Vessel centering system and method

A vessel adapted for improved centering with respect to a spindle or other instrument when installed in a vessel plate, the vessel comprising:

• (a) a vessel wall including an outer surface and a vessel groove formed on a circumference of the vessel outer surface;
• (b) a ring member fitted in the vessel groove and extending outwardly with respect to the vessel wall, the ring member terminating at a gap defined by a first lateral end surface of the ring member and a second lateral end surface of the ring member;
• (c) a magnetic element supported by the ring member;
• and
• (d) a fastening element engaging the ring member at the first and second lateral end surfaces.

A vessel adapted for improved centering with respect to a spindle or other instrument when installed in a vessel plate, the vessel comprising:

• (a) a vessel wall including an outer surface and a vessel groove formed on a circumference of the vessel outer surface;
• (b) an upper ring member fitted in the vessel groove and extending outwardly with respect to the vessel wall, the upper ring member terminating at a first upper ring member end surface and a second upper ring member end surface, wherein an upper gap is defined between the first and second upper ring member end surfaces;
• (c) a lower ring member fitted in the vessel groove in adjacent contact with the upper ring member and extending outwardly with respect to the vessel wall, the lower ring member terminating at a first lower ring member end surface and a second lower ring member end surface, wherein a lower gap is defined between the first and second lower ring member end surfaces and is substantially aligned with the upper gap;
• (d) a magnetic element mounted to the lower ring member and covered by the upper ring member;
• and
• (e) a fastening element extending between the first and second end surfaces of the upper and lower ring members.

A vessel adapted to be centered with respect to a spindle or other instrument when installed in a vessel plate, the vessel comprising:

• (a) a vessel wall including an outer surface and a vessel groove formed on a circumference of the vessel outer surface;
• (b) a ring member fitted in the vessel groove and extending outwardly with respect to the vessel, the ring member including an outer surface, a first lateral end surface, a second lateral end surface, a first tangential bore extending from a first outer aperture of the ring member outer surface to a first inner aperture of the first lateral end surface, and a second tangential bore extending from a second outer aperture of the ring member outer surface to a second inner aperture of the second lateral end surface, wherein the first and second lateral end surfaces define a gap therebetween, and wherein the first and second tangential bores extend along a line generally tangential to a curvature of the ring member;
• (c) a magnetic element supported by the ring member;
• and
• (d) a fastening element disposed in the first and second tangential bores, the fastening element extending through the first inner aperture, across the gap, and through the second inner aperture, wherein the fastening element is movable along the generally tangential line of the first and second tangential bores in engagement with the ring member.

A vessel centering system comprising:

• (a) a vessel including an outer surface and a vessel groove formed on a circumference of the vessel outer surface;
• (b) an annular spacer member fitted in the vessel groove and extending outwardly with respect to the vessel
• (c) a magnetic element supported by the spacer member;
• and
• (d) means for tightening the spacer member against the vessel groove.

A vessel centering system comprising:

• (a) a vessel plate including a first magnetic element and a vessel plate aperture;
• (b) a vessel extending through the vessel plate aperture, the vessel including an outer surface and a vessel groove formed on a circumference of the vessel outer surface;
• (c) an annular spacer member fitted in the vessel groove and disposed on the vessel plate;
• and
• (d) a second magnetic element supported by the spacer member and aligned with the first magnetic element by magnetic attraction.

A method for aligning a vessel concentrically with respect to a shaft extending into the vessel, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a flangeless vessel body having a groove formed circumferentially around an outer surface of the vessel;
• (b) fitting an annular spacer member in the vessel groove, the spacer member including a first magnetic element, wherein the vessel body and the spacer member cooperatively form a multi-piece flanged vessel;
• and
• (c) securing the spacer member in the vessel groove by utilizing a fastening element engaging the spacer member.