IMPROVED ARRANGEMENTS OF APPARATUS FOR STORING OR HOLDING PETROLEUM AND OTHER INFLAMMABLE LIQUIDS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Clinton Edgcumbe Brooman, of the Firm of
Robertson, Brooman, and Company, of 166, Fleet Street, in the
City of London, Patent Agents, for the Invention of "IMPROVED
ARRANGEMENTS OF APPARATUS FOR STORING OR HOLDING PETROLEUM AND
OTHER INFLAMMABLE LIQUIDS."-A communication from abroad by Felix
Did and Dios Laborre both of Marseilles. France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Clinton Edgcumbe
Brooman at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 18th October 1866.
I, CLINTON EDGCUMBE BROOMAN, of the Firm of Robertson, Brooman, and
Company, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents, 'dó
hereby declare the nature of the said: Invention for. "IMPROVED ARRANGEMENTS
OF APPARATUS FOR STORING OR HOLDING PETROLEUM AND OTHER INFLAMMABLE
LIQUIDS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improved arrangements as hereafter described of
inverted reservoirs, that is to say, of reservoirs open at the bottom and closed
at the top, for storing petroleum and other inflammable bodies of less specific
gravity than water; also to the employment as hereafter described of water
as means of preventing all chance of fire and explosion in the reservoirs, and
as means of filling and emptying the reservoirs. This Invention gives all the
advantages required in apparatus of this description, and particularly provides

page_text: free spaces with a view of obviating all explosion or chance of fire. The
shape and arrangement of the inverted reservoirs are exceedingly variable, and
they may be either fixed or movable..
I proceed to describe the Invention as applied to fixed reservoirs, which is
thought to be the better arrangement. To facilitate the explanations I will
suppose the shape to be rectangular. The apparatus consists of a rectangular
metal reservoir, of which the sides are vertical and the top slightly convex,
near the centre is a man-hole formed at the sides with apertures or sockets to
receive above the reservoir two pipes,, one of which serves as an inlet pipe to
fill the reservoir, and the other as an outlet pipe, the bottom part of the
reservoir is open like a gasometer. The reservoir is placed in a water-tight
basin of masonry or brickwork and is fixed in a rigid manner to the bottom
of the basin by iron bolts or otherwise to prevent it from rising. There is an
overflow from the basin formed through the masonry and which can be opened
or shut by a cock. In the centre of the bottom of the basin there is a
channel for the purpose of receiving any. deposit, and also to allow space
enough for men to enter under-the reservoir to clean it, the space left between
the lower edge of the-sides of the reservoir and the bottom of the .basin
being not more than about ths of an inch, so as to save masonry. The
space between the sides of the reservoir and the sides of the masonry should
be of sufficient width to,allow a man to go between. The masonry is built to
such a height that the metal reservoir can be completely submerged. A conical
tube open at the bottom is carried a certain distance down from the top of the
reservoir for the purpose of ascertaining or showing when the reservoir has
received its maximum charge of oil. There is a channel in the masonry just
underneath the ground, it is lined with lead and continued all the length or
breadth of the basin, it is for the purpose of conducting the liquid from the
barrels when they are to be emptied into the reservoir to a pipe furnished
with a cock and in connection with the inlet pipe before mentioned. The
outlet pipe before mentioned is also furnished at its outer end with a cock
which is opened when casks or barrels placed below the end of the outlet
pipe are to be filled from the reservoir. This arrangement is particularly
intended for reservoirs at depots or stores, but for those used for manufacturing
purposes this cock would serve for the feeding of the manufacturing or refining
apparatus. In filling as well as in emptying the reservoirs I make a special
application of water as an infallible means of avoiding the formation of free or
open spaces, and consequently of explosive mixtures, during these operations.
The following is the method of proceeding -The basin being full of water
outside and inside the reservoir the cock of the outlet pipe is shut, the man-

