Receptacles – Closures – Having means for securing or retaining closure in its closed...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-04
2001-05-15
Castellano, Stephen (Department: 3727)
Receptacles
Closures
Having means for securing or retaining closure in its closed...
C220S582000, C220S298000, C220S316000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06230921
ABSTRACT:
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OF DEVELOPMENT
N/A
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A pressure vessel requires a closure system which can withstand the pressure differential between the interior of the vessel during use and the external, atmospheric pressure. Such a pressure vessel may be employed as a cleaning vessel in a dry cleaning machine. For cleaning vessel applications, it is preferable to provide a door which does not pose the risk of contaminating the materials to be passed therethrough with foreign substances associated with the door. Specifically, in the dry cleaning machine context, it is important that lubricants necessary for the proper operation of the door not come into contact with the garments or other materials loaded into the machine. Such materials may be referred to generically as substrates.
In the prior art, the risk of lubricant contamination arises due to the provision of a rotatable lock ring, having greased lugs, mounted on the high-pressure cleaning vessel. When a door is swung open, the substrates to be cleaned or those already cleaned must be moved through an opening defined by the greased lock ring.
A further disadvantage associated with closures for prior art pressure vessels is that having the rotatable lock ring proximate the vessel results in a deeper entrance path into the interior of the pressure vessel. When the lock ring is disposed on the face of a dry cleaning machine, it adds significantly to the length of the entrance tunnel into the cleaning vessel. Consequently, it is difficult for an operator to reach into the pressure vessel to remove the substrates; in so doing, the operator's own clothing may be contaminated by the greased lock ring.
It would therefore be desirable to have a closure system for a pressure vessel such as a cleaning vessel of a dry cleaning machine which does not provide a risk of contamination to substrates passing through the closure system, and which offers a relatively short entrance tunnel into the associated cleaning vessel.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The presently disclosed invention provides a closure system which avoids the detrimental aspects of the prior art by providing a lubricated lock ring on a hinged door assembly rather than proximate a pressure vessel. This removes the lubricants from the path of substrates passing through the closure system in dry cleaning applications, and results in a shorter entrance tunnel for access to the pressure vessel.
A clamp ring is rigidly affixed proximate to and partially defining an entrance to the pressure vessel. The clamp ring is provided as a substantially circular ring having plural lugs projecting radially therefrom about the circumference of the clamp ring.
A cooperating hinged door is mounted to mechanically cooperate with the clamp ring. The door is substantially symmetrical about a central axis and is provided with a continuous thread about an outer circumferential surface thereof. Disposed about the circumference of the door and in rotational communication with the threaded circumferential surface is a lock ring. The lock ring is a substantially symmetrical circular ring having a central axis of symmetry and an inner circular surface which is threaded for installation about the door continuous thread. Offset along the axis of symmetry of the lock ring are plural, inwardly projecting lugs which are capable of passing between the outwardly projecting lugs of the fixed clamp ring when the door is swung towards the clamp ring about the hinge. The outer circumference of the lock ring is also provided with gear teeth substantially parallel to the axis of symmetry of the lock ring. These gear teeth are capable of mechanical cooperation with a spur gear associated with a rotary actuator for rotation of the lock ring and engagement with the clamp ring.
The door is preferably provided with a face plate affixed to an outer surface thereof. The lock ring, disposed about the door, has a circular recess formed in an outer surface thereof such that the face plate outer diameter lies within a portion of the circular recess. The outer diameter of the face plate is capable of sliding against the inner diameter of the circular recess. In this way, the lock ring is maintained concentric with the door. Thus, the face plate serves several functions. First, the lock ring is maintained concentric with the door, obviating the need for tight tolerances in the door and lock ring threads. Maintaining the lock ring concentric with the door increases the level of safety of the door system by ensuring the applied pressure is evenly distributed about the clamp ring. Second, aesthetic benefits are enjoyed as the face plate obscures the mechanical interface between the door and lock ring threads. The third benefit relates to the prevention of grease seepage from the same mechanical interface.
The door may also be provided with a sight glass enabling an operator to view the interior of the cleaning vessel during use. To facilitate such viewing, the door assembly may be further provided with a light source. Alternatively, the pressure vessel itself may be provided with a light source.
Limit switches may be employed to detect when lugs in the clamp ring and lugs in the lock ring are aligned for cleaning vessel closure, and when the lock ring is rotated by the desired amount. A proximity sensor may be provided for making sure the door is in a closed position before enabling the hydraulics controlling the rotary actuator which turns a spur gear to rotate the lock ring.
By locating the lock ring in conjunction with the door, the opportunity for contaminating the substrates to be loaded into the cleaning vessel is eliminated. Easy access to the interior of the cleaning vessel is also facilitated by this physical arrangement.
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patent: 6088863 (2000-07-01), McClain
Castellano Stephen
Sail Star Limited
Weingarten, Schurgin Gagnebin & Hayes LLP
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