Corner construction for reinforcing rib on tank made from thin sheet metal

Claim 2

In a tank made from relatively thin sheet metal, said tank having reinforcing ribs, said ribs being connected to the tank along adjacent walls in registering relation, said tank having a curved corner, said ribs each having an outer portion and two side portions extending therefrom at an angle thereto, said side portions each having a flange thereon parallel to said outer potion and to a tank wall and being connected to said tank wall, said ribs having free end edges which are at right angles to the walls to which said ribs are attached, the improvement which comprises a corner connecting the ends of registering reinforcing ribs on adjacent walls of said tank, said corner comprising at least two outer members each having an outer portion and two side portions, said side portions having curved inner edges, each of said outer members having ends angularly positioned to each other at an angle of about 45*, the opposing ends of said two outer members positioned at an angle of about 90* to each other, the adjacent ends of said two outer members being connected by means of a central weld positioned at an angle with respect to the outer portion of each of said two members and extending through the apex, said corner having a gusset plate therein welded within said corner at the apex and extending from said apex at least half the distance from said apex to said tank to strengthen said corner, the ends of said corner and the curved inner edges thereof being welded to the reinforcing ribs and to the curved corner of the tank repsectively, the outer portion and two side portions of said corner being in the same plane as the outer portions and the side portions, respectively, of the ribs to which said corner is welded.

Claim 3

The corner set forth in claim 1 wherein each of the outer two members is made from the same material as that used for the tank and the reinforcing ribs.

Claim 4

The corner set forth in claim 1 wherein the side portions slope with respect to the outer portion.

Claim 5

The corner set forth in claim 3 wherein said central weld is positioned at an angle of about 45* with respect to the outer portions of said two members and is an inside and outside weld and wherein said gusset plate is welded to the outermost portions of the sloping sides and outer portion of the corner along the apex.

Claim 6

The corner set forth in claim 1 wherein the outer portion of each corner segment forms a continuation of the outer portion of a rib on a wall, wherein the sides of the corner segments form a continuation of the sides on said rib on a wall, and wherein the flanges of registering ribs remain unconnected to each other at the corner of the tank.

Claim 7

The corner set forth in claim 1 wherein said corner construction is connected to the ends of thE registering reinforcing ribs by means of a butt weld at each end of the corner construction.

Claim 8

The corner set forth in claim 1 wherein said corner construction can be fabricated as a unit by welding said two corner segments together along the central weld line at about 45* with an inside and outside weld, said corner construction adapted to be transported as a unit to the location on the tank where it is to be welded thereto.

Claim 9

The corner set forth in claim 1 wherein the two side portions are connected to the outer portion of each outer member by means of a fold and not by means of welding.

Claim 10

In a tank made from relatively thin sheet metal, said tank having reinforcing ribs, said ribs being welded to the tank along adjacent walls in registering relation, said tank having a curved corner, said ribs each having an outer portion and two sloping side portions extending therefrom at an angle thereto, said side portions each having a flange thereon parallel to said outer portion and to a tank wall and being welded to said tank wall, said ribs having free end edges which are at right angles to the walls to which said ribs are attached, the improvement which comprises a corner connecting the ends of said registering reinforcing ribs on adjacent walls of said tank, said corner comprising two outer members each folded from a single piece of material to form an outer portion and two sloping integral side portions, said side portions having curved inner flanges, each of said outer members having ends angularly positioned to each other at an angle of about 45*, the opposing ends of said two outer members positioned at an angle of about 90* to each other, the adjacent ends of said two outer members being welded together along a central weld at an angle of about 45* with respect to the outer portion of each of said two members and extending through the apex and substantially bisecting the angle between the outer portion of said two members, said corner having a gusset plate therein extending inwardly from said apex at least half the distance along said central weld to said curved tank corner to strengthen said corner, said gusset being welded to corner at the apex and to said side portions of said outer members, one of said two outer members having an inwardly offset portion along one free end thereof adapted to slip into the open end of a reinforcing rib on a wall of the tank, the ends of said corner and the curved inner edges thereof being welded to the reinforcing ribs and to the curved corner of the tank respectively, the outer portion and two side portions of said corner being in the same plane as the outer portions and the side portions, respectively, of the ribs to which said corner is welded.

Claim 11

In a tank made from relatively thin sheet metal, said tank having reinforcing ribs, said ribs being welded to the tank along adjacent walls in registering relation, said tank having a curved corner, said ribs each having an outer portion and two sloping side portions extending therefrom at an angle thereto, said side portions each having a flange thereon parallel to said outer portion and to a tank wall and being welded to said tank wall, said ribs having free end edges which are at right angles to the walls to which said ribs are attached, the improvement which comprises a corner connecting the ends of said registering reinforcing ribs on adjacent walls of said tank, said corner comprising two outer members each folded from a single piece of material to form an outer portion and two sloping integral side portions, said side portions having curved inner flanges, each of said outer members having ends angularly positioned to each other at an angle of about 45*, the opposing ends of said two outer members positioned at an angle of about 90* to each other, the adjacent ends of said two outer members being welded together along a central weld at an angle of about 45* with respect to the outer portion of each of said two members and extending through the apex and substantially bisecting the angle between the outer portion of said two members, said corner having a gusset plate therein extending inwardly from said apex at least half the distance along said central weld to said curved tank corner to strengthen said corner, said gusset being welded to corner at the apex and to said side portions of said outer members, one of said two outer members having an inwardly offset portion along one free end thereof adapted to slip into the open end of a reinforcing rib on a wall of the tank, the ends of said corner and the curved inner edges thereof being welded to the reinforcing ribs and to the curved corner of the tank respectively, the outer portion and two side portions of said corner being in the same plane as the outer portions and the side portions, respectively, of the ribs to which said corner is welded.