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Patent US3704593A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3704593A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Constructing broken rock supports for roofs of cavities storing liquified hydrocarbon gases
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1970-06-16
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Granted: 1972-12-05
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Expires: 1990-06-16
Abstract
Abstract Liquified natural gas, ethane or propane is stored in a cavity in which the roof is supported on broken rock placed in the lake. Very cheap broken rock containing a large volume of voids,when piled,is provided by building the cavity on a rock formation, breaking the rock formation into small pieces by rippers or giant teeth pulled by giant tractors, sieving the broken rock into fractions with each fraction having rock pieces with a minimum to maximum size ratio of 0.5, and piling the rock fractions without substantial mixing in the cavity. This allows storage cavities to be built at a fraction of the former cost and that also can not be damaged by sabotage and riots like former storage can be.
Inventors
- 👤 John C St Clair
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 04:43
CPC Classifications
F; F17; F17C; F17C3/00; F17C3/005; F17C2201/00; F17C2201/05; F17C2201/052; F17C2201/06; F17C2203/00; F17C2203/06; F17C2203/0634; F17C2203/0658; F17C2203/0663; F17C2203/0673; F17C2221/00; F17C2221/03; F17C2221/032; F17C2221/033; F17C2221/035; F17C2223/00; F17C2223/01; F17C2223/0146; F17C2223/0153; F17C2223/0161; F17C2223/03; F17C2223/033; F17C2223/04; F17C2223/042; F17C2223/046; F17C2223/047; F17C2225/00; F17C2225/04; F17C2225/042; F17C2225/046; F17C2225/047; F17C2265/00; F17C2265/03; F17C2265/031; F17C2270/00; F17C2270/01; F17C2270/0142; F17C2270/0144; F17C2270/0149
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
117 words
A method for constructing the supports for the roof for a storage cavity storing a liquified hydrocarbon gas with a boiling point, at the lowest possible barometric pressure of the locality where the cavity is located, lower than the freezing point of pure water which comprises: ripping rock into smaller pieces, sieving the broken rock into at least two different sized fractions, piling the mentioned rock fractions in the storage cavity but with each fraction in different places from the other rock fraction, so that liquified hydrocarbons may be stored in the voids between the pieces of broken rock, and supporting the roof of the storage cavity on top of the broken rock placed in the cavity.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
117 words
A method for constructing the supports for the roof for a storage cavity storing a liquified hydrocarbon gas with a boiling point, at the lowest possible barometric pressure of the locality where the cavity is located, lower than the freezing point of pure water which comprises: ripping rock into smaller pieces, sieving the broken rock into at least two different sized fractions, piling the mentioned rock fractions in the storage cavity but with each fraction in different places from the other rock fraction, so that liquified hydrocarbons may be stored in the voids between the pieces of broken rock, and supporting the roof of the storage cavity on top of the broken rock placed in the cavity.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to claim 1 in which the rock is ripped at a location less than 5 miles from a border of the completed cavity.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to claim 1 in which the rock is ripped at a location less than one mile from a border of the completed cavity.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 1 in which the rock is ripped from a location over which the completed cavity is finally built.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method according to claim 1 in which, for a rock fraction, the average maximum dimension on a weight basis of the minimum sized pieces is over 0.4 times the size of the average maximum dimension of the maximum sized pieces taken on a weight basis.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to claim 5 in which the rock is ripped at a location less than 5 miles from a border of the completed cavity.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to claim 5 in which the rock is ripped at a location less than one mile from a border of the completed cavity.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 5 in which the rock is ripped from a location over which the completed cavity is finally built.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-12-05 | 1976-06-05 | 1976-12-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-12-05 | 1980-06-05 | 1980-12-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-12-05 | 1984-06-05 | 1984-12-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |