US2541049A

US2541049A - Floating roof

Info

Publication number: US2541049A
Application number: US645867A
Authority: US
Inventors: Fred L Goldsby; Clifford M Orr
Original assignee: Chicago Bridge and Iron Co
Current assignee: Chicago Bridge and Iron Co
Priority date: 1946-02-06
Filing date: 1946-02-06
Publication date: 1951-02-13
Anticipated expiration: 1968-02-13

Description

Feb. 13, 1951 F. L. GoLDsBY ET AL FLOATING RooF Filed Feb. 6, 1946 Patented Feb. 13, 1951 FLOATING ROOF Fred L. Goldsby and Clifford M. Orr, Chicago, Ill., assignors to Chicago Bridge & Iron Company, a corporation of Illinois Application February 6, 1946, Serial No. 645,867

(Cl. E20-26) 7 claims. l

'I'his invention relates to a iioating roof for use in a floating roof tank.

Floating roof tanks are used for storing volatile liquids. In these tanks the roof floats on top of the liquid and rises and falls as the quantity of liquid is increased and decreased. Various types of floating roofs have been proposed in the past for use in tanks of this type. Many ci the roofs, however, were too heavy or difcult to construct, and some would not maintain themselves level on the surface of the liquid, especially when subjected to loads of rain water, snow, and the like, or to the pressure of wind.

We have invented a floating roof that is relatively light-weight and that maintains its level on top of the liquid at all times. The new roof functions efficiently even under a load of snow, and provisions are made for draining water from the roof, even in cases of very heavy rainfall. The new floating roof comprises a deck, a subn stantially centrally located pontoon beneath said deck, and radial pontoons also beneath said deck extending from the central pontoon.

The invention will be described as related to the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings. Of the drawings Fig. l is a plan view, partially broken away for clarity of illustration, of a floating roof tank employing the new floating roof; and Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken along line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

The floating roof tank comprises an outer substantially cylindrical shell IS and a floating roof I I therein adapted to float on top of the contents of the tank. The floating roof is positioned within the shell and has a narrow space I2 between the edge of the roof and the shell. Any type sealing means (not shown) may be used between the roof and the shell.

The oating roof Il has a deck I3 essentially flat but sloping slightly downwardly toward the center. Around the edge of the deck there is i-, cated a vertical rim I4 extending above and below the deck. Beneath the deck I3 there are located a central pontoon I 5 and radial pontoons I6 with the radial pontoons being substantially evenly spaced around the roof and extending from the central pontoon I5 to the rim I4. As shown each radial pontoon I5 is of substantially triangular shape with the apex being adjacent the central pontoon I5. Adjacent sides II of adjacent pontoons are substantially parallel and the central pontoon I5 is formed of partitions IS con necting the apex of one radial pontoon to the next apex.

In the center of the roof there is provided a 2 drain I9 extending from the lowest portion of the deck I3 through the central pontoon I5. Any Water that falls on the deck will run to the center of the deck and be drawn oli through the drain ln the iioating roof as shown any vapors formed will gather under the deck I3 and will form a substantially annular vapor space 2n around the outer edge of the deck. Escape of the vapors will be prevented by the downwardly extending portion of the rim I4.

In order to equalize vapor pressure within the vapor spaces 20 between pontoons I6 a substantially horizontal pipe ZI is provided extending through each pontoon and communicatingr with the vapor spaces under the deck of the roof ad jacent the pontoon. The pipes have their outlets near the decks so as to be in communication with the vapor as soon as formed. Such pipes are not absolutely necessary but are preferred in order that the roof will float level at all times.

Having described our invention as shown in the accompanying drawings, it is our intention that the invention be not limited by any of the details of the description unless otherwise specified, but rather be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as set out in the accompanying claims.

We claim:

l. A heating roof for a floating roof tank comprising a deck sloping toward the center, a een trai polygonal pontoon beneath the deck, a drain at substantially the center of the roof and extending through the central pontoon, a depending rim at the outer edge of the deck, and a plurality of substantially evenly spaced triangular pontoons beneath the deck extending rom the central pontoon to the rirn, the apex of each of said triangular pontoons being at one of the apices of the central pontoon, adjacent sides of adjacent triangular pontoons being parallel to each other and being widely spaced to provide a substantial vapor space therebetween.

2. The floating roof of claim 1 wherein a vapor passageway is provided extending through each pontoon and communicating with the vapor spaces on either side oi said pontoon.

3. A oating roof for a iioating roof tank comprlsing a circular, substantially at throughout the top thereof, single deck sloping slightly toward the center, a depending peripheral rim at the outer edge of the deck, means forming with said deck a centrally located pontoon therebeu neath, and means forming with said deck spaced pontoons therebeneath radiating outwardly from the central pontoon to the rim with the portions 3 of the deck between the last mentioned pontoons forming gas retaining spaces beneath the deck.

4. The floating roof of claim 3 Wherein there is provided a drain at substantially the center eX- tending through the central pontoon.

5. The floating roof of claim 3 wherein the radial pontoolns are triangular and are substantially equally spaced around the roof, adjacent sides of adjacent pontoons being substantially parallel to each other.

6. The floating roof of claim 3 in which the central pontoon is polygonal and the radial pontoons are triangular with the apexV of each triangle at one of the apioes of the polygon.

7. The floating roof of claim 3 in which adja- 15 cent sides of adjacent radial pontoons are substantially parallel to each other.

FRED L. GOLDSBY. CLIFFORD M. ORR.

4 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,665,163 Gallagher Apr. 3, 1928 1,777,560 Griin Oct. 7, 1930 2,089,645 Diekmann Aug. 10, 1937 2,282,772 Wiggins May 12, 1942 2,287,213 Wiggins June 23, 1942 2,359,416 Hammeren Oct. 3, 1944 2,464,786 Allen Mar. 22. 1949