Methods and systems for remote opening and monitoring of an access hatch
AssigneeConspec Controls, Inc.
InventorsRobert E. Collins, Paul Douglas Boyce
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for remotely opening an access hatch of storage tank includes an elongate arm having a proximal end configured to be operatively coupled to a lid of the access hatch and a distal end extendable past an outer perimeter of the storage tank, and a pull cable attached to the arm at the distal end and being extendable toward a ground surrounding the storage tank. Pulling on the pull cable releases a latch that secures the lid to a base of the access hatch and allows the lid to pivot from a closed position to an open position.
Claims18
A storage tank for containing one or more fluids, comprising:
- a floor;
- a roof;
- a sidewall extending between the floor and the roof and defining an outer perimeter of the storage tank;
- an access hatch provided on the roof and having a base, a lid pivotably coupled to the base, and a latch configured to secure the lid to the base in a closed position;
- and
- a system for remotely opening the access hatch and including:
- an elongate arm having a proximal end operatively coupled to the lid and a distal end extending past the outer perimeter of the storage tank;
- a pull cable attached to the arm at the distal end and extending toward a ground adjacent the storage tank;
- a support frame operatively coupled to the access hatch, and a pulley system mounted to the support frame;
- a weight cable having a first end operatively coupled to the latch and extending to the pulley system;
- and
- a counterweight coupled to a second end of the weight cable to constantly urge the latch to an unlatched position,
- wherein pulling on the pull cable from the ground releases the latch and allows the lid to pivot from the closed position to an open position, and
- wherein once the latch becomes unlatched, the counterweight acts on the weight cable to pivot the lid to the open position.
A system for remotely opening an access hatch of a storage tank, comprising:
- an elongate arm having a proximal end configured to be operatively coupled to a lid of the access hatch and a distal end extendable past an outer perimeter of the storage tank;
- a pull cable attached to the arm at the distal end and being extendable toward a ground adjacent the storage tank;
- a support frame configured to be operatively coupled to the access hatch;
- a pulley system mounted to the support frame;
- a weight cable having a first end configured to be operatively coupled to the latch and extending to the pulley system;
- and
- a counterweight coupled to a second end of the weight cable to constantly urge the latch to an unlatched position,
- wherein pulling on the pull cable releases a latch that secures the lid to a base of the access hatch and allows the lid to pivot from a closed position to an open position, and
- wherein once the latch becomes unlatched, gravitational pull of the counterweight acts on the weight cable to pivot the lid to the open position.
A method of opening an access hatch of a storage tank, comprising:
- manually pulling on a pull cable attached to a distal end of an elongate arm operatively coupled to a lid of the access hatch and thereby placing a downward load on the arm, the arm extending past an outer perimeter of the storage tank;
- transmitting the downward load on the arm to the lid and thereby disengaging a latch of the access hatch, the latch being coupled to a first end of a weight cable that extends to a pulley system;
- allowing a counterweight coupled to a second end of the weight cable to descend under gravitational forces and thereby pulling on the weight cable coupled to the latch;
- and
- pivoting the lid toward an open position as the counterweight descends and the weight cable pulls on the lid at the latch.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.