Sealing means for a liquid-storing reservoir having a floating roof

Claim 1

IN A LIQUID RESERVOIR HAVING A TANK AND A FLOATING ROOF FORMING AN ANNULAR SPACE THEREBETWEEN AND THE TANK: SEALING MEANS COMPRISING A FLEXIBLE, FLUIDTIGHT AND ANNNULAR WALL WHICH HAS AN INNER EDGE SECURED TO THE ROOF AND AN OUTER PERIPHERAL PORTION EXTENDING ALONGSIDE AND IN CONTACT WITH THE INNER FACE OF THE TANK, SLIDES WHICH ARE INDEPENDENT OF ONE ANOTHER AND BEAR AGAINST THE PERIPHERAL PORTION OF THE ANNULAR WALL, SPRINGS INTERPOSED BETWEEN THE SLIDES AND THE ROOF FOR RESILIENT BIASING THE SLIDES AGAINST THE ANNULAR WALL SO THAT THE WALL RESILIENTLY BEARS AGAINST THE INNER FACE OF THE TANK, THE SLIDE COMPRISING A RIGID REINFORCEMENT HAVING AN UPPER BOWED ELEMENT, A LOWER BOWED ELEMENT, A SHEET METAL SLIDE BODY INTERCONNECTING THE BOWED ELEMENTS AND CONSTITUTING A SHOE, TWO VERTICAL STRIPS BRACING THE BOWED ELEMENTS, HORIZONTAL RODS RESPECTIVELY CARRIED BY THE STRIPS AND VERTICALLY RESTING AGAINST THE SPRINGS SO AS TO SUPPORT THE SLIDES ON THE ROOF, AND A RESILIENT BUFFER INTERPOSED BETWEEN THE PERIPHERAL PORTION OF THE WALL AND THE RIGID REINFORCEMENTS.