Pressure vessel door
OwnerJimmy Freemaninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A door for a pressurized vessel comprises a circular seat and lid. The seat has a plurality of locking receivers that are configured to receive a locking arm on the outer surface of the lid when the lid is positioned against the seat. The lid has a plurality of guides configured to direct the travel of the locking arms as the locking arms move toward and away from the locking receivers. A locking actuator is positioned on the outer surface of the lid and configured to cause each locking arm to extend through one of the guides and locking receivers so that a pressurized seal is maintained. An opening actuator is also coupled to the lid and to the pressurized vessel and is configured to conceal and expose the opening by positioning the lid against and away from the seat, respectively.
Claims21
A door for a pressurized vessel, comprising:
- a circular seat having a plurality of locking receivers positioned on the seat, each locking receiver configured to receive a locking arm;
- a circular lid having a plurality of guides, the number of guides corresponding to the number of locking receivers and configured to direct the travel of the locking arm;
- a locking actuator configured to cause each locking arm to extend through a guide and locking receiver when the lid is secured to the seat, wherein a seal is created between the lid and seat, and so as to extend through the guide but not the locking receiver when the lid is not secured to the seat;
- an opening actuator coupled to the lid and configured to remove the lid from the seat, thereby exposing an opening in the seat to an interior area of the pressurized vessel, and configured to place the lid against the seat, thereby concealing the opening in the seat to the interior area of the pressurized vessel.
A method for sealing an opening to a pressurized vessel, comprising the steps of:
- activating a lid actuator coupled to the pressurized vessel and to a circular lid to position the lid over the opening to the pressurized vessel and into contact with a seat coupled to the pressurized vessel, wherein the lid travels in an arc in relation to the lid actuator;
- and
- activating a locking actuator on the outer surface of the lid to rotate a locking communicator positioned at the center of the lid, the locking communicator coupled to a plurality of locking arms, wherein each locking arm travels through a guide coupled to the lid and through a locking receiver coupled to a seat, and wherein the lid seals to the seat when the locking arms travel through the locking receiver.
A lid assembly for a circular opening on a pressurized vessel, comprising:
- a circular metal lid having one or more o-ring seals on an inner side;
- a plurality of metal guides attached on the outer surface of the lid, each guide having an opening;
- a plurality of locking arms, one locking arm for each guide, wherein the locking arms extend through the guide opening;
- a rotator assembly positioned on the outer surface of the lid and positioned at the center of the lid, the rotator assembly coupled to each locking arm and configured to rotate, wherein the rotation of the rotator assembly moves each locking arm in a direction so that the locking arm moves toward and away from the center of the lid in correspondence to the direction of rotation of the rotator assembly;
- a locking actuator positioned on the outer surface of the lid and mechanically coupled to the rotator assembly, the locking actuator being configured to rotate the rotator assembly about the center of the lid in a clockwise or counterclockwise orientation according to the movements of the locking actuator;
- a seat coupled to the pressurized vessel around the opening, the seat configured with a plurality of locking dogs, each locking dog having an opening and positioned on the seat to align with the guides for receiving the locking arms when in an extended position;
- and
- a lid actuator coupled to the lid and to the pressurized vessel that is configured to move the lid to and from the seat to expose or close the opening according to the movement of the lid actuator.
A lid assembly for a circular opening on a pressurized vessel, comprising:
- means for positioning a lid over the opening, said means for positioning coupled to the pressurized vessel;
- means for rotating a rotator assembly positioned on the outer surface of the lid at the center of the lid;
- means for engaging the lid to a seat on the pressurized vessel, the means for engaging coupled to the means for rotating;
- means for directing the movement of the means for engaging, said means for directing positioned on the outer surface of the lid;
- and
- means for receiving the means for engaging, said means for receiving positioned on the seat.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.