Measuring and testing – With fluid pressure – Leakage
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-07
2001-04-24
Williams, Hezron (Department: 2856)
Measuring and testing
With fluid pressure
Leakage
C073S040000, C073S049300, C073S049800
Reexamination Certificate
active
06220081
ABSTRACT:
The invention concerns a monitoring system for two parts which are sealingly associated with each other and releasable from each other, as set forth in the classifying portion of the first claim.
DE 41 37 632 C1 discloses a catch pan or vat of steel sheet, from the bottom of which three welded side walls stand up. The fourth side wall is composed of two wall panels which define a cavity—with edge flanges, adjoining side walls and their own angle portions—and which are screwed with the interposition of seals at the joins between the wall parts; the screws can pass through the seals and compress them, sealing the cavity. The outer wall panel is provided with a connecting portion for a flow medium, for example water or compressed air. When the latter fills the cavity, it is possible for example by using soap in the sealing regions to carry out a test to ascertain whether the releasable side wall is gas-tightly or liquid-tightly integrated into the catch pan.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,420,970 discloses a monitoring system with a disk-shaped insulating element disposed between end flanges of metal tubes: the insulating element is provided towards the two end flanges with a respective annular groove for receiving a pair of O-rings. That annular groove forms a cavity which is defined by the O-rings and which is connected to a radial bore by means of a passage parallel to the axis of the tubes. The radial bore is closed by a screw and after removal thereof serves for leakage draining.
The specification of DE 92 02 421 U describes a catch pan or tank with guide profiles associated with the pan bottom at the inside thereof, for the transformer which is on rails in the transformer casing in order to simplify introducing or replacing the transformer or in order to compensate for differences between the bottom of the casing and the surface of the ground surrounding the station. In such previously known catch pans, the spacing of the guide profiles from each other corresponds to the spacing of the rails in the building, which, when the catch pan is introduced into the building, can serve as support elements for the catch pan which then rests on them. That is intended in particular to permit already existing buildings to be subsequently equipped with such an arrangement. The front wall of the catch pan is removable and is liquid-tightly screwed to an abutment rim of the catch pan, with the interposition of a sealing strip.
Catch pans of that kind comprising steel with a safety flange have proven their worth in particular in the renovation and refurbishment of old transformer station buildings with pan-less transformers. However, such catch pans with a flange are generally not allowed for use in ground water preservation areas as it is not possible to check and monitor the seal over a prolonged service life; the seal is subject to service demands and loading only in an accident or damage situation. that is to say under some circumstances after decades.
The “Anforderungen an Auffangwannen aus Stahl . . . ” (translation: Demands on catch pans of steel . . . ) of the Landerarbeitsgemeinschaft Wasser (LAWA) (translation: Regional Water Association) of Jun. 22, 1992 (GABL. 1992, pages 583-587) mention liquid-tight components of steel for receiving and retaining substances such as to endanger water, which inter alia must be so designed that the underneath can be checked for corrosion and the individual parts of which must be welded; screw connections with seals are not permissible beneath the maximum possible level of liquid in the catch pan.
In consideration of that state of the art the inventor set himself the aim of improving the design structure of containers or catch pans of that kind and permitting the use of pan parts which can be separated or released—while affording sealing integrity—without limitation. In addition the invention seeks to provide a connecting system which affords sealing integrity and which can be used even with other pairings to be connected of apparatus parts.
That object is attained by the teaching of the independent claim: the appendant claims set forth desirable configurations.
In accordance with the invention there are provided at least two sealing profiles which are disposed at a spacing in succession in the possible flow path for container content and the monitoring chamber is connected to a pressure monitoring device. This system according to the invention also makes it possible to provide for continuity testing in respect of a plurality of successively coupled sealing regions.
The monitoring chamber disposed in the notional flow path of issuing container or pan contents is filled with a flow medium, preferably with a monitoring liquid which can be easily monitored by visual control in the event of undesired escape from the test space or however with a gas; the filling of the test space or the monitoring chamber can be monitored in respect of pressure by suitable measuring devices and thus leakages can be detected.
Although seals of the most widely varying configurations, that is to say also adhesive seals, can be utilized for the use according to the invention, the above-mentioned sealing profiles which are disposed in the possible flow path, in particular two thereof, disposed at a spacing in succession, have proven to be desirable. A screw bolt or the like connecting member is to pass through ones of those sealing profiles—or also both—, the screw bolt or the like connecting member connecting the releasable part of the container and the portion of the catch container, which is associated with the monitoring chamber. If only one of the sealing profiles is affected by the screw bolt or like connecting member, the other is pressed by an end edge of the catch container against the releasable part of the container.
It is also possible for each of the sealing profiles to be sealingly held between two surfaces of the container part or the catch container, said surfaces being parallel and being brought together by a screw connection.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention both sealing profiles which are disposed at a spacing in succession in the possible flow path for the container content can be respectively held in clamping relationship by an end edge, namely the one by an end edge of the releasable container part and the other by an end edge of the catch container; in that case, the respective other counterpart member serves as a support means, that is to say for example the catch container serves as the support means for the sealing profile which is contacted by the end edge of the releasable container part.
Moreover that end edge is formed by the edge of a hook strip being angled through more than 90° out of the surface of the releasable part or the abutment portion of the catch container.
An advantageous configuration of the connecting region for forming the monitoring chamber according to the invention is distinguished in that the hook bar has a clamping profile engaging thereover, and is fixed thereby to the respective other counterpart member of the connection. That clamping profile can be held at a spacing from the surface of its counterpart fixing member by a support leg at one side, and can be connected to the counterpart member by at least one screw connection: that arrangement thus affords a fixing for the hook bar, which has a resilient take-up effect. In this case the releasable container part or flange cover is pressed in position by virtue of the clamping profile by means of screwthreaded pins or studs which are welded in place outside the sealing arrangement, so that the sealing profile itself can be used without a hole therein.
In accordance with the invention the sealing profile can be in the form of a round profile or a sealing cord; the two round profiles are held at a spacing in pair-wise relationship with each other by a for example channel-like intermediate profile member, comprising a material such as to ensure that the spacing between the round profiles is maintained. On the outside the round profiles each bear against a clamping profil
Bachman & LaPointe P.C.
Cygan Michael
Williams Hezron
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