Thermo expansion compensator
OwnerRobert M. Dabichinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An explosion proof vault for housing electrical equipment is isolated from ambient air by the provision of an auxiliary expansion chamber. The auxiliary expansion chamber is coupled to the explosion proof casing and an inelastic bladder is located in the auxiliary expansion chamber in fluid communication with the explosion proof casing. An airtight seal around the mouth of the bladder prevents the passage of air between the explosion proof casing and the auxiliary expansion chamber except within the bladder.
Claims7
An explosion proof equipment vault comprising a totally enclosed, self-contained, rigid walled casing defining a cavity of fixed volume insensitive to changes in thermal conditions and occupied by a gas and defining a path of escape of expanding gas, a rigid walled auxiliary expansion chamber likewise defining a cavity of fixed volume pneumatically isolated from said explosing proof casing and in clear communication with ambient air, and an inelastic bladder disposed in said expansion chamber and in pneumatic communication with said explosion proof casing and in pneumatic isolation from ambient air, whereby said cavity of said auxiliary expansion chamber is totally occupied by said bladder and by a gas.
A method of providing isolation from external moisture to equipment in rigid walled, totally enclosed, self-contained, explosion proof casing which defines a cavity of fixed pneumatic volume insensitive to changes in temperature and which is occupied by a gas and which defines a path of escape of expanding gas, comprising providing said explosion proof casing with a rigid walled auxiliary expansion chamber, disposing an inelastic bladder in said expansion chamber to expand and contract therein in response to changes in temperature, providing pneumatic communication between said bladder and said explosion proof casing, providing clear communication between said auxiliary expansion chamber and ambient air and establishing an airtight seal between said bladder and said expansion chamber.
An explosion proof container comprising a totally enclosed, self-contained, rigid walled case isolated from external moisture and defining a cavity occupied by a gas and defining a path of escape of expanding gas and having a fixed volume that is insensitive to thermal changes, an auxiliary rigid walled expansion chamber in clear communication with ambient air likewise having a fixed volume and coupled to said case in pneumatic isolation therefrom, and an inelastic bladder disposed in said auxiliary expansion chamber and in pneumatic communication with said case and in pneumatic isolation from ambient air.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.