US1554773A

US1554773A - Thief-hole cover for liquid containers

Info

Publication number: US1554773A
Application number: US640626A
Authority: US
Inventors: John H Wiggins
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1923-05-21
Filing date: 1923-05-21
Publication date: 1925-09-22
Anticipated expiration: 1942-09-22

Description

J. H, WIGGINS THLEF HOLE covmron LIQUID CQNTAINERS Ftlid Hay. 21, 192:5 2 Sheets-Sheet l sept. 22, 1925.

Sept. 22, 1925.

- J. H. wlGGlNs THIEF HOIJE COVER FOR LIQUID CONTAINERS mea uw 21, 192s f 2 sheets-snaai 2 IN VEN TOR N m wr T #um J, Vl B instrument to determine the depth or ap-' proximate quantity of the oil in the tank.

Patented Sept. 22, 1925.

' UNITED STATES JOHN n. WIGGINS, `OF BARTLESVILLE OKLAHOMA.

TIIIEF-HOLE COVER FOR LIQUID CONTAINERS. -l

Application led May 21, 1923. Serial No.\640,628.

To all whom t may concem Be it knownthat I, JOHN H. WIGGINs, a

citizen of the yUnited States, residing at Bar- .h tlesville, Oklahoma, have invented a certain.

new and useful Improvement in Thief-Hole Covers for Liquid Containers, of which the following is a'full, clear, andeXact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make'and use the same. -v

This invention relates tofdevices of the kind that are known commercially'as thief hole covers, namely, closures such as are used on oil storage tanks for coveringthe vgauging hole in the roof or top of the tank through which a gauger inserts a measuring One object of my present invention is to provide a thief hole cover, which, in addition to effectively sealing the contents of the tank from the atmosphere, also serves as a differential pressure regulator that will automatically relieve an abnormal internal presi sure in the container on which it is used andpermit air to enter the container during the operation of withdrawing liquid from same.

Another object is to provide a vthief hole cover of the general kind referred to which is so constructed that it can be opened and retained in its open position by pressure applied to same by the gaugers foot, and when said pressure is relieved, will close automaticallyand remain in such condition that it seryes as a differential pressure regulator for the container.

.Another `Objectis to provide a' combined differential pressure regulator and liquid sealed thief hole cover which is'so constructed that gases can escape from the interior` of the container, in the `event of an abnormal internal pressure, and air can enterv the container during the operation Of withdrawing liquid therefrom without liability of destroying the liquid seal or liquid seal inoperative.

And still another object is to .provide a liquid sealed thief hole cover which is so constructed that the sealing liquid which drips off the lid Or movable element of the cover"when vit is moved into its open position' will be collected and conducted back into the reservoir which holds the sealing liquid. Other Objects and desirable features of luy-invention will be hereinafter pointed out.

rendering the Figure 1 ofthe drawings is a vertical cross-sectional view Of a combined thief constructed in accordance with my invention. t

.Figure 2 is a top plan view of the stationary member ofthe device that contains ole cover and differential pressure regulator the reservoir for the sealing liquid; andy l Figure 3 is a bottom plan View ofthe lid or movable element of the device. 4

My improved thief hole cover consists of a stationaryV member A adapted to be connected to the roof or top 1 of the liquid voon'- tainer at a point in alignment with a hole or -opening in said roof 1 and ka movable member or lid B that is normally arrangedover the membenA, as shown in Figure l, 'The member A is of circular form in general outline and is reservoir 2 that 1s adapted to contain a sealing liquid w which receives an annular sealing device 3 on the underside of the lid B,

rovided with an annular i thus producing a liquid seal that effectively cuts Ofi' the contents of'the container from.`

the atmosphere. The lid B is of slightly greater diameter than the member A and is hinged to said member by a pintle pin 4 that passes through a depending 'hingemember 5 on the lid that is embraced by ia pairof laterally-projecting ears 6 on the member A.

In order lthat the device will erform the' dual function of a liquid s eale thief hole coverl and differential pressure regulator, I construct the members A and B in such a` mannerthat gases can break through the liquid seal in case an abnormal internal presysure is crea ed 1n the contalner, thus automatically rel eving the internal pressure, and air can break through said liquid seal andenter the container when liquid is being withdrawn from the container, thereby automatically relieving the vacuum that is created in the` container during the operation of withdrawing liquid-from same. In the form of ymy invention hereinillustrated'this 1s effected by designing the members A and `B .in such a way that spaces or passagewaysy are provided between the member B and the upper portion of the member A and between the lower edge of the sealing device 3 and the bottom-of the liquid reservoir`2 when the. lid or movable member B is in its closed positioni, as shown in. Ifigure 1. One convenient way of mamtaining the members A and B in approximately the relative position tions von which the underside o 20 rests when said lid is in its closed positlon.

. The' liquid -reservoir 2 is preferablyl sub- 3, that bearl upon the bottom of the lliquid reservoir 2, thereby holding the major portion of the bottom edge ofthe sealing device 3 spaced awayr from the bottom of 4the liquid reservoir 2 inthe' member A and maintaining the underside of the membenB spaced slightly away from the top edge of .the member A. Obviously, the same result could be obtained by forming spaced lugsv or projections. on the bottom of the liquid reservoir on which the sealing device 3 of the lid-B rests when said lid isv in its closed p0- sition, or by providing the -upper edge of the member A with spaced lugs or projeci" the 11a B.

stantially wedge-.shaped in vertical cross section, or is of greater width at its upper end than at its llower end so as-to prevent the sealing liquid from being displaced from or carried out of the liquid reservoir 2 by gases escaping from the container lor by air l which is drawn into the container during the operation of withdrawing liquid from the container. I also prefer to make' the outer wall of. the liquid reservoir 2 deeper or slightly higher than the inner wall 'of said reservoir and provide said inner wall with overflow holes 7, as shown in Fi ure 1. If

, an abnormal pressure is created 1n the con-v tainer. due to an internal explosion or to the accumulation .of-a large quantity of gases,

i said pressure will be exerted on the portion of the sealing liquid lying between the inner wallof the liquid reservoir 2 and the inner side of the sealing device 3, thus causing the sealing liquid to rise in the space between the outer wall of the liquid reservoir 2 and the outer side of the sealing device 3.

Owing tothe fact that this space increases gradually in width or Sarea from its lower towards its upper end, there is little liabilityv ofthe sealingliquid vbeing discharged. from,

.the reservoir 2 with the escaping gases, be-

5l) cause the escaping gases will break through-A the 'liquid beforethe liquid has risen-to theupper `edge .of the 'outer wall of the liquid reservoir2. In other words, if the internal 3 and theinner wall of the reservoir 2 one inch, the liquid lying between the sealing de.-

vice 3 and the outer wall ofthe liquid reser- -voir will riseconsiderably less than one inch,

160 due to the fact 'that the space between said outer wall and sealing device increases from its lower towards its upper end. When the -'liquid is being withdrawn from the con-- f tainer the vacuum that is created in the container 4is exerted on the portion of the sealing liquid lying between the sealing device 3 and the inner wall of the liquid reser- Voir 2 in such a way that the liquid in'this space will rise and the liquid in the space between the sealing device 3 and the outer wall oi the liquid reservoir will drop. The liquid in the -space between the inner wall of the reservoir 2 `and the sealing device 3 rises upwardly until it reaches the overfiow holes 7 in said inner wall, whereupon some of the liquid will pass into the container through said overflow holes, the space above Said overflow holes then functioning as a separating space for bubbles of air entering the container, and thus preventing too much. or' the liquid from splashing out of said reservoir into the container. When the operation of withdrawing' liquid from the tank ceases, the sealing -liquid in the space between the sealing device 3 and the inner wall of the reservoir 2 drops downwardly and the liquid in the space between said sealing device and the outer wall of the reservoir 2 rises, thus causing the sSealing device 3 to be submerged in a body of .liquid thatieectively seals the container. wWhen liquid is being introduced into the container, the sealing liquid inthe space between the .sealing device 3 and the outer wall of the reservoir 2 rises, but on account of the V-shape, crosssectional form of'said reservoir the sealing liquid' will not rise high enough to splash out of s-iid reservoirvonto thetop 1 ofthe container; While some of the sealing liquid escapes fronithe reservoir 2 into 'the con tainer, as above'described, duringthe operaltion of withdrawing liquid from the con-4 tainer, thls is not objectionable,because the -ga`ugerwill replenish the sealing liquid in the reservoir 2 whenever he sees that it contains less than the required quantity of sealing liquid by emptying his gaugingdevice into said reservoir, thus insuring that the reservoir 2 will always contain an adequate supply of fresh sealing liquid, usually oil, which is. no t sticky -or gummy enough to prevent "it from functioning properly to admit air to the container during' the operation of withdrawing liquid from same and torelieve the pressure in the container .during the. operation of filling the same.

To facilitate the opening and closing of the lid or 4movable member B of theldevice pressure in the container is suliqcient to dis'- I prefer to provide said lid with a foot piece` 55 place the liquid between .the sealing device` 8 arranged 'adjacent the hinge between said lid and the member, A land equipped with an angularlyfdisposed, upturned portion 8a on which the gauger can-place his foot and exert downwardpressure, so as to swing the lid upwardly to withdraw the sealing device `3 from the liquid reservoir 2 and 'unc'overthe opening. in the roof 1 of the container which the stationary member A of the device surrounds. Preferably, the foot piece 8 is so'vproportioned and designed that yus dicated bybroken lines in Figure 1, the lid vB will be fully open. When the gauger removes his foot from the angularly-disposed ravity'ycauses said lid to swing downwardly intoits closed position, thus causing the contents of the container to be cut oli from the nectin atmosphere, but in'sucha way'that air'can en r the container to relieve the vacuum when liquidi is' 'being'withdrawn from. the container, vand gases can, escape from the container, in the event an`abnormal pressure is created in the, container. The particular styl'e or type of hinge. that is used for conthe lid B to the member A is immatrlal, but I prefer to form the hinge member' on the foot. piece 8 on the4 lid B,

- liquid `I provide. the stationary member A of the device with a laterally-.projecting porso as to reducel the cost and simplify the construction of the device and enable the lidto be formed from a' casting offsimple de'si I also prefer to' provide the lid B' with a e- `pending ange 9 at its peripheral edge that projects downwardly slightly below the top -edge ofthe outer wall of the liquid reservoir 2, but which is spaced .slightly away from said wall, as shown in Figure 1, when thelid of the devicel is in its closed position, said flange operating to prevent rain from get`.

' ting into the sealing-reservoir 2.

When the lidB is swung upwardly into its open position some of the sealing liquid .adheres to the sealing device 3 on-said lid. In order to collect and recover this adhering tionV 10 arranged on the outer wall of the liquid reservoir 2 at a point above the hinge lugs or ears 6 onthe member' A, :so that it 'will forma cup which receives liquid that' dri s oi the sealing device 3 of the lid when sai' lid is in its raised position, said lid also being provided with a. laterally-projecting portion 10, as shown in Figure 3, that extends over said drip'cup10,the liquid 4that back into thevliquid reservoir 2.

collects in the cup 10 draining out ofsame A thief hole cover of the. construction above described leffectively seals thecontents ofthe liquid container on which it isused from the atmosphere, and it serv'es as a differential pressure regulator to automatically.- -relieve a vacuum or van abnormal pressurey in the container. Consequently, 1t overco'mes the necessity of equipping an oil storage tank with two'separate devices, as has heretofore been the usual practice, namely,`

' with a thief -hole cover and an automatlc `-vent device; it is of such design ,that the lid 'of -sarne can be swung into its open -position -and retained in its open position by the foot of the gauger, and `when the gaugers 'Y foot is' removed from the foot piece 8 of the cover, said cover will return automatically a device is inexpensive to manufacture and itis easy to install, as it is only .composed of-two'partsof simple de esign,` one of'which 70 portion 8n of the foot piecedn the l1d,B,

ervoir at a point above the` hinge of said lid for receivingliquid that-drips'of said 85 lid when the lid is in its raised position.

2. A combined thief hole cover and dii'erential pressure regulator for liquid containers, comprising a stationary member ada t'- ed to be connected tothe top or roof *o a'90 container and provided with an annular reservoir that is adapted to contain' a sealing liquid, hin e ears on said memberjthat project. latera ly from "the outer wall of said reservoir, a lid pivotally connected tov said 96 hinge ears and provided with an annular `sealing'device that'` projects downinto said reservoir, spaced lugslon the lower edge of said sealing device that rest on th bottom of said reservoir when saidlid is closed, Aa ,100

foot 'piece 011 said lid having-an upturned portion on which the user exerts pressure with his yfoot to swing thelid'into its open position, and a drip cup on said stationary member projecting laterally from saidres- 106 ervoir at a point above said hinge ears' for receiving and collecting'liquid that drips of the lid when thelid is raised. 3. A combined thief holepcover and dit? `ferential pressure regulatorfor'liquid con- 110 tainers, comprising a stationary member vadapted to be connected to the vtop or roof Iaf a container and provided with an annular reservoirthat is adapted to contain a sealing liquid, hinge ears on said member that project laterally from the -outer wall of said reservoir, a lid pivotally connected to said hinge ears ,and provided with an annular sealing'devlce that projects down into said reservoir, spaced lugs on the lower edge of said sealing ldevice thatrest on the bttom of said reservoir when said lidl is closed, aJ foot piece on said lid having an upturned portion on which the user-exerts pressure with his foot to swing the lid into its open l being of substantially wedge shape in vertical cross section and provided with an outer wall of greater height or depth than. its inner wall, overflow Vholes in the inner Wall of said reservoir, and a depending flange on lsaid lid that projects downwardly below the top' .edge of the outer wall of said reservoir.

Il. A combined thief hole cover and pressure regulator for liquid containers, comprising a stationary member adapted to be connected to the top or roof of a container and provided with a reservoir that,is adapted to hold a sealing liquid, said reservoir' being substantially wedge-shaped in cross section and having the top edge of its outer` Wall terminating ata higher point than the top edge of its inner wall, a movable lid,

- and a sealing device on said lid projecting downwardly into said reservoir and having spaces or passageii-'ays'between its lower edge and the bottom of the reservoir, said i, through the l passageway betweensaid seala Y 1,554,779.A

ing'device and the inner Wall of said (reservolr,

5. A 'combined thief hole cover and pres.

sure regulator for liquid containers, comprising a stationary'member adapted to be connected to the topor roof of a container and provided with a reservoir that is' adapted to hold a' sealing liquid, said reservoir beingl substantially Wedge-shaped in cross section and having the top edge ofA itsouter wall -terminating at a higher -point than the to edge of its inner wall, overflow holes in sai inner wall adjacent the top edge o f same, a

movable lid, and a sealing device on-said lid projecting downwardly into said reser-v voir and having spaces or passageways'between its lower edge and the bottom of the reservoir, said sealing device being spaced away from the inner and outer walls of said reservoir andV the top edge of the inner wall of said reservoir being. spaced away from the underside of the lid so as to permit air or gases to enter or escape from the con-A tainer through the passageway between said sealing device andthe inner wall of said reservoir.

JOHN HQWIGGINS. I