Clamping-hook ring
AssigneeWeatherford/Lamb, Inc.
InventorsMichael Appel, Ross van Someren, Richard Kalar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A centrifuge screen clamp comprises a body and a screen retaining portion connected to the body. The screen retaining portion comprises a pressure fitting surface and a clamp interface member engaging surface. In one embodiment, the pressure fitting surface is a substantially planar surface disposable on a screen portion of a centrifuge screen and the clamp interface member engaging surface is disposable on a clamp interface member disposed on the screen. The clamp interface member engaging surface operates to apply a counteractive force against the clamp interface member, which counteractive force is substantially coplanar with an inertial sliding tendency direction of the screen during rotation.
Claims35
A centrifuge screen clamp, comprising:
- a body adapted to be secured to a centrifuge;
- and
- a screen retaining portion connected to the body, comprising:
- a pressure-generating-centrifuge-screen engaging surface adapted to engage a centrifuge screen and apply a force thereto to create a pressure fit;
- and
- an interface member engaging surface adapted to engage a corresponding interface portion disposed on the centrifuge screen and create an interference fit therewith, whereby the interface member engaging surface and a clamp engaging surface create equal and opposite forces coplanar with a sliding tendency direction of the screen during rotation.
A centrifugal refining device, comprising:
- a rotatable support basket;
- a screen disposed in the basket for filtering a liquid during rotation of the drum;
- a clamp interface member rigidly disposed on the screen and defining a clamp engaging surface;
- and
- a clamp to secure the screen with respect to the rotatable support basket, the clamp comprising:
- a body;
- and
- a screen retaining portion connected to the body, comprising:
- (a) a pressure-generating-centrifuge-screen engaging surface disposed against the screen and applying a force thereto to create a pressure fit;
- and
- (b) a clamp interface member engaging surface disposed against the clamp engaging surface to create an interference fit therewith, whereby the clamp interface member engaging surface and the clamp engaging surface create equal and opposite forces coplanar with a sliding tendency direction of the screen during rotation.
A centrifugal sugar refining device, comprising:
- a rotatable drum defining an interior space;
- a rotatable support basket disposed at least partially in the interior space;
- a screen disposed in the basket for filtering sugar crystals from molasses during rotation of the drum;
- a clamp interface member rigidly disposed on the screen and defining a clamp engaging surface;
- and
- a clamp to secure the screen with respect to the rotatable support basket, the clamp comprising:
- a body;
- and
- a screen retaining portion connected to the body, comprising:
- (a) a pressure-generating-centrifuge-screen engaging surface disposed against the screen and applying a force thereto to create a pressure fit;
- and
- (b) a clamp interface member engaging surface disposed against the clamp engaging surface to create an interference fit therewith, whereby the clamp interface member engaging surface and the clamp engaging surface create equal and opposite forces coplanar with a sliding tendency direction of the screen during rotation.
A method for securing a screen within a centrifugal refining device, comprising:
- providing a basket disposed within a rotatable drum;
- disposing a rim portion of a conical screen against the basket, the rim portion having a clamp interface member disposed thereon;
- securing the conical screen with respect to the basket with a clamp, wherein securing comprises:
- pressure fitting the conical screen between the clamp in the basket;
- engaging a clamp surface with a clamp interface member surface formed on the clamp interface member to create an interference fit therewith, whereby the clamp surface are urged against one another during rotation of the screen as a result of an inertial sliding tendency of the screen during rotation.
A centrifuge screen clamp, comprising:
- a body operatively connectable to a centrifuge;
- and
- a screen retaining portion connected to the body, wherein the screen retaining portion engages a clamp interface member disposed on a substantially conical screen to retain the substantially conical screen in the centrifuge.
A clamp system for use with a centrifuge type substantially conical screen, the system comprising:
- a clamp connectable at a first location to a centrifuge and at a second location to the substantially conical screen;
- and
- a clamp interface member disposed on the substantially conical screen whereby, the clamp, when in use holds the substantially conical screen directly against a backing portion of the centrifuge and operates with the interface member to prevent movement of the substantially conical screen due to rotational forces brought about by operation of the centrifuge.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.