IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RESERVOIRS. FOR CONTAINING AND STORING PETROLEUM AND OTHER OILS
Year: 1865

page_text: Sealed the 25th July 1865, and dated the 6th June 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Archibald
Brooman at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 6th June 1865:
I, RICHARD ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of
London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RESERVOIRS. FOR CONTAINING AND
STORING PETROLEUM AND OTHER OILS," to be as follows:-
To construct a fixed reservoir I make a cylindrical excavation, the depth
of which should be equal to about two-thirds of the total height of the
reservoir. I make the bottom of the excavation water-tight, and I brick in
the sides, making them also waterproof.
In the accompanying Drawing a, a, a, a, is the brickwork cylinder; instead
of brick it may be of metal or other water-holding material; b, b, b, b, are the
sides of a second cylinder, also waterproof; c, c, c, is the top, made waterproof,,
of the inner cylinder; d, d, is an arch separating at about two-thirds of the

page_text: height of the reservoir the space e, e, e, between the two cylinders; n, n, are
holes which place the interior of the cylinder b, b, in communication with the
space e, e; m, m. r, is a pipe, bent at top, which communicates with the
space e, e, beneath the arch d; 1,1,1, is a pipe with a cock q communicating
with the inner cylinder above the arch d; k¹, k, is a pipe fixed in the top of
the inner cylinder and descending to below the level of the opening r of the
pipe m, m, r; i, i, u is a bent pipe, open at both ends, one of which is inside the
inner cylinder, while the other dips into the water in the upper water level.
To store the petroleum or other oil, begin by pouring water into the inner
cylinder through the pipe k, k, or through the pipe m, m, r, from whence it
enters the cylinder by the holes n, n. The water is filled to the level f,f,f, on a
line with the opening r of the pipe m, m. When the lower parts of the reservoir
are filled with water, water is poured into the upper parts into the space e, e,
above the arch d, and up to the level 9, 9, 9, in order to the mouth u of the
bent tube i, i, u, being covered by water to prevent any direct communication
between the inner cylinder and the atmosphere to preserve the liquid from
evaporation and the inflammable gases which might become disengaged when
the reservoir contains petroleum from fire. The oil to be stored is poured
into the inner cylinder through the pipe k', k, water is driven out through n, n,
and the pipe m, m, r. The oil being lighter than water assumes a higher
level in the reservoir. The air compressed by the increase in volume of the
contents of the reservoir escapes by the bent pipe i, i, u. To cause the oil to
issue from the reservoir open the cock q, the oil will run until it reaches the
level 1, 1; then to cause it still to run pour water into the pipe m, m, r,
whereby the level is raised in the inner cylinder and the oil is replaced by
water, which attains the level f,f.f, and drives out all the oil. The arch d
may have substituted for it a tube obtained by prolonging the tube m, m, r, to
the bottom of the inner cylinder, as indicated by x, x, y. When the arch is
dispensed with all communication between the inner cylinder and the water
contained in the outer cylinder is intercepted, and consequently the holes n, n,
must be stopped. The tube m, m, r, x, x, y, instead of descending into the
outer cylinder, may be led directly from the point m into the inner cylinder,
provided it be water-tight and reaches the bottom of the reservoir about the
point y. These reservoirs with double pressure of water may be built of
brick, metal, or wood, in the latter case a polygonal form is preferable. The
reservoirs may be used for washing oils which have undergone chemical treat-
ment, and then the top must be so arranged as to allow showers of water to
fall upon the oil. It will be observed that in this Invention the oil is com-
pletely plunged in water at two different levels, the one to surround the oil at

page_text: .'
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Archibald Brooman in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 6th December 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent
Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Richard Archibald Brooman, Her special licence that I, the said Richard
Archibald Brooman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RESERVOIRS FOR CON-
TAINING AND STORING PETROLEUM AND OTHER OILS," (communicated to no from
abroad by Paul Jacovenco, of Bucharest, Wallachia), upon the condition.
(amongst others) that I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was, to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, that is to say :-
To construct a fixed reservoir I make a cylindrical excavation the depth
of which should be equal to about two-thirds of the total height of the

page_text: reservoir. I make the bottom of the excavation water-tight, and I brick in
the sides, making them also waterproof.
::
In the accompanying Drawings, of which Figure 1 is a vertical section,
und Figure 2 a section through A, B, of Figure 1, a, a, a, a, is the brick-
work cylinder; instead of brick it may be of metal or other water-holding
material; b, b, b, b, are the sides of a second cylinder, also waterproof; c, c, c,
is the top, made waterproof, of the inner cylinder; d, d, is an arch separating
at about 3rds of the height of the reservoir the space e, e, e, between the two
cylinders; n, n, are holes which place the interior of the cylinder b, b;' in
communication with the space e, e; m, m, r, is a pipe, bent at top, which
communicates with the space e, e, beneath the arch d; 1, 1, 1, is a pipe with a
cock q communicating with the inner cylinder above the arch d; k', k, is a
pipe fixed in the top of the inner cylinder and descending to below the level
of the opening r of the pipe m, 'm, r; i, i, u, is a bent pipe open at both ends,
one of which is inside the inner cylinder, while the other dips into the water'
in the upper water level.
To store the petroleum or other oil, begin by pouring water into the inner
cylinder through the pipe k¹, k, or through the pipe m, m, r, from whence it
enters the cylinder by the holes n, n. The water is filled to the level f,f,f
on a line with the opening of the pipe m, m. When the lower parts of the
reservoir are filled with water, water is poured into the upper parts into the
space e, e, above the arch d and up to the level g, g, g, in order to the mouth u
of the bent tube i, i, u, being covered by water to prevent any direct com-
munication between the inner cylinder and the atmosphere to preserve the
liquid from evaporation and the inflammable gases which might become.
disengaged when the reservoir contains petroleum from fire. The oil to be
stored is poured into the inner cylinder through the pipe k', k, water is driven'
out through n, n, and the pipe m, m, r. The oil being lighter than water
assumes a higher level in the reservoir. The air compressed by the increase
in volume of the contents of the reservoir escapes by the bent pipe i, 'i, u.
To cause the oil to issue from the reservoir open the cock q, the oil will run
until it reaches the level 1, 1; then to cause it still to run from water into
the pipe m, m, r, whereby the level is raised in the inner cylinder and the oil
is replaced by water, which attains the level f,f,f, and drives out all the oil.
The arch d may have substituted for it a tube obtained by prolonging the
tube m, m, r, to the bottom of the inner cylinder, as indicated by x, x, y.
When the arch is dispensed with all communication between the inner cylinder ·
and the water contained in the outer cylinder is intercepted; and consequently
the holes n, n, must be stopped. The tube m, m, r, x, x, y, instead of

page_text: descending into the outer cylinder may be led directly from the point m into
the inner cylinder, provided it be water-tight and reaches the bottom of the
reservoir about the point y. These reservoirs with double pressure of water
may be built of brick, metal, or wood, and need not necessarily be made in
excavations in the earth; where made of wood a polygonal form is preferable.
The reservoirs may be used for washing oils which have undergone chemical
treatment, and then the top must be so arranged as to allow showers of water
to fall upon the oil. It will be observed that in this Invention the oil is
completely plunged in water at two different levels, the one to surround the
oil at the side and top, the other at bottom, so that the oil rests directly upon
water and at a level proportioned to its pressure.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim constructing
reservoirs for containing and storing petroleum and other oils, substantially
in manner herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of December, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-five.
R. A. BROOMAN. (L.B.).