US1898378A - Cover for fuel tank openings - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 21, 1933. MCINTYRE 1,898,378

COVER FOR FUEL TANK OPENINGS Filed Dec. 22, 1930 2y f/wy g AW 6 Patented Feb. 21, 1933 "UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRANCIS R. MCINTYRE, OF OGDEN, IOWA oovnn non FUEL TANK ornivnvcs Application filed December 22, 1930. Serial No. 504,037.

This invention relates to the removal of arrangement and combination of the various inflammable fuel from railway tank cars in parts of the device, whereby the objects conwhich a vertically arranged pipe is usually templated are attained, as hereinafter more inserted in the manhole, said pipe extending fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and

downwardly into the tank to a point'near its illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in

bottom and detachably connected to a suitwhich: able pump pipe. Figure 1 is an end elevation of a tank car On account of the manhole opening ofthe showing the manner in which the pump pipe tank beinglarger than the pump pipe, it will is applied thereto while emptying the car, 0 readily be seen that a comparatively large and the manner in which my improved cover open space exists around the pipe through is applied to the pipe and the tank. which particles of dirt and hot cinders may Figure 2 is a detail sectional view taken on enter. The hot cinders sometimes set fire the line 22 of Figure 1. to the fuel within the tank, causing the loss Figure 3 is a detail sectional view taken on 15 of human life. the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

To overcome the possibilty of such ac- Figure 4 is an enlarged side elevation of cidents, the operators are required to stuff my improved cover in a folded position, as the space around the pipe with water soaked applied to the pump pipe. burlap or similar material, so that any hot Figure 5 is'a detail sectional view of'the O cinders will be excluded from the interior upper end of the cover as applied to a segof the tank and extinguished by engaging the mental portion of the pump pipe. wet burlap. In the accompanying drawing, I have used The use of the water soaked burlap is very the reference numeral 10 to indicate the railundesirable for the reason that in the winter way car on which is supported a fuel tank 11 it freezes and it is almost impossible to use it of ordinary construction, having an upward- 175 with any degree of satisfaction. In warmer lyprojecting drum-portion 12 in its upper weather, the water soaked burlap is often side. The head 13 of said drum isprovided stored away in some corner of a building and with a manhole opening 14:. often causes fire by spontaneous combustion. A cover plate is always provided for the p Furthermore, the wet burlap is unhandy and manhole opening, which is fixed in position often is not used. to cover the opening during transportation, It is, therefore, the object of this invention said cover being removed at the time it is to provide simple and inexpensive means, desired to remove the fuel. Said cover is not which is always accessible and which may be here illustrated inasmuch as it forms no part easily and quickly applied to the manhole of this invention. opening at the time the pump pipe is placed Supported horizontally above the tank 11 therein, which is practically fireproof and is a pump pipe 15, also of ordinary construcwill not freeze. tion, and provided with pumping means not More specifically it is the object of my inillustrated for drawing fuel out of the tank vention to provide a cover of pliable material 11. The pipe 15 is provided with an elbow which may be adjustably mounted on the deportion 16 having a flange 17 to which a simitachable portion of the pump pipe, so arlar flange 18 is secured by means of suitable ranged that it may be open to a substantially bolts 19. The flange 18 is designed to supcone shaped form to completely cover the port a pipe'20, the lower end of which pro- 495 opening, and to permit hot cinders and parjects downwardly into the tank 11, termitioles of dirt to roll off of its surface by nating near the bottom of said tank. gravity, and at the same time provides means My improved cover comprises a substanwhereby the cover may be easily and quickly tially cone shaped member 21, preferably folded into compact form. formed of pliable material, such as canvas,

This invention consists in the construction, and having its base edge provided with a hem E 22 to form a reinforcement for said edge. The hem portion is provided with a series of perforations 23 adapted to receive ropes or other similar devices by means of which the lower edge of the cover may be tied down if so desired. Ordinarily I find that the use of tie strings is not necessary.

The apex end of the member 21 is provided with an opening 24 for receiving the pipe 20. The said opening 24 is reinforced by a collar 25, which is also formed of pliable material such as canvas, formed by doubling the material one or more times upon itself, and sewing the folded portions together, then forming the folded member into a ring or collar which is placed inside of the opening 24 and stitched to the member 21. The collar 25 is then slid on the pipe 20 to a point near its upper end and secured in position by means of a metal clamp 26, having a bolt 27 and a thumb nut 28 for applying tension to the clamp, whereby the cover member may be slidably mounted on the pipe 20 to accommodate tanks of various elevations.

The binding cord 29 is provided, the central portion of which is fixed to one side of the member 21, with both ends free, in such a manner that the cover may be folded around the pipe and finally tied in the manner clearly illustrated in Figure 4.

The pliable material from which the cover is formed is treated with fireproofing material, so that any hot cinders or the like falling on the cover will not cause the cover to burn.

In practical operation the pipe 20 is detached from the pipe 15 when not in use. When it is desired to empty a tank, the operator grasps the pipe 20, which has on it the cover member 21 folded in the manner illustrated in Figure 4. The pipe is then inserted through the opening 14 of the tank. The upper end is then secured to the pipe 15. The cord 29 is then untied and the cover member spread out with the hem 22 resting on the head 13 and around the edges of the opening 14, in the manner illustrated in Figure 2.

The collar 21 is elevated to such a point that the sides of the cover will assume a steep inclined position, so that any hot cinders or the like falling on the side of the cover will roll off to position on top of the metal head 13.

If the Weather is windy, it may be necessary to Weight the hem 22 or apply ropes or cords through the openings 23.

By this arrangement it will be seen that I have provided a very simple and effective cover which is permanently connected to the pipe 20, and which may be easily and quickly placed into operative position, and when so placed all danger of dust and hot cinders entering the tank will be eliminated.

It will further be seen that I have provided a cover which eliminates the objections to the methods heretofore used, inasmuch as the device is always accessible and overcomes the tendency of the operator to neglect the duty of covering the opening on account of the time required and the inconvenience in handling a frozen cover.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a pipe member, a cone shaped cover member formed of pliable fireproof material, and means for binding said cover in a collapsible condition adjacent to said pipe.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a pipe member, a cone shaped cover member formed of pliable fireproof material, and means for binding said cover in a collapsible condition adjacent to said pipe, the bottom edge of said cover being provided with perforations, for the purposes stated.

3. In a device of the class described, a cone shaped cover formed of pliable material having an opening in its apex end, a reinforcing collar formed of pliable material for said opening, a metal clamp surrounding said collar for adjustably mounting the same on a pipe, and a binding cord having its central portion attached to said cover.

4. In a device of the class described, a cone shaped cover formed of pliable material having an opening in its apex end, a reinforcing collar formed of pliable material for said opening, a metal clamp surrounding said collar for adjustably mounting the same on a pipe, a binding cord having its central portion attached to said cover, and a series of perforations in the base edge of said cover.

FRANCIS R. MoINDYRE.

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