US2503708A - Manifold apparatus - Google Patents

Description

April 11, 1950 Filed Aug. 12, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTQR R. J! flraizsoiz ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 11, 1950 MANIFOLD APPARATUS Raymond J. Branson, Tulsa, Okla., aSsignor to McNamar Boiler & Tank Company, Inc., Tulsa, Okla., a corporation of Oklahoma.

Application August 12, 1946, Serial No. 689,992

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a manifold, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a manifold adapted for use with a storage tank housing liquified petroleum gases.

In recent years, liquified petroleum gases have come into widespread use, particularly in rural communities where it is necessary to have a commercial fuel for the operation of farm equipment, home heating and lighting, and other necessary utilities, and where the source of other commercial fuels such as natural gas or the like are not readily available. In the use of liquified petroleum gases, it is necessary to provide a storage tank which must be refilled from time to time. Liquified petroleum gases such as propane and butane and the like are highly volatile and considerable difficulty is involved in filling the storage tanks therefor to keep the liquid under compression away from the vapor line and the possibility of igniting, especially since the volatile liquids expand very rapidly and if allowed to come in contactwith a vapor conduit leading to a stove or the like will ignite and create considerable danger.

The present invention contemplates a manifold for use with an apparatus for filling a liquified petroleumgas storage tank in such a manner to assure safety during the filling operation and prevent the possibility of igniting the volatile liquids by contact with the vapor line.

It is an important object of this invention to provide. a manifold adapted for use in filling storage tanks with liquified petroleum gases wherein the volatile liquid is permitted to flow into the tank into contact with liquid and not the expanding vapors therefrom, thereby preventing spraying liquid into a hot tank and causing a rapid expansion into vapors and consequent losses.

And still another object of this invention is to provide a manifold utilized with an apparatus for filling a storage tank with liquified petroleum gases wherein the liquid is introduced directly into the tank without any possibility of contacting expansion vapors of the compressed liquid.

And another noteworthy object of this invention is to provide a manifold utilized in the filling of liquified petroleum gases in a filling tank which is so constructed and arranged to permit a flow from the storage tank back to a filling truck when the pressure in the tank is slightly,

greater than that in the truck during the'necessary replacement of parts and the like whereby the vapors are preserved by removing the liquid from the tank.

Qther objects and advantages of th e'invention will be evident from the following detailed description, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional elevational view taken on lines l! of Figure 2 and having certain parts in elevation for clarity.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the invention.

Figure 3 is an elevational view partly in section taken on lines 3-3 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings in detail, reference character 2 designates a manifold head comprising a vertically elongated bodymember l having a threaded aperture 6 in the lower portion thereof receiving a threaded nipple 8 in turn welded at Ill to a liquified petroleum gas storage tank l2. The upper portion of the manifold body 4 is provided with a threaded aperture l4 communicating with a chamber E6 in turn communicating with a threaded bore ll providing communication with a lower chamber l8 which is in direct communication with the outlet aperture 6 and nipple 8. A cylindrical filling pipe 20 is secured in the threaded bore I l and extends therefrom into proximity with a lowermost portion of a tank, as clearly shown in Figure 1 in order to bafile chamber Hi from I8. Figure 1 shows a fragmentary horizontal tank while Figure 3 shows a fragmentary spherical tank. It will be obvious that the manifold structure may be utilized from any type of storage tank for housing liquified petroleum gases, and while the installation is preferably above the ground, it will be understood that the tank can be located beneath the surface of the ground, which is sometimes desired.

The chamber [8 is formed by a pair of oppositely disposed projections 22 and 24 extending outwardly from the elongated body member 4. The flanges or projections are provided with threaded outlet apertures 26 and 28. A vapor line control valve 30 is secured in aperture 2'6, while, a vapor return valve 32 is secured in the aperture 28 for purposes that will be hereinafter set forth. A threaded aperture 34 is provided in the upper portion of each of the projections 22 and 24 and are adapted to receive pressure relief valves 38, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2. The inlet bore I4 is provided with a filler valve acting as a check valve against the back pressure of the volatile liquid during the filling of the tank l2. This valve is necessary to prevent an expansion of the liquid in the filling tube 20. A pressure gauge 42 is secured in a threaded aperture 43 of the member 4, as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3.

Referring to Figure 3 the body 4 is provided with an outwardly projecting member 45 disposed at right angles to members 22 and 24 and has a threaded bore 44 adapted to receive a liquid discharge valve 46 for a purpose as will be hereinafter set forth. The valve 39 is provided with a flanged nipple 48 providing communication between the chamber l8 and' a vapor conduit line 50 extending into communication with a pressure regulator 52 for a purpose as will be hereinafter set forth.

Operation In operation the manifold Z throughvaIve 41' is adapted to be connected =vrith-a -conduit fnot shown) of a filling truck containing 'li'qui'fied petroleum gases, such as propane butaneior the like, so that the Volatile liquids may be pumped into the storage tank l2. It will be apparent that the volatile liquids flow through the valve 40 intothe chamber l6 .anddownward through the .filling cylinder .26 to be discharged at a point inproximity of the lower portion of the tank [2. The point of discharge for the volatile liquids isimportant in that itsallows .for a distortion or mixingsot the incoming liquids with the liquids already. in the tank. Under certain climatic conditions, particularly :the summer months,'it is often desired to reduce the :pressure of the liquified'petroleum gases due to the heat and provide a'mixture .or blend'of butane and propane and the like. Foraexamplepropane may be added into astoragettank containing butane, and the discharge pointiofithe cylinder :28 causes a turbulence of the liquids ztogprovfde a. blend. Furthermore, the cylinder v.2!) bafiies :the inlet chamber [6 from the vapor chambers is .so that the volatile .liqui-d discharging :from the pipe 20 cannot in any manner contact the expanding vapors rising from the compressed liquid in the tank [2 and 'dischargingthrough thenipple fi'into'the chambers l8.

