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US 11,268,301 B2Granted
Automatic hatch for bulk material containers
OwnerReinhard Matyeinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automatic hatch assembly for bulk material containers includes a hatch cover which covers a fill opening of the container, and may be retrofitted to existing containers equipped with a conventional hatch cover. A drive unit is operable to open and close the hatch cover, and a locking assembly actuates an extendable lock member. Optionally, a pneumatic seal is provided within the cover for sealing the container from the outside environment. The locking assembly is adapted to resist opening forces applied to the cover, such as when the container is pressurized, and a sequencing controller may be provided to facilitate automated operation of the opening/closing, locking/unlocking, and/or sealing/unsealing of the hatch cover.
Claims17
An openable and closable hatch for a bulk material container, said hatch comprising:
- a base configured to be coupled to the bulk material container, said base defining a base opening generally corresponding to an opening in the bulk material container;
- a cover having:
- a first side portion and a second side portion spaced from said first side portion, said first side portion pivotably coupled to said base, and said cover positionable between an open configuration wherein said base opening is substantially uncovered, and a closed configuration wherein said base opening is substantially covered by said cover;
- a disc-shaped portion covering said base opening when said cover is positioned in said closed configuration, said disc-shaped portion extending from said first side portion to said second side portion;
- and
- a pair of spaced-apart projection walls extending upwardly from said disc-shaped portion when said cover is in said closed configuration, wherein said spaced-apart projection walls extend laterally outboard of said disc-shaped portion at said second side portion, and wherein said spaced-apart projection walls are disposed along said second side portion;
- a projection extending radially outwardly from said base and positioned below said second side portion of said cover in said closed configuration;
- and
- a locking device coupled directly to said second side portion of said cover, said locking device comprising:
- a powered lock actuator positioned atop said second side portion of said cover said powered lock actuator comprising a double-acting cylinder and an extendable shaft supported in said double-acting cylinder;
- a lock pivot positioned above said projection when said cover is positioned in said closed configuration, said lock pivot extending between and supported by said projection walls at a location that is laterally outboard of said disc-shaped portion;
- and
- a latch pivotably coupled to said lock pivot and adapted to selectively move between a deployed position and a retracted position in response to said powered lock actuator, said latch comprising an upper portion directly coupled to said extendable shaft and a hook tip at a distal end portion of said latch opposite said upper portion, with said lock pivot disposed between said upper portion and said hook tip, wherein said hook tip comprises a cam surface and is configured to engage a downwardly-facing surface of said projection in response to extension of said extendable shaft;
- wherein said powered lock actuator and at least a portion of said latch are mounted between said projection walls;
- wherein, when said latch is moved to said deployed position, said cam surface of said hook tip of said latch extends below and engages said downwardly-facing surface of said projection to lock said cover in said closed configuration;
- and
- wherein said lock pivot is configured to bear a load when (i) an internal fluid pressure inside the bulk material container acting on said cover is greater than an external fluid pressure outside the bulk material container acting on said cover;
- (ii) said cover is positioned in said closed configuration;
- and (iii) said latch is positioned in said deployed position.
16 more elements
An openable and closable hatch for a bulk material container, said hatch comprising:
- a base configured to be coupled to the bulk material container, said base defining a base opening generally corresponding to an opening in the bulk material container;
- a cover having:
- a first side portion and a second side portion spaced from said first side portion, said first side portion pivotably coupled to said base, and said cover positionable between an open configuration wherein said base opening is substantially uncovered, and a closed configuration wherein said base opening is substantially covered by said cover;
- a disc-shaped portion covering said base opening when said cover is positioned in said closed configuration, said disc-shaped portion extending from said first side portion to said second side portion;
- and
- a pair of spaced-apart projection walls extending upwardly from said disc-shaped portion when said cover is in said closed configuration, wherein said spaced-apart projection walls extend laterally outboard of said disc-shaped portion at said second side portion, and wherein said spaced-apart projection walls are disposed along said second side portion;
- a projection extending radially outwardly from said base and positioned below said second side portion of said cover in said closed configuration;
- and
- a locking device coupled directly to said second side portion of said cover, said locking device comprising:
- a powered lock actuator positioned atop said second side portion of said cover;
- a lock pivot positioned above said projection when said cover is positioned in said closed configuration, said lock pivot extending between and supported by said projection walls at a location that is laterally outboard of said disc-shaped portion;
- and
- a latch pivotably coupled to said lock pivot and adapted to selectively move between a deployed position and a retracted position in response to said powered lock actuator;
- wherein said powered lock actuator and at least a portion of said latch are mounted between said projection walls;
- wherein, when said cover is in said closed configuration and said latch is moved to said deployed position, a hook tip at a distal end portion of said latch extends below and engages said projection to lock said cover in said closed configuration;
- wherein said latch is positioned laterally outboard of said disc-shaped portion;
- wherein when said latch is positioned in said deployed position, said projection walls extend laterally outboard of said disc-shaped portion further than said latch extends outboard of said disc-shaped portion, and said distal end portion of said latch extends below said projection walls;
- and
- wherein said lock pivot is configured to bear a load when (i) an internal fluid pressure inside the bulk material container acting on said cover is greater than an external fluid pressure outside the bulk material container acting on said cover;
- (ii) said cover is positioned in said closed configuration;
- and (iii) said latch is positioned in said deployed position.
18 more elements
An openable and closable hatch for a bulk material container, said hatch comprising:
- a base configured to be coupled to the bulk material container, said base defining a base opening generally corresponding to an opening in the bulk material container;
- an annular lip at an upper portion of said base, said annular lip defining an upper portion of said base opening;
- a cover having:
- a first side portion and a second side portion spaced from said first side portion, said first side portion pivotably coupled to said base, and said cover positionable between an open configuration wherein said base opening is substantially uncovered, and a closed configuration wherein said base opening is substantially covered by said cover;
- a disc-shaped portion covering said base opening when said cover is positioned in said closed configuration, said disc-shaped portion extending from said first side portion to said second side portion;
- and
- a pair of spaced-apart projection walls extending upwardly from said disc-shaped portion when said cover is in said closed configuration,
- wherein said spaced-apart projection walls extend laterally outboard of said disc-shaped portion at said second side portion, and wherein said spaced-apart projection walls are disposed along said second side portion;
- a downwardly-facing annular channel disposed in a lower surface of said cover, said annular channel configured to receive said annular lip of said base when said cover is positioned in said closed configuration;
- an annular pneumatic seal positioned in said annular channel and configured to engage said annular lip on a radial outer side of said annular seal;
- a projection extending radially outwardly from said base and positioned below said second side portion of said cover in said closed configuration;
- a locking device coupled directly to said second side portion of said cover such that said locking device and said cover are fixed together, said locking device comprising:
- a powered lock actuator positioned atop said second side portion of said cover;
- a lock pivot coupled to said projection walls and positioned above said projection when said cover is positioned in said closed configuration, said lock pivot extending between and supported by said projection walls at a location that is laterally outboard of said disc-shaped portion;
- and
- a latch pivotably coupled to said lock pivot and adapted to selectively move between a deployed position and a retracted position in response to said powered lock actuator;
- a pivot rod coupled to said cover and to said base, said pivot rod having a longitudinal axis and being pivotable about the longitudinal axis;
- and
- a pivot motor operable to rotate said pivot rod and said cover together about the longitudinal axis of said pivot rod;
- wherein said powered lock actuator and at least a portion of said latch are mounted between said projection walls;
- wherein, when said cover is in said closed configuration and said latch is moved to said deployed position, a distal end portion of said latch extends below and engages said projection to lock said cover in said closed configuration and said projection walls extend laterally outboard of said disc-shaped portion further than said latch extends outboard of said disc-shaped portion;
- and
- wherein said lock pivot is configured to bear a load when:
- (i) an internal fluid pressure inside the bulk material container acting on said cover is greater than an external fluid pressure outside the bulk material container acting on said cover;
- (ii) said cover is positioned in said closed configuration;
- and (iii) said latch is positioned in said deployed position.
23 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.