page_text: hole is closed, and the conical tube, the cover of which is hinged, is opened,
the cock of the overflow is also opened. When the water has attained outside
the reservoir 'the level of the overflow orifice (say about 4ths the height of the
reservoir), the cock of the pipe connected with the oil inlet pipe is opened and
the oil is emptied from the barrels above into the channel in the masonry, it
flows into 'the reservoir by the inlet pipe and falls on 'the surface of the water
contained in 'the 'reservoir. In proportion as the oil descends it displaces a
quantity of water corresponding to its 'specific weight, which water runs out
by the space left open between the bottom of the basin and the lower edges
of the reservoir, and the 'excèss of water thus produced outside the reservoir
continues to flow away by the overflow as longias oil is continued to be poured
into the reservoir. Suppose the reservoir half full of oil the level of the
water in the interior will be below that at the exterior, as well as that in thé
conical "tube in which the water has remained at the level of the overflow;
but if oil is continued to be poured into 'the reservoir the water in the
reservoir will in a certain time fall below the lower end of the conical tube:
It will be easy to understand that the water contained in the conical 'tube
not now meeting with counterpressure by the water which the oil bas dis-
placed, and that this column of water finding itself in a body less dense than
itself will tend. by the fact, of its 'specific weight to fall, and will be immediately
replaced by oil, which will then attain a level in the tube equal to that con-
tained in the reservoir, that is to say, the top. This will be seen through the
opening in the top of the tube, and will indicate that the reservoir has received
its complete charge. The cover of the tube is then closed, as well as the
overflow cock and the cock of 'the feed pipe. The basin is next completely
filled with water, so that the oil inlet and outlet pipes are entirely submerged:
When it is required to empty the reservoir it suffices to open the inlet cock,
by which the oil will escape in consequence of the pressure exerted by the
water, but to keep up a continual flow of oil it is necessary to keep the water
in the outer basin to its first level.
The arrangement herein-before described when applied to ordinary reservoirs
offers great advantages. There are, as before, two operations, that of Alling
and that of emptying the reservoirs. When it is required. to fill a reservoir
with oil a volume of water sufficient to completely fill the reservoir must first
be let in by a cock fitted outside the reservoir to a bent pipe carried."down
through the upper part of the reservoir. to nearly the bottom thereof. then
this cock is shut; and.another cock below the level of the top of the reservoir
and fitted to a branch of the same pipe is opened, by which the water will
flow-away as the oil is allowed to enter the reservoir by a pipe which is fixed

page_text: to the cover of a man-hole on the top of the reservoir with a hermetically
sealed joint. It will be readily understood that by reason of the difference
between the levels of the outlet cock and oil inlet. that the weight of the
entering oil will displace an equal weight of water, which water will flow off
through the outlet cock until the reservoir is full. To the water inlet and
outlet tube outside the reservoir I fit a vertical glass tube furnished with a
cock to allow of the air escaping. This tube shows directly by the oil coming
into the tube to which it is fitted that the reservoir is sufficiently full, and that
the water outlet cock should be closed. The reservoir being now full of oil,
and all the openings being shut, there cannot exist any open spaces; and during
the time of filling the reservoir in the manner explained there has never been
any open space above the surface of the petroleum. Thus when the reservoir
has only received half of its charge the bottom level of, the oil is about
half way down the reservoir, and the top level is at the oil inlet pipe in the
man-hole, and the other half of the reservoir contains a volume of water equal
to, the space which would have been left open had not this arrangement been
applied to the reservoir.
The process of emptying, like that before described, is very rapidly done,
and is free from all danger. It is sufficient to open the oil inlet pipe, which
communicates with pumps or with cocks for filling casks, and to open the
water inlet cock so that the water flowing into the reservoir by the tube will
drive out the oil by the tube which was before the oil inlet tube, the water
always occupying the lower part of the reservoir. This arrangement is
economical, especially if water under pressure can be obtained, as then the
oil can be driven to a considerable height without using pumps or other
apparatus,
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters. Patent, filed
by the said Clinton Edgcumbe Brooman in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 18th April 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CLINTON &
EDGCUMBE BROOMAN, of the Firm of Robertson, Brooman, and Company,.
of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and. grant, unto

