US1302318A - Ventilating, fire-extinguishing, and steaming apparatus for gasolene or other tanks. - Google Patents

Description

T. A. CROIVIPTON, ha. VENTILATTNG, FIRE EXTTNGUISHTNG, AND STEAMING APPARATUS FOR GA-SOLENE 0R OTHER TANKS.

APPLICATION FILED 1AN.31|1916.

Patented Apr. 29,1919.

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rabaste.

Specification of letters llatent.

Talenten api. en, anita..

Application tiled January 31.1916. Serial Nc. 75.259.

i lle it. known that'rl.A "'lHoMAs ALBERT CRoMrroN. Jr.. a British subject. and residing at- 29 Clarendon Gardens. lllford. in the county ot' Essex. England. have invented a new and lmproved 'l'ventilating Fire-Emili guishing. and Steaming Apparatus t'or Gasoene or other rl`anks.ot which the following vis a specification. Y

Mv invention relates to an improved ap? paratus for safely ventilating gasolene or other tanks containing inammable liquids and giving od inflammable gases. also for 'lireextinguishing and steaming of such tanks. 'lhis apparat-us is designed to allow the sa'fe escape ot inammable or other dangerous gases from storageY tanks. but only when such escape 1s necessary owing to the increased pressure arising from' whatever cause. such as expansion or lling up of` ing in which the figure is-avertical part sectional drawing of apparatus and showing in section all working parts.

.l is the automatic arrangement for ventilating and allowing tor the sateescapeot gases.

B is the connection fitted on tank top and i allows the tank to be in communication with atmosphere through tliedevice or with the steam line as may be required.

(l is the cone arrangement orgcirculator and is litted within tank immediately under and connected to B.

D is the inner pipe reaching to near bottom ot tank and fitted wit-h a steam spreader E at base of pipe.

For the ventilating and reliet ot pressure or vacuum in tank. the topor ring valve Q comes into operation. the drawing shows apart cross section with pressure and vacuum wah/e3. removable cage seating, adjusting screws. lock nuts, springs and gauze Wire screen in position. 'lhe valve chamber l? has a projection or seating (nl and forms when valve cage Lll? is 1n position an air tight joint. 'l` he bottom end of valve chamber can be` screw-threaded internally or en ternalljvY or flanged as found suitable for connecting on pipe -leading down to connection B. The top of valve chamber ll is` screwed externally to take cover H. yllhis cover is screwed internally and has a projection or tlange l which binds on flange ot gauze. wire screen J thereby thrusting this against the upper end ot the valve cage so that this in turn is thrust down against the inner flange Gl with whichV it makes an airtight joint. 'll` he wire screen is made ot suitable bram or copper gauze pressed out and litted with .brass flange as indicated. ".lhe cover is cast with grooves between screwthreaded port-ion and outer rim for the escape and intake of gases or air. The cover is also intended to prevent any grit, dirt or water gaining access to valve chamber and for the escape et explosive and dangerous gases.. lhe removable valve cage LKF has a center ring with miter seating for the reception of pressure and vacuum valves and a flat seating which when cage is in position forms the tight joint at G. The top ring lL of cage is screwed internally for the reception ot' grating ring ll/l. This ring has a central boss N for carrying adjusting screw (l. Il`he bridge piece l) under center ring in removable cage is Jfor carrying adjust-ing screw @l and lower spring S. 'l he pressure valve Q is double miter grating valve. the inner miter -forming the seat` for spindle valve lt. lValves Q and R are as near equal in area as possible and areheld in position by springs S and S1 and adjusted by screws and-@these screws being-'locked by tlv nuts 'll and 'l`1. 'l`he bottom spring S1 takes the weight. ot both valves. so allowing either .valve to practically tloat on their seats and' to act with the slightest variation ci? pressure.. '.lhe top ventilating device A may be tit-ted direct on valve chamber 'B or be connected to same by lengthI of piping as may be required. For gas itreeing et tanks especialljv with regard to oil tank vessels a. steam jet arrangement maybe interposed between the device A and the valve chamber B point;- ng in an upward'direction and when in action would tend to exhaust all explosive titl) ieu ile

or other dangerous gases from tank. Valve chamber B together with cone arrangement C are fitted direct to wall of tank, the former outside and the latter inside tank with inner piping and steam spreader D and 1E attached. A branch pip?J L enters valve chamber B. Its end is turned upward, the top forming valve seat U. Double miter valve V rests on this seat. rlop seating W for valve V is screwed externally and :fitted in recess of top flange of chamber B. Cone attachment C is constructed with an internal tube X and has several openings Y through large part of outer casing. IThis attachment is connected inside tank immediately under valve chamber B. rlihe pipe D is secured by flanges or screwed to bottom part of C, extending nearly to bottom of tank and is tted at lower end with a cone shaped spreader E. Y

Under normal conditions gasolene or other liquid storage tanks fitted with above apparatus would be hermetically sealed and would thus prevent any loss from evaporation. ln the event of any accumulating pressure within tank the gas or air would pass through openings Y, enter internal tube X and ascending upward and passing over top of valve V would enter valve chamber A, when the pressure acting on the under side of spindle valve R would lift same together with grating valve Q, so allowing escaping gas to emerge into atmosphere, passing through gauze wire screen J and groovesof cover H. Illhe direct opposite of above takes place when a partial vacuum occurs in tank due to contraction of contents or when pumping out, but in this case grating valve Q remains on its seat, the atmospheric pressure acting through this valve on spindle valve R opening same in a downward direction and so admitting air into tank. By this means atmospheric pressure is always maintained within tank.

F or fire-extinguishing and steaming of tanks, steam would be admitted to the main conduit or by the branch pipe Z. rlhis enters with a rush and in large volume so that it lifts the double miter valve V to top seating W where it is held as there is no re-.

sisting pressure on the opposite side, the valve thus shutting oli' all communication to outer atmosphere and allows steam to enter tank for the purpose of extinguishing fire,

or steaming out through openings Y or spreader E as may be necessary and which the height of liquid in tank should determine, an injector e'ect being produced in the perforated conical part C.

l am aware that it has heretofore been proposed to provide a feed pipe, having a ing into a tank with a branch pipe opening Ainto the valve chamber, two float controlled valves having a weighted balancing device being provided, for controlling'the ends of the valve chamber connected to the two portions of the feed pipe. ln this known device, both valves were normally open and no valve was provided for controlling the end of the branch pipe opening into the valve chamber, and I do not claim the same broadly; butll claim :v`

1. ln apparatus for Ventilating and steaming containers for volatile liquids, the combination with a container, of a main conduit having one end portion opening into the same, an intermediate or second portion constituting a valve chamber, and the other'end or third portion opening into the valve chamber by way of an upper` valve seat therein, avbranch conduit having one end terminating at a lower valve seat in the f valve chamber, and a double-faced lift valve adapted to be seated alternately on said seats and normally seated on said lower seat and vin this position closing the said end of the branch conduit, whereby the container is normally in open communication with the said third portion of the main conduit, but is shut o therefrom when the said valve is lifted against the said upper seat by fluid under pressure entering the valve chamber through the branch conduit.

- In apparatus `for Ventilating and steaming containers for volatile liquids, the combination with a container, of a main conduit having one end portion opening into the. same, an intermediate or second portion constituting a valve chamber, and the other end or third portion opening into the valve chamber by way of an upper valve seat therein, a branch conduit having one end termmatlng at a lower valve seat m the p valve chamber, and a double-faced lift valve THOS. A. CRMPTON, JUNIOR.

Witnesses: Y

VV. M. DAvIns, J. A. STEvnNsoN.

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