US3110659A

US3110659A - Deck mount for anode

Info

Publication number: US3110659A
Application number: US60154A
Authority: US
Inventors: Richard B Bender
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1960-10-03
Filing date: 1960-10-03
Publication date: 1963-11-12
Anticipated expiration: 1980-11-12

Description

Nov. 12, 1963 R. B. BENDER DECK MOUNT FOR ANODE Filed 001;. 3. 1960 in (I RICHARD B. BENDER INVENTOR. X A

TTORNEY United States Patent 3,110,659 DECK MOUNT FOR ANODE Richard B. Bender, R0. Box 11302, Fort Worth, Tex. Filed Oct. 3, 1960, Ser. No. 60,154 3 Claims. (Cl. Ztl l-Hd) This invention relates to electrolytic corrosion inhibitors and has reference to an insulating deck mount for protective anodes.

Prevention of electrolytic deterioration of storage tanks through the use of anodes carrying a potential difference with respect to the tanks, is a well known and established practice in this country. Whereas an unprotected tank may act as an anode with respect to the natural potentials between the tank and its contents remotely grounded, an anode with an artificially established potential is used to impart cathodic characteristics to the tank and thus pro tect it from electrolytic deterioration. Anodes, so used, are of course subject to deterioration but if they are made and mounted for simple replacement a tank may be protected economically; because deterioration of an unprotected tank occurs with a high degree of uniformity about the interior surface thereof, the utility of protective anodes resides in large measure in the comparative ease or facility with which they may be replaced. For the protection of water carrying tank's it is common practice to suspend one or more anodes on insulated conductors from the roof deck of the tank into the contents thereof. Because the water level of many tanks varies from time to time it is often desirable to suspend anodes at various levels within a tank or link a plurality of anodes in series on a conductor which carries an insulating sheath between successi-ve anodes. A major problem in the installation of such a protective system is the provision of supporting structures within the tank from which the insulated conductors of the anodes may be suspended. Simple hooks projecting downwardly into the interior of the tank and attached by exterior bolts are adequate in strength but leave much to be wanted by way of protective insulation between the tank and conductor line; with this type of support, inspection and anode replacement must be accomplished from the interior of the tank. Obviously, when the tank is filled with water it is inconvenient and sometimes hazardous to manipulate the anodes therein for inspection. EX- cept in the special case of pressure vessels, the suspension of anode cables and covers bolted to access ports in the deck entails the use of special tools for inspection and replacement of anodes. In this regard it should be remembered that many water storage tanks are large structures requiring workmen to operate at precarious heights while exposed to adverse weather conditions. Since a potential difference must exist between an anode and the tank in which it is suspended, insulation of an anode supporting structure from the remainder of the tank is desirable. While the insulated sheath of a conducting cable serves as such insulation, prolonged use and periodic inspection can cause wearing of the cable and result in a short circuit unless the supporting structure from 'which the cable is hung is, itself, insulated from the remainder of the tank.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an anode cable support which is adequate in its strength to support one or more anodes within a tank but which is electrically insulated from the tank.

Another object of the invention is toprovide a deck mount for tank anodes which forms a seal between the interior of the tank and the exterior thereof, but which does not require bolts or special locking devices for tanks which store liquids at atmospheric pressure.

A'further object of the invention is to provide a deck mount for anodes can be raised for quick anode inspection from the top of the tank.

p aliases Patented Nov. 12, 1963 A particular object of the invention is to provide a single deck mount structure adapted for use in a variety of installations.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mounti-ng structure for anodes and which structure includes no metallic parts subject to corrosion.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a simple deck mounting structure for storage tanks and which structure may be positioned and held to the deck of a tank without exterior fasteners or protuberances.

These and other objects will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a partially sectional side elevational view of the invention secured to the deck of a pressure vessel and having an anode suspended therefrom.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of the invention shown in a normal attachment to a tank storing liquids at atmospheric pressure.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the primary component of the invention.

FIGURE 4 is a bottom view of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view of pressure sealing components of the invention as used in installations with pressure vessels.

In the drawing, a substantially solid cylindrical body 10 has parallel upper and lower ends 11 and 12 and includes a circular flange 13 contiguous and integral with its upper end and so constructed that the flange and cylindrical body are formed on a common axis. The upper side of the flange 13 and theupper end of the cylindrical body 10 are coplanar with one another so that the two may be said to form a continuous surface. A rectangular boss 14 is integrally formed with the cylindrical body 19 and projects downwardly from the lower end 12. thereof with the axis of the cylindrical body 10 passing through the center of the boss 14-. A transverse opening '15 passes through the boss 14 and communicates opposite sides thereof. The cylindrical body 10, flange 13 and boss 14 constitute portions of a single piece which may be molded from any of a number of suitable materials, such as glass filled phenolic resins or other thermoplastic materials. To facilitate release from a mold during fabrication of the invention the walls of the cylindrical body 10 and boss 14 may be slightly tapered downwardly. A threaded cavity 16 is formed in the upper end of the cylindrical body lit, but (as best shown in FIGURE 2) the cavity does not extend all the way through the cylindrical body, and a drill out wall 17 obstructs the lower end of the cavity. An unthreaded cavity 18, smaller in diameter than the threaded cavity 1.6, is formed in the lower end of the cylindrical body 10 and terminates near the upper end 11 thereof. So much of the cylindrical body 10 as lies between the termination of the unthreaded cavity 18 and the upper end 11 of the cylindrical body also constitutes a drill out wall 19 whereby the unthreaded cavity may be extended through the cylindrical body It For installation, a circular opening 20 is cut through the roof deck 21 of a tank, and a ring gasket 22, of neo prene or other suitably resilient material, is positioned about the circular opening. An insulated line 23, including an internal conductor 24 and an insulating sheath 25, of an anode 2 6 is threaded through the transverse opening 15 in the boss 14; the anode is then lowered through the circular opening 20 in the tank and the cylindrical body 10 is likewise positioned within the circular opening so that the flange 13 rests upon the ring gasket 22. Interiorly of the tank, the insulated line 23 is wrapped several times about itself beneath the boss 14 and an end of the conductor 24 is then led to electrical contact with a rectifier or other DC. power source (not shown). To prevent the possibility of excess wind lash it may be desirable to electrically connect a plural-ity of insulated lines 23 together within the tank and to extend only a single length of insulated line exteriorly of the tank to connection with a current source. In installing a group of anodes 26 Within a tank and electrically connecting their insulated lines to one another, it is only necessary to leave enough slack in the extension of each insulated line to a common point of contact so that the cylindrical body and flange 13 may be lifted irom the circular opening 28 in the tank; with the invention removed from the circular opening in the tank and placed to one side thereof the anodes depending therefrom may he lifted individually from the tank for inspection or replacement.