page_text: me, the said Clinton Edgcumbe Brooman, Her special licence that I, the
said Clinton Edgcumbe Brooman, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Clinton Edgcumbe 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 "IMPROVED ARRANGEMENTS OF APPARATUS FOR
STORING OR HOLDING PETROLEUM AND OTHER INFLAMMABLE LIQUIDS," (com-
municated to me from abroad by Felix Bizard and Pierre Labarre, both of
Marseilles, France,) upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Clinton Edgcumbe Brooman, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment 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 Clinton Edgcumbe 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:-
This Invention relates to improved arrangements, as hereafter described, of
inverted reservoirs, that is to say, reservoirs open at the bottom and closed at
the top, for storing petroleum and other inflammable bodies of less specific
gravity than water; also to the employment, as hereafter desoribed, of water
as means of preventing all chance of fire and explosion in the reservoirs, and
as means of filling and emptying the reservoirs. The Invention gives all the
advantages required in apparatus of this description, and particularly it pro-
vides free spaces with a view of obviating all explosions or chances of fire. The
shape and details of the inverted reservoirs are exceedingly variable, and they
may be either fixed or movable.
I proceed to describe the Invention as applied to fixed reservoirs, which is
thought to be the better arrangement: To facilitate the explanations I will
suppose the shape to be rectangular. The apparatus consists of a rectangular
metal reservoir, as represented in Figure 1, which is a vertical section of an
apparatus constructed according to this Invention. The sides of this reservoir:
are vertical and the top slightly convex. Near the centre is. a man-hole K
formed at the sides with apertures or sockets to receive above the reservoir

page_text: two pipes, one of which M serves as an inlet pipe to fill the reservoir, and the
other N as an outlet pipe. The bottom part of the reservoir is open like; a
gasometer. The reservoir is placed in a water-tight basin of masonry or
brickwork A and fixed in a rigid manner to the bottom of the basin by iron
bolts or otherwise to prevent it from rising. There is an overflow, C, D, from
the basin formed through the masonry and which can be opened or, shut by.a
cock D. In the centre of the bottom. of the basin; there is a channel P for
the purpose of receiving any deposit, and also to allow space enough for men
to enter under the reservoir to clean it, the space left between the lower edge
of the sides of the reservoir and the bottom of the basin not being more than
about two-fifths of an inch, so as 'to save masonry. The space between.the
sides of the reservoir and the sides of the masonry should be of sufficient
width' to allow a man to go between. The masonry is built, to such a height
that the metal reservoir can be completely submerged. A conical tube Q open
at the bottom is carried a certain distance down. from the top of the reservoir
for the purpose of ascertaining or showing when the reservoir has received its
maximum charge of oil. There is a channel X in the masonry just under
neath the ground; it is lined with lead and continued all the length or breadth
of the basin. It is for the purpose of conducting the liquid from the barrels L
when they are to be emptied into the reservoir to a pipe. H furnished with a
cock and in-connection with the inlet pipe M. The outlet, pipe M is also
furnished at its outer end with a cock I, which is opened when casks or
barrels O placed below the end of the outlet pipe are to be filled from the
reservoir.
This, arrangement is particularly intended for reservoirs at depots or stores,
but for those used for manufacturing purposes this cock would serve for the
feeding of the manufacturing or refining apparatus. In filling, as in emptying
the reservoirs. I make a special application of water as an infallible means of
avoiding the formation, of free or open spaces, and consequently of explosive
mixtures during these operations. The following is the method of proceeding:
The basin being, full of water outside and inside the reservoir the cock I is
shut, the man-hole K is closed, and the conical tube Q, the cover of which is
hinged, is opened (see Figure 2). The cock D of the overflow is also opened.
When the water has attained outside the reservoir the level. C, C, the
cock. H is opened and the oil is emptied from the barrels above into the channel
X; it flows into the reservoir B by the inlet pipe M, H, and falls on the
surface of the water contained in the reservoir. In proportion as the oil descends
it displaces a quantity of water corresponding to its specific weight, which
water runs out by the space left open between the bottom of the basin and
..

