IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS WHEREBY PETROLEUM AND OTHER OILS AND HYDROCARBONS CAN BE SAFELY CARRIED AND STORED
Year: 1862

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Frederick Daniel Delf and Thomas
Cummings Gibson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 4th December 1862.
We, FREDERICK DANIEL, DELF, of, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Chemist,. and THOMAS CUMMINGS GIBSON, of Ramsey, in the Isle of Man,.
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED
MEANS AND APPARATUS WHEREBY PETROLEUM AND OTHER OILS AND HYDROCARBONS
CAN BE SAFELY CARRIED AND STORED," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to allow for increase and diminution of space:
occupied by petroleum and other oils and hydrocarbons at different tem
peratures, and that nominally without internal or external pressure on the
vessels containing the same, and to prevent escape from the said vessels of any
of the vapours given off or arising therefrom.
The main feature of our said Invention is the use of a water or other
inodorous liquid seal for the end of a pipe or pipes cómmunicating with a tank
or tanks, a vessel or vessels containing the oil.
Our said Invention relates in its application, firstly, to that systém of
carrying petroleum and other oils and hydrocarbons in large tanks or in
bulk in ships, invented and now being carried into use by the above-named
Thomas Cummings Gibson, who obtained Provisional Protection therefor, of
date the 9th July 1862, No. 1972. Unless the said tanks or compartments
of a ship were filled full there would be a surging of the oils therein contained
by the motion of the ship, which would, amongst other things, cause the ship
to roll and pitch, and would consequently retard her progress. We therefore

page_text: adopt the following modification of our Invention:-We take a syphon-shaped
pipe made of any suitable material, and place or secure the long leg into one
of a cluster of tanks or compartments when several communicate with each
other, or into one when they are separate, and carry the other or shorter leg
into a vessel with water or other liquid, as aforesaid, as a seal therein, the said
vessel being placed alongside the tank or compartment. When the oil expands
the pressure forces it further into or through the pipe, but not out at the
outer end or shorter leg thereof. And in some cases, where the temperature
is very variable, we place a small quantity of water or other liquid heavier than
the oil in the bottom of the said tanks or compartments, or in a well formed
therein for that purpose, so that the syphon-shaped pipe shall not have oil in
it, but shall allow for temperature by forcing out and drawing in the liquids
in the bottom of the tanks or compartments, and in the small vessel placed
alongside for that purpose, as above mentioned.
Our said Invention relates, secondly, to all closed vessels used for storing and
containing petroleum and other oils and hydrocarbons to provide for the
expansion and contraction taking place therein by atmospheric and other
influences. In stationary tanks used as reservoirs, and in other vessels where
the quantity of oil in the same would vary, we adopt the following modification
of our Invention:-To the top of the tank or other vessel we connect a pipe
which we lead into a smaller vessel placed on the top of the tank, so that the
end of the pipe shall terminate at a greater elevation than the point of con-
nection to the tank or other vessel, and so that the said pipe shall not act as
a syphon when the said tank or vessel is full. The end of this pipe is of a
spiral or other form giving length, and is sealed with water surrounding it to
a height sufficient to allow for expansion taking place within the tank or
vessel without allowing the vapours or oils to be discharged through the water
or other liquid seal, and sufficient to allow for contraction, that the water or
other seal shall not be drawn into the tank or vessel amongst the oil. The
modification described under this head may be used in the place of the one
mentioned under the first head, and vice versâ; but in all cases details would
be guided by position, probable variation of temperature, and other circum-
stances, which it is unnecessary to mention in this Specification..