US3092285A - Closure for pressurized vessels - Google Patents

Description

June 4, 1963 B. G. cox

CLOSURE FOR PRESSURIZED VESSELS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 14, 1959 INVENTOR. BRADLEY G. COX

ATTORNEYS June 4, 1963 B. G. cox 3,

CLOSURE FOR PRESSURIZED VESSELS Filed Dec. 14, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 COMPLESSOR INVENTOR. B RADLEY G. COX

ATTORNEYS June 4, 1963 B. G. coX

CLOSURE FOR PRESSURIZED VESSELS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed D60. 14, 1959 INVENTOR. BRADLEY G. COX

ATTORNEYS June 4, 1963 B. G. cox 3,

CLOSURE FOR PRESSURIZED VESSELS Filed Dec. 14. 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 .H, 441 2| 46 28 2.7 I 46 44b FIG.

20 2s 44ar44b 32 30A INVENTOR. 29 3033 BRADLEY G. COX

BY FIG. 8 WW ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,092,285 CLOSURE FOR PRESSURIZED VESSELS Bradley G. Cox, Saginaw, Mich, assignor to Baker Perkins Inc., Saginaw, lVIich-, a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 14, 1959, Ser. No. 859,432 Claims. (Cl. 22046) This invention relates to closures and more particularly to closures or doors for centrifugal machines and other vessels which are internally pressurized.

Since the door or closure for the centrifilgal chamber of a batch type centrifuge of the type used for segregating liquids and solids normally carries a peeler knife and chute assembly of considerable size, and it is desirable to move this assembly out of the centrifugal drum when the door is opened, it has been found expedient to hingedly mount the door and, to permit the knife box and chute assembly to clear the chamber, to hingedly mount the door at a point which is somewhat removed from and inset relative to mating surfaces on the door and drum.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide a door of this general character which can be readily opened and closed and which, when closed, provides an adequate seal to prevent the escape of the fluid or gases under high pressure or vacuum which are within the centrifugal chamber.

It is a further object of the invention to design a door or cover which need not be bolted in sealing relation and, rather, can be locked by other means which can be simply and readily manipulated to permit a relatively rapid opening and closing of the door.

Another object of the invention is to provide a swhig door of the character described, for high pressure vessels, which provides the necessary clearances for the swinging surfaces and yet functions to achieve a close mating of sealing surfaces so that an effective seal which will withstand high pressures is provided.

Still a further object of the invention is to design a door or cover which employs the pressure of the gases within the drum to tightly seal the door so that the necessary operating clearance can be provided for intermeshing surfaces on the vessel and door, and for the locking members which retain the door in closed position without affecting the tight seal which is achieved.

Another object of the invention is to provide intermeshing members on the drum and door which extend normally to the axis of the hinge connection so that the matter of swinging clearances and bending of a shear bar or shear bars is not a problem, and the bore of the housing and the door tend to be located in precise alignment.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a drum or vessel having a sealing ring which is movable as necessary to achieve a mated engagement over its entire sealing surface with a mating surface on the door for the drum.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a door or closure construction having readily accessible elements which are of simple and relatively inexpensive construction and will stand up under conditions of severe and constant use without requiring undue replacement or repair.

Still other objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out specifically or will become apparent from the following description when it is considered in conjunction with the appended claims and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of the centrifuge with the door in closed position and shown partly in section, to illustrate interlocking members on the door and drum;

3,092,285 Patented June 4, 1 963 FIGURE 2 is a partly sectional, top plan view taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary, side elevational view showing the door in closed position and indicating the manner in which one of the locking sectors is received by the chamber wall and door;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary, side elevational view of the open end of the drum only, illustrating the construction of the locking lug members thereon;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary, end elevational view thereof; 7

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary, side elevational view of the one end of the door only, showing the projecting lug members thereon;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary, end elevational view thereof;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional, side elevational view with the door locked in sealed position, illustrating particularly the sealing surfaces on the drum housing and door;

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged, fragmentary, front elevational view illustrating particularly the construction of cam mechanism for moving one of the shear ring sectors to locking position and showing the sector in locked position;

FIGURE 10 is a similar view with the shear ring sector moved outwardly to permit the door to be opened;

FIGURE 11 is a sectional, inverse plan view taken on the line 1111 of FIGURE 10;

FIGURE 12 is a sectional, side elevational view taken on the line 1212 of FIGURE 11; and

FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary, front elevational view of one of the shear ring segments, showing the cam and support plate thereon.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings in which I have shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, the centrifuge housing or drum H is provided with the usual bearing 10 for supporting the drive shaft 11, as shown in FIGURE 2. The perforate, separating basket 12, which is fixed on the end of shaft .11, employs the usual expressing ports 13 which permit the liquids to be expressed by centrifugal force from the interior of basket 12 to the housing H and drain 14, while the solids collect on the interior peripheral wall of the basket. Mounted on the opposite end of shaft 11 is a pulley (not shown) as in Davis et al. Patent No.

2,65 8,620, hereby incorporated by reference, which shows a similar centrifugal construction.

In the interests of clarity, the knife box and discharge chute assembly for removing the segregated solids, which is supported by the dished door D, are not shown except at C in FIGURES 1 and 2. However, it is to be understood that when the door D swings outwardly about its hinge point 15, the knife box and discharge chute assembly, which are of the same type as shown in the aforementioned Davis et al. patent, move out of the basket 12 and housing H to permit free access to the interior thereof. Provided on the housing H are hinge pin supports 16 and it will be seen that hinge members 17, having openings 17a to receive the pins 15, are provided for the door D.

The interior of housing H is pressurized in any convenient manner and in the instant case pipe 18 communicating with the interior of the housing H is shown as leading to a compressor 19' of any commercially available type for delivering air or other suitable gases to the interior of the housing H at pressures which may be psi or greater. When it is desired to depressurize the drum or housing H, the valve V in line 19a which also communicates with the interior of the housing H is simply opened. The pressure within housing H is utilized area to provide an adequate and effective seal.

to achieve the desired sealed relation between the door D The topmost. and lowermost grooves 22 are interrupted to provide topmost and lowermost lugs 23 as shown centered on the vertical axis with the one surface of each of these lugs being relieved on the same side as at 23a.

Similarly provided in the flange 21 of door D are horizontally extending grooves-24 alternately arranged with respectto the grooves 22 and sized to receive the axially projecting lugs or fingers 23 in the manner shown in FIGURE 3. The grooves 24 define lugs or fingers 25 projecting axially of the drum housing H when the door is inclosed position, and these are sized to be received in the grooves 22' of flange 20. The topmost and lowermost lug members25 are interrupted by recesses 24 and lug members 25 are relieved on the same side of the vertical centerline as at 25a. Because the projections 23 and 25 extend horizontally, the fact that the arc of swing of the projections 25 furthest from hinge pin is quite different from the arc of swing of the projections 25 nearest the hinge pin 15 does not require undue door operating clearances, as would be required if the lugs 23 and 25 were radially or vertically extending. Provided in the projecting locking'lugs 23 and 25 are grooves 26 and 27, respectively, extending generally normally to the lugs and situated in a common vertical plane normal to the horizontal axis of the drum housing H when the door is in closed position and the lugs 23 and 25 are in interlocked relationship to providea continuous groove which can receive shear ring sector members 28. The manner in which the shear ring sectors 28 are moved radially into the continuous groove formed by grooves 26 and 27 from 7 position outward thereof to lock the door D in closed position will be later described in detail.

In the instant case, the effectiveness of the seal does not, depend on the fit of. the locking lugs 23 and 25 in the grooves 24 and 22, respectively, and it is to be understood that these members are provided with adequate operatingv clearances, as are the grooves 26 and 27., The. seal achieved is, rather, a function .of other surfaces, which will now be described.

Mounted on the flange of the housing H are inwardly extending plates 28:: having threaded openings 29' (see FIGURE 8) for receiving the threaded ends of stud members,30. The stud members 30, which have. nuts 30a, mount an annular housing seal ring 31 having flange plates 32 with openings 33 aligned with the openings 29 and providing a sliding clearance for the seal ring 31 so that it is shiftable axially of the housing H. Provided on the forwardly projecting and outward portion of the ring 31 is an axially tapering, annular surface 34 which mates with an identically tapered, annular and inner surface 35 on the door flange 21. Grooves 36 and'37 on the seal ring 3-1 accommodate annular, rubber, Q-ring seals 38 and 39, as shown, which respectively seal the interlocking lugs 23 and from both sides. It is important to observe that the width or depth a of the inner radial surface 31a of the continuous seal ring 31 is considerably greater than the width b of the outer radial surface 32b of the seal ring 31. Since the interiors'of the housing H anddoor D are pressurized, thepressure against the sur- "face 31a, which is of greater area, will hold the surfaces 34 and 35 in tightly sealedrelation and the pressure is in this way effectively utilized with surfaces of different The seal ring 31 can move axially of the housing H and also tilt very, very slightly, so that undue care does not have to can thence be repeated.

be exercised in the machining of the grooves 22 and 24 and the seal ring 31 adjusts to permit the surfaces 34 and 35 to achieve tightly sealed facial engagement over the length and width of surface 34.

Mounted on the door housing flange 2'1, which is shouldered as at 40 (see FIGURE 11), are cam support blocks 41 secured to the flange 21 by bolts 42. Four such blocks 41 are shown in FIGURE 1, since four locking sectors or shear bars 28, slightly spaced one from the other as at 43, are employed. However, it is to be understood that rnore or less locking sectors 28 could be provided as desired. Each sector 28 has a radially, outwardly projecting plate '44 thereonprovided with a radial slot 45 and projecting inner and outer wall portions 44a and 4412 which receive a cylindrical cam 46 between them, as shown. Each plate 44 is received for sliding movement in a groove 47 provided in the block 41 (see FIG- URE 12) and each cam 46 is eccentrically mounted at one side on a shaft 48 which extends through the slot 45 in the sector plate member '44 and a bore 49 provided in the block 41.

A handle H comprising a sleeve 50 pinned to the shaft .48 as at 51, and provided with oppositely extending handle arms 52 fixed in openings 53 provided in the hub 50 is conveniently provided for each rotating shaft 48. Accordingly, cam 46 can be readily moved .about the axis of shaft 48 to force a locking ring sector 28.from the outward position in which it is shown in FIGURE 11 to an interlocked position in the continuous groove formed by grooves 26 and 27, as shown in FIGURE 9". Since there are no side walls for the plates 44 correspond ing to the walls 44a and 44b, the cams 46 are free to revolve about the axes of their shafts 48 and the locking ring sectors 28 are moved smoothly in a radial path into the notches 26 and 27. Because of the seal effected at surfaces 34, 35, operating clearances can be provided for the locking ring sectors 28 and not attempt is made to wedge the sectors 28 into position or to clamp the locking lugs 23 and 25 in locked relation. The sectors 28 serve simply as shear bars to maintain the door in closed V position.

:are shown in FIGURE 1 so that cams 46 operate to force the walls 44b outwardly. In this manner the locking sectors 28 are smoothly withdrawn radially from the grooves 26 and 27. 7

When the drum'housing H is to be closed once again, the door D is swung closed about its hinge pin 15 to bring the lockingrlugs 23 and 25 into intermeshing relation and align the peripheral grooves 26 and 27. The handles H are then rotated reversely through to cause the cams 46' to bear against the walls 44a of the plates 44 and move the locking ring sectors 28 radially from the position shown in FIGURES'IO and 11 to theposit-ion shown in FIGURE 9 received within the aligned grooves 26 and 27. Thence the compressor 17 can be started to provide the chamber H with the desired gases at the desired pressure and the centrifuging cycle It shouldbe apparent that a closure construction of simple and reliable design which is suitable not only for centrifuges but for other pressurized vesselshas been perfected and constitutes a, substantial improvement over .the invention, rather than limiting, and various equivalent elements may be employed within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A housing having an opening bounded by a fixed marginal, annular radially disposed surface, said housing having an axially extending guide means radially inward of said radial surface; axially shiftable annular seal means mounted by said guide means radially inward of said radially disposed surface, said seal comprising a metallic ring with a radially outer, axially tapering, peripheral surface portion of decreasing diameter outwardly leading to its outer edge, and axially spaced inner and outer radial end surfaces; a closure door for said opening hinged to said housing at one side thereof and hav ng a complementary, axially tapering, interior ring surface shaped to engage with the axially tapering surface of said metmlic ring; means for pressurizing the interior of the housing; the annular radial surface bounding said opening being located intermediate said axially spaced inner and outer end surfaces of the metallic ring and abutting with an annular radifl surface on said closure door when the door is in closed position; and ring means of deformable material in engagement between the metallic ring and door and between the metallic ring and housing near the ends of said metallic ring said axially inner radial end surface being of greater area than said axially outer radial end surface so that the pressure condition within said housing acts to maintain sealed engagement of said tapering surfaces.

2. A vessel having an opening bounded by a fxed marginal, generally radially disposed perimetral surface portion; a hinged door for said opening swingable to open and closed positions and having a generally radially disposed peiimetral surface portion fixed thereon for radially abutting said fixed surface portion of the vessel; means for changing the pressure in said vessel from atmospheric; and axially movable seal ring means carried radially inwardly of said abutting surface portions and having axially spaced inner and outer, generally radial surfaces, said seal ring means including a surface portion inclined to the axis of the vessel; one of said vessel and door having a sealing surface portion inclined to the axis of the vessel for abutting engagement with said inclined surface portion on the seal ring means when the door is swung to closed position; the said inner radial surface of the seal ring means having a portion exposed to the atmosphere of the vessel, and the said outer radial surface of the seal ring means also having a portion exposed to the atmosphere of the vessel different in area than the said exposed portion of the inner radial surface, the seal ring means being disposed so that pressure in the vessel urges the seal ring means in an axial direction toward said sealing surface portion.

3. The combination defined in claim 2 in which guide means on the interior of said vessel mounts said seal ring means for limited radial movement as Well as axial movement.

4. A vessel having an opening bounded by a fixed marginal, generally radially disposed perimetral abutment surface portion extending in a radial plane from a radially inner edge to -a radially outer edge; a door for said opening movable to open and closed positions and having a perimetral abutment surface portion, extending radially from a radially inner edge to a radially outer edge, and abutting radially with said fixed perimetral surface portion of the vessel when the door is moved to closed position; means for changing the pressure in said vessel from atmospheric; seal ring means carried radially inwardly of the said abutting surface portions and having axially spaced inner and outer, generally radial surfaces;

and guide means on one of said vessel and door mounting said seal ring means for limited axial movement; one of said vessel and door having a sealing surface portion engaged by said seal ring means when the door is in closed position; the said inner radial surface of the seal ring means having a portion exposed to the atmosphere of the vessel, and the said outer radial surface of the seal ring means also having a portion exposed to the atmosphere of the vessel different in area than the said exposed portion of the inner radial surface, the seal ring means being disposed so that pressure in the vessel urges the seal ring means in an axial direction toward said sealing surface portion.

5. The combination defined in claim 4 in which said guide means is mounted on the inner peripheral Wall of said vessel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,889,666 Lange Nov. 29, 1932 2,114,381 Horner Apr. 19, 1938 2,277,824 Franson Mar. 31, 1942, 2,347,844 Sandberg May 2, 1944 2,675,939 Fraser Apr. 20, 1954 2,687,910 Petch et al Aug. 31, 1954 2,692,066 Conrad Oct. 19, 1954 2,725,252 Greer Nov. 29, 1955 2,948,431 Kuhn Aug. 9, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 397,603 Great Britain Aug. 31, 1933

Claims (1)

1. A HOUSING HAVING AN OPENING BOUNDED BY A FIXED MARGINAL, ANNULAR RADIALLY DISPOSED SURFACE, SAID HOUSING HAVING AN AXIALLY EXTENDING GUIDE MEANS RADIALLY INWARD OF SAID RADIAL SURFACE; AXIALLY SHIFTABLE ANNULAR SEAL MEANS MOUNTED BY SAID GUIDE MEANS RADIALLY INWARD OF SAID RADIALLY DISPOSED SURFACE, SAID SEAL COMPRISING A METALLIC RING WITH A RADIALLY OUTER, AXIALLY TAPERING, PERIPHERAL SURFACE PORTION OF DECREASING DIAMETER OUTWARDLY LEADING TO ITS OUTER EDGE, AND AXIALLY SPACED INNER AND OUTER RADIAL END SURFACES; A CLOSURE DOOR FOR SAID OPENING HINGED TO SAID HOUSING AT ONE SIDE THEREOF AND HAVING A COMPLEMENTARY, AXIALLY TAPERING, INTERIOR RING SURFACE SHAPED TO ENGAGE WITH THE AXIALLY TAPERING SURFACE OF SAID METALLIC RING; MEANS FOR PRESSURIZING THE INTERIOR OF THE HOUSING; THE ANNULAR RADIAL SURFACE BOUNDING SAID OPENING BEING LOCATED INTERMEDIATE SAID AXIALLY SPACED INNER AND OUTER END SURFACES OF THE METALLIC RING AND ABUTTING WITH AN ANNULAR RADIAL SURFACE ON SAID CLOSURE DOOR WHEN THE DOOR IS IN CLOSED POSITION; AND RING MEANS OF DEFORMABLE MATERIAL IN ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN THE METALLIC RING AND DOOR AND BETWEEN THE METALLIC RING AND HOUSING NEAR THE ENDS OF SAID METALLIC RING SAID AXIALLY INNER RADIAL END SURFACE BEING OF GREATER AREA THAN SAID AXIALLY OUTER RADIAL END SURFACE SO THAT THE PRESSURE CONDITION WITHIN SAID HOUSING ACTS TO MAINTAIN SEALED ENGAGEMENT OF SAID TAPERING SURFACES.

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