US578265A - Half to frederick w - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

E. L. RICE;

TANK.

Patented Mar. 2, 1897.

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NITED STATES ATENT FFICE.

ROBERT E. LEE RICE, OF NEIV ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO FREDERICK V. YOUNG, OF SAME PLACE.

TANK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 578,265, dated March 2, 1897.

Application filed November 23, 1896. Serial No. 613,058- (No model.)

To a'ZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, ROBERT E. LEE RICE, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tanks; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in that class of tanks which are designed more especially for catching and holding rain-water, and which are provided with overflowpipes for carrying off the water after they are filled. As such tanks are now constructed the overflow-pipes are connected to them adjacent to their upper ends, and in consequence when the tank is partlyfilled with stale water or water which has been standing for some time and fresh water flows into the upper end of the same such fresh water will rise to the top of the tank and when the same is full will flow off through the overflow-pipe, leaving the stale water in the tank. The general object of my invention is to overcome this objection by providing means whereby when stale water is contained in the tank and fresh water flows into the same the stale water will be displaced by the fresh water and will be carried off in the overflow, leaving the fresh and wholesome water in the tank.

Withthe foregoing end in view the invention will be fully understood from the following description and claims when taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a sectional perspective View of a tank equipped with my improvements, and Fig. 2 is an elevation of the tank with the overflow-pipes in section.

Referring by letter to the said drawings, A indicates a tank,which may be of metal,wood, or any other suitable material and of any desirable shape and size, and B indicates a pipe which is disposed vertically at the side of the tank A and is preferably connected thereto in any suitable manner. This pipe B is designed to be connected at its lower end with a pipe leading to a sewer or other point of discharge, and it has its upper end open and arranged to receive from a spout C, communicating with the interior of the tank adjacent to the upper end thereof, such spout Obeing designed for use in the event of the water .pouring into the tank in such quantities that my improved overflow (presently described) cannot unassisted prevent the water from flowing over the upper edge of the tank.

D indicates my improved overflowpipe, which is disposed vertically at the side of the tank and is by preference connected thereto in any suitable manner. This pipe D is connected with the interior of the. tank at or adjacent to the bottom thereof, and it preferably has' its upper end open, so that no resistance will be offered to the rise of water in it. At its lower end in alinement'with the aperture connecting pipe D and the interior of the tank A said pipe D is preferably connected with a branch E, which is provided with a cock F, for use in drawing off the water as desired. In-lieu of the cock F'the pipe E might be closed by a suitable screw-cap, which could be removed when it is desired to insert a stick or rod and thereby stir up the sediment in the bottom of the tank and permit it to run off through pipe E. I

G indicates a pipe which is arranged in a plane below the spout O and upper end of the tank and connects the pipe D and the pipe B when the latter is employed. \Vhen the pipe B is not employed, the pipe G may be connected with a pipe (not illustrated) leading to a sewer or other discharge-point.

In virtue of the construction described, when the tank is partly filled with stale or old water, as shown in Fig. 1, and water flows into the upper end of tank A from a downspout or other conduit, it will be observed that by reason of the water seeking its level the stale water will be displaced and will rise in the pipe E and reaching the pipe G will flow through the same and the pipe B to the sewer or other discharge-point. This will continue so long as the water continues to flow into the upper end of the tank, and consequently it will be seen that when the rain ceases to fall and the flow of water into the tank stops the said tank will contain fresh water only,which is an important advantage and a desideratum in this class of devices.

In the event of a very heavy rainfall the displaced stale water will be carried oil through the pipes D G B, as described,while the surplus water which would otherwise flow over the upper end of the tank will pass through the spout C and pipe B to the sewer or other discharge-point.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that while my improvements are very cheap and simple and add but little to the cost ofa tank they insure the displacement and discharge of stale water from the tank when a sufficient quantity of fresh water flows into the same.

lVhen desirable, my improvements may be applied to cisterns, that is to say, those tanks or water-receptacles which are arranged in the ground and are built of masonry, metal, or wood.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combination of a tank, a spout conn ected with the tank and communicating with the interior of the same adjacent to its upper end, a pipe B, having its upper end open and arranged to receive from the spout, a pipe D, connected with the interior of the tank adjacent to the lower end thereof and extending upwardly and havingits upper end open, and a pipe connecting the pipes D and B; said pipe being arranged in a plane below the spout, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of a tank, a pipe D, connected with the interior of the tank adjacent to the lower end thereof and extending upwardly and having its upper end open, a pipe G, connected at one end to the pipe D, at an intermediate pointin the length thereof, and a pipe connected with the opposite end of the pipe G, and adapted to be connected with a point of discharge, substantially as specified.

In testimon; whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT E. LEE RICE.

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