Closure for a pressure vessel and method
AssigneeRobbins & Myers Energy Systems L.P.
InventorDouglas J. McGuire
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A closure assembly 10 contains positive and/or vacuum pressure within a pressure vessel 16 having a neck 12. A circumferential locking member 22 supported on a door 20 locks the door to the neck, and is radially moveable between an open position and a closed position. A seal 26 between the neck and the door maintains fluid-tight integrity. A lever or other hand powered operator may be used for moving the locking member between the open position and the closed position. The locking member may include locking segments interconnected to form the circumferential locking member.
Claims14
A closure for sealing with a pressure vessel, the closure comprising:
- a neck for attaching to the vessel, the neck having an access port and an interior profile for radially receiving a circumferential locking member when the door is in the closed position;
- a door sized to close off the access port in the neck;
- the circumferential locking member carried by the door for locking the door to the neck, the locking member being radially moveable between an open radially inward position and a closed radially outward position;
- a seal for sealing between the neck and the door when the locking member is in the closed position;
- an operator for moving the locking member between the open position and the closed position;
- and
- the locking member comprises a plurality of locking segments interconnected by a flexible band positioned within a radially inward opening slot in each of the locking segments, with each locking member including a neck portion having a width less than a width of the flexible band to retain the flexible band within the slot.
A method of opening and closing a door sized to close off an access port in a neck attached to a pressure vessel, the method comprising:
- forming a circumferential locking member from a plurality of locking segments, with an end of one segment being interconnected with an adjacent segment by a flexible band positioned within a radially inward opening slot in each of the locking segments, each locking member including a neck portion having a width less than a width of the flexible band to retain the flexible band within the slot, the locking member carried on the door and moveable between an open position for opening the door from the neck and a dosed position to close off the access port in the neck with the door;
- providing an interior profile in the neck for radially receiving the locking member when the door is in the closed position;
- moving the locking member from the open position wherein the locking ring is radially retracted to the closed position wherein the locking member is radially expanded into the interior profile in the neck;
- and
- sealing between the door and the neck when the locking member is in the closed position.
A closure for sealing with a pressure vessel, the closure comprising:
- a neck for attaching to the vessel, the neck having an access port and an interior profile for radially receiving a locking member;
- a door sized to close off the access port In the neck and fit within the neck when the door is closed;
- the locking member carried by the door for locking the door to the neck, the locking member including a plurality of locking segments, the locking member being radially moveable between an open radially retracted position and a closed radially expanded position;
- a seal for sealing between the neck and the door when the locking member is in the closed position;
- a flexible band removably connectable with the plurality of locking segments, the band positioned within a radially inward opening slot in each of the locking segments;
- and
- an operator for moving the locking member between the open position and a closed position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.