertical frame member 22'. In other embodiments where the bottom of the front end vertical frame member 22' is left open, engagement of the hook 82 with the top end of the frame member 22 may instead defined the stop that determines the fully retracted position. In the embodiment using the pin-based locking mechanisms, the spring biased locking component is carried on the frame of the containment device, not the telescoping arm of fihe hanger. The telescoping arm 80' can thus be completely withdrawn from the front end vertical frame member 22' without fear of damage to or loss of any locking mechanism components. Such removal of the telescoping arms from the containment device after securing thereof to the tank using the clamping mechanisms is useful, for example to provide access to the manway flange at the portion of the manway left open above the collection body and frame of the containment device to allow securing of an additional covering over this portion during spray down, as describe herein further below. Alternatively, access to the manway flange above the collection body and frame ma be provided in another 5 embodiment by having the hook 82 mounted for swiveling about a vertical axis extending along the front end vertical frame member, so that after the containment unit is clamped to the manway flange, the arm can be unlocked and moved upward to disengage the hook from about the upper portion of the manway flange, where the hook can then be rotated or pivoted about this vertical axis to point away from the 10 manway flange so that the arm can be subsequently lowered back into its retracted position, leaving the manway filange unobstructed above it.
Further alternative locking mechanisms for locking of the arm 80 into the extended position may instead rely on completely removable pins rather than pin or ball and detent mechanisms carried entirely on the containment device itself.
15 However, the device-carried mechanisms of the illustrated embodiments have the advantages of avoiding the potential to lose, misplace or forget to bring pins and providing spring actuated automatic locking upon pulling of the arm into the extended position for hanging the device on the tank. Embodiments not featuring telescoping hanger arms could feature bolt holes in the front end vertical frame 20 members of the cflntainment device frame that are alignable with existing bolt holes in the manway flange to facilitate coupling thereto using bolts. Use of horizontally elongated bolt holes could accommodate variations in manway and manway flange widths from one tank to another.
The illustrate embodiment of the containment device features linearly extending strip-like planar brace members 94 extending diagonally upward from the side frame members 26, proximate the connection thereof to the rear end frame member 28, to the vertical frame members 22 to strengthen the frame 11 of the containment device for better support of the collection body 12. Each brace member 94 is fixed to the outer face of the vertical leg 26a of a respective one of the side frame members 26, opposite the face of this vertical leg 26a against which the respective side wall 16 of the collection body 12 sits against, proximate the lower end of the brace member so that one side of the planar brace member's faces toward the respective collection body side wall 16. An opposite end of the brace member is fixed to the respective vertical tubular frame member 22 at the face or side thereof opposite the gasket 30 at a position across this face proximate the inner face 22a facing the other vertical frame member 22 so that the brace members 94 sit in close proximity to the collection body 12 situated between them. Each brace member 94 connects to the respective vertical frame member 22 at a height therealong corresponding to the steeper second portion 16b of top edge of the respective side wall 16. The illustrated embodirnent also features a pair of generally D-shaped handies 96, each mounted to a respective one of the collection body side walls 16 on an exterior side thereof in a position beneath the respective brace member 94. The handles 96 project laterally outward away from the collection body's hollow interior, with the handle opening defined between the handle body and the respective side wall 16 opens about an axis parallel to the side wall and perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the brace member.
In use, the containment device is installed on the manway opening of the tank to seal against the flange thereof about a bottom portion of the manway opening so to catch materials flowing outward from the tank therethrough during one or more cleaning processes. An exemplary use of the containment device is outline in the following paragraphs.
First the containment is installed on the tank in a sealing arrangement with the manway flange as described herein above. In first cleaning step, the lid assembly of the collection body is completely opened and an operator passes a stinger through the resulting open top of the collection body of the containment device into the interior of the tank and operates in the stinger in a known manner to flush materials from the tank into the hollow interior of the collection body through the communicating manway opening of the tank and open front end of the collection body. Materials flushed into the hollow interior of the collection body by the stinger are removed from the containment device, for example using the suction hose of a vacuum truck.
The lid assembly of the containment device is then returned to the fully closed position to close of the top of the collection body and seal the interior thereof.
A water cannon connected to a high-pressure water source is mounted in a known manner on the manway flange of the tank for positioning above the collection body at a top portion of the manway opening left open thereabove and used to spray down the interior of the tank through this open top portion of the manway opening.
Installation of the water cannon may include mounting a covering to the tank in a position over the containment device and passing the high pressure fluid into the interior of the tank through an opening in the covering, so that the manway opening is substantially closed off in entirety around the water cannon. Canadian Patent Application No. 2,571,597 of the present applicant teaches a sheet or skirt like manway or door covering device described for covering a full access opening in an oil storage tank. Simply by cutting away a bottom portion of this covering or producing the covering without the bottom portion would allow use of such a device with that of the present application, the bottom portion being taught in the aforementioned to include a draped opening therein for passage of a vacuum truck suction hose therethrough, as the containment device described and illustrated herein would replace such a bottom portion of the sheet-like covering to complete full closure of the manway opening. During or after one or repeated cycles of spraying down the tank interior with the water cannon or jet, the suction hose of the vacuum truck can be used to empty out the interior of the collection body of the containment device without opening thereof. That is, when not spraying, the hose is passed through the closed lid assembly of the collection body through the cleanout opening, the seal of which is dimensioned to seal around the hose to ensure that the interior of the collection body remains closed off from the surrounding environment.
Once the jetting and vacuum cleanout operations are complete, the water cannon and cover are removed and the lid assembly of the containment device is once again opened. The operator then enters the interior of the tank with a pressure washer through the open top of the collection body and the open front end thereof communicating with the manway opening and uses the pressure washer wand to spray down the interior of the tank from with cleaning chemicals. The containment device remains installed during this step to continue collecting materials leaving the tank through the manway to prevent environment contamination. As the collection body of the illustrated containment device extends only a partial height of the manway opening when installed at the bottom thereof, a significant portion of the manway remains open to ensure the safety of the pressure washer operator therein by ensuring adequate air exchange and allowing quick uninterrupted escape from the tank interior in an emergency. Even if a person were to close the lid assembly with the operator in the tank, a good push on the second lid portion 52 from within the tank through the manway opening would be sufficient to release the resilient rubber straps 56 from the catches 60 to allow the lid to be quickly opened from within the tank with little effort. Other easy-release fasteners such as hook and loop fasteners could similarly be used to facilitate opening of the lid with little effort or manipulation.
It will be appreciated that the containment device may be used in any oil tank cleaning process conventionally carried out with a manway or other access opening of the tank in an open state, or may be used in place of other containment devices previously used to prevent or reduce the possibility of environmental contamination through such an opening. Used as described above, the containment device provides the advantage that it can be installed once and left in place through multiple cleaning processes requiring different degrees or positions of access to the manway opening.
Prototypes of the containment device have been produced using steel frame members and puck board collection body walls, lid portions and cleanout covering. Production of a future frame from aluminum components will reduce the overall weight of the device while still providing sufficient strength for its intended functions, while production of the walls and bottom of the collection body as a single integral unit, for example using plastic molding techniques, will minimize the 5 possibility of leakage and ease production by eliminating the need to not only fasten together different wall components, but take care to provide sufficiently tight seals therebetween to prevent oil, sand, water, cleaning chemicals or other debris or materials from escaping the collection body. It will be appreciated that other materials and constructions may also be applied, for example constructing the 10 collection body from metal or plastic sheet or panels.
Since various modifications can be made in my invention as herein above described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claims without department from such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall 15 be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.
Claims (23)
1. A containment device for installation on an access opening of an oil tank to contain materials exiting the oil tank through the access opening during cleaning, the containment device comprising:
a collection body having a hollow interior, a closed bottom, a top, opposing front and rear ends and opposing sides interconnecting said front and rear ends, the containment body being open at the front end and closed off at the rear end and sides by upwardly extending respective wall sections;
the front end of the containment cavity being arranged for removable mounting to the tank to communicate the access opening of the oil tank with the hollow interior of the collection body at the open front end thereof so that the collection body projects outward from the oil tank from about a bottom portion of access opening therein.
a collection body having a hollow interior, a closed bottom, a top, opposing front and rear ends and opposing sides interconnecting said front and rear ends, the containment body being open at the front end and closed off at the rear end and sides by upwardly extending respective wall sections;
the front end of the containment cavity being arranged for removable mounting to the tank to communicate the access opening of the oil tank with the hollow interior of the collection body at the open front end thereof so that the collection body projects outward from the oil tank from about a bottom portion of access opening therein.
2. The containment device according to claim 1 comprising gasket material installed on the front end of the collection body to extend along the bottom of the collection body and the sides thereof at the front end for sealing against the tank below and to the sides of the access opening therein.
3. The containment device according to claim 2 comprising mounting elements projecting outward from the open front end of the collection body along the bottom of the collection body and the sides thereof to support the gasket material.
4. The containment device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 comprising an openable lid positioned at the top of the collection body and movable between open and closed conditions respectively opening and closing off the top of the collection body.
5. The containment device according to claim 4 wherein the openable lid comprises first and second lid portions, the closed condition of the lid positioning the first lid portion to extend from the rear end of the collection body toward the front end thereof and position the second lid portion to extend upward from the first lid portion to position an upper end of the second lid portion over the open front of the collection body.
6. The containment device according to claim 6 wherein, with the lid in the closed condition, the second lid portion slopes upwardly and toward the open front end of the collection from a distance therefrom.
7. The containment device according to either one of claims 5 and 6 wherein the lid portions are movably attached to one another to facilitate lowering of the upper end of the second lid portion away downward from over the front of the collection body toward the first lid portion.
