Filter clamp lock
AssigneePentair Water Pool and Spa, Inc.
InventorsLeonard Richiuso, Paul Hopfer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments of the invention provide a clamp lock to secure a clamp around a pressure vessel, such as a split tank pool filter. The clamp lock includes a drive rack with at least one notch, and a housing with a rotatable drive gear, a locking pawl, and a receiving hole. The rotatable drive gear is capable of laterally moving the drive rack through the receiving hole, and the locking pawl is capable of engaging the at least one notch when the drive rack has been inserted a distance into the receiving hole. The distance correlates to a diameter of the clamp sufficient to secure the clamp around the pressure vessel.
Claims20
A clamp lock to secure a band clamp around a pressure vessel, the clamp lock comprising:
- a drive rack coupled to a first end of the band clamp, the drive rack having a first side and an opposing second side;
- and
- a housing coupled to a second end of the band clamp, the housing further including:
- a receiving hole to receive the drive rack,
- a rotatable drive gear to engage a portion of the first side of the drive rack within the housing, and
- a locking pawl moveable between a first position that engages the opposing second side of the drive rack and substantially prevents lateral movement of the drive rack in at least one direction through the receiving hole, and a second position that is spaced away from the drive rack and permits lateral movement of the drive rack in two directions through the receiving hole.
A clamp lock that secures together a band clamp around a pressure vessel, the clamp lock comprising:
- a drive rack;
- and
- a housing including a rotatable drive gear, a locking pawl, and a receiving hole to receive the drive rack, wherein the drive rack engages the drive gear and the locking pawl within the housing, wherein the drive gear is positioned on a first side of the drive rack and the locking pawl is positioned on an opposed second side of the drive rack.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.