Vapor-liquid contact tray manway

A vapor-liquid contact tray for a mass transfer or heat exchange column comprising:

• a tray deck comprising a plurality of deck panels extending in a common plane and framing an opening;
• a cover positionable over said opening and comprising at least two cover panels each having an inner edge portion, an outer edge portion, and opposed end portions;
• a hinged connection joining said cover panels together along said inner edge portions to permit folding movement of said cover panels between a unfolded position in which the cover panels are generally coplanar and an at least partially folded position in which the cover panels are inclined relative to each other;
• first and second brackets mounted on top of said deck panels adjacent said opening and on opposite sides thereof, said first and second brackets each having an arm presenting an engagement surface spaced a preselected distance above and facing said deck panel and an open side facing said cover panels;
• a first flange extending upwardly from the outer edge portion of one of said cover panels and a second flange extending upwardly from the outer edge portion of the other of said cover panels, said first and second flanges being positioned for being inserted through the open side of the first and second brackets, respectively, when the cover panels are moved to said unfolded position, said first and second flanges each having an upper edge in frictional engagement against said engagement surface of the arm when the cover panels are in said unfolded position to thereby secure the outer edge portions of said one cover panel and said another cover panel against upward movement, said frictional engagement being released when said cover panels are moved to said at least partially folded position;
• and
• at least one clamp releaseably securing the end portion of one of said cover panels to an adjacent one of said deck panels.