Receptacles – Closures – Floating closure
Patent
1987-12-14
1989-06-27
Norton, Donald F.
Receptacles
Closures
Floating closure
220226, B65D 8848, B65D 8850
Patent
active
048421600
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention relates to a floating covering on the liquid content of a storage tank with vertical side wall.
In order to prevent evaporation of the stored liquid the storage tank is provided with a floating covering which is arranged in the tank for movement up and down with the level of the liquid. In known constructions there is a comparatively large gap between the floating covering and the tank wall, this gap becoming such a large surface in large tanks that a relatively large amount of liquid continues to evaporate. This is a drawback particularly with volatile liquids and with storage in hotter regions.
The invention has for its object to obviate the above stated drawback and provides for this purpose a floating covering which is distinguished in that the circumferential edge of the covering is provided with an annular closing body of elastic material lying against the tank side wall.
If the storage tank is formed with stand pipes it is recommended according to the invention that the or each pipe is likewise enclosed with a closing body of elastic material that is connected to the covering.
In order to prevent large friction losses and therefore not to make emptying and pumping full of the storage tank difficult, it is advantageous to form the closing body with a hollow gas-tight annular space which can be connected up to a pressure source. By relieving pressure in the annular space the closing body can retract slightly, as a result of which friction is reduced. As soon as the required liquid level is reached the hollow body can be connected onto the pressure source so that the closing body is "inflated" up against the side wall.
A particularly advantageous embodiment is obtained by constructing the closing body of a number of segments to be threaded onto a hose functioning as a hollow space. Such a construction lowers the manufacturing costs and facilitates assembly.
An exceptionally light construction for a floating covering is achieved by arranging a sheet type layer of flexible material between the closing bodies.
If use is made of the segments, assembly can be simplified even further by making the connection between each segment and the sheet of the releasable type, for example a zip fastening.
The invention is further elucidated in the figure description following below.
In the drawing:
FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a storage tank, of which the peripheral wall and roof covering is partly broken away, the tank being provided with a floating covering according to a first embodiment of the invention,
FIG. 2 shows a view corresponding with FIG. 1 of a storage tank provided with a floating covering according to a second embodiment of the invention,
FIG. 3 shows a section along the line III--III in FIG. 1, and
FIG. 4 a section of the floating covering along the line IV--IV in FIG. 2.
A storage tank as according to FIG. 1 and 2 consists of a base, not described further, in which is arranged an upright wall in a liquid-tight manner. The upper edge of wall 1 is provided with a cat walk 2.
Via feed and discharge means (not shown) a liquid V is respectively fed into and discharged from the tank. Remaining at the liquid level is a covering 4, which can have a random construction.
The covering in FIG. 3 is a hollow disc formed of metal, of which the circumferential edge 5 lies at an interval from the tank wall 1. As a result of disc 4 having a sufficiently large volume a determined buoyancy is created, sufficient to allow the covering to float on the liquid.
To prevent evaporation along the gap between the circumferential edge 5 and tank wall 1 a closing body 6 is arranged according to the invention. This closing body bridges the said gap.
The floating body as in FIGS. 1 and 3 takes the form of an annular body of for example rubber material 7, which is formed with two chambers 8 and 9. The chamber 8 located against floating covering 4 is filled with a body of flexible material 10, for example foam substance. The second chamber 9 takes a hollow form and is connected via a connecting pipe 11 to a pressu
REFERENCES:
patent: 1674038 (1928-06-01), Glass
patent: 2085752 (1937-07-01), Horton et al.
patent: 4406377 (1983-09-01), Bruening
Norton Donald F.
Snyder John P.
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