Threaded closure
AssigneeRobbins & Myers Energy Systems L.P.
InventorMichael Smith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and systems are provided for operating a vessel or pipeline closure. A closure 110 includes a hub 12 fixedly and sealingly secured to the vessel, and a cap 30 for threaded engagement with the hub 12. An anchor 122 may be fixedly secured to the hub, and a plurality of stops 132 each may be fixedly secured to a periphery of the cap 30. An end of a threaded rod 144 is attached to a selected stop, which may be a slot in the cap. A threaded collar 127 advances the threaded rod 144 axially, thereby rotating the cap 30 relative to the hub 12.
Claims20
A closure to sealingly enclose a port in a vessel, comprising:
- a hub having a vessel end fixedly and sealingly secured to the vessel, a through bore, a cap end opposite the vessel end, and a cap engagement thread on the cap end;
- a cap including a hub engagement thread for threaded engagement with the cap engagement thread;
- an anchor fixedly secured with respect to the hub;
- a plurality of stops each positioned along a periphery of the cap;
- a collar supported on the anchor and having internal threads for mating engagement with a threaded rod;
- the threaded rod passing through the collar, such that rotation of one of the collar and the threaded rod moves the threaded rod axially with respect to the anchor;
- and
- a stop engaging member positioned on the threaded rod for engagement with a selected one of the plurality of stops to thread and unthread the cap from the hub.
A closure to sealingly enclose a port in a vessel comprising:
- a hub having a vessel end fixedly and sealingly secured to the vessel, a through bore, a cap end opposite the vessel end, and a cap engagement thread on the cap end;
- a cap including a hub engagement thread for threaded engagement with the cap engagement thread;
- an anchor fixedly secured to the hub;
- a plurality of slots each positioned during a periphery of the cap;
- a collar pivotally supported on the anchor and having internal threads for mating engagement with a threaded rod;
- the threaded rod passing through the collar, such that rotation of one of the collar and the threaded rod moves the threaded rod axially with respect to the anchor;
- a crank arm for rotating the one of the collar and the threaded rod;
- and
- a cap engaging member positioned on the threaded rod for engagement with a selected one of the plurality of slots to thread and unthread the cap from the hub.
A method of sealingly enclosing a port in a vessel, comprising:
- fixedly securing a vessel end of a hub to a vessel, the hub having a through bore, a cap end opposing the vessel, and a cap engagement thread on the cap end;
- providing a cap for threaded engagement with the cap end of the hub;
- fixedly securing an anchor with respect to the hub;
- fixedly secunng each of a plurality of stops along a periphery of the cap;
- supporting a collar to the anchor, the collar having internal threads for mating engagement with a threaded rod;
- mating the threaded rod with the threaded collar, such that rotation one of the collar and the threaded rod advances the threaded rod axially relative to the anchor;
- attaching an end of the threaded rod to a selected one of the plurality stops on the cap;
- and
- thereafter rotating the one of the collar and the threaded rod to selectively thread or unthread the cap from the hub.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.