US1643924A - Storage tank - Google Patents

Description

E. M. CLARK STORAGE TANK Sept. 27, 1927.

Filed Jan, 24. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lNVENTOR VEWV'Zi'CZark WITNESSES ATTORNEY Sept. 27, 1927. 1,643,924

E. M. CLARK STORAGE TANK Filed Jan, 24. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR WITNESSES 27. J14. Clark M BY M ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 27, 1927.

UNITED STATES EDWIN Hit-CLARK, OF GLARKSTON, MICHIGAN.

STORAGE TANK.

Application filed January 24, 1927. Serial No. 163,287.

My invention relates to storage tanks and particularly to a stora e tank adapted for containing liquids of di erent s ec i ties, as, for example water, an o1l such as crude oil, fuel oil, kerosene, gasoline, etc.,

hereinafter referred to as oil.

y to provide novel preventing losses while in storage,

losses.

The special object of my present invention is to provide a tank that is hermetically sealed and such as will provide against the presence of a space above the oil in which the vapors of evaporization would accumulate, and to provide for the expansion and contraction of the tanks contents as by natural changes in temperature while the invention has for its general object and I efiective means for of theoil by evaporation or at least minimizing the tank is hermetically sealed and withoutexposing the oil to the atmos here.

Reference is to be had to t e accompanying drawings forming apart of this spec1- fication, it being understood that the draw- 26 ings are merely illustrative of one example 1 of the invention.

Figure 1 is a vertical section of an Oll tank embodying my invention, parts being broken out for the urposes of the drawings; Figure 2 1s a detail in horizontal section as indicated bythe line 2-2 of Figure 1; Fi ure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing a slight modification, the section line of Figure 3 being indicated by the line 85 3-3 in Figure 4 and Figure 4 is a plan view of the tank shown in Figure 3.

In carrying out my invention in the form shown in Figure 1, the tank 10 has a hermetie roof 11 as well as a water pi e 12 and an oil pipe 13 for the entrance an withdrawal of water and oil respectively. The tank 10 is extended above the roof 11 to form a water basin designated 110. Rising from i the roof 11 is a well 14 having a screw plug 15 distant from the top and engaging an internal thread in said well 14 the numeral 16 indicates the bottom of the tank.

, In accordance with my invention I provide; a chamber 17 adjacentthe roof 11 of the tank and said chamber communicates by a pipe .18 with the bottom of basin 110 and communicates by its upturned lower end with the bottom of chamber 17 Said pipe 15.

c gravi- 18 is disposed adjacent one end of the chamber 17. At the opposite end of chamber 17 is provided a curved pipe 19. Said pipe 19 communicates at one end with the top of chamber 17 and extends upwardly through the roof 11 and then downwardly through said roof to communicate with the interior of the tank 10 beneath the roof. The pipe 19 constitutes in efiect a spillway at that end of the chamber 17 for the purpose of permitting the overflow of liquid to the tank 10.

A vent pipe 20 extends from the top of curved pipe 19 and is provided with a shutoff valve 21.v The numeral 23 indicates a vertical shield extending downwardly from roof 11 adjacent the pipe 19, and the numeral 24 indicates a similar shield depending from the roof 11 adjacent the oil pipe 13. The shield 23 forms a chamber leading to pipe 19 and the shield 24 forms a chamber leading to the pipe 13 to direct oil to'said pipe without undue disturbance of the contents of the tank, but it will readily be understood that the use of said shields is not absolutely necessary and they may be omitted.

In the use of the tank the water is initially pumped into the roof basin 110 and passes downwardly through pipe 18, through chamber 17 and pipe 19 to the main tank where the water settles in the bottom to provide a water cushion of the desired depth. The chamber 17 will remain filled with water. Oil is next pumped into the tank through pipe 13 until is reaches close to the roof. At this time the ventvalve 21 isopened and the well cover 15 removed. The pumping of the oil is continued until it issues from the vent 20, after which the vent is closed and the filling of the oil is continued until the oil rises in well 14 to the vane of the cover 15. After the well cover 15 is replaced and the vent valve 21 closed water may be poured into the well 14 above the cover 15 to form a water seal. Water is now pumped into the basin 110 in the desired quantity.

The letter A indicates a body of oil in the tank; B, the water cushion at the bottom of the tank; C, the water in the tank 110; c, the water in the chamber 17 a, the limited quantity of oil above the water in the chamber 17; a 0 indicates the oil in the well 14 and D, the water seal in well 14 above cover It willbe observed that the chamber 17 is slightly inclined so that a cushion of water will always remain at that end adjacent the pipe 18 establishing connection between said chamber and the basin 110.

It will be obvious that a rise of temperature and the consequent expansion of the oil A will cause the oil to be forced through pipe 19 into the chamber 17, thereby displacing the water in said chamber 17 and causing said water to be forced through the pipe 18 to basin 110. The residue of water will remain inchamber 17 the amount depending upon the capacity of said chamber to provide for the maximum expansion of the oil plus the presence of the water cushion in pipe 18. Manifestly the lowering of temperature and the consequent contrac tion of the oil content of the tank 10 will result in the reversal of the described action.

In Figures 3 and 4: a slight modification is shown. The numeral 210 in said figure indicates the main tank; 110, the roof basin as previously described; 112, the water pipe; 113, the oil pipe; 111, the roof; 11 1, the well; 116, the bottom; 117, the chamber corresponding generally with the chamber 17; 118, the pipe establishing communication between the chamber 117 and the roof basin 110; 119, the curved pipe connecting chamber 117 with the tank 210; 120, the vent pipe; 121, the vent valve in said pipe 120; 220 indicates a fun-nel on pipe 121. Shields 23 and 24 are designated as in Figure 1 as they have the same form and function as in Figure l. The letter A indicates the body of oil in tank 210; B, the Water cushion in the bottom of said tank; C, the water in the basin 110; c, the water in chamber 117 and a, oil in chamber 117.

In the form shown in Figures 3 and 4 the chamber 117 connects at one end with basin 110 by curved pipe 118 and at the left said chamber communicates with tank 210 by the pipe 119.

In the form shown in Figures 3 and 4 the pipe 119 is filled with oil to its apex by pouring the oil through the funnel 220 and pipe 120. Having in view the remote possibility of an air pocket being formed during the initial operation of filling the tank with oil and water, said air pocket would necessarily locate itself at the top of the pipe 119 and in such event an occasional opening for a moment of the vent valve 121 will instantly correct and continuously insure against the presence of the air pocket.

The chamber 117 is indicated as approximately the area of the tank, but said chamber may be smaller with good results.

It is to be observed that the main tank is always filled with liquid and the fullness is insured by constant pressure from without.

The numeral 22 indicates a pipe for draining chamber 11 whenever'necessary or desirable.

I would state furthermore that while the illustrated example constitutes a practical embodiment of my invention, I do not limit myself strictly to the exact details herein be considerably varied without departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a structure of the class described a main oil tank having a roof, a water basin above said roof, a liquid holder within the tank, means connecting said tank at one end with said holder at the top of the holder and means connecting said basin with said holder at the other end, at the bottom thereof.

2. In an oil storage tank, a main tankhaving a roof, a water basin above said roof, and a liquid holder within the tank, said holder communicating at one point with the tank and communicating at another point with said basin and having a slight incline.

3. In an oil storage tank a main tank having a roof, a water basin above said tank, a chamber in the tank near the roof, a pipe establishing communication with said chamber near one end and said basin, and a pipe establishing communication between said chamber near the opposite end and the interior of said tank near the roof; together with a vent pipe rising from said last mentioned connecting pipe.

4. In an oil storage tank a main tank having a roof, a water basin above said tank, a chamber in the tank near the roof, a pipe establishing communication with said chamber near one end and said basin, and a pipe establishing communication between said chamber near the opposite end and the interior of said tank near the roof; together with a vent pipe rising from said last mentioned connecting pipe, and means to receive oil and conduct the same to said vent p In an oil storage tank, a main tank having a roof, a water basin above said roof, a chamber within the tank, said chamber communicating at one point with the tank and communicating at another point with said basin; together with a well rising from the roof of the tank and a closure. for said well below the top thereof.

6. In an oil storage tank a main tank having a roof, a water basin above said tank, a chamber in the tank near the roof, a pipe establishing communication with said chamber near one end and said basin, a drain pipe leading from said first mentioned pipe, and a pipe establishing communication between said chamber near the opposite end and the interior of'said tank near the roof.

EDWIN M. CLARK.

illustrated, since, manifestly, the same can

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