page_text: the lower edges of the reservoir, and the excess water thus produced outside
the reservoir continues to flow away by the overflow D as long as oil is continued
to be poured into the reservoir. Suppose the reservoir balf full of oil the level
of the water in the interior is at E, E, while at the exterior it is at C, C, as
well as in the tube Q in which the water has remained at C, that is to say,
at the same level as the water outside the reservoir; but if oil is continued
to be poured into the reservoir the water in the reservoir will in a certain
time fall below the lower. end of the conical tube Q. It will be easy to
understand that the, water contained in the conical tube up to C not now
meeting with counterpressure by the water which the oil has displaced and
that this column of water finding itself in a body less dense than itself will
tend by the fact of its specific weight to fall, and will be immediately replaced
by oil, which will then attain a level in the tube equal to that contained in
the reservoir, that is to say,-the-top. This will be seen through the opening Q¹
in the top of the tube, and will indicate that the reservoir has received its
complete charge. The cover Q1 of the tube is then closed, as well as the
overflow.cock D, and the cock H¹ of the feed pipe. The basin is next completely
filled with water, so that the oil inlet and outlet pipes M and N are entirely
submerged. Should there be any escape of oil from the reservoir it would be
at once discovered, as spots of oil would appear on the surface on the water!
As the surcharge of water forces the oil to occupy the upper parts of the
reservoir there are no open spaces above the oil, and as the water surrounds
every part of the oil which is confined within the reservoir there is no fear of
fire or explosion. When it is required to empty the reservoir it suffices to
open the outlet cock I, by which the oil will escape in consequence of the
pressure exerted by the water, but to keep up a continual flow of oil it is
necessary to keep the water in the outer basin to its first level.
The arrangement herein-before described when applied to ordinary reser-
voirs offers great advantages. This will be seen on reference to Figures 8
and 4. Here there are as before two operations, those of filling and
emptying the reservoirs. When it is required to fill the reservoir a with oil
a volume of water sufficient to completely fill the reservoir up to the point c
must first be let in by a cock 6; then this cock b is shut, and another cock 6'
is opened by which the water will flow away as the oil is allowed to enter
the reservoir by a pipe d which is fixed to the cover of the man-hole c with
a bermetically sealed joint. It will be readily understood that by reason of
the difference between the levels of the outlet cock and oil inlet, that is to
say, the points 6 and d, and which could be made greater by bending the
pipe e to a greater extent, that the weight of the entering oil will displace

page_text: an equal weight of water, which water will flow off through the outlet
cock b until the reservoir is full. To the water inlet and outlet tube outside
the reservoir I fit a vertical glass tube 9 furnished with a cock f to allow of
g
the air escaping. This tube shows directly by the oil coming up the tube that
the reservoir is sufficiently full, and that the water outlet 6' should be closed.
The reservoir being now full of oil, and all the openings being shut, there
cannot exist any open spaces, and during the time of filling the reservoir in
the manner explained there has never been any open space above the surface
of the petroleum. Thus when the reservoir a has only received half of its
charge the bottom level of the oil is at h, h, the top level is at d, and the
other half of the reservoir contains a volume of water equal to the space
which would have been left open had not this arrangement been applied to
the reservoir. The process of emptying like that before described is very
rapidly done and free from all danger. It is sufficient to open the oil inlet
pipe d, which communicates with pumps or with cocks for filling casks, and
to open the water inlet cock 6 so that the water flowing into the reservoir
by the tube e will drive out the oil by the tube d, the water always occupying.
the lower part of the reservoir. This arrangement is economical, especially
if water under pressure can be obtained, as then the oil can be driven to a.
considerable height without using pumps or other apparatus.
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,-
First, the arrangements or combinations of parts of apparatus, substan-
tially as herein-before described with reference to the accompanying Drawings,
for storing or holding petroleum and other inflammable liquids of less specific
gravity than water..
Second, the arranging, or constructing of apparatus for storing or holding
petroleum and other inflammable liquids, so that water can be employed in
the manner herein-before described as means of preventing fire and explosion
of the liquid, and as means of filling and emptying the reservoirs.
In witness whereof, I, the said Clinton Edgcumbe Brooman, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of April, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-seven.