When the tank in question is not used as a pressure vessel, as in FIGURE 2, the unthreaded cavity in the cylindrical body 1% of the invention may be extended by drilling through its drill out wall 19 and the free end of the insulated conductor (or a common lead from all conductors) may be passed therethrough for connection with a current source. It should be noted that the cylindrical body it) of the invention is held within the circular opening 20 in the roof deck 21 of the tank by the Weight of the anode 26, and the flange 13 of the invention bears against and makes sealing contact with the gasket 22. While the anodes are thus kept positioned and available for inspection the various circular openings 21) through which the anodes are introduced into the tank are kept sealed against exterior dust, rain and run off water irom the deck.

For use on a pressure vessel a circular opening 2% is cut as previously described in the deck 21 of the vessel and a plurality of lugs 27 radially spaced from the circular opening 20 by a distance greater than the width of the flange 13 are regularly spaced from one another about the circular opening. An annular plate 28 having an inner diameter less than the outer diameter of the flange 13, but greater than the diameter of the cylindrical body 10, and

having its outer diameter greater than the outer diameter of the flange and the spacing between lugs 27 at opposite sides of the circular opening 20, is provided with a plurality of holes adapted to receive the lugs projecting from the vessel. The cylindrical body 10 is placed within the circular opening 22 as described before so that the flange 13 bears upon the ring gasket 22 and the annular plate 28 is placed concentrically upon the flange 13 so that the holes in the annular plate receive the lugs 27. Nuts 29 which threadedly engage the lugs -27 are then tightened against the upper side of the annular plate so that the same bears against the flange 13. In this type of installation the drill out wall 19 at the upper end of the unthreaded cavity 18 is not removed, but instead, the drill out wall 17 at the base of the threaded cavity I6 is drilled out and the lower end of a stuffing box 29 is positioned within and threadedly engages the threaded cavity. The upper or projecting end of the stuffing box 29 is provided With a gland 30 through which the insulated line 23 is positioned and a cap 3 1 provided with a circular opening in its top threadedly engages the projecting end of the stuffing box 29 and bears against the upper end of the gland. A shoulder 32 on the exterior surface of the stufling box may be provided with wrench faces :33 by which the stufling 4: box may be turned in the threaded cavity 16 until the shoulder bears upon the upper surface of the cylindrical body it Compression of the gland Si) by the cap 31 provides a pressure seal about the insulated line 23 and permits use of the invention without ioss of pressure from within sealed vessels.

The invention is not limited to the exemplary constructions herein shown and described, but may be made in various Ways Within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a tank having a circular opening in the roof deck thereof, an anode mount comprising: a cylindrical solid body constructed of electrical insulating material and received in said circular opening in said roof deck, a flange larger in diameter than said circular opening and formed contiguously with one end of said cylindrically body, a ring gasket between said flange and said roof deck, a boss attached to and projecting from the other end of said cylindrical body, a transverse opening through said boss, a flexible conductor extending through said body at one side of said boss, and means connecting said conductor with said boss.

2. In combination with a tank having a circular opening in a roof deck thereof, an anode mount comprising: a cylindrical body constructed of electrical insulating material and received within said circular opening in said roof deck, a flange integrally and coaxially for-med with said cylindrical member at one end thereof, a boss integrally formed with said cylindrical body and projecting from the other end of said cylindrical body along the axis thereof, a transverse opening through said boss, an unthreaded cavity formed in an end of said cylindrical body and extending therein to a point oi termination near the opposite end of said cylindrical body, a threaded cavity formed in the flanged end of said cylindrical body and extending therein to a point of termination near the other end of said cylindrical body, and a ring gasket circurnjacent said cylindrical body between said flange and said roof deck.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 and including: a plurality of lugs projecting exteriorly of said tank about the perimeter of said flange, an annular plate engaging the side of said flange opposite said gasket and including openings receiving said lugs, means securing said annular plate to said lugs, and a stuffing box threadedly engaging said threaded cavity.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,281,983 Liebknecht Oct. 15, 1918 1,360,544 Levin Nov. 30, 1920 2,827,509 Waymen Mar. 18, 1953 2,813,692 Brernmer et al Nov. 19, 1957 2,957,064 'Cornenetz Oct. 18, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 14,042 Great Britain 1910* 18,312 Australia Feb. 11, 1929 465,964 Great Britain May 20, 1937 536,791 Great Britain Feb. 5, 1957