Inflammable Liquids.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 28th July, 1887
Complete Left, 30th Apr., 1888
Complete Accepted, 1st June, 1888
Inflammable Liquids.
We, JOSEPH STEWART, of Blackwall Iron Works, Isle of Dogs, Poplar, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, and THOMAS CHARLTON, of 39 Brook Green
Road, Hammersmith, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
This invention relates to the storage of inflammable liquids such for example as
paraffin oil and petroleum and has for its object the avoidance of loss by leakage and
evaporation with their attendant risks of explosion and fire.
For this purpose a containing vessel or reservoir is provided which as regards its
bottom and sides is placed and suitably fixed within an outer vessel or reservoir that
may be located below the level of the ground and the space between the two vessels
is filled with water; or it may be with a non-inflammable gas that is heavier than
air such as carbon dioxide.
The top of the inner vessel or reservoir is secured by a suitable lid in any
convenient way and the same or another lid may close the opening between the
inner and outer vessels.
To prevent the possibility of fire being communicated to the contents of the inner
or containing vessel or reservoir means are provided to prevent the surface of the
volatile or inflamable liquid contained therein rising above a certain level and there
is placed in the inner vessel a layer of some suitable gas or fluid lighter than the
volatile or inflamable liquid to be stored so that it will float on its surface and
heavier than the air so that it will tend to remain in position by its specific gravity;
such gas or fluid being a non-supporter of combustion, such for instance as carbon
dioxide. In some cases where it is thought advisable to restrict the surface of the
volatile or inflamable liquid which would be exposed to the carbon dioxide or other
gas or fluid used as above mentioned a float can be employed which will nearly fit the
inner or containing reservoir and which may if necessary be provided with counter
balance weight or weights to enable it to float on the surface of the liquid
stored.

page_text: As an additional security I may in some cases seal the upper surface of the water
contained between the inner and outer reservoirs by a suitable gas or fluid such for
instance as carbon dioxide.
I provide for the entering and withdrawal of the inflammable liquids to be stored
in the inner or containing vessel and for cleaning the same suitable manholes, and
pipes or tubes fitted with suitable stopcocks or other similar appliances, and I may
also provide a suitable pump or pumps for filling or emptying the space between the
two reservoirs or for raising and saving any of the inflammable liquids which may
have escaped from the inner to the outer vessel.
Dated this 28th day of July A.D. 1887
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicants.

page_text: Improvements in and Means or Appliances for Storing Volatile
or Inflammable Liquids.
We, JOSEPH STEWART of Blackwall Iron Works, Isle of Dogs, Poplar in the
County of Middlesex Engineer and THOMAS CHARLTON of 39 Brook Green Road
Hammersmith in the County of Middlesex, Engineer do hereby declare the nature
of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to the storage of inflammable liquids such for example as
paraffin oil and petroleum and has for its object the avoidance of loss by leakage and
evaporation with their attendant risks of explosion and fire. For this purpose a
containing vessel or reservoir is provided which as regards its bottom and sides is
placed and suitably fixed within an outer vessel or reservoir that may be located below
the level of the ground and the space between the two vessels is filled with water or
it may be with a non inflammable gas that is heavier than air such as carbon dioxide
or carbonic anhydride. The top of the inner vessel or reservoir is secured by
suitable lid in any convenient way and the same or another lid may close the opening
between the inner and outer vessels.
a
To prevent the possibility of fire being communicated to the contents of the inner
or containing vessel or reservoir means are provided to prevent the surface of the
volatile or inflammable liquid contained therein rising above a certain level and there
is placed in the inner vessel a layer of some suitable gas or fluid lighter than the
volatile or inflammable liquid to be stored so that it will float on its surface and
heavier than the air so that it will tend to remain in position by its specific gravity
such gas or fluid being a non supporter of combustion such for instance as carbonic
anhydride. In some cases where it is thought advisable to restrict the surface of the
volatile or inflammable liquid which would be exposed to the carbonic anhydride or
other gas or fluid used as above-mentioned a float can be employed which will
nearly fit the inner or containing reservoir and which may if necessary be provided
with counter balance weight or weights to enable it to float on the surface of
the liquid stored.
As an additional security we may in some cases seal the upper surface of the water
contained between the inner and outer reservoirs by a suitable gas or fluid such for
instance as carbonic anhydride. We provide for the entering and withdrawal of the
inflammable liquids to be stored in the inner or containing vessel and for cleaning the
same suitable manholes and pipes or tubes fitted with suitable stop cocks or other
similar appliances, and we may also provide a suitable pump or pumps for filling or
emptying the space between the two reservoirs or for raising and saving any of the
inflammable liquids which may bave escaped from the inner to the outer vessel.
In the accompanying three sheets of illustrative drawings wherein like parts are
similarly lettered,
Figure 1 is a vertical section of one arrangement of apparatus for storing volatile
and inflammable liquids according to this invention,

