Remotely operable vessel cover positioner

• US 5,221,019 A
• Filed: 11/07/1991
• Issued: 06/22/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: HAHN & Clay, Marie H. Pechacek Family Partners, L.P., RAYMOND E. PECHACEK OR MARIE H. PECHACEK, ET AL.
• Original Assignee: HAHN & Clay
• Inventors: Pechacek, Raymond E., Clay, Henry J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoap, Allan N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHWARZ, PAUL
• Application Number:
  US07/788,824
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 220/315, 220/319, 220/320, 220/321, 220/239, 220/211, 220/582, 220/316, 110/173 R, 110/173 C, 110/176, 110/177
• US Class Current: 220/315
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 25/10 for ovens with vertical chambers
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 13/12 attached by wedging action by means of screw-thread, interrupted screw-thread, bayonet closure, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 13/24 with safety devices, e.g. to prevent opening prior to pressure release

Abstract

A remotely operable vessel cover assembly used with a vessel. The cover assembly has a mounting rim secured to the vessel surrounding a circular opening and a circular cover to fit against the mounting rim. A force ring having a plurality of openings is attached to the cover. Connector pins are attached to and extend from the mounting rim and through a plurality of holes in the cover and the force ring. A lock ring is rotatably attached to the force ring and locks the extending heads of the connector pins to the force ring to restrain the cover in an initial position. A force actuator, disposed between the force ring and the cover, expands under fluid pressure to react against the cover forcing the cover against the mounting rim. Upper and lower ramps are connected to the periphery of the cover and a ramp ring respectively. The ramp ring, rotatably supported between the force ring and the cover, has lower ramps positioned to match upper ramps on the cover. The rotation of the ramp ring relative to the cover holds the cover against the mounting rim. A safety lock assembly is connected to the ramp ring to prevent unintended releasing rotation of said ramp ring relative to the