IMPROVEMENTS IN VEHICLES FOR TRANSPORTING LIQUID CARGOES IN BULK."
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn
Fields, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN VEHICLES FOR TRANSPORTING LIQUID CARGOES IN
BULK." A communication from abroad by William Gray Warden,
of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America.

page_text: petroleum. This vehicle is mounted on wheels which may be adapted
either for common roads or for railways, but chiefly for railways. Upon
the framing of the truck or vehicle, whether composed of wood or metal,
there is placed the vessel or actual receiver of the petroleum or other
liquid cargo to be transported in bulk. This vessel consists of a long
tank composed of plate iron or other metal, and of a circular transverse
section. It is provided with concavo-convex or with flat ends, internal
stays being requisite in the latter case to afford sufficient strength; or
in lieu of the internal stays the ends when flat may be made thicker
in order to afford the requisite strength. This vessel is not absolutely
cylindrical in form, but partakes more of a barrel shape, being of larger
diameter in the middle than at each end, whereby not only is greater
strength obtained, but facility for completely emptying it of its contents
is afforded by having the discharge orifice and cock or valve situate in
the bottom of the vessel at the zone of largest diameter. A valve rod
or screw spindle for opening or closing the valve passes up from the
discharge valve through a cap in the roof of a dome or chamber which
is formed in the top of the vessel, the object of such dome or chamber
being to afford free expansion for the liquid, which should fill the body
of the vessel but still leave a vacant space inside the dome. A small
vent hole in the dome allows of the escape of any excess of vapour
generating therein. The charging or filling of the vessel may be effected
through an aperture for the purpose by a pump or otherwise, the
aperture being provided with a tight-fitting lid or cover, which is to be
closed when the vessel is full. The frame or truck which supports the
vessel or tank is of any ordinary or well-known construction, but by
preference is mounted on what are called " bogies," and the tank or
vessel may be secured horizontally along the longitudinal centre of the
truck by means of metal straps, brackets, or other suitable fastenings.
A passage or platform provided with a hand rail is formed along both
sides of the truck, and communicates with a similar platform and hand
rail on the adjoining truck, so that facility will be afforded for constant
inspection of the vessels by the attendants in charge of the train.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 23rd November 1871.
·
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the
34th year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her special
license that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Henry
Johnson, my executors, administrators, or 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN VEHICLES FOR TRANSPORTING LIQUID CARGOES IN BULK," a
communication from abroad by William Gray Warden, of Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, United States of America, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, adminis-
trators, or assigns, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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 John Henry Johnson, 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, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say :-

page_text: larly petroleum. This tank is mounted on a convenient frame provided
with wheels which may be adapted either for common roads or for
railways, but are more especially intended for use on railways. Upon
the framing of the truck or vehicle, whether composed of wood or
metal, there is placed the vessel, tank, or actual receiver of the petroleum
or other liquid cargo to be transported in bulk. This vessel consists of
a long tank composed of plate iron or other metal and of a circular
transverse section. It is provided with concavo-convex, or with flat ends,
internal stays being requisite in the latter case to afford sufficient
strength, or in lieu of internal stays the ends when flat may be made
thicker in order to afford the strength required. This vessel is not
absolutely cylindrical in form but partakes more of the shape of a
barrel, being of larger diameter in the middle than at each end, whereby
not only is greater strength obtained, but facility for completely empty-
ing it of its contents is afforded by having the discharge orifice and
cock or valve situate in the bottom of the vessel at the zone of largest
diameter. A valve rod or screw spindle for opening or closing the
valve passes up from the discharge valve through a cap in the roof of
a dome or chamber which is formed on the top of the vessel, the object
of such dome or chamber being to afford free expansion for the liquid
which should fill the body of the vessel but still have a vacant space
inside the dome. A small vent hole in the dome allows of the escape
of any excess of vapour generating therein. The charging or filling
of the vessel may be effected through an aperture for the purpose by
a pump or otherwise, the aperture being provided with a tight-fitting
lid or cover which is to be closed when the vessel is full. The frame
or truck which supports the vessel or tank is of any ordinary or well-
known construction, but by preference is mounted on what are called
"bogies," and the tank or vessel may be secured horizontally along the
longitudinal centre of the truck by means of metal straps, brackets, or
other suitable fastenings. A passage or platform provided with a hand
rail is formed along both sides of the truck and communicates with a
similar platform and hand rail on the adjoining truck, so that facility
will be afforded for constant inspection of the vessels by the attendants
in charge of the train.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose
shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the

