Venting closure assembly for a milk tank
AssigneeLight Industrial Company
InventorsTimothy J. Martin, Jr., Richard T. Henry
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A venting closure assembly for a milk tank where there is an outside stainless steel cover and a venting closure member positioned beneath the cover. The venting closure member forms a circumferential seal around the periphery of the cover, and it has a downwardly and outwardly flaring moderately flexible skirt which forms a peripheral venting channel. When there is a surge of milk in the tank (caused by acceleration of deceleration of the tank on the road), the surge of liquid upwardly against the closure member pushes the closure member upwardly to close a vent opening in the outside cover, thus preventing milk from escaping from the outside cover.
Claims23
A closure assembly for a containing structure, such as a milk tank, which containing structure defines a containing chamber for a liquid, and which has an opening, such as a manhole, defined by a ring structure, said assembly comprising:
- a. an outside cover member having an outer perimeter portion adapted to be positioned adjacent said ring structure, and also having a main inner portion extending across said perimeter portion, said inner portion having a first vent opening leading to ambient atmosphere;
- b. an inside venting closure member adapted to be positioned in an operating location adjacent said cover, said closure member having an inner portion that is located below the first vent opening and a perimeter portion surrounding said inner portion;
- c. said closure member being characterized in that it has a relaxed position where in its operating location and without external forces applied thereto, the inner portion is spaced downwardly from said first vent opening to permit air flow through said first vent opening, said closure member having an upwardly deflected position where, with an upper surge force exerted upon said closure member, the inner portion of the closure member is positioned against said first vent opening in closing relationship therewith;
- d. said closure member being further characterized in that in its operating location the closure member provides a second vent opening means spaced from said first vent opening and leading to said containing chamber to permit air flow to and from said containing chamber to an area between said cover member and said closure member;
- whereby with the venting closure member in its operating location and in its relaxed position, said containing chamber can be vented to ambient atmosphere, and with a surge force exerted against said closure member, said closure member moves to its upwardly deflected closure position to block possible flow of liquid outwardly through said first vent opening.
A venting closure member adapted to be used for a containing structure, such as a milk tank, which containing structure defines a containing chamber for a liquid, which has an opening, such as a manhole, defined by a ring structure, and which has an outside cover member having an outer perimeter portion adapted to be positioned adjacent said ring structure, and also having a main inner portion extending across said perimeter portion, said inner portion having a first vent opening leading to ambient atmosphere, said venting closure member adapted to be positioned in an operating location adjacent said cover, said closure member having an inner portion that is located below the first vent opening and a perimeter portion surrounding said inner portion, said closure member being characterized in that it has a relaxed position where in its operating location and without external forces applied thereto, the inner portion is spaced downwardly from said first vent opening of the cover member to permit air flow through said first vent opening, said closure member having an upwardly deflected position where, with an upper surge force exerted upon said closure member, the inner portion of the closure member is positioned against said first vent opening in closing relationship therewith, said closure member being further characterized in that in its operating location the closure member provides a second vent opening means spaced from said first vent opening and leading to said containing chamber to permit air flow to and from said containing chamber to an area between said cover member and said closure member;
- whereby with the venting closure member in its operating location and in its relaxed position, said containing chamber can be vented to ambient atmosphere, and with a surge force exerted against said closure member, said closure member moves to its upwardly deflected closure position to block possible flow of liquid outwardly through said first vent opening.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.