Untitled record

J. Cr.JToocfy, FnAfor Lia/icf F°0/755. , Patented Feb. 6,/887.

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N- PETERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. 0. C.

JOSEPH G-. MOODY, OF NEW YORK, Η. Y.

Letters Patent No. 61,753, dated February 5,1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN VESSELS AND TANKS FOB HOLDING HYDROCARBON AND OTHER LIQUIDS.

SfWte ntort to in φίί litters latent aito making part »ί φ same.

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, Joseph G. Moody, of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tanks or Vessels for Holding Hydrocarbon and other gaseous and inflammable Liquids; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description.of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which represents a longitudinal vertical section of an' oilboat with my improvements applied.

The object of my invention is to provide for the safe discharge of the inflammable and explosive gases generated within tanks or receptacles containing hydrocarbon liquids. In ordinary tanks or vessels of this description the gases, are discharged into the surrounding air, and they are therefore very liable to become ignited and to explode, causing the destruction of the tanks, and oftentimes the killing or disabling of persons standing near. My invention consists, essentially, in conducting .the gases from the tank as soon as they are generated, and discharging them into water or other uninflammable liquid medium, so as to keep them from all direct contact with the air, thus rendering the operation of discharging them safe and easy.

The boat, of floating oil receptacle, A, shown in the drawing, is an ordinary tank, containing no other liquid than the oil, the level of which is indicated at α α. B is the supply tube, which; when not in use, is hermetically closed. From the dome C which rises from the centre of the tank, and in which the gases generated by the liquid accumulate, there extends a discharge tube, D, whose other end, d, is carried over the side of the boat and,bent so as to be plunged in the water below the water-line b b, as shown in the drawing^ The orifice d of the tube is turned upwards; but it is obvious that it may he bent in any direction so long as it is covered by the water; and so the tube D, instead of being- carried over the stern of the boat, may extend over the sides or any other part of the boat. When the tube is thus placed below the water-lino b b, there is a constant equilibrium maintained between the gases and the water, and, in proportion as the pressure of the accumulated gases exceeds that of the water, the former are discharged from the orifice d, and enter the water, with which they become.incorporated. It will thus he seen that, although the mouth of the tube D is always left open, yet, as there is an uninflammable liquid medium interposed between it and the air, there is no possibility of fire or other igniting agent reaching the interior of the tank through the tube; and there can be no great accumulation of gases within the tank, as they arc discharged through the tube almost as fast as they are generated. Although I have shown my invention used in connection with a floating tank, it will, of course, be understood that it can be applied with equal facility to any other kind of tank, whether surrounded by water or not. The only essential is, that the mouth, or the open end, of the tube D should be covered by or immersed in water, as above explained, and this may be accomplished by plunging it into a tank or small reservoir of water, or other suitable means may be employed.

Having described my invention and the manner in which the same is or may be carried into effect, what I claim, and desire to