US4401306A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Floating roof tank seal
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1979-02-14
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Granted: 1983-08-30
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Expires: 1999-02-14
Abstract
Abstract A seal arrangement is provided in a floating roof type tank for slidably sealing between the roof and the tank walls. The seal comprises an expansible tube carrying a lip with the latter extending angularly with respect to the tank walls so that upon inflation of the tube, the lip is moved outwardly and its engagement with the tank walls causes it to be resiliently bent inwardly from its normal unstressed position so that the resiliency of the lip maintains it in contact with the tank walls.
Inventors
- 👤 James F. Arnold
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 23:52
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D88/00; B65D88/34; B65D88/42; B65D88/48
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
243 words
A seal arrangement which, when installed, provides a sliding seal between a floating roof and the inner wall of a floating roof type tank, comprising: a resilient seal adapted to be arranged about the periphery of the floating roof, said seal having an expansible tube portion and a lip portion, the latter having a base part attached to the tube portion and a sealing part extending from the base part outwardly and downwardly therefrom with the sealing part being spaced from the tube portion so as to be flexed about the base part toward and away from the tube portion responsive to the floating roof moving toward and away from the inner wall with the sealing part remaining in sliding sealing engagement with the inner wall; arcuate clamp means adapted to be attached to the roof to extend along the periphery thereof to enclose the other three sides of the tube portion; means for supplying an inflating fluid to said tube portion to cause it, when installed inside said clamp on the roof, to expand said tube and cause said one side to move outwardly toward the wall of the tank to thereby move the sealing part of the lip portion into sealing engagement with such wall, the arrangement being such that when the sealing part is so moved, it is bent inwardly from its normal unstressed position so that the resiliency of the lip maintains it in contact with the tank wall.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
243 words
A seal arrangement which, when installed, provides a sliding seal between a floating roof and the inner wall of a floating roof type tank, comprising: a resilient seal adapted to be arranged about the periphery of the floating roof, said seal having an expansible tube portion and a lip portion, the latter having a base part attached to the tube portion and a sealing part extending from the base part outwardly and downwardly therefrom with the sealing part being spaced from the tube portion so as to be flexed about the base part toward and away from the tube portion responsive to the floating roof moving toward and away from the inner wall with the sealing part remaining in sliding sealing engagement with the inner wall; arcuate clamp means adapted to be attached to the roof to extend along the periphery thereof to enclose the other three sides of the tube portion; means for supplying an inflating fluid to said tube portion to cause it, when installed inside said clamp on the roof, to expand said tube and cause said one side to move outwardly toward the wall of the tank to thereby move the sealing part of the lip portion into sealing engagement with such wall, the arrangement being such that when the sealing part is so moved, it is bent inwardly from its normal unstressed position so that the resiliency of the lip maintains it in contact with the tank wall.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the resilient seal comprises a plurality of segments adapted to be abutted together endwise to extend around the tank roof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The arrangement of claim 2 wherein the clamp means also comprise a plurality of arcuate segments.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The arrangement of claim 3 wherein a portion of the clamp means is integral with the tank roof and the remaining portion is removeable.
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) | 1986-08-29 | 1987-02-28 | 1987-08-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-08-29 | 1991-02-28 | 1991-08-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-08-29 | 1995-02-28 | 1995-08-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |