Water-tight riser for underground storage tank manway

• US 5,595,456 A
• Filed: 05/09/1995
• Issued: 01/21/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Xerxes Corporation (Shawcor Limited)
• Original Assignee: Xerxes Corporation (Shawcor Limited)
• Inventors: Baumgartner, Mark, Berg, Robin
• Primary Examiner(s): NOVOSAD, STEPHEN
• Application Number:
  US08/437,787
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• Field of Search: 405/53, 405/52, 405/54, 405/55, 405/128
• US Class Current: 405/53
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 90/105 for underground containers

Abstract

An underground storage tank provided with a manway is equipped with a riser extending from the storage tank, about the manway, to a point just below the access way provided in the ground level of the installation. The riser is provided with a water-tight cover which is released through operation of a cam. The water-tight riser excludes water from the interior of the riser and the manway, ensuring access to the manway, operation of the fittings provided in the manway, an additional containment of fluid passing through the manway and the area of the tank adjacent thereto. Because it is water-tight, an alarm sensitive to liquid may be placed in the interior of the riser to alert the operator to the possible loss of containment, or loss of water-tight sealing between the cover and the riser.

Claims

1. In an underground storage tank provided for the containment of liquid materials, said tank being provided with a manway providing access to the interior of said tank, said manway being reached through an access way provided at ground level above said storage tank, wherein the improvement comprises providing a riser about said manway extending from the exterior of said storage tank to a point proximal to and below said access way, said riser being provided with a dome-shaped cover secured in water-tight fashion to said riser.

2. The underground storage tank of claim 1, wherein said cover is secured to said riser by means of a releasable "C"-shaped clamp extending about the circumference of (1) a horizontal flange provided at one end of said riser opposite said tank and (2) said cover which rests on said flange.

3. The underground storage tank of claim 2, wherein a resilient, water-resistant gasket is interposed between said cover and said flange.

4. The underground storage tank of claim 2, wherein said clamp is released by means of a horizontally extending cam.

5. The underground storage tank of claim 1, wherein said tank is a double-walled tank.

6. The underground storage tank of claim 1, wherein said tank, manway, riser and dome-shaped cover are comprised of fiberglass reinforced plastic.

7. The underground storage tank of claim 1, wherein an alarm sensitive to liquid is provided in the interior of said riser.

8. The underground storage tank of claim 1, wherein said dome-shape cover is made out of a thermoplastic resin.