Closure

Application filed March 9

To all whom it may concern,:

Be it known that we, Holden C. Richardson and Henry F. Vache, citizens of the United States, and residents of Philadel5 phia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Closures, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates generally to closures 10 for pressure containers, and more particularly to an improved form of closure device having means for securing and releasing the same, with which we have incorporated a safety venting device; such venting device 15 also providing a pressure seal lock. The relation of the parts is such that we have combined in a simple form of mechanism, means for securing and releasing the cover, means for regulating and adjusting the cover joint, 20 means for quickly and easily applying, or releasing, the force necessary to secure the cover in place, which means may include a cam, and means for locking the operating cam when the pressure in the container is 25 greater than should exist if the cover is to be removed with safety.

The main object of our invention is to insure safety in the operation of our improved closure by providing a simple locking de30 vice for the closure mechanism, which locking device is controlled by the contained pressure in such manner that it cannot be released until the pressure has been relieved to a safe degree.

SB Another object of our invention is to provide a simple form of spring-controlled valve, .normally open, and adapted to close a venting passage or opening in communication, with the atmosphere; such valve being 40 so disposed and arranged that it will not seat itself until the internal pressure reaches such a point as to overcome the resistance of the spring, or until the flow entrains the valve, and conversely, so that it will not unseat 45 itself until the pressure on the face of the valve is less than that exerted by the spring.

A further object of our invention is to provide simple and effective means for mechanically operating the valve for the pur50 pose of deliberately releasing the pressure ; the valve being moved to an open position when desired, and held in such position until the pressure falls to such a degree that the , 1922. Serial No. 542,229.

spring will retain the valve in the open position ; thereby releasing the seal lock. 55 These and other features of our invention are more fully described hereinafter; reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which: .

Figure 1, is a sectional elevation Of suffi- eo cient of a pressure container to illustrate the improvements forming the subject of our invention.

Fig. 2, is a sectional view of a portion ot the structure shown in Figure 1, in the same 65 plane, and

Figs. 3 and 4, are views similar to Fig. 2, showing certain of the parts in different positions.

In the drawings, 1 may represent any 70 usual form of a pressure containing vessel, which may have any suitable form of rim l^a, affording an internal seat for a cover 2, and providing an external shoulder for engagement by the hooked ends of claw retain- 75 ing means, hereinafter described.

Carried by the cover 2, which may fit into the rim 1® of the vessel, preferably with a ground joint, is a special form of sleeve 8, which may be screwed into an opening 4, 80 preferably formed at the center of the cover, and usually at the highest point of the same.

The sleeve 3, may carry an inner sleeve 5, integral therewith if desired; such inner sleeve serving as a guide for the stem 6, of a sc valve 7. · In the space between the sleeves 3 and 4, a spring 8, may be located which spring is intended to aid gravity in holding such valve normally open; and the stem 6 may carry a lock nut 9, . externally of the m sleeve 3, to limit the extent to which said valve may open.

Vent passages 10, which may be formed in the web connecting the sleeves 3 and 5, provide communication with the atmosphere for 95 the flow of air, gas or vapor when the Valve is open. The end of the valve stem 6, may be reduced, as indicated at 11, for a purpose hereinafter described. The sleeve 3 is provided with a seat 12, which may be ground with which the valve 7 may engage, and it may be provided with a pair of ears 13, extending above same, in which may be journaled trunnions, or a pivot pin 14, supportinga cam 15. _m .

The cover may be secured in place by a a 1,478,408 series of claw arms 16, three being indicated in the present case, which may be carried by a suitable head 17, overlying the cam 15’; such head being provided with an adjusting 5 and regulating screw 18, which may bear directly on the surface of the cam 15, as shown in Fig. 1. The adjusting screw 18, is provided with a suitable head 18^a to permit ’ ready manipulation for adjustment, and a 10 lock nut 19, may be provided to hold such screw in its adjusted positions.

