Year: 1888

page_text: I, WALTER SKAIFE, of 671 Commercial Road, in the County of Middlesex,
Galvanized Iron and Tank Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows :-
For the purpose of closing apertures of tanks it is usual to employ lids or covers
made of larger diameter than the apertures, and the covers overlap the wall of the
tank around the openings. Screw studs are fixed in and project from the wall of
the tank which is, when required, provided with an internal strengthening piece
around the opening and there are holes in the lid or cover through which the studs
extend when the lid is in its place where it is fastened by nuts. Sometimes in lieu of
screw studs bolts are employed.
This arrangement is open to various objections in practice which it is the object of
my invention to obviate. For this purpose I dispense with the screw studs ordinarily
fixed in the wall of the tank and I provide a casting or device of larger diameter than
the aperture, and which in one form resembles a lid with rim and with a slot so
arranged as to admit of inserting the said casting or device easily into the tank
where it is held in position by one or more hooks or supports. In the centre is fixed
a screw stud and in the cover or lid there is a centre hole through which the said
screw stud projects so that it can be fastened by a nut.
The lid is formed or provided with a projection or stop that enters the slot in the
casting and thus prevents movement thereof in a rotary sense while tightening up
the nut. As I prefer the lid is furnished with an annular projection or fillet that
enters within the space surrounded by the rim of the casting thereby enabling an
efficient joint to be made by the use of suitable packing.

page_text: When applying my invention to steam or hot water tanks I interpose a suitable
washer or washers between the nut and the lid.
My invention is obviously susceptible of modification in various ways.
For
example, more than one screw stud may be used; in which case the projection or stop
on the lid to prevent rotary motion may be dispensed with.
The lids may be used in connection with curved surfaces in which case they are
of a form corresponding to the form of the article or structure to which they are
applied.
In some cases, for instance, when the aperture is of oval form, the slot in the
casting for enabling it to be inserted within the aperture is dispensed with.
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham.

page_text: I, WALTER SKAIFE, of 671 Commercial Road, in the County of Middlesex,
Galvanized Iron and Tank Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
For the purpose of closing apertures of tanks it is usual to employ lids or covers
made of larger diameter than the apertures, and the covers overlap the wall of the
tank around the openings. Screw studs are fixed in and project from the wall of
the tank which is, when required, provided with an internal strengthening piece
around the opening and there are holes in the lid or cover through which the studs
extend when the lid is in its place where it is fastened by nuts. Sometimes in lieu
of screw studs bolts are employed.
This arrangement is open to various objections in practice, which it is the object.
of my invention to obviate. For this purpose I dispense with the screw studs
ordinarily fixed in the wall of the tank and I provide a casting or device of larger
diameter than the aperture, and which in one form resembles a lid with rim and with
a slot so arranged as to admit of inserting the said casting or device easily into the
tank where it is held in position by one or more hooks or supports. In the centre
is fixed a screw stud and in the cover or lid there is a centre hole through which the
said screw stud projects so that it can be fastened by a nut.
The lid is formed or provided with a projection or stop that enters the slot in the
casting and thus prevents movement thereof in a rotary sense while tightening up
the nut. As I prefer the lid is furnished with an annular projection or fillet that enters
within the space surrounded by the rim of the casting thereby enabling an efficient
joint to be made by the use of suitable packing.
When applying my invention to steam or hot water tanks I interpose a suitable
washer or washers between the nut and the lid.
My invention is obviously susceptible of modification in various ways. For example,
more than one screw stud may be used, in which case the projection or stop on the lid
to prevent rotary motion may be dispensed with.
The lids may be used in connection with curved surfaces in which case they are of
a form corresponding to the form of the article or structure to which they are
applied.
In the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings ---
Fig. 1 is a central vertical section of a tank cover or closure constructed according
to this invention and shown applied to the upper part of a tank.
Fig. 2 is a plan or top view of a casting or device that bears against the inner side
of the wall of the tank; and
Fig. 3 is an underside view of the outer lid or cover.
Figs. 4 and 5 show respectively in plan or top view and in horizontal section a tank
cover or closure applied to the side of a cylindrical tank.

page_text: Fig. 6 is a rear view of the casting or inner cover of this modified form of tank
cover or closure.
Referring to figs. 1 to 3, 1 is a casting or metal block of circular shape formed with
a slot 2 and provided with a rim 3 and screw threaded stud 4; it is of larger diameter
than the hole 5 in the top or wall 6 of the tank which it helps to close, and is inserted
into the tank by first inserting part of the said wall into its slot 2 when it may be
readily passed into the tank. 7. 7 are brackets secured to the under surface of the top
or wall of the tank; and arranged to support the casting or metal block 1 in position
until it is firmly secured in place, as hereinafter described. 8 is an outer cover or lid
formed with a hole through which the screw stud 4 may pass as shown in fig. 1, and
with an annular projection or rib 8* arranged to enter into the space surrounded by
the rim 3 of the casting 1. The casting or metal block 1 and cover or lid S are
secured together by a nut 9 with the metal surrounding the edge of the hole 5 between
them, as shown in fig. 1. 10 is a tooth or projection carried by the cover or lids and
arranged to enter the slot 2 of the casting or block 1 when these parts are secured
together. 11 is a ring of suitable packing material such as india rubber or asbestos
interposed between the top wall 6 of the tank and the outer cover or lid 8 to ensure a
tight joint. 12 is a washer placed between the nut 9 and the cover or lid $; it may
be of metal but when the tank is to contain steam or hot water, a washer of suitable
elastic or yielding material such as india rubber may be employed in addition to the
metal washer, to make a tight joint at this part.
By the use of tank covers or closures constructed in two parts, and arranged to bear,
upon opposite sides of the metal around the edge of the hole to be closed, in the
manner described and shown, a tight joint may be quickly made or broken, and as
the pressure on the opposite sides of the metal around the hole will be equal, such
metal will not need to be specially strengthened.
The construction of tank cover or closure shown in figs. 4, 5 and 6 is similar to that
shown in figs. 1 and 2 excepting that the inner and outer covers or lids 1 and 8 are
slightly modified in form to suit the curved wall of the tank, and the brackets 7
are arranged to hold the inner cover or casting 1 in a vertical position during the
making and breaking of the joint. It will be obvious that this construction can be
used in other positions than vertical.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. A tank cover or closure comprising circular inner and outer lids or covers
connected by a bolt (or bolts) or a stud (or studs) and supporting the metal around
the hole on both sides, the inner lid or cover being partly cut away or slotted to
provide for its entering substantially as described.
2. Tank covers or closures constructed substantially in the manner hereinbefore
described with reference respectively to and shown in figs. 1. 2 and 3 and in figures 4
and 5 of the drawings annexed.
Datal this 12th day of August 1988