US 5,515,997 AGranted

Compliant mount for neck of compressed gas cylinder

AssigneeAerojet-General Corporation

InventorsKenneth G. Kirk, Kris E. Baxter

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A mounting arrangement for securing the neck of a compressed gas cylinder to a bulkhead is designed to permit articulation of the cylinder axis relative to the bulkhead without placing undue stress on the cylinder neck. The mounting includes a ball-and-socket-type arrangement in which the bail is provided by a ring formed from a sphere with a cylindricai through-passage, the ring fitting over the cylinder neck, and the socket is provided by a pair of mated flanges with flared inner edges which together contact and capture the spherical curvature of the ring. The flanges are bolted to the bulkhead. An anti-rotation plate is also mounted to the bulkhead over the protruding end of the cylinder neck, permitting the cylinder neck freedom of motion in two orthogonal directions but not rotation.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A compressed gas cylinder and mounting combination, comprising:

a compressed gas cylinder having a longitudinal axis and a cylinder neck at each end;
a pair of bulkheads;
and
a cylinder mount mounting at least one of said cylinder necks to one of said bulkheads in a manner permitting deviations of the longitudinal axis of said compressed gas cylinder from perpendicularity relative to said bulkhead while minimizing stress on said cylinder neck and maintaining a secure attachment of said cylinder neck to said bulkhead, each said cylinder mount comprising:
an encircling member sized to encircle said cylinder neck, said encircling member having an outer surface in the shape of a section of a sphere;
a pair of flanges adapted to be bolted together over said encircling member, and when so bolted to form a surface contacting, and complementary in curvature to, said outer surface to thereby capture said encircling member;
and
means for securing said flanges to said bulkhead.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/292,136Filed 17 Aug 1994
Granted: 14 May 1996
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification16 codes

B60P 3/055
Vehicles adapted to transport, to carry or to comprise special loads or objects: for transporting bottles
B60P 7/12
Securing to the vehicle floor or sides: the load being tree-trunks, beams, drums, tubes, or the like
F17C 13/085
For small-sized storage vessels, e.g. compressed gas cylinders or bottles, disposable gas vessels, vessels adapted for automotive use: on wheels
F17C 2201/0109
Cylindrical: with exteriorly curved end-piece