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US3872886A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Combined water removing and contents indicating device for underground liquid fuel containing tanks

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1973-09-12
•
Granted: 1975-03-25
•
Expires: 1993-09-12
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Abstract

Abstract A device to enable the removal of the water that collects in the bottom of an underground liquid fuel containing tank, and also to visibly indicate the liquid contents in the tank, consisting of a two-chambered flexible plastic container, each chamber being connected with one end of a pair of flexible tubular members. One of the chambers is airtight and liquid tight, and the other chamber has one or more perforated walls and is filled with small particulate matter, such as round pebbles or shots, to sink the container to the bottom of the liquid containing tank. The container is inserted into an existing underground tank through a hole formed in the wall of the usual vent pipe, with the other ends of the tubular members extending through the hole. A suction pump is attached to the outer end of the tubular member connected with the perforated chamber, and a pressure gauge, calibrated in gallons, is attached to the outer end of the tubular member connected with the airtight chamber, the latter tubular member having a valved branch duct to enable pressurizing of the airtight chamber and tubular member with a fluid under pressure. To install the device in an existing tank, a hole is formed in the wall of the upstanding vent pipe, at a desired level above the ground level. Holding the free ends of the tubular conduits, the container is inserted into the hole and forced into the tank by applying pressure to the conduit, or by applying an air blast into the vent pipe.

Inventors

  • 👤 Albert Shotmeyer

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-22 20:15
CPC Classifications
B; B08; B08B; B08B9/00; B08B9/08; B08B9/093; B08B9/0933; F; F16; F16L; F16L55/00; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T137/00; Y10T137/8158; Y10T137/8342; Y10T137/8593; Y10T137/86292; Y10T137/86324; Y10T137/86332; Y10T137/86348

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim 144 words
A combined water removing and contents indicating device for underground liquid fuel containing tanks, comprising: a flexible walled container; a partition dividing said container into an upper chamber and a lower chamber, said upper chamber being imperforate, and said lower chamber having perforations in at least one wall thereof; means within said lower chamber having a specific gravity greater than that of water and fuel within the tank; a first tubular conduit connected at one end with said upper chamber; a pressure responsive liquid contents indicating means connected with the other end of said first tubular conduit; said first tubular conduit including a connection for admitting fluid under pressure into said conduit and into said upper chamber; a second tubular conduit connected at one end with said lower chamber; and an exhaust pump means connected with the other end of said second tubular conduit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 144 words
A combined water removing and contents indicating device for underground liquid fuel containing tanks, comprising: a flexible walled container; a partition dividing said container into an upper chamber and a lower chamber, said upper chamber being imperforate, and said lower chamber having perforations in at least one wall thereof; means within said lower chamber having a specific gravity greater than that of water and fuel within the tank; a first tubular conduit connected at one end with said upper chamber; a pressure responsive liquid contents indicating means connected with the other end of said first tubular conduit; said first tubular conduit including a connection for admitting fluid under pressure into said conduit and into said upper chamber; a second tubular conduit connected at one end with said lower chamber; and an exhaust pump means connected with the other end of said second tubular conduit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 32 words
A combined water removing and contents indicating device for underground liquid fuel containing tanks as defined in claim 1, in which said container and said partition are made from a plastic material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 30 words
A combined water removing and contents indicating device for underground liquid fuel containing tanks as defined in claim 1, in which said means within said lower chamber comprises particulate matter.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 32 words
A combined water removing and contents indicating device for underground liquid fuel containing tanks as defined in claim 3, in which the perforations are in the bottom wall of said lower chamber.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 48 words
A combined water removing and contents indicating device for underground liquid fuel containing tanks as defined in claim 3, in which said particulate matter has a cross section greater than the cross section of the perforations and less than the internal cross section of said second tubular member.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 45 words
A combined water removing and contents indicating device for underground liquid fuel containing tanks as defined in claim 1, in which said connection for admitting fluid under pressure comprises a branch duct communicating with said first tubular conduit, and a valve in said branch duct.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 46 words
A combined water removing and contents indicating device for underground liquid fuel containing tanks as defined in claim 1, in which said tank is provided with an upstanding vent pipe, an opening in the wall of said vent pipe, said tubular conduits extending through said opening.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 83 words
A combined water removing and contents indicating device for underground liquid fuel containing tanks as defined in claim 7, in which the cross sectional dimension of said container, in its expanded state, is greater than the cross sectional dimension of said opening and said vent pipe, and in its deflated state the container has a cross sectional dimension less than that of the opening and vent pipe, whereby the container may be inserted into the tank through said opening in the vent pipe.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US1771519A Cited
US2082723A Cited
US1979203A Cited
US2087368A Cited
US2971576A Cited
US3129747A Cited
US3211349A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1978-03-24 1978-09-23 1979-03-25 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1982-03-24 1982-09-23 1983-03-25 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1986-03-24 1986-09-23 1987-03-25 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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