US 6,663,149 B1Granted

Threaded closure

AssigneeRobins & Myers Energy Systems, L.P.

InventorBilly W. White

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for a vessel or pipeline closure such as the type used on pipeline pig launching and receiving systems, and closures on access portals for pressurized vessels. A threaded closure 10 is disclosed which may eliminate hammering on hammer-lugs to tighten or loosen the closure from the vessel, thereby improving safety, closure life expectancy and functional operation. A closure 10 according to the present invention may include a hub 12 fixedly and sealingly secured to the vessel, and a cap 30 for threaded engagement with the hub 12. An anchor 22 may be fixedly secured to the hub and a tightening pulling ear 32 and a loosening pulling ear 132 each may be fixedly secured to the cap 30. An actuatable pulling assembly 20 may be engaged with the anchor 22 and selectively with one of the pulling ears 32 or 132, and actuated, such as by selectively turning a threaded nut 28 on a threaded bar 26, or by pressurizing a fluid-cylinder 126, 127, to thereby selectively tighten the cap to the hub or loosen the cap from the hub.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A closure to sealingly enclose a port in a vessel, the port having a port axis, the closure comprising:

a hub having a vessel end fixedly and sealingly secured to the vessel, a through bore having a through bore axis, a cap end opposite the vessel end, and a cap engagement thread;
a cap including a hub engagement thread for threaded engagement with the cap engagement thread;
an anchor fixedly secured to one of the hub and the cap;
a tightening pulling ear and a loosening pulling ear each fixedly secured to another of hub and the cap, the tightening pulling ear for tightening the cap to the hub and the loosening pulling ear for loosening the cap from the hub, each of the tightening pulling ear and the loosening pulling ear having a pulling surface thereon;
a pulling bar having an anchor end pivotally secured to the anchor and an opposing pulling member end;
a pulling member having a pulling bar end selectively securable to the pulling member end of the pulling bar and an opposing end removably engagable with the pulling surface on the tightening pulling ear for tightening the cap to the hub, and with the pulling surface on the loosening pulling ear for loosening the cap from the hub;
and
a pulling stop simultaneously engagable with each of the pulling member end of the pulling bar and the pulling bar end of the pulling member for selectively moving the pulling member relative to the anchor and thereby rotate the cap relative to the hub.

5 more elements

A method of sealingly enclosing a port in a vessel, the port having a port axis, the method comprising:

fixedly securing a vessel end of a hub to a vessel, the hub having a through bore with a through bore axis, and a cap end opposing the vessel end;
threadably engaging a cap with the cap end of the hub;
fixedly securing an anchor to one of the hub;
fixedly securing each of a tightening pulling ear and a loosening pulling ear to the cap;
engaging both the anchor and one of the tightening pulling ear and the loosening pulling ear with a moveable pulling assembly including at least a pulling bar, a pulling member and a pulling stop;
selectively actuating the pulling assembly for selectively moving the tightening pulling ear relative to the anchor and thereby tightening the cap to the hub;
and
selectively actuating the pulling assembly for selectively moving the loosening pulling ear relative to the anchor and thereby loosening the cap from the hub.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.