Improved Safety Can for Petroleum and other Inflammable Liquids.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 25th July, 1898-Accepted, 3rd Sept.,
1898
[Communicated from abroad by JOHANN ENDERLI, of No. 7, Loewenstrasse, Zürich, in
the Republic of Switzerland, Journalist.]
Improved Safety Can for Petroleum and other Inflammable Liquids.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign Patent
Solicitors, 322, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, 6, Lord Street, Liver-
pool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, and Lower
Temple Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Civil 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:-
The present invention relates to an improved oil can for petroleum and the like by
the use of which the frequent accidents hitherto experienced in the supplying of
petroleum to articles already alight, such as lamps, are completely avoided.
A constructional form of the apparatus is illustrated by way of example in the
accompanying drawing,
At one side of the can and near to the bottom thereof is placed the outflow tube a.
This tube widens out towards its upper end in such a manner that the outflowing
petroleum no longer fills the whole section thereof. In the lower part of the outflow
tube is placed a closed valve b which is retained in its closed position by means of a
spring attached to a rod. This valve is connected to the lever d by means of a
string c of combustible material in the neighbourhood of the outlet orifice. If it is
desired to pour petroleum out of the can, the valve b must first be opened. This is
effected by turning the lever d from left to right as shewn in Figure 2, whereupon
the string c is drawn after it and the valve is raised from its seating. If during the
pouring the outflowing petroleum should catch fire, any explosion is prevented.
Explosions cannot occur in the outflow tube, because the explosive fluid is not con-
fined and the escaping gases in consequence of the widening of the tube outwards
have a free outlet. Into the interior of the can the fire cannot penetrate, Owing to
the circumstance that the outflow tube is arranged nearly at the bottom of the can
and in consequence the whole contents of the can during the pouring are above the
outflow tube, it results that in the said lower and smaller part there is always the full
section of the tube entirely filled with petroleum up to the complete emptying of the
can; the entrance of air and of fire into the can is consequently rendered impossible
by the fluid contents thereof. If, moreover, the flame becomes too intense in the
outflow tube then the string c burns through, and the valve, closes automatically, so
that any communication with the interior of the can is prevented. The presence of
the valve also greatly contributes to the safety from fire in that this latter, as shown
in Figure 2, reduces the size of the aperture. The entrance of fire is not only
rendered more difficult itself, but also the passage remains, in consequence of the
narrowing, in any case fully filled as long as the smallest quantity of petroleum
remains in the can. When the pouring is finished the lever is turned back so that
the valve again closes; if it should happen that the string c burns through, the re-
placing thereof can be easily effected. It will be obvious that this can is applicable
not only for petroleum but also for any kind of inflammable liquid.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The improved safety can characterised by having at the side of the can and
close to the bottom thereof an outlet tube widening towards its upper end in such a
manner that when petroleum or the like is being poured out, the same will no longer
occupy the whole section of the tube at its outer end.
2. A safety can constructed substantially in accordance with Claim I, in which in
the lower part of the outflow tube there is placed a valve secured by means of a spring
to a pin and normally held thereby in the closed position, which valve is connected
to a lever attached to the same by means of a string of combustible material and
placed close to the outlet opening, so that by turning of the said lever the valve can
be opened or closed at will, substantially as described.
Dated this 25th day of July 1898.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicant.