# US 8,783,280 B2 · Modular hydraulic hammer reduction system for railroad tank cars > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,783,280 B2 - Document ID: US8783280B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/553,384 - Filed: 2012-07-19 - Published: 2013-01-24 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2011-07-19 - Assignees: S. Elwood Yandle, II - Applicants: S. Elwood Yandle, II; S. Elwood Yandle, III - Inventors: S. Elwood Yandle, II; S. Elwood Yandle, III - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8783280B2 ## CPC - F16L 55/02736: {using transversal baffles defining a tortuous path} - B61D 5/06: Mounting of tanks; Integral bodies and frames - F16K 17/403: {with a fracturing valve member} - F16L 23/0286: {the shoulder not being formed from the pipe} - Y10T 137/1714: Direct pressure causes disc to burst - Y10T 137/6866: Railway car - Y10T 137/86348: Tank with internally extending flow guide, pipe or conduit - F16L: PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL - B61D: BODY DETAILS OR KINDS OF RAILWAY VEHICLES (vehicles in general B60; adaptation of vehicles to special systems B61B; underframes B61F) - F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)} - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A modular hydraulic hammer reduction system for railroad tank cars includes tubular hydraulic hammer reduction devices which include means to connect the tubular devices to flanges other than by welding or being cast together. For example, the tubular devices can be press fit into the flanges, or the tubular devices can be connected to the flanges with snap rings (preferably spiral-lock snap rings), or even more preferably the tubular devices can be press fit into the flanges and the tubular devices can be connected to the flanges with snap rings (preferably spiral-lock snap rings). The advantage of this modular construction is that one can manufacture multiple tubular devices and multiple flanges of each type, and connect the flanges to the tubular devices on an as-needed basis. This is preferable to having many of each type of hydraulic hammer reduction system assembled and ready to be delivered, as the demand for different types of hydraulic hammer reduction systems varies and storing fully assembled devices will take up more space. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A mechanical energy dissipation system for dissipating hydraulic hammer action in a moving tank containing a liquid load, having a rupture disk assembly for allowing some of the liquid load to escape from the tank before the tank is fractured from the hydraulic hammer action or BLEVE, comprising: a mechanical device of a relatively small size in comparison to the size of the tank, said device being sized and shaped to be located in the line of flow between the rupture disk of the rupture disk assembly and the liquid load, in the tank, said device when located in the line of flow presenting impact surfaces to the liquid flow from the tank to the rupture disk, dissipating the hydraulic hammer action of the liquid as it flows through said device, wherein said device includes a tubular body portion and a flange portion, and the tubular body portion is neither welded to the flange portion nor cast as a unitary unit with the flange portion, and wherein the tubular body portion is attached to the flange portion with a press fit and a snap ring. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein when located in the line of flow said device occupies less than and extends into less than about 1% of the interior volume of the tank. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the tubular body portion has an interior, and the impact surfaces comprise: a series of baffles in succession affixed to and longitudinally spaced along opposite sides of the interior of the tubular body portion, said tubular body portion projecting into the tank and out of the tank leading to the rupture disk assembly when the device is located in the line of flow. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein said baffles are a series of flat plates affixed to the interior wall of said tubular body portion angled upwardly from the horizontal when the tubular body portion is oriented vertically. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein each of said flat plates extends and covers over at least 50% of the horizontal cross-section of said tubular body portion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein each of said flat plates has at least one drain hole adjacent its central connection point of its attachment to said tubular body portion. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising the tank. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the tank is a railroad tank car. ### Claim 9 Apparatus including a mechanical energy dissipation system for dissipating hydraulic hammer action in a moving tank containing a liquid load, having a rupture disk assembly for allowing some of the liquid load to escape from the tank before the tank is fractured from the hydraulic hammer action or BLEVE, comprising: a mechanical device of a relatively small size in comparison to the size of the tank, said device being sized and shaped to be located in the line of flow between the rupture disk of the rupture disk assembly and the liquid load, in the tank, said device when located in the line of flow presenting impact surfaces to the liquid flow from the tank to the rupture disk, dissipating the hydraulic hammer action of the liquid as it flows through said device, wherein said device includes a tubular body portion and a flange portion, and the tubular body portion is not cast as a unitary unit with the flange portion, and the tubular body portion is attached to the flange portion with a snap ring and with a press fit. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said device when located in the line of flow occupies less than and extends into less than about 1% of the interior volume of the tank. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the tubular body portion has an interior, and the impact surfaces comprise: a series of baffles in succession affixed to and longitudinally spaced along opposite sides of the interior of the tubular body portion, said tubular body portion projecting into the tank and out of the tank leading to the rupture disk assembly when installed in the line of flow. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said baffles are a series of flat plates affixed to the interior wall of said tubular body portion angled upwardly from the horizontal when the tubular body portion is oriented vertically. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein each of said flat plates extends and covers over at least 50% of the horizontal cross-section of said tubular body portion. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein each of said flat plates has at least one drain hole adjacent its central connection point of its attachment to said tubular body portion. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising the tank. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the tank is a railroad tank car. ### Claim 17 Apparatus including a mechanical energy dissipation system for dissipating hydraulic hammer action in a moving tank containing a liquid load, having a rupture disk assembly for allowing some of the liquid load to escape from the tank before the tank is fractured from the hydraulic hammer action or BLEVE, comprising: a mechanical device of a relatively small size in comparison to the size of the tank, said device being sized and shaped to be located in the line of flow between the rupture disk of the rupture disk assembly and the liquid load, in the tank, said device when located in the line of flow presenting impact surfaces to the liquid flow from the tank to the rupture disk, dissipating the hydraulic hammer action of the liquid as it flows through said device, wherein said device includes a tubular body portion and a flange portion, and the tubular body portion is attached to the flange portion with a snap ring and with a press fit. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising baffles, wherein said baffles are a series of flat plates affixed to the interior wall of said tubular body portion angled upwardly from the horizontal when the tubular body portion is oriented vertically. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising the tank. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the tank is a railroad tank car.