US236325A - Safety apparatus for oil-tanks - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) I

L. GRISOOM. Safety'Apparatus for Oil Tanks,

Patented Jan. 4, 1881.

I/ m Vi/ m n MOTH/5858:

N.FE[ERS, PHOTO-UTHOBRAFHER. WAsmNGToM. n c,

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS GRISGOM, OF POTTSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

SAFETY APPARATUS FOR OIL-TANKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 236,325, dated January 4, 1881.

A Application filed September 14, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LEWIS GRISGOM, a citizen of the United States, residing in Pottsville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, have invented a Safety Apparatus for Oil-Tanks, of which the following is a specification.

The ohjectof my invention is to prevent the explosion of tanks containing petroleum and other inflammable liquids-an object I attain in the manner which I am about to describe, reference hein g had to the aceom pan yin g d rawings, in whioh- Figure l is a view of a petroleum-tank provided with my improved safety apparatus; Fig. 2. a vertical section of part of Fi 1 drawn to an enlarged scale, and Fig. 3 a view illustrating a modification of my invention.

It may be stated, in the first instance. that ordinary tanks for the storage of petroleum are usually so roofed over at the top that the gases can escape at the upper edge of the tank below the roof.

The explosion of oil-tanks and the destruction of their contents is of almost daily occurrence in the oil-regions, these accidents being due to the action of lightning, to the exposure of lights within range of the escaping gases, to sparks from locomotives, to tires in the woods, etc.

In carrying out my invention, the first essential is, that the tank A must be so closed that there can be none of the usual escape of gases excepting through the outlet-pipe B, which is made to serve the purpose of a safety apparatus in the manner best observed in the enlarged view, Fig. 2.

The pipe B is provided with one or more diaphragms, a a, of wire-gauze or finely-perforated plate, through which the gases emanating from the tank must pass. 111 most cases I propose to use 'two or more diaphragms placed at intervals apart.

In'order that the diaphragm or diaphragms may be properly secured within the safety- A pipe, Iprefer to make the latter in flanged sections, as shown, each diaphragm being secured between the flange of one section and that of an adjoining section.

Should the escaping gas from the pipe B become ignited the flame cannot pass downward through .the diaphragms of wire-gauze- But the pipe and diaphragms might be so heated by 'the flame as to cause an explosion of the gases; hence I fit the safety-pipe B with a section or sections, b, of non-conducting inaterialsuch, for instance, as a tube of baked fire-clayso that'the heat of the flame cannot be communicated to the pipe and its diaphragms.

The safety-pipe, instead of extending upward from the top of the tank, as shown in Fi 1 mav )ass throu h the side of the same b 1 v I 8 J as shown in Fig. 3, the internal portion of the pipe being turned upward and extendingabove the liquid in the tank, and that portion of the pipe outside the tank having a diaphragm or diaphragms, and a section or sections of nonconducting material, as described above.

A lightning-rod may be applied with advantage to the outlet-pipe.

I do not desire to claim, broadly, the combination of an oil-tank with an escape-pipe provided with wire-gauze diaphragms; but

I claim as my invention- The combination of the tank and its outletpipe B, provided with a diaphragm or diaphragms, a, of wire-gauze or perforated plate,

with a section or sections, 1), of non-conduct ing material fitted to the top of the pipe, as set forth. I

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LEWIS GRISCOM.

Images