Patents Assigned to HMT Inc.
  • Patent number: 6529134
    Abstract: The invention provides a device and method for remotely selectively securing a floating tank roof in a desired position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: HMT, Inc.
    Inventors: Joel L. Machen, John F. Hirschbuehler
  • Patent number: 6247607
    Abstract: A low profile secondary seal for sealing the space between the inner wall of a tank and a roof floating on a liquid product within the tank is of relatively simple, lightweight construction and of low profile so as to maximize the possible height of the floating roof within the tank. The seal includes a plurality of resilient support plates mounted in spaced-apart relation along the edge of the floating roof at first ends thereof and extending outwardly to opposite second ends thereof which are coupled to an elongated wiper assembly. The support plates are made of resilient material such as full hard stainless steel which maintains a desired shape in resilient fashion, so as to continuously resiliently bias the wiper assembly against the inner wall of the tank. The second ends of the support plates are pivotably coupled to the wiper assembly. Angled skid plates coupled to the wiper assembly engage the inner wall of the tank to facilitate movement of the wiper assembly thereover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2001
    Assignee: HMT Inc.
    Inventor: Richard P. King
  • Patent number: 5927534
    Abstract: A seal for sealing the space between the inner wall of a tank and a roof floating on a liquid product within the tank includes a plurality of partially overlapping barrier plates mounted along a rim of the floating roof so as to extend outwardly along a first portion of each plate and then downwardly along a second portion of each plate which is relatively flat and which forms a seal against the inner wall of the tank. A plurality of resilient tension springs, mounted in spaced-apart relation along the rim of the floating roof, extend outwardly and bias the seals formed by the second portions of the plates against the inner tank wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: HMT, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard P. King, Russell D. Curtiss, John R. LeBlanc
  • Patent number: 5758792
    Abstract: A deck drain for draining liquids from a floating roof of a liquid product storage tank includes a hollow drain tube extending downwardly from the deck of the floating roof at an upper open end thereof and a check valve assembly coupled to the upper open end of and having a cage extending upwardly from the upper open end of the drain tube. An elastomeric ball is slideably disposed within the cage and operative to seat within and close off the upper open end of the drain tube when in a lowermost position. The cage is comprised of a plurality of parallel, spaced-apart rods extending between an upper plate and a lower plate disposed on the deck and which is bolted through the deck to an opposite third plate which mounts the upper open end of the drain tube. The check valve assembly closes off the upper open end of the drain tube except when liquid is present on the deck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1998
    Assignee: HMT, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald P. Jolly
  • Patent number: 5680950
    Abstract: A floating roof for use in a storage tank for oil or other petrochemical products has a frame that includes a circular outer rim. The floating roof includes a plurality of pontoons which are coupled to the outer rim by opposing strap and saddle assemblies attached to opposite ends of each pontoon. The strap and saddle assemblies are coupled to the outer rim by rim mounting brackets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 28, 1997
    Assignee: HMT, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald P. Jolly
  • Patent number: 5628421
    Abstract: A floating roof for use in a storage tank for oil or other liquid petrochemical products has a frame comprised of girders. Adjustable legs for supporting the floating roof on the bottom of the storage tank are mounted on the girders, and are coupled to the junction of a main girder and a cross girder by a support housing assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1997
    Assignee: HMT, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald P. Jolly
  • Patent number: 5605243
    Abstract: A floating roof for use in a storage tank for liquid petrochemical products has a frame comprised of girders having grooved slots in top and opposite side surfaces thereof along substantially the entire lengths of the girders. The slots are capable of receiving threaded fasteners and flanges at any location along the length thereof, permitting cross girders to be bolted to main girders at virtually any location along the length of the main girder and deck sheeting to be bolted to the tops of the girders at virtually any location along the length of each girder, without the need to drill holes. Adjustable legs for supporting the floating roof on the bottom of the storage tank and which are internally sealed against vapor leakage, are mounted on the girders and are coupled to the junction of a main girder and a cross girder by a sealed support housing assembly. A manway assembly and bleeder vent assemblies are also coupled to girder junctions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 25, 1997
    Assignee: HMT, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald P. Jolly
  • Patent number: 5533640
    Abstract: A floating roof for use in a storage tank for liquid petrochemical products has a frame comprised of girders having grooved slots in top and opposite side surfaces thereof along substantially the entire lengths of the girders. The slots are capable of receiving threaded fasteners and flanges at any location along the length thereof, permitting cross girders to be bolted to main girders at virtually any location along the length of the main girder and deck sheeting to be bolted to the tops of the girders at virtually any location along the length of each girder, without the need to drill holes. Adjustable legs for supporting the floating roof on the bottom of the storage tank are mounted on the girders, and are coupled to the junction of a main girder and a cross girder by a support housing assembly. A manway assembly and bleeder vent assemblies are also coupled to girder junctions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 9, 1996
    Assignee: HMT, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald P. Jolly
