US3559835A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Insulated storage tank with insulation restrained against settling because of metal contraction
Assignee: Chicago Bridge and Iron Co
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Filing: 1968-07-17
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Granted: 1971-02-02
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Expires: 1988-07-17
Abstract
Abstract Disclosed is an improved insulated tank having a part thereof which is double walled. The double-walled portion, which may be cylindrical, spherical or some other shape, contains free-flowing insulating material and a resilient insulating blanket which has been compressed by active pressure substantially above the lateral passive pressure caused by the free-flowing, usually granular, insulation. When the inner wall of the tank contracts during low-temperature use, such as in the storage of a cryogenic liquid, the blanket expands sufficiently far and with enough pressure to occupy the increased insulating space without settling of the free-flowing insulation.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenneth Wilson Lange
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 07:15
CPC Classifications
F; F17; F17C; F17C3/00; F17C3/02; F17C3/022; F17C2201/00; F17C2201/01; F17C2201/0104; F17C2201/0109; F17C2201/0119; F17C2201/0128; F17C2201/03; F17C2201/032; F17C2201/05; F17C2201/052; F17C2203/00; F17C2203/01; F17C2203/011; F17C2203/012; F17C2203/03; F17C2203/0304; F17C2203/0325; F17C2203/0337; F17C2203/0341; F17C2203/0345; F17C2203/035; F17C2203/0354; F17C2203/0391; F17C2203/06; F17C2203/0602; F17C2203/0612; F17C2203/0626; F17C2203/0631; F17C2203/0634; F17C2203/0636; F17C2203/0658; F17C2203/066; F17C2209/00; F17C2209/22; F17C2209/221; F17C2209/228; F17C2221/00; F17C2221/01; F17C2221/011; F17C2221/014; F17C2221/016; F17C2221/017; F17C2221/03; F17C2221/032; F17C2221/033; F17C2223/00; F17C2223/01; F17C2223/0146; F17C2223/0153; F17C2223/0161; F17C2223/03; F17C2223/033; F17C2260/00; F17C2260/03; F17C2260/031; F17C2260/033
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
180 words
An enclosed insulated tank or storing liquids or gases at low temperatures, at least part of said tank having a substantially vertical inner metal wall portion surrounded by a substantially vertical outer metal wall portion spaced apart from the inner wall portion thereby defining an insulating space, said insulating space being subject to substantial changes in horizontal width caused by thermally-induced expansions and contractions produced in said inner wall during the loading and emptying cycles of said tank, a substantially vertically extending resilient insulating blanket portion positioned in the insulating space, and free-flowing insulation filling the remainder of the insulating space, said resilient blanket being compressed horizontally to an extent substantially greater than the horizontal pressure applied to the blanket by the freeflowing insulation and restricted to a constant maximum size with sufficient horizontal force to prevent settling of the freeflowing insulation by expansion of the blanket with increase in volume between the inner and outer walls upon contraction of the inner wall and to continuously maintain the granular insulation at the same level between the inner and outer walls.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
180 words
An enclosed insulated tank or storing liquids or gases at low temperatures, at least part of said tank having a substantially vertical inner metal wall portion surrounded by a substantially vertical outer metal wall portion spaced apart from the inner wall portion thereby defining an insulating space, said insulating space being subject to substantial changes in horizontal width caused by thermally-induced expansions and contractions produced in said inner wall during the loading and emptying cycles of said tank, a substantially vertically extending resilient insulating blanket portion positioned in the insulating space, and free-flowing insulation filling the remainder of the insulating space, said resilient blanket being compressed horizontally to an extent substantially greater than the horizontal pressure applied to the blanket by the freeflowing insulation and restricted to a constant maximum size with sufficient horizontal force to prevent settling of the freeflowing insulation by expansion of the blanket with increase in volume between the inner and outer walls upon contraction of the inner wall and to continuously maintain the granular insulation at the same level between the inner and outer walls.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
A tank according to claim 1 having means compressing the blanket against the inner metal wall.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
170 words
An enclosed tank having an insulated bottom, vertical sidewalls and a top supported by the sidewalls, the sidewalls comprising an inner metal wall surrounded by an outer metal wall spaced apart from the inner wall thereby defining an insulating space, said insulating space being subject to substantial changes in horizontal width caused by thermally-induced expansions and contractions produced in said inner wall during the loading and emptying cycle of said tank, a resilient insulating blanket positioned vertically in the insulating space, and free-flowing insulation filling the remainder of the insulating space, said resilient blanket being horizontally compressed to an extent substantially greater than the horizontal pressure applied to the blanket by the free-flowing insulation and restricted to a constant maximum size with sufficient horizontal force to prevent settling of the free-flowing insulation by expansion of the blanket with increase in volume between the inner and outer walls upon contraction of the inner wall and to continuously maintain the granular insulation at the same level between the inner and outer walls.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
170 words
An enclosed tank having an insulated bottom, vertical sidewalls and a top supported by the sidewalls, the sidewalls comprising an inner metal wall surrounded by an outer metal wall spaced apart from the inner wall thereby defining an insulating space, said insulating space being subject to substantial changes in horizontal width caused by thermally-induced expansions and contractions produced in said inner wall during the loading and emptying cycle of said tank, a resilient insulating blanket positioned vertically in the insulating space, and free-flowing insulation filling the remainder of the insulating space, said resilient blanket being horizontally compressed to an extent substantially greater than the horizontal pressure applied to the blanket by the free-flowing insulation and restricted to a constant maximum size with sufficient horizontal force to prevent settling of the free-flowing insulation by expansion of the blanket with increase in volume between the inner and outer walls upon contraction of the inner wall and to continuously maintain the granular insulation at the same level between the inner and outer walls.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