8. The containment device according to any one of claims 5 to 7 wherein the first lid portion is pivotally supported at the rear end of the collection body for pivoting of the lid portions together over the rear end of the collection body to open the top of the collection body.
9. The containment device according to any one of claims 1 to 9 further comprising a cleanout opening communicating the hollow interior of the collector body with an exterior thereof and arranged to allow passage of a vacuum hose into the interior of the collection body.
10. The containment device according to claim 9 comprising a cover movably supported on the collection body for movement between open closed position closing off the cleanout opening and an open position allowing access thereto.
11. The containment device according to claim 4 further comprising a cleanout opening in the lid, the cleanout opening being arranged to allow passage of a vacuum hose into the interior of the collection body with the lid in the closed condition.
12. The containment device according to any one of claims 5 to 8 further comprising a cleanout opening in the first lid portion of the lid, the cleanout opening being arranged to allow passage of a vacuum hose into the interior of the collection body with the lid in the closed condition.
13. The containment device according to any one of claims 9 to 13 comprising a seal disposed about the cleanout opening to seal against the vacuum hose when passed therethrough.
14. The containment device according to any one of claims 1 to 13 comprising clamping mechanisms operable to clamp the collection body to a flange surrounding the access opening of the tank.
15. The containment device according to any one of claims 1 to 14 wherein the collection body is smaller in height than the access opening of the tank so as to leave a top portion of the access opening unobstructed by the collection body.
16. The containment device according to any one of claims 1 to 15 comprising at least one hanger element connected to the collection body proximate the front end thereof and defining a respective hook by which the collection containment device can be hung from a top end of the access opening.
17. The containment device according to claim 16 wherein each hanger elements comprises a slidable arm on which the respective hook is carried, the slidable arm being lockable in an extended position projecting upward from the collection body further than a retracted position.
18. The containment device according to any one of claims 1 to 17 wherein the collection body comprising handles positioned exteriorly on the opposing sides thereof.
19. A method of cleaning an oil tank having an access opening therein, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) installing a containment device according to any one of claims 1 to 19 on the tank;
(b) passing a stinger through an open top portion of the collection body of the containment device into an interior of the tank and operating the stinger to flush materials from the tank into the hollow interior of the collection body through the access opening of the tank and the open front end of the collection body;
(c) removing the materials flushed into hollow interior of the collection body; and (d) uninstalling the containment device from the tank.
(a) installing a containment device according to any one of claims 1 to 19 on the tank;
(b) passing a stinger through an open top portion of the collection body of the containment device into an interior of the tank and operating the stinger to flush materials from the tank into the hollow interior of the collection body through the access opening of the tank and the open front end of the collection body;
(c) removing the materials flushed into hollow interior of the collection body; and (d) uninstalling the containment device from the tank.
20. The method according to claim 19 further comprising, prior to step (d), mounting a high pressure fluid line at the access opening of the tank above the containment device, closing the open top portion of the collection body and spraying down the interior of the tank through the access opening from a position above the containment device.
21. The method according to claim 20 wherein the step of mounting the high pressure fluid line comprises mounting a covering to the tank in a position over the containment device and passing the high pressure fluid into the interior of the tank through an opening in the covering to substantially close off the access opening entirely.
22. The method according to claim 19 comprising, prior to step (d), entering the interior of the tank through the open top portion of the collection body and spraying down the interior of the tank from within.
23. The method according to claim 21 further comprising, prior to step (d), removing the covering from the tank to reopen a portion of the access opening positioned above the containment device and entering the interior of the tank through the open top portion of the collection body and spraying down the interior of the tank from within.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2639516 CA2639516A1 (en) | 2008-09-09 | 2008-09-09 | Containment device and method for use in cleaning of an oil tank |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2639516 CA2639516A1 (en) | 2008-09-09 | 2008-09-09 | Containment device and method for use in cleaning of an oil tank |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2639516A1 true CA2639516A1 (en) | 2010-03-09 |
Family
ID=41820781
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2639516 Abandoned CA2639516A1 (en) | 2008-09-09 | 2008-09-09 | Containment device and method for use in cleaning of an oil tank |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2639516A1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US20160279676A1 (en) * | 2015-03-27 | 2016-09-29 | Danny Earp | Operation-Side Containment Structure For Automated Cleaning Of A Process Vessel |
-
2008
- 2008-09-09 CA CA 2639516 patent/CA2639516A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US20160279676A1 (en) * | 2015-03-27 | 2016-09-29 | Danny Earp | Operation-Side Containment Structure For Automated Cleaning Of A Process Vessel |
| WO2016160583A1 (en) * | 2015-03-27 | 2016-10-06 | Danny Earp | Operation-side containment structure for automated cleaning of a process vessel |
| US10610899B2 (en) | 2015-03-27 | 2020-04-07 | Danny Earp | Operation-side containment structure for automated cleaning of a process vessel |
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