IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR THE STORAGE AND DELIVERY OR DRAWING OFF OF VOLATILE AND INFLAMMABLE LIQUIDS
Year: 1881

page_text: A
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Henry Harris Lake at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th September 1881.
communication from abroad by Edmond Judytski, of Moscow, Russia,
Architect.
HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR THE STORAGE
AND DELIVERY OR DRAWING OFF OF VOLATILE AND INFLAMMABLE LIQUIDS."
A communication from abroad by Edmond Judytski, of Moscow, Russia,
Architect.
This Invention relates to apparatus for safely storing naphtha, petroleum, alcohol,
and other volatile and inflammable liquids, combined with devices for conveniently
and without danger filling and emptying the same, the whole being designed for
use in the wholesale or retail trade in such liquids.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I provide a main reservoir which
consists of a cylinder made of wrought iron or zinc, to which is attached a strong
bent pipe. This reservoir is at the top thereof provided with a man-hole, upon the
lid of which there is an extinguishing device. This reservoir is ordinarily placed in
some convenient locality about the premises, but outside the shop or warehouse in
which the liquid is drawn off, for instance, in the yard of a house, and is sunk in a
reservoir of beton or stone, laid in hydraulic cement; a cavity or space is left
between the outer reservoir and the inner or main reservoir, this cavity being filled
with quartzy sand. The pit containing these parts is arched or curved over on one
side, and a shaft extends upward to the surface of the ground; this shaft is closed
at the top by a suitably constructed cover of cast-iron, and is closed hermetically
with quartzy sand or earth. The main reservoir may be placed on a foundation of
beton or stone and be surrounded by quartzy sand instead of by the pit. In such
a case it is at the top covered by the soil.
.
In the bottom of the reservoir there is a recess in which there is a cap or cowl which
can be raised by a chain. This cap provides for readily cleansing the apparatus by
allowing the impurities to flow off. Three pipes lead from one side of the upper
part of the iron reservoir. One of these pipes, which I will call the first pipe,
CD

page_text: Another
connects the reservoir with a force pump, and a branch pipe connects the apparatus
with the outer atmosphere, the upper end of this branch being directed into a
gutter or the like. A branch tube is connected with a pressure gauge.
pipe from the reservoir, and which I will call the second pipe, connects the said
reservoir with a second extinguishing apparatus. The other pipe, which I will
call the third pipe, extends nearly to the bottom of the main reservoir and its
lower end is furnished with a ball having numerous apertures therein. The upper
part of this third pipe rises vertically and is divided into two branches at the top.
One of these branches after passing through a meter leads into the bottom of a
drawing off receptacle which consists of a cylindrical vessel fitted with a discharge-
cock, and in its lid with a small tube which is perforated so as to allow the
circulation of air. This tube encloses a second tube whose diameter is sufficient to
allow free movement of the stem or rod of a float. The upper end of the float
indicates on a graduated scale the weight or the measure by capacity of the
quantity of liquid drawn off. Between the walls of these two tubes there is a net
work of wire designed to prevent ignition of the gas which accumulates in this
locality.
In consequence of this arrangement I avoid the uneven motion of the liquid
when being drawn off, which is otherwise inevitable, and great facility in drawing
off together with cleanliness are obtained when the apparatus is used for retailing
purposes.
The vessels into which the liquid is to be discharged from the drawing off
receptacle are placed on a grating in a tank or receptacle beneath the tap, and any
liquid that may overflow collects between two bottoms, and thus all danger of
conflagration is avoided, even if the drawing off is effected negligently.
The second extinguisher forms a hermetically closed vessel, capable of bearing
a pressure of several atmospheres, and in this vessel is placed a glass bottle which
is filled with sulphuric or hydrochloric acid. Beneath the said bottle is placed a
basket with a grate-like bottom, filled with carbonate or bicarbonate of soda.
Through the lid of the extinguisher passes a hand-rod which is screw threaded and
which is in connection with the bottle. By rotating this rod the bottle can be
crushed and the acid will then flow upon the soda, thus producing carbonic acid,
which then fills the first named or main receiver. By reason of the arrangement
of the basket the mingling of the acid with the soda takes place regularly and
consequently complete reaction is ensured.
The first named extinguisher upon the main reservoir only operates in case the
liquid in this receiver shall be ignited. In this case a stopper in the cover made of
easily fused metal melts, and a glass bottle in connection therewith filled with acid
falls upon a spike and breaks, and the acid mingles with soda at the bottom,
carbonic acid being thus produced which fills the reservoir.
The operation of the whole system is as follows:-
For the purpose of commencing to fill the main reservoir with the desired liquid
the outer end of one of the branch tubes in connection with the aforesaid third
pipe is connected with a bent tube whose end is immersed in the barrel containing
liquid which is to be transferred to the main reservoir for storage therein; two
cocks are then opened and the liquid is allowed to flow until two of the tubes are
filled, then a valve is opened and then the liquid flows from the barrel to the
main reservoir through the syphon formed by the various pipes, whilst the air
escapes from the reservoir through the first tube, a valve, and another pipe. The
quantity of liquid adinitted into the reservoir is indicated by a meter. When the
main reservoir contains sufficient liquid to fill three fourths of its capacity the valve
is closed.
To convey the liquid from the main reservoir into the aforesaid drawing off
vessel a pressure of half an atmosphere must be exerted in the main reservoir.
This pressure is produced by the aforesaid force-pump or by means of the second
extinguisher. A cock serves for intercepting the passage from the extinguisher to
the main reservoir,

page_text: In this manner pressure is produced in small reservoirs for retail trade. For
large reservoirs pressure is produced by means of the force-pump; the carbonic acid
enters the main reservoir, the said acid being expressly set free for this purpose.
In the latter case the carbonic acid can, without a force pump, be collected (as is
practised with portable gas) in special cylinders under a pressure of from eight to
ten atmospheres, and it is from these cylinders admitted into the main reservoir by
a pressure regulator.
For operating the whole of my system a pressure of half an atmosphere is
sufficient, and consequently a safety valve can be dispensed with.
For carbonic acid or for suppressing the air in the main reservoir two of the
pipes are employed. The pressure gauge indicates the rise in pressure.
For filling the drawing off vessel two stop cocks are opened, thus causing the
liquid to flow by reason of the pressure through the third pipe into the said
vessel.
When by reason of interruption in the daily sale, or in case of fire in surrounding
buildings, it is desired that no stock of liquid should be in the shop or ware-house,
it may all be caused by this arrangement to flow from the drawing off vessel to
the main reservoir. For this purpose the pressure is caused to cease by opening a
valve, and the index of the pressure-gauge will forthwith indicate zero, two of the
cocks are opened and the liquid returns through the syphon arrangement to the
main reservoir. In like manner this reservoir can be filled with new liquid, and
for this purpose it is only required to open a different cock.
All the supply pipes for the gas and the liquid are made of iron with the
exception of the aforesaid first pipe in which there is a cock, this pipe being made
of lead so as to easily melt in case of fire, and by this means the unnecessary
pressure in the main reservoir ceases.
In the first tube and in front of the two branches of the same a metal grating
is arranged in certain parts which renders the entrance of flames into the main
reservoir impossible, although the length and diameter of the pipe would completely
protect the reservoir against this danger.
The above described arrangement prevents any possibility of the liquid stored in
the main reservoir becoming ignited not only when an accidental fire takes place
in the shop or warehouse but also in the case of incendiarism.
As carbonic acid which is not expelled by air is according to my Invention
produced in large quantities by using the two extinguishers, one of which is
automatic, the danger of a conflagration caused either by carelessness or
incendiarism is completely avoided.