Rene Champagne Bottom Tanks

[ovalis]

This will be a tough one because there doesn't seem to be a lot out there, but I'm trying to gather some information on these tanks to get a rough idea of how many of these were produced and when. So if any of you out there have one and can provide the original hydro date and serial #, I would greatly appreciate it.
I have 6 of these tanks and the spread of serial #'s are as follows:
April '53: 4422
July '53: 4914-5672
Nov. '53: 6223-6582

It looks as if Pressed Steel kept a sequence of the serial # unique to these tanks, meaning the new batch produced at a later date starts with a serial # from where they left off at the old batch. I could be wrong, but that's what it's starting to look like.

I would like to also find out when they started producing these tanks. I was originally guessing 1952, but was fortunate enough to see one from 1951. Unfortunately, I was not able to get the serial # from that tank and I can't remember the month at the moment.

Thanks for the help, Mike

[antique diver]

Do yours have the 1" tapered pipe thread?

I mention this because today I saw several old very early 1950's CO2 fire extinguishers today, all of which had the larger 1" NPT threads. One was 1800 psi, and two that were closest in size to a 72 were 2015 psi. They were 3A (carbon steel). I think the original "Champagne bottom" Scuba tanks began life as fire extinguishers, and later found their way underwater. I do have a later Scuba cyl (about 53' size) from the late 60's that has a modern Scuba neck thread, and is galvanized, 3AA. I'll have to dig it out of storage to get an exact date.

[ovalis]

These tanks all have the standard 1/2" tapered thread like the later Rene tanks. They are actually identical to the later year tanks with US Divers, Broxton address, Compressed Air Only, Rene stamped on them with the only exception that they have concave bottoms as opposed to round bottoms. These are 2150 psi.
I'm not sure, but I think a lot of tanks, oxy/acetylene, fire extinguishers, storage tanks mostly had concave bottoms so they could be stood upright back in the day and also true today. So I guess they just went along with the same concept. I heard that people would stand up these Rene tanks and they would get knocked over and the valve would get sheared off and obviously that would be a problem, so they converted them over to round bottoms. I don't really buy that story. I could see valves getting bent, but not sheared off. Anyway, they started making tank boots later on to stand them up and no problems there.
I have a couple of Rene, steel 80's that are 2,600 psi that were produced in Nov. 53, same month as the last run of concave bottom tanks, that had round bottoms. So they produced both styles in the same month.
The question about the 1" pipe thread got me thinking about something that I never considered before. These 1953 & earlier tanks used the French valves as opposed the US produced valves that came out in 1954. Is the NPT pipe thread standard between Europe & the US, or is there a small difference? I'm sure the US produced tanks were 1/2" NPT, but the French valves may have had a different spec.
Anybody know the difference on the specs for pipe thread? For example, I think the British pipe thread is very close to NPT, but there is a small difference.

[firemedicatl]

I have three of them that were made by Walter Kidde much later.
Mine are all 2250 72s with 3/4 straight pipe necks.
Original date was 1969 on all three and they were distributed by SEARS,

[ovalis]

The tanks you have are most likely the dimple bottom tanks that are able to stand upright on their own which were made by Walter Kidde. The tanks I'm referring to had the bottom of the tank looking like the bottom of a champagne bottle. The last year they were produced was 1953.

[pghdoowop1]

This will be a tough one because there doesn't seem to be a lot out there, but I'm trying to gather some information on these tanks to get a rough idea of how many of these were produced and when. So if any of you out there have one and can provide the original hydro date and serial #, I would greatly appreciate it.
I have 6 of these tanks and the spread of serial #'s are as follows:
April '53: 4422
July '53: 4914-5672
Nov. '53: 6223-6582

It looks as if Pressed Steel kept a sequence of the serial # unique to these tanks, meaning the new batch produced at a later date starts with a serial # from where they left off at the old batch. I could be wrong, but that's what it's starting to look like.

I would like to also find out when they started producing these tanks. I was originally guessing 1952, but was fortunate enough to see one from 1951. Unfortunately, I was not able to get the serial # from that tank and I can't remember the month at the moment.

Thanks for the help, Mike

I have one from 07/53, if this is any help.

ICC 3A 2150
5426
RENE
7-53 - PST
10S66

Bill
dead dog

[ovalis]

Bill,

Thanks for the info, I appreciate it!

Mike

[ovalis]

A bump back up to the top. I would appreciate the info if anybody has come across any lately.

[Boiler81]

I have one, the original hydro is 7-53, serial 5308

[ovalis]

Thank you!

[Boiler81]

Does anyone know what color these were originally? Mine has been painted many times. I bought the tank along with a blue label Broxton from the original owner's estate.

[ovalis]

These tanks were never painted. They were galvanized. US Divers didn't start painting their tanks until about 1957 or 58 and they were yellow.

[ovalis]

If anybody has any Rene tanks with an original hydro date of 1/54, please let me know if it's a round bottom or champagne bottom.
If you have the serial # that would be great too. thanks!

[antique diver]

If anybody has any Rene tanks with an original hydro date of 1/54, please let me know if it's a round bottom or champagne bottom.
If you have the serial # that would be great too. thanks!

I have Rene's from 1954, 1956 and 1957, and all are rounded bottom.

[ovalis]

Thanks, I'm trying to find the cut off on the champagne bottoms. I initially thought it was 11/53, but now I've been informed of 1/54 champagne bottom while I have another 1/54 showing as a round bottom so I'm looking for more 1/54 tanks to clarify which ones they were.
Do you have the serial # for that 1957 tank, I couldn't read it? I believe the month of hydro for the 1957 was May?