US2351210A - Immersing vat - Google Patents

Description

F. HOBBS IMMERSING VAT June 13, 1944.

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INVENTOR i qjullcd ATTORNEYS Patented June 13, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,351,210 IMMERSING. vA'r Frank Hobbs, seaflewah. Application A ril 12, 1943,. Serial no. 482,722

1 Claim. (01521-62) My invention relates to animmersing vat and a more particularly to a vat for immersing timbers in inflammable liquid preservatives.

In the preservative treatment of wooden timbers by immersion it is not only desirable that the entire outer surface of the timber be coated by the fluid preservative, but also that the process be carried on with the minimum of exposure of the workmen to a fire hazard as well as to skin burns and the like resulting from contact with the liquid employed. No satisfactory equipment has heretofore been available for the solution of the problem presented by such an immersion procedure, and this constitutes a definite deficiency in the prior art.

Having in mind the above defects of the prior art, it is an object of my invention to provide an immersion vat that will accommodate timbers in a manner to insure complete immersion and thorough coating of the outer surfaces thereof.

Another object of my invention is to provide, in an immersion vat of the type described, means that will insure complete immersion and without exposure of the operator to undesirable contacts with the liquid preservative being employed.

A still further and more specific object of my invention is the provision, in a vat of the type described, of precautionary means that will insure maximum protection of adjacent installations and the operators from a fire hazard and do so without interference in high speed practice of the immersion method.

The foregoing objects and others ancillary thereto I prefer to accomplish as follows:

According to a preferred embodiment of my invention, I provide a fluid containing vat of suitable size and shape to accommodate timbers to be immersed. Along one border of the vat is a feed table across which pass the members on their way to the immersion vat, and on the opposite side or border of the vat is a receiving and draining table for the reception of immersed timbers immediately after the immersion step. Over the vat a suitable guide rail means is mounted under which the material being immersed must pass from entrance to exit from the vat to insure complete and satisfactory im-,

mersion. Above the vat, gravity actuated cover panels are mounted for the purpose of sealing the vat during periods of non-use. These covers are so retained by means of fusible elements that, in the event that a fire should start, the covers will swing shut and seal the vat from an external source of oxygen forthe purpose of controlling The novel features that I consider characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claim. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understoodfrorn'the following description of a specific embodiment when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Figure l is a perspective view of my-immersing vat;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the immersing vat, illustratingthe manner of feeding material to and withdrawing such from the vat;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of an immersing shoe; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the closure retaining means employed in connection with the vat.

An immersing vat, to overcome the defects hereinbefore enumerated, must have at least two totally distinct characteristics: it must be capable of rapidly and continuously receiving material to be immersed as well as permitting the ready discharge of immersed material; and it also must provide a maximum of precautionary means which will operate in the event that fire should occur.

Accordingly, a preferred embodiment of my invention, referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing, is constituted by an immersing vat II] which comprises a plurality of upright walls enclosing an area and having a bottom forming the container. It is preferable that the container be rectangular, across which a lateral support member l2, in a mid portion thereof, extends from end to end. Parallel to the mid support member l2 along the edges of the upright walls of the container are ledge forming members l4 and I6.

Doors IS, IS, hinged to member l2, swing upward out of alignment with the mid portion l2 and will, when closed downward, rest upon the ledges l4 and it along those edges of the doors opposite the hinges.

By means of a superstructure 20 and a crosshead 22 retaining means is provided to maintain the doors in the open position shown in Figure 1. The doors are latched by means of a chain 24 which extends along the crosshead 22, and includes the fusible links 26, 28 and the anchors 30. In each door is an anchor member 30 which is joined to the chain 24 by a fusible link 26 or link 28.

On the under surface of the lateral support member I2 is mounted a plurality of guide rails 34 which have upturned ends 35 to receive and guide timbers as T in their passage through the fluid F in the vat l0. On the feed side of the vat a sloping surface table 36 is provided and on the discharge side of the vat a drain table 38' extends outward. Ordinarily, the timbers fed to the vat are untreated and, consequently, the table 36 may be formed of suitable open structural members having a downward inclination toward the vat. It is preferable that the table 38 be formed of corrugated iron or some similar suitable material, so that the liquid that will drain off the timbers T when they are placed on the table 38, after having left the vat, will flow downward and return to the vat. The feeding of the V.

timbers to the vat is primarily a manual operation accomplished by one or more operators, who insert the timbers somewhat in the manner suggested in Figure 1 under the guide rail 34, where upon they may be drawn out the other side, usually with the assistance of a metal hook or invention, the fluid within the vat is sealed from an external source of oxygen and thereupon the flame within the vat will be extinguished.

Although I have shownrand described certain specific embodiments of my invention, I am fully aware that many' modifications thereof are possible. My invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except insofar as is necessitated by the prior-art and by the spirit of the appended claim.

I claim: An immersing vat, comprising: a container to receive a fluid pool, a structural member across other suitable tool, from which point they are raised onto the table ,38. V

In the event that fire should occur upon the surface of the fluid F, which is ordinarily highly inflammable, the fusible links 26 and 28, will melt by reason of the heat that accompanies such a conflagration, and the doors l8 will drop under the urgence of gravity to rest upon the ledges M or I6 as the case may be. Immediately,; and this is to benoted. as an important feature of the

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