Improvements relating to Safety Devices for the Openings of Receptacles for Containing Explosive Fluids.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 11th July, 1895-Accepted, 31st Aug.. 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Safety Devices for the Openings of
Receptacles for Containing Explosive Fluids.
I, AUGUST JOHANNES ANTON ELVERS, of Wendorf, near Reinbeck, Kreis
Stormach, Prussia, Gentleman, 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 has for its object to provide receptacles or holders for explosive
fluids of all kinds, with suitably arranged openings whereby the said fluids may be
poured in and out, and which will render impossible the firing or ignition of the
Huids or of any gases or vapours which may be formed in the receptacle, during
pouring out or in, transferring, etc. of the said fluids, and thus absolutely prevent
any danger of explosion of the gas or vapour.
This invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which
Figure 1 is a section of a holder provided with my improved inlet and outlet.
Figure 2 is a view of the said receptacle in an inclined position.
Figure 3 is a section of the outlet and safety-device.
Figure 4 is a similar view of the inlet and safety-device.
Figure 5 is a petroleum reservoir for lamps provided with my improved safety
inlet or filling apertures.
Day by day people are meeting with horrible deaths by carelessly handling
petroleum, benzoline, spirit, etc.; petroleum-can and lamp explosions form a familiar
heading in our newspapers and the greater number of all house and chamber fires
must be put to the account of such explosions. Most of these explosions are
caused in transferring or pouring the fluid from one vessel to another in the
neighbourhood of lights, fire, etc. and this invention is directly designed to guard
against this danger.
The principle of this invention is the same as that of the Davy safety-lamp, only
it operates in the opposite direction, since in the latter, the gas is prevented from
reaching the light, whilst by this invention, the light or fire cannot reach the gas.
To attain this object, each opening of the holder is closed by a piece of fine wire-
gauze in such a manner that no kind of communication from the in to the outside,
or vice versa, is possible, except through the interposed wire-gauze. It must be
borne in mind that the safety device must always be arranged in the highest part
of the receptacle, and the dome-shaped construction which is now general in dome-
shaped reservoirs or holders is to be strongly condemned, for this directly favours
the formation of dangerous gases and, when not tight, renders possible leakage of
gas in other places than the safety openings and therefore also explosions. The
arrangement of a simple, bow-shaped handle, Figures 1 and 2, is preferable to any
other, since by it, during pouring-out of the liquid, the hands are away from the
outlet and at the other side of the vessel and ignition from a somewhat adjacent
flame is rendered absolutely impossible.
The safety arrangement is constructed as follows, viz. :-The piece a secured to
the receptacle A is provided with a screw-thread to which the pouring-out lip b
or the closing cap c is screwed in such a manner that the wire-gauze d is pressed
between the upper edge of the screw-thread e of the piece a and the shoulder fof
the pouring-out lip or closing cap, and any fluid or gas passing out of or into the
receptacle must pass through this wire-gauze, since no other passage exists. To
ד

page_text: the closing cap or filling piece, Figures 4 and 5, the wire gauze can, if desired, be
applied double, and, in this case, the gauze d is secured at f in the closing cap and
the second piece of gauze g to the base h of the piece a.
Instead of the screw-thread, a bayonet-joint or other suitable device may be used
for connecting the pieces a and b or a and c.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
-
A safety device for the openings of reservoirs, receptacles or holders for
explosive fluids, characterized by the arrangement of fiue metal wire-gauze in all
the openings leading to the interior of the receptacle so that the fluids, as well as
any gases generated therefrom can only pass in or out of the said receptacle through
the wire-gauze, in order to render impossible explosions of the contents, of the said
receptacle by adjacent flames, etc.
Dated this 11th day of July 1895
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.