US2141861A

US2141861A - Tank roof seam

Info

Publication number: US2141861A
Application number: US118706A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hahn Frederick; Leo W Schrader
Original assignee: Standard Oil Development Co
Current assignee: Standard Oil Development Co
Priority date: 1937-01-02
Filing date: 1937-01-02
Publication date: 1938-12-27
Anticipated expiration: 1955-12-27
Also published as: FR830644A

Description

' Dec. 27, 1938. F. HAHN ET AL TANK ROOF S EAM Filed Jan. 2, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet l Zjlllllll Dec. 27, 1938. F. HAHN ET AL 2,141,861

TANK ROOF SEAM Filed Jan. 2, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Dec. 27, 1938 UNITED STATES TANK noon seam Frederick Hahn, Union, and Leo W. Schradcr, Elizabeth, N. J'., assignors to Standard Oil Development Company, a corporation of Delaware Application January 2, 1937, Serial No. 118,706

8Claims.

The present invention relates to a tank for combustible materials in which the roof or a portion of it may be secured to the remaining structure of the tank in such manner as to accomplish the rapid and automatic release ofabnormal or destructive pressures developed within the tank as a result of an explosion or excessive heating of the tank contents.

More particularly, this invention relates to the means whereby such release of pressure may be accomplished without damage to the other portions of the tank and without uncontrolled release of its contents.

The invention may be fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like parts are designated by similar numbers and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view from beneath and partly in cross section of a tank roof secured to the tank in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view from above and partly in cross section of a tank roof showing an alternate construction according to the invention.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a portion of a tank showing an alternate means for securing the roof to the tank walls.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a portion of a tank showing another means according to the invention.

' Fig. 5 is a perspective view from above and partly in cross section showing another form of construction according to the invention. 7

Fig. 6 is a perspective view from above a section of a tank showing still another form of construction according to the invention.

Referring to Fig. 1, the numeral l designates a tank having sidewalls 2, an annular angle brace 3 secured to said walls at the upper edge thereof, and a roof 4. The roof 4 is composed of overlapping plates 5 and is joined to the sidewalls 2 by means of clip members 6 secured to the roof in spaced relation circumferentially thereof and provide for frictional engagement with the substantially horizontal portion 1 of the angle brace 3. In eifect, the angle brace 3 may, for the purpose of this invention, be considered as part of the roof and the roof may then be described as having a separable portion and a portion rigidly secured to the tank walls. A gasket or caulking material 8 may be interposed between the roof plates 5 and the portion 1 to provide a vapor tight seal. The clip members 6 are substantially Z-shaped and are secured to the roof by means of rivets 9 or otherwise. As shown, the members 6 may be formed as one piece consisting of substantially horizontal arms Ill and H spaced from each other and joined by means of a vertical portion l2. The arms II are of suflicient length to provide rigid engagement with the roof plates 5. The vertical portion I2 is approximately equal in length to the thickness oi the portion 1 of the angle brace 3. The length of the arm I 0 may be varied according to the position of the clip 6 with relation to the roof edge and according to the degree of resistance to pressure within the tank for which provision is to be made. Ordinarily, the length 01' this arm should be sumcient so as to provide engagement with the portion I for a distance of from to 1".

In the alternate structure shown by Fig. 2, the portion permanently secured to the sidewalls consists of the annular angle brace 3 and the outer strake of roof plates 5. v The inner strake of roof plates overlaps the outer strake in the usual manner and in this instance is secured to the outer strake by means of the Z-shaped clip members 6 which in this form of construction are secured in spaced relation circumferentially of the upper surface of the outer strake of roof plates in such manner as to frictionally engage the edge of the next inner strake.

In Fig. 3 is shown a section of a structure substantially similar to that shown in Fig. 1, in which the clip member 6 is angular in cross section having a horizontal arm l3 and a vertical arm It, by which latter the clip is secured to the root plates 5 by welds l5.

Fig. 4 illustrates another form of clip member 6 in which this member, substantially angular in cross section, is formed of two substantially iiat strips l6 and I1, one longer than the other, the longer strip i6 forming the horizontal arm of the angular clip and the shorter strip I! the vertical arm, the two parts of the clip member thus formed being secured to the roof plates by means of bolts l8 or the like.

Fig. 5 illustrates another variation of structure according to the invention and specifically a means providing for selective. adjustment of the sensitivity of the device in releasing pressure within the tank and for insuring a vapor tight seal between the separable and fixed portions. As shown, the angle brace 3 is secured to the outer face of the tank sidewalls 2 and the clip members 6 are secured thereto in the usual manner by means of rivets, bolts or welding. The free arm oi. the clip, however, is provided with a bolt hole, as is the angle brace 3 at a point coinciding with that of the clip member and a bolt I9 is passed therethrough and loosely secured. The roof plates 5, at the points engaged by the clip members 6, are provided with slots into which the bolts l9 may pass when the plates are laid in position. A similarly slotted gasket 2| may be disposed between the roof plate and the angle brace 3. When the structure is assembled, the bolts is may be drawn up to any extent desired either to increase the effectiveness of the gasket or by increasing the frictional resistance between the parts, to increase the resistance of the separable portion to pressure within the tank.

Fig. 6 illustrates a structure in which the clip members are formed of single fiat strips 22 secured to that portion of the roof fixedly secured to the tank sidewalls 2. As shown, the angle brace 3 is disposed upon the outer surface of the walls 2 at the upper edge. The first strake of plates 23 is rigidly affixed to the angle brace at their outer edge and have affixed to their under surface by means of a weld 24 an annular member 25 which provides a ledge upon which the next strake of. plates 26 may be disposed. A gasket material 2'! is inserted between the edge of the two strakes. The clip members 22 are disposed at spaced intervals circumferentially of the inner edge of the outer strake of plates on the upper surface thereof and secured thereto by means of bolts 20. If desired, the outer edges of the plates forming the strake 26 may be slotted and the clip members 22 bolted to the member 25 in order to obtain a structure providing for adjustability, as described in connection with Fig. 5.

As may be noted from the drawings, the clips 6 cooperate with the roof plates 5 to form a plurality of U-shaped slots, the upper and lower sides of which frictionally engage the upper and lower surfaces of that portion permanently secured to the tank walls.

In service, the generation of excessive pressure below the tank roof will cause the separable portion of the roof to bulge upwardly, -thereby shortening its span and causing it to be disengaged from that portion permanently secured to the tank walls. This permits the separable portion to disengage itself from the tank and move upwardly under the force of the pressure within so as to accomplish the release of such pressure.

The foregoing description is illustrative only, various changes being possible within the scope of the appended claims as, for example, the disposition of the angle brace on either the inner or outer surface of the tank walls or the utilization of the means for adjusting the resistance of the structure to pressure as shown by Fig. 5 or described in connection with Fig. 1 and it is intended to claim all novelty inherent in the invention as broadly as the prior art permits.

We claim:

1. In a roof for storage tanks including a separable portion and a portion fixedly secured to the tank wall, a means for joining said portions comprising a plurality of clip members secured in spaced relation circumferentially of one portion and forming therewith a series of slots adapted to receive in frictional engagement the adjoining edge of the other portion, the span of said separable portion being variable under positive pressure from within the tank, to an extent suificient to disengage said portion from the portion fixedly secured to the tank wall.

2. A roof for storage tanks according to claim 1 in which said clip members are secured in spaced relation circumferentially of the upper surface of that portion of the roof fixedly secured to the tank wall.

3. A roof for storage tanks according to claim 1 in which said clip members are secured in spaced relation circumferentially of the under surface of the separable portion oi the roof.

4. In a roof for storage tanks including a separable portion and a portion fixedly secured to the tank wall, means for separably joining said portions, comprising a plurality of substantially Z-shaped clip members, means for securing said members to one portion of said roof to form with said roof portion a plurality of slots adapted to receive, in frictional engagement, the adjoining edge of the remaining portion.

5. In a roof for storage tanks, including a separable portion and a portion fixedly secured to the tank wall, means for separably joining said portions, comprising a plurality of angular clip members each having a horizontal arm and a vertical arm, means for securing said members to one of said roof portions whereby said horizontal arms are spaced from the last mentioned roof portion by the vertical portions of said arms and.

form therewith slots adapted to receive, in frictional engagement, the adjoining edge of the remaining portion oi the roof.

6. A means for separably joining two portions of a roof for storage tanks according to claim 5, in which the angular clip members consist of two substantially fiat strips one longer than the other, the longer strip forming the horizontal arm and the shorter strip the vertical arm.

7. In a roof for storage tanks including a separable portion and a portion fixedly secured to the tank wall, a means for joining said portions comprising a plurality of clip members secured by one end in spaced relation circumferentially of one portion and forming therewith a series of slots adapted to receive in frictional engagement the adjoining edge of the other portion, a bolt passing through the free end of each of said clip members and through the portion of said roof to which the clip is secured and slots in the edge of the other portion adapted to receive said bolts, the span of the separable portion being variable under positive pressure from within the tank to an extent sufficient to disengage said portion from the portion fixedly secured to the tank wall.

8. In a roof for storage tanks including a separable portion and a portion fixedly secured to the tank wall, a means for joining said portions comprising an annular member secured to one face of one of said portions to form a ledge projecting beyond the edge thereof, a plurality of clip members secured to the other face of said portion, in spaced relation circumferentially and projecting beyond the edge thereof to form with said ledge a plurality of slots adapted to frictionally receive the adjoining edge of the other portion of said roof, the space of the separable portion being variable under positive pressure from within the tank to an extent sufilcient to disengage said portion from the portion fixedly secured to the tank wall.

FREDERICK HAHN. LEO W. SCHRADER.