Improvements in Metal Troughs and Tanks.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Dec., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 30th Sept., 1895-Accepted, 7th Dec., 1395
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Metal Troughs and Tanks.
I, PERCY RICHARD JULIUS WILLIS, of 55 Chancery Lane, in the County of
London, Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication
to me fiom abroad by IIARVEY NEWTON HILL, of Pontiac Michigan, and
WALTER HENRY COOTS, of No. 40 Gratiot Avenue, Detroit, Michigan, US.A.,
Inventors,) to be as follows.
This invention relates to water tanks and other similar structures made from
sheets or strips of thin metal and used for conveying or holding liquid.
The object of the invention is to produce a joint of seam between two strips of
metal in such manner as to make it impervious to liquid contained in the tank or
trough
A tank or trough constructed in accordance with this invention comprises two or
more sheets of metal which are rolled into a partially cylindrical form, and the
adjacent or joining ends are lapped one over the other a short distance Between
the meeting sui faces a strip of thin cloth is inserted. This thin piece of cloth may
be soaked in oil, or it may be inserted without such preparation, or it may be
entirely omitted, although it is preferable to insert it.
Within the tauk or trough aud under the lapping ends of the sheets of metal, is
placed a stout metal ring. On the outside is a ring which is severed, and has its
ends turned up to form lugs through which bolts may be passed to diaw the ring
and the overlapping edges of the metal sheets tightly over the internal ring.
sound and liquid-tight joint is thereby made.
A
The end joints are made in a similar manner except that the inturned flanges of
the ends take the place of the internal ring.
The exterio ug may be drawn together in other ways besides that described
bove, without departing from the nature of the invention.
Dated this 29th day of December 1894.
PERCY R. J. WILLIS.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Metal Troughs and Tanks.
I, PERCY RICHARD JULIUS WILLIS of 55 Chancery Lane, in the County of
London, Manager, do hereby declate the nature of this invention (a communication
to me from abroad by HARVEY NEWTON HILL, of Pontiac, Michigan, and
WALTER HENRY Coo18, of 40 Gratiot Avenue, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A,
Inventors,) and in what manner the saine is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to water tanks and other sınlar structures made from
sheets or strips of thin metal and used for either holding or conveying liquid.
The especial object of the invention is to produce a joint or seam between two
strips of metal, such that it will be impervious to liquid contained in a tank made
from such sheets of metal, or flowing though or along a pipe or sluice-way
made from such sheets of metal.

page_text: 69
Fig. 1 shows in perspective a tank made from two sheets of metal, and having
two heads or end pieces, one at each end,
Fig. 2, is a cross section showing a manner of joining the edges or meeting ends
of two sheets of metal
Fig. 3 shows a means of drawing together the ends of the external compression
Ting.
A and B indicate two sheets of metal employed to form a tank. The sheets are
rolled into a partially cylindrical form, and the adjacent or adjoining ends nie lapped
the one by the other a short distance and between the contiguous sui faces of the
sheets of metal I preferably insert a strip of thin cloth, iudicated at T in Fig. 2
This thin piece of cloth may be soaked oil, or may be inserted without such
preparation, or it may be entirely omitted, although I prefer to insert it.
On the interior of the tank, within the side of the underlapping edge of tho
sheet A, is placed a ring R, and on the outside over the overlapping end of
the sheet B is placed a split ring S
The ends of the split ring S are provided at
the extremities with means for diawing the ends of the ing together and reducing
its circumference. The meaos employed for this purpose may be any of the well
known means used for contracting the circumference, of the boop, such as a bolt &
passing through the eyes e e in the end of the split ring, or bolt 6, one end of which
engages with the looped end of the split ring, and the other end of which engages
with a cross-bai K that is caught under a loop E¹ of the end of the split ring
The external hoop or split ring S is arranged directly outside and concentric
with the internal ring R, and when the ends of the split ring S are drawn forcibly
together by means of the bolt b, the two ends of the plates A and B are drawn
forcibly and very closely in contact, making a very tight and firm joint without the
use of ivets or solder oi cement.
To secure the ends C and D in the tank, the ring R inay be replaced by an
inturned flanger, which forms a part of the head C, and the sheet of metal A
or B, as the case may be, is drawn tightly down; and this flange forms the
internal ring, over which the sheet metal is secured by drawing together the ends
of the encircling hoop or split ring m a maquer precisely similar to the manner of
drawing the two pieces together over the internal ring R. This style of joint can be
used in very large tanks, such as are employed in connection with windmills; and
it can also be employed for smaller tanks or troughs, such as are used for the
watering of stock
It can also be used in making long sluice ways for conveying
water, where the sluice way is nearly level and can be made with an open upper
surface.
Tanks or troughs of this form can be very readily and very rapidly constructed, and
at very low cost, as there is no necessity of either rivetting, cementing, or soldering
them.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what 1
claim 18-
(1.) In a water tank in combination with an inner support, an outer contractile
band, overlapping ends of sheet metal interposed between the support and band, a
strip of packing material interposed between the contiguous surfaces of the sheet
metal forming the tank, substantially as described.
(2.) In a tank, the combination of an inner supporting member, an outer
compression member, overlapping ends of sheet metal interposed between the
supporting and compression members, and means for compressing the outer member
substantially as described.
PERCY R. J. WILLIS.