The cam 15. is provided with an operating handle 15^a, affording means for setting tne cam in the desired positions and for apply15 ing or removing the cover. If desired this handle may be provided with a wire cover to insure a cool grip. The portion 20, of the cam 15, is eccentric to its axis of movement, thereby affording means for taking up the 20 slack of the claw arms 16, and applying pressure to the cover after said claws have been seated by operating the- regulating screw 18. The cam 15, is recessed at 21, at a point substantially opposite the portion 20, to ac25 commodate the end 11, of the valve stem. 6, and when the parts are in the position indicated in Fig. 2, rotation of the cam in one direction is prevented.

When the cover is first set in place, the 30 cam may be disposed with its handle in position “0”, as indicated in Fig. 4. In this position, the adjusting screw 18, being in contact with the top of the cam, the ends of the claw arms 16 will overlie the rim l^a35 and can be readily positioned. The operating handle 15^a may now be moved to the position indicated at “A” in Fig. 2, and the effect of this movement is to first raise the head 17 and bring the claws into engage⁴⁰ ment with the rim, and then, by the intervention of the cam and its housing, the elastic tension of the claws applies the required pressure against rim seat of the cover. This pressure may be regulated by set45 ting the adjusting screw 18 against the cam when the handle is in position “C” Fig. 4. After the required pressure is secured by the adjusting screw the latter may be locked against movement by the nut 19. 50 When once regulated, the adjusting screw acts as a fixed member until wear or deformation, or adjustment for internal pressures, requires re-adjustment.

As the handle 15^a, approaches, position 55 “A”, the recess 21, of the cam is brought into registry with the end 11 of the valve stem. If pressure is now introduced or produced in the pressure container, the contained air escapes past the valve and «0 through the vents 10, and continues to-escape until the rush of air or the pressure developed, overcomes,the weight of the valve ana the force of the spring (if used) at which time the end 11 of said valve stem ⁶⁵ enters the recess 21. When in this position, the handle 15^a cannot be lifted until the pressure within the container falls to an extent that will permit the valve to open and remain open.

It will be noted that when the cam is in To the positions indicated in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, the valve cannot seat, and the full force of the claws cannot be exerted against the rim “ of the container, hence if pressure is formed in the container or admitted thereto, the 75 cover itself will function as a valve, and it will be manifest to the operator that the cover is not functioning properly.

When the container is operating under pressure, the handle will be in position “A”, 80 Fig. 2. Should it be desired to open the container, the pressure must be reduced before the handle can be raised sufficiently to release the claws. This may be done by moving the handle to position “B” indicated in 85 Fig. 3, or to a position intermediate “A” and “B”; depending upon the rapidity with which it is desired to reduce the pressure. As the' handle is depressed, the rounded shoulder 22 of the cam depresses the valve 00 stem; unseating the valve and permitting the pressure to escape through the vents IQ. This continues until the pressure reduces to a degree that will permit the valve to remain unseated, after which the handle may be 05 raised, and the claws unhooked to release the cover. At any intermediate stage of this last described operation, the cover inay become unseated before the claws can be unhooked; thus all pressure will escape 100 without danger of the cover being blown off. ¹

An important feature of our invention lies in’ the fact that the cover cannot be opened until the pressure within the ves- 105 sei has been reduced to a safe degree, since' movement of the cam in one direction is prevented by the shoulder of the recess 21, and movement of the cam in the opposite direction effects opening of the valve which 110 permits the escape of the pressure, and it is only by holding the valve open uijtil the pressure reduces to an extent that will permit the spring to react and hold the valve open, that the cam can be turned to the posi- ,H5 tion illustrated in Fig. 4, which will permit release of the claw arms from the rim.

If desirable or necessary, the pressure container may be provided with a pet cock; safety valve; liquid and pressure gauges, W0 thermometer, and any other devices common to pressure containers, and which will insure efficient and economic operation of the structure.