Tank for storing cryogenic fluids and the like

Claim 1

AN INSULATED TANK FOR STORING CRYOGENIC FLUIDS COMPRISING, AN ELONGATED CYLINDRICAL TANK HAVING END WALLS AT OPPOSITE ENDS THEREOF, AN INNER TANK MOUNTED WITHIN SAID OUTER TANK AND HAVING A CONFIGURATION SIMILAR TO BUT SMALLER THAN SAID OUTER TANK FOR DEFINING A SPACE BETWEEN SAID TANKS, MEANS DEFINING TUBULAR RECESSES IN THE ENDS OF SAID INNER TANK EXTENDING A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE INTO SAID INNER TANK, EACH OF SAID RECESS HAVING A SUPPORT PLATE AT THE INNERMOST END THEREOF, A TUBULAR SUPPORT SECURED TO SAID OUTER TANK OPPOSITE EACH OF SAID RECESSES AND EXTENDING INTO SAID RECESSES TO A CONNECTION WITH ONE OF SAID SUPPORT PLATES TO CREATE RELATIVELY LONG HEAT FLOW PATHS BETWEEN SAID TANKS, SAID TUBULAR SUPPORTS EACH HAVING AN OUTER DIAMETER LESS THAN THE INNER DIAMETER OF SAID TUBULAR RECESSES TO FORM A HEAT FLOW INTERCONNECTING SAID SUPPORT AND A CENTRAL SUPPORT TUBE INTERCONNECTING SAID SUPPORT PLATES AND SAID TUBULAR SUPPORTS WITHIN THE INTERIOR OF SAID INNER TANK FOR COOPERATING WITH SAID TUBULAR SUPPORTS TO FORM A RIGID BACKBONE DISPOSED CENTRALLY OF SAID TANKS TO SUPPORT SAID INNER TANK WITHIN SAID OUTER TANK AGAINST STRUCTURAL FAILURE CAUSED BY DYNAMIC LOADING.