page_text: same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the
Figures.
Figure 1 of the Drawings is a side view partly in section of the
improved railroad tank for transporting liquid cargo in bulk; Figure 2
a transverse vertical section of the same, and Figure 3 a plan view
shewing the frame of one half of the truck without the tank or vessel.
The frame of the truck consists in the present instance of two longi-
tudinal beams A and A', and bumper beams B, B, the group of transverse
bearing beams D, E, D, adjoining each other intermediate cross pieces a, a,
and cross pieces F, F, each of the latter being connected to the adjacent
bumper beam B, which is also connected to the group of beams D, E, D,
by a longitudinal piece I. The several parts are firmly secured together
by stay bolts h, h, and f as well as by other appropriate fastenings.
Each of the group of transverse bars D, E, D, of the frame rests on a
bogie X of the ordinary construction, the bogie turning on the usual
centre pin.
It is not essential in carrying out this Invention to adhere to a frame
constructed precisely in the manner described although it has been
found in practice to serve the desired purpose well. The frame may be
arranged for a four-wheeled truck without bogies, or for trucks with
eight or more wheels and bogies.
The vessel for containing the liquid to be transported consists of a
long tank W of circular transverse section composed of plate iron or
other metal with concavo-convex ends of the same material, or if
desired the ends may be flat, providing they are properly stayed internally,
or may be made thicker to resist shocks.
It will be observed that the said vessel is larger in diameter in the
middle than at the opposite ends, the purpose of this will be rendered
apparent hereafter. Midway between the opposite ends of the tank is
placed a dome w having a detachable cover x.
In order to discharge the contents of the tank there is arranged within
the same, midway or nearly so between its opposite ends, a valve p
adapted to a seat q, which is secured to the under side of the tank, and
is provided with a screw plug t or other detachable stopper. On the
valve rod T near the upper end of the same is formed a screw thread k
adapted to a similar thread in a casing 7 secured to the cover of the
dome, and provided with a cap m, on the removal of which a suitable

page_text: instrument can be applied to the square end of the stem for the purpose
of turning the latter, and thereby raising or lowering the valve as
desired. The main weight of the tank and its contents bears upon the
two bogies, the group of beams D, E, D, directly above cach bogie
having a cavity conforming to the shape of the tank, which also bears.
on the intermediate beams, or rather the latter are caused to bear against
the under side of the tank by strap bolts d, d, which pass over the
cylinder and are bolted to the opposite longitudinal beams A and A¹ of
the frame; these straps being situated one on each side of the dome w,
and one near each end of the tank, as seen in Figure 1.
In order to maintain the tank in its proper longitudinal position on
the frame a cross bar F fits snugly against each end of the tank at the
lower corner of the same, as shewn in Figure 1.
It will be observed that the frame is of itself comparatively light; but
when united by the strap bolts to the tank forms with the latter a rigid
and substantial girder resting near its opposite ends on the two bogies,
in fact the tank adds greatly to the strength of the frame.
To the outside of each of the longitudinal beams A and A' of the
frame are secured a series of brackets H, H, the latter, together with a
series of bars I, I, supporting a platform, along which attendants can
pass from tank to tank, the said brackets and bars being connected
together by longitudinal tubular rods J, J, which terminate at and are
secured to the opposite buffer beams B, B. Posts 9 project from the
outer ends of the brackets, and to the tops of these posts is connected a
hand rail for protecting those who traverse the platform from accidents.
In transporting petroleum in the tank (and it is for this purpose more
especially that the Invention has been designed) the tank is filled with
the exception of the dome, so that there can be no undue agitation of
the fluid, and should the latter be expanded on being exposed to a slight
increase of temperature, the tank will be protected from disruption by
the space within the dome, into which space the petroleum can rise. A
very small opening in the top of the dome will permit the free escape
of gas generated within the dome. The tank may be charged with
petroleum through a suitable opening provided with an appropriate
detachable cover, and when the tank has to be emptied, the screw plug t
is removed, a flexible or other pipe suitable for directing the petroleum

page_text: to the desired point is connected to the seat q of the valve, and the latter
is elevated by turning the valve spindle T.
One of the most important features of the Invention is the increasing
the diameter of the circular vessel in the middle, and tapering it
gradually from the middle to the ends, thus making it somewhat barrel-
shaped, and, arranging the discharge opening at the enlarged portion.
By this arrangement not only is great strength imparted to the vessel,
but its entire contents can be drawn off and the interior effectually
cleansed by steam and thereby brought to a fit condition for receiving
any goods which it may be desirable to transport in the vehicle on its
return to the point where it has to receive its charge of petroleum.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used
or carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider
to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, a tank of
circular or equivalent transverse section, made larger in diameter at the
middle than at the opposite ends, having its discharge opening in the
middle, and provided with a perforated dome, the whole being mounted
on a railway truck frame, substantially as and for the purpose herein-
before described and illustrated by the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this
my Specification set my hand and seal, the Twenty-first day of
November One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.