This 1 alsoihas an important-advantage; in that the filling liquid dischargesintot-he:tank l2 into liquid, and is prevented 'from'the possibility of discharging through the chamber iii and vapor fuel conduit fitwhere it .could ignitezwith a utility heater or the like andcause considerabledamage.

The expanding vapors discharge irom the chambers I'B'through the nipple 'd8 and conduit 50, and ."hence through the pressure regulator for determining the amount of pressure 'o-f'the 'vapor'to be discharged,..and'into' an outlet conduit 58 leading directly to any appliancesuCh as gas heaters, stoves, hot water heaters, motors, or the like,'for consumption.

In addition to the safety featurethe manifold '2 provides themember 45 and discharge valve 46, which is manually operated and when 'rotated 'to open position permits the removal of the volatile liquid from the tank l2 into chamber I6 to be discharged through-a conduit--58 directly to a gasoline engine, motor, tractor-or other farm equipment. The discharge of the volatile liquid from the tank 12 and through 'the conduit 58 is usually created by the compression of the liquid in the tank, however this discharge may be done by gravity or 'a suction pump depending upon the environment/of thetank. The valve 46 provides one means of removing the liquid 'from the tank for auxiliary uses, however when it is-desiredto expediteremoval of the liquid from thetank incasetof emergency,

.such as tank leaks, or the like, thetop valve '40 can be utilized wherein the liquid can be removed by a vacuum pump directly from the tank through cylinder 20 and valve 40.

Another additional feature of the manifold and valve arrangement is that during the filling operation the valve 32 is adapted to receive a connecting conduit (not shown) from the truck whereby the iepressure between the filling truck (not shown) and the tank 12 may be equalized in order to assure that the volatile liquid can "be pumped into the tank 12 without any danger 10f burning out the pumping equipment for the truck. It will be apparent that when the pres- :surebetween 'theltank and the truck is equalized the'volatileli'quids can be easily discharged into the tank l'2. The connecting conduit (not :shown):.is.usua1ly provided with any conventional adapter (not shown) causing the valve 32 to re- 'main in open position during the filling opera-" tion.

'From theforegoingit will be apparent thatthe present invention provides a -manifol'd apparatus wherein highly volatile liquified petroleum gases can be filled intoastoragetarikwithout any's'ub- -stant-ial danger of "the volatile liquid "discharging-into the-vaponfuelconsumption line. Fur- 'thermore, the construction'of the manifold apparatus issuch tofill astorage 'tank whereinthe volati-leliquid is discharged in the tank directly into a "liquid thereby preventing the spraying of the liquidonto'the innerwalls of the tank "Which-are usually hot from the rays of the sun. This liquid to liquid-contact prevents --a rapid 'expansionof the vapors from the volatile liquids and *thereby prev-ents considerable loss of the vapor fuel. Furthermore, the liquid toliquid'fllling arrangement particularly in the -lowermo'st 'portionof the tank provides for a normalxbl'ending of variable liquified petroleum gases whenw'desired. In addition the manifold apparatus pro- -vides for an-auxiliary outlet'forthevolatile liquid when it is desired to: use "the liqui'fie d petroleum "gases a=fuel directlyponsumed byfi'the conventional farm equipment, such as tractors, gasoline enginesand other equipment. :Furthermore,

- tank, a valve controlled" conduit connecting :with

one of said horizontally 'dispo'seid chambers zan'd permitting dischargeofisaidavapors for fuelsconsumption, elongated =means extending "into ;the Y tank and communicating: withzt-heaxialrchamber and preventing contact of the'liquefie'dgasesavith the: vapor chambers, means communicating with one of-thevapor'cham -bers to permit equalization of the pressure of the tank-during the filling operation, and means communicating *With the axial I chamber permittingdischarge of liquefied gas therefrom.

'2. .In amanifold-apparatus .for, filling az'storage tank adapted to houseiliquefiedtpetroleum gases, 'and;comprising an elongatedbody having. an axially disposedchamber" for; passage :of incoming liquefied'gasestd the tank, means 7 providing communication between the axial chamber "and the tank, horizontally disposed chambers receiving the expansion vapors of the liquefied gases in the tank, a valve controlled conduit connecting with one of said horizontally disposed chambers and permitting discharge of said vapors for fuel consumption, valve means disposed in at least one of said horizontal chambers to permit equalization of the fluid pressure in the tank during the filling operation, and an auxiliary valve means communicating with the axial chamber providing discharge of volatile liquid from the tank.

3. In a system for filling volatile liquids comprising a storage tank, a filling manifold cooperating therewith and comprising an inlet chamber, a plurality of vapor chambers disposed perpendicular tothe inlet chamber and in communication with the" tank, a cylindrical baflle providing communication between the inlet chamber and the tank and simultaneously precluding communication between the inlet cham- '0 her and the vapor chambers, a vapor fuel outlet RAYMOND J. BRANSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 523,872 Stahl July 31, 1894 977,261 Berstein Nov. 29, 1910 1,572,727 Kerr Feb. 9, 1926 2,307,309 Thomas Jan. 5, 1943 2,361,865 Norway Oct. 31, 1944

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