  • Patent number: 5509563
    Abstract: A floating roof for use in a storage tank for oil or other liquid petrochemical products includes pontoons, each of which is coupled to the girders by mounting arrangements including a one-piece saddle having an intermediate arc shaped cradle portion for receiving the pontoon and an elongated strap extending around the pontoon and having opposite ends bolted to the girder through the opposite ends of the saddle either directly to the girder or to a mounting bracket attached to the girder. The pontoons are of hollow cylindrical configuration and include opposite end caps recessed inwardly from the ends of the pontoon and having continuous flanges at the outer peripheries thereof in contact with the inner surface of the pontoon at the outer ends thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1996
    Assignee: HMT, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald P. Jolly
  • Patent number: 5509562
    Abstract: A floating roof for use in a storage tank for oil or other liquid petrochemical products has a frame comprised of girders having grooved slots in top and opposite side surfaces thereof along substantially the entire lengths of the girders. The slots are capable of receiving threaded fasteners and flanges at any location along the length thereof, permitting cross girders to be bolted to main girders at virtually any location along the length of the main girder and deck sheeting to be bolted to the tops of the girders at virtually any location along the length of each girder, without the need to drill holes. Adjustable legs for supporting the floating roof on the bottom of the storage tank are mounted on the girders, and are coupled to the junction of a main girder and a cross girder by a support housing assembly. A manway assembly and bleeder vent assemblies are also coupled to girder junctions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1996
    Assignee: HMT, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald P. Jolly
  • Patent number: 5321881
    Abstract: A shoe seal for sealing the space between a floating roof and the inner wall of an oil storage tank includes a plurality of scissors hanger assemblies for mounting a shoe on the floating roof. Each assembly includes an elongated plate suspended from a shoe clip bolted to the shoe and pivotally coupled to an opposite pair of elongated bars suspended from a rim clip bolted to the outer rim of the floating roof. In a first embodiment, the shoe is biased into contact with the inner tank wall by pusher bars bolted to the shoe and having resilient legs extending into contact with the floating roof, and pusher plates bolted to the roof and having a resilient leg extending into contact with the shoe. In a second embodiment, only the pusher bars are used and they are mounted on the rim clips bolted to the floating roof so that the opposite resilient legs thereof extend into contact with the shoe. A vapor barrier fabric extends between and is joined to the shoe and to the floating roof to complete the shoe seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 21, 1994
    Assignee: HMT, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick L. Lippiello, David W. Otto
  • Patent number: 5301828
    Abstract: The space between the inner wall of a petroleum or hydrocarbon tank or similar storage tank and a floating roof therein is sealed by both a primary seal and a secondary seal. The secondary seal, which has no elastomeric parts subject to rapid deterioration, includes a flexible vapor barrier fabric having a first edge coupled to the floating roof and an opposite second edge. The secondary seal further includes a plurality of plates disposed above the vapor barrier fabric and having lower ends coupled to the floating roof and opposite upper ends coupled to a metal shoe disposed against the inner tank wall and having the second edge of the vapor barrier fabric coupled thereto. The length of each metal plate between upper and lower edges thereof is adjustable by virtue of the plate being comprised of overlapping upper and lower plates joined by bolts in elongated apertures therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1994
    Assignee: HMT, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald W. McKay
  • Patent number: 5103992
    Abstract: A shoe seal for sealing the space between a floating roof and the inner wall of an oil storage tank includes a plurality of scissors hanger assemblies for movably mounting a shoe on the floating roof. Each scissors hanger assembly includes an elongated plate suspended from a shoe clip bolted to the shoe and pivotally coupled to an opposite pair of elongated bars suspended from a rim clip bolted to the outer rim of the floating roof. In a first embodiment, the shoe is resiliently biased into contact with the inner tank wall by pusher bars bolted to the shoe and having resilient legs extending into contact with the floating roof, and pusher plates bolted to the roof and having a resilient leg extending into contact with the shoe. In a second embodiment, only the pusher bars are used and they are mounted on the rim clips bolted to the floating roof so that the opposite resilient legs thereof extend into contact with the shoe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1992
    Assignee: HMT, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick L. Lippiello, David W. Otto
  • Patent number: 5078293
    Abstract: A shoe seal for sealing the space between a pontoon supported lightweight floating roof and the inner wall of an oil storage tank includes a plurality of hanger assemblies for movably mounting a shoe on the floating roof. The hanger assemblies are mounted in spaced-apart fashion around the outer rim of the floating roof, and each includes a support bracket coupled to the floating roof at an upper end thereof and having an opposite lower end pivotally coupled to a lever bracket. Each lever bracket has a first end pivotally coupled to the shoe by a shoe clip and an opposite second end disposed beneath the outer rim of the floating roof and having a float coupled thereto by a support strap. The floats which comprise hollow, enclosed, generally cylindrical members are disposed in spaced-apart fashion beneath the outer rim of the floating roof at a level below the pontoons which support the roof so as to be completely submerged within the oil or other liquid product stored within the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1992
    Assignee: HMT, Inc.
    Inventor: Patrick L. Lippiello