page_text: A is the vessel or tank containing the inflammable liquid to be stored; it is fixed
supported or suspended within an outer vessel or tank B in such a manner as to leave
a space C between the sides and bottom of the inner and outer tanks. The inner tank
is closed at the top by means of a suitable lid or cover D which in the arrangement
shewn in Figure 1 also extends over and serves to close or cover the intermediate
space C.
The inner tank A is not completely filled with the inflammable liquid. The space
left between the cover D and the surface of the oil is occupied with a non inflam-
mable gas (such as carbonic anhydride) which is lighter than oil but heavier than
atmospheric air.
The intermediate space C is partially filled with water, preferably to a height
somewhat greater than that of the oil in the inner vessel A. The space between the
cover of the space C and the surface of the water is occupied by a non inflammable
gas (such as carbonic anhydride) which is lighter than water but heavier than
atmospheric air.
The air, gas and oil may be introduced into the tanks in any suitable way or by
any suitable means. In the arrangement shewn in Figure 1 the oil is introduced
into the inner tank A by means of an oil inlet pipe the upper end of which is
carried up outside the outer tank B above the level of the oil contained in the inner
tank, whilst its lower end communicates with the interior of the inner tank by a
pipe F which passes through the water space Cat or near the bottom of the inner
tank and forms a tight joint with the walls or sides of the outer and inner tanks.
The oil is discharged when required from the inner tank through a stop cock G.
The volume of gas in the several spaces may be maintained constant or it may be
increased or diminished according to requirement by connecting the said spaces with
a reservoir or it may be with a generator of gas.
Figures 2 and 3 shew the application of a float for the purpose of restricting the
extent of surface of the oil exposed to the gas or other non-inflammable fluid used.
The float H is partially immersed in or rests on the surface of the oil contained
in the inner tank A and is of a size and shape to fit loosely against the inner surface
of the sides of the tank. The space above the float in the inner tank is filled with
non-inflammable gas which can thus come into contact with the oil only to the
limited extent offered between the float and the sides of the inner tank. The absorp-
tion of the gas by the oil is thereby reduced to a minimum. When necessary the
weight of the float is counterbalanced by means of weights fixed to ropes or chains
passing over pulleys and attached to the float as shewn in Figure 3. The move-
ment of the float may be utilized to operate means for indicating at any convenient
place the height or depth of liquid in the storage tank. Adjustable stops II serve
to limit the upward movement of the float.
In the modification shewn in Figure 4 the float is made in the form of a double
piston H H¹ consisting of a lower hollow float portion H which is connected by a
central tubular stem with an upper plate portion H'.
The non inflammable gas is contained between the lower and upper portions H
& H', which are provided at their edges or peripheries with recesses J or other
devices for receiving packing for making a tight joint with the inner surface of the
sides of the inner tank. By thus enclosing the gas in the space between the lower
and upper portions of the float the absorption of gas by both the oil and the
atmosphere is reduced to a minimum.
In order to minimise the risk attendant on an outbreak of fire in the immediate
vicinity of the storage tank, provision is made for admitting the town service water
or water from a tank or other source of supply to flow through the protecting water
space C. In the arrangement shewn in Figure 4 the communication between the
water space C and the inlet branch pipe a of the town service main is normally cut
off by a ball valve b which is kept against its seat formed on the end of the pipe a
by a spring C.
On the water in the space C becoming heated to a temperature above a
pormal limit predetermined by the adjustable tension of the spring, the latter will, by

page_text: reason of such increase of temperature, yield and allow the pressure water in the
pipe a to force the ball away from its seat and circulate through the water space C
which is provided with a suitable outlet passage.
Figure 5 illustrates on a larger scale an alternative arrangement in which the
ball a is enclosed in a valve box a¹ and is kept to its seat by the pressure of the
service water.
In the water space C is arranged a cylindrical metal vessel K filled with ammonia,
sulphuric ether, or other volatile substance which expands rapidly on a small increase
of temperature.
The top of the vessel K is formed by a corrugated flexible plate c which yields on
the expansion, by reason of the increase in temperature, of the volatile substance
contained in the vessel K and by means of the connecting piece d forces the ball a
away from its scat, so as to allow free passage to the service water.
The outer tank B may be constructed of iron or other metal, or of brickwork,
cement or other suitable material.
It will be understood that the construction and arrangement of the improved
appliances herein before described for the storage of oil &c. may be variously modified
without departing from the principle of this invention. For example, the spaces
within and between the tanks not occupied by oil may be filled either solely with
water or solely with a non-inflammable gas or liquid or with both.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner it is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is.-
1. The method substantially as described of storing volatile or inflammable liquid,
surrounding the wall of the containing vessel with non inflammable fluid and pro-
viding above the surface of the liquid stored non inflammable fluid having a lower
specific gravity than the said liquid and a higher specific gravity than air all
substantially in the manner set forth with reference to the examples illustrated.
2. In the method of storing volatile or inflammable liquid as referred to in the
preceding claim the use of carbonic anhydride in the manner and for the purpose
specified.
3. In the method of storing volatile or inflammable liquid as above referred to in
claim 1 the use in conjunction with the storage vessel, of a float resting on the surface
of the liquid stored and itself surrounded by a bath or atmosphere of non-inflammable
fluid, substantially as described.
4. The use for storing volatile or inflammable liquid in the manner set forth, of
apparatus constructed and arranged substantially as hereinabove described with
reference to and respectively illustrated in Figure 2, Figure 3, and Figure 4 of the
drawings annexed.
T: 011
"1 1000
Dated this 30th day of April 1908.
THOMAS CHARLTON.
W. Lloyd Wise,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicants.