Receptacles – Closures – Having means for securing or retaining closure in its closed...
Patent
1984-04-27
1985-05-07
Hall, George T.
Receptacles
Closures
Having means for securing or retaining closure in its closed...
B65D 4500
Patent
active
045152870
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A safety problem frequently encountered in the gas processing and transportation industry, particularly in the operation of pipelines, is that of preventing injury to workmen when a door is opened to a pressure retaining vessel. In many applications it is necessary that ready access be provided to the interior of pressure vessels such as for the insertion or removal of pipeline pigs. For this reason, doors providing such ready access must be quickly opened and closed. Otherwise, too much time is consumed in removing and reinstalling closures in the pressure retaining vessels. A common means of providing access to the interior of a vessel, such as a pipeline, is to mount a hinged door abuttable with a flange with a clamping mechanism to securely clamp the periphery of the door to the flange. By pivotation of a handle the clamping flange can quickly be removed, after which the door freely swings open. A difficulty, however, is that if a workman swings the handle to unlatch the door, and if pressure exists within the pipeline or other vessel to which the flange is affixed, the door will be blown open, causing serious injury.
In order to attempt to prevent accidents of this type, it has been a custom to install pressure indicating instruments in the vicinity of access doors so workmen can visually determine if pressure exists in the vessel before the locking mechanism holding the closure in place is removed. A problem with such precaution, however, is that workmen frequently forget to look at the instrument and assume that there is no pressure within the vessel.
The present invention provides a means of ensuring that a closed door covering an opening in a pressure containment vessel cannot be inadvertently opened if pressure exists within the vessel above a safe, preselected level.
The invention is formed as a part of a door which is hinged to a pressure vessel such as a flange which provides access to the interior of the pressure vessel. The flange and the door, when the door is in closed position, form an abutted peripheral radially extending surface which is held in closed position by semi-circular ring members having a C-shaped cross-sectional configuration. The ring members are pivoted to each other at one side and are secured by a toggle mechanism at the other side. A handle extends from the toggle mechanism. When the handle is in the closed position the toggle mechanism forces the semi-circular ring members together, holding the door in a sealed, locked position. When the handle is swung about its pivotal support it removes force on the toggle mechanism, allowing the semi-circular ring members to be spread apart, removing the clamping action of the door against the flange and permitting the door to be opened.
A pressure lock housing extends from the pressure containment vessel and has a cylindrical opening in it. Reciprocally positioned within the cylindrical opening is a piston member. A spring within the pressure lock housing urges the piston member inwardly. When pressure exists within the interior of the containment vessel, the piston member is forced outwardly against the resiliency of the spring. The handle has a tubular locking member which, when the handle is in closed position, is in axial alignment with the piston. When the handle is closed and pressure exists within the containment vessel, the piston member extends into the tubular locking member, preventing the handle from being moved. Thus, safety and security of the device is achieved to prevent inadvertent injury to a workman attempting to open the door when pressure exists in the containment vessel.
In a preferred arrangement the pressure lock housing has a second cylindrical opening communicating with the interior of a containment vessel in such a manner that the first cylindrical opening extends at right angles to the second cylindrical opening. Positioned within the second cylindrical opening is a second piston, a portion of which extends exteriorly of the housing and has a knob on it. Fluid fills the a
REFERENCES:
patent: 2706999 (1955-04-01), Pickard
patent: 3458083 (1969-07-01), Erwin, Jr.
patent: 4423825 (1984-01-01), Baumgarten
patent: 4452372 (1984-06-01), Robbins
Baudoux Richard
Webb Anthony J.
Hall George T.
T.D. Williamson, Inc.
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