Improvements in and relating to Cisterns, Tanks, and the like, to Prevent them Bursting when Frozen.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 1st June, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 29th Feb., 1896-Accepted, 4th Apr., 1896
Improvements in and relating to Cisterns, Tanks, and the like, to
Prevent them Bursting when Frozen.
We, JOHN PATRICK MACADAM, and JOHN GRANT, both of Albert Place,.
Berwick-on-Tweed, Plumbers, do hereby declare the nature of our invention to be.
as follows:-
This invention has reference to an improved method and appliances applicable to
liquid cisterns, tanks and the like to prevent them from bursting by the expansive
action of the ice when they get frozen.
According to our improvements we fit a vertical tube or other hollow or-
collapsible vessel or vessels within the cistern, so that when the liquid in the cistern.
begins to freeze the pressure exerted by the expansive action of the ice being-
formed will collapse the hollow vessel or appliance fitted inside the cistern, and.
thus provide the requisite space for the expansion of the ice and so prevent the
cistern from getting burst.
These tubular appliances may be formed of sheet metal or of other suitable material.
that will yield or collapse under a certain pressure suitable to that of the expansive
force of the ice. And they may be either open at top when the latter extends.
above the water level, or be formed of a close hermetically sealed configuration,.
preferably of oval shape, when they are placed beneath the surface level of water
in cistern. These appliances would be either weighted or fixed within the cistern.
to anchor and prevent them from floating about.
Dated the 31st day of May 1895.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96 Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Cisterns, Tanks, and the like, to.
Prevent them Bursting when Frozen.
We, JOHN PATRICK MACADAM, and JOHN GRANT, both of Albert Place,.
Berwick-on-Tweed, Plumbers, do hereby declare the nature of our invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and.
ascertained in and by the following statement in writing, that is to say :-
This invention has reference to an improved method and appliances applicable to
liquid cisterns, tanks and the like to prevent them from bursting by the expansive
action of the ice when they get frozen.
And in order that our said invention and the manner of carrying same into
practice may be properly understood we have hereunto appended an explanatory
drawing in which
Figure shows the application of our improvements to a cistern or tank, and
Figure 2 is a detached view of the collapsible tube.
Referring to said drawing:-
According to our improvements we fit a vertical tube a or other hollow or
collapsible vessel or vessels within the cistern A so that when the liquid in the

page_text: cistern begins to freeze the pressure exerted by the expansive action of the ice
being formed will collapse the hollow vessel or appliance a fitted inside the cistern,
and thus provide the requisite space for the expansion of the ice, and so prevent
the cistern A from getting burst.
These tubular appliances a may be formed of sheet metal or of other suitable
material that will yield or collapse under a certain pressure suitable to that of the
expansive force of the ice, and we have found tubes of india-rubber a to answer
well with closed end a¹. And they may be either open at top when the latter
extends above the water level, or be formed of a close hermetically sealed con-
figuration, preferably of oval shape, when they are placed beneath the surface
level of water in cistern. These appliances would be either weighted by portable
lead weights a² inserted inside or fixed within the cistern to anchor and prevent
them from floating about.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
The fitting and use of a yielding or flexible tube or like hollow or collapsible
vessel within cisterns, tanks and the like, so that when the liquid begins to freeze,
the pressure exerted by the expansive action of the ice being formed will collapse
the hollow vessel or flexible appliance, substantially as and for the purposes herein
set forth.
1000