A tank according to claim 3 having means compressing the blanket against the inner metal wall and restricting same to a constant maximum size.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
A tank according to claim 4 in which a substantially nonextensible screen or meshwork in tension surrounds and compresses the blanket against the inner wall.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
A tank according to claim 4 in which a plurality of substantially nonextensible bands under tension surround and compress the blanket against the inner wall.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
A tank according to claim 4 in which a substantially nonextensible winding under tension surrounds and compresses the blanket against the inner walL.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
A tank according to claim 7 in which the winding is a strip with adjacent edges spaced apart from each other.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
A tank according to claim 7 in which the winding is a strip with adjacent overlapping edges.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
166 words
An enclosed insulated tank for storing liquids or gases at low temperatures, at least part of said tank having a substantially vertical inner metal wall portion surrounded by a substantially vertical outer metal wall portion spaced apart from the inner wall portion thereby defining an insulating space, said insulating space being subject to substantial changes in horizontal width caused by thermally-induced expansions and contractions produced in said inner wall during the loading and emptying cycle of said tank, a resilient insulating blanket substantially vertically positioned in the insulating space, free-flowing insulation filling the remainder of the insulating space, and a flexible nonmetallic substantially nonextensible gas-impervious membrane between the blanket and the free-flowing insulation, said membrane forming an evacuable space between the membrane and the inner wall and restricting the outer surface of said blanket to a substantially constant maximum size, said resilient blanket being horizontally compressed by the membrane to an extent substantially greater than the horizontal pressure applied to the blanket by the free-flowing insulation.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
166 words
An enclosed insulated tank for storing liquids or gases at low temperatures, at least part of said tank having a substantially vertical inner metal wall portion surrounded by a substantially vertical outer metal wall portion spaced apart from the inner wall portion thereby defining an insulating space, said insulating space being subject to substantial changes in horizontal width caused by thermally-induced expansions and contractions produced in said inner wall during the loading and emptying cycle of said tank, a resilient insulating blanket substantially vertically positioned in the insulating space, free-flowing insulation filling the remainder of the insulating space, and a flexible nonmetallic substantially nonextensible gas-impervious membrane between the blanket and the free-flowing insulation, said membrane forming an evacuable space between the membrane and the inner wall and restricting the outer surface of said blanket to a substantially constant maximum size, said resilient blanket being horizontally compressed by the membrane to an extent substantially greater than the horizontal pressure applied to the blanket by the free-flowing insulation.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
159 words
An enclosed tank having an insulated bottom, vertical sidewalls and a top supported by the sidewalls, the sidewalls comprising an inner metal wall surrounded by an outer metal wall spaced apart from the inner wall thereby defining an insulating space, said insulating space being subject to substantial changes in horizontal width caused by thermally-induced expansions and contractions produced in said inner wall during the loading and emptying cycle of said tank, a resilient insulating blanket positioned vertically in the insulating space, and free-flowing insulation filling the remainder of the insulating space, and a flexible nonmetallic gas-impervious substantially nonextensible membrane between the blanket and the free-flowing insulation, said membrane forming an evacuable space between the membrane and the inner wall and restricting the outer surface of said blanket to a substantially constant maximum size, said resilient blanket being horizontally compressed by the membrane to an extent substantially greater than the horizontal pressure applied to the blanket by the free-flowing insulation.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
159 words
An enclosed tank having an insulated bottom, vertical sidewalls and a top supported by the sidewalls, the sidewalls comprising an inner metal wall surrounded by an outer metal wall spaced apart from the inner wall thereby defining an insulating space, said insulating space being subject to substantial changes in horizontal width caused by thermally-induced expansions and contractions produced in said inner wall during the loading and emptying cycle of said tank, a resilient insulating blanket positioned vertically in the insulating space, and free-flowing insulation filling the remainder of the insulating space, and a flexible nonmetallic gas-impervious substantially nonextensible membrane between the blanket and the free-flowing insulation, said membrane forming an evacuable space between the membrane and the inner wall and restricting the outer surface of said blanket to a substantially constant maximum size, said resilient blanket being horizontally compressed by the membrane to an extent substantially greater than the horizontal pressure applied to the blanket by the free-flowing insulation.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-02-01 | 1974-08-03 | 1975-02-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-02-01 | 1978-08-03 | 1979-02-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-02-01 | 1982-08-03 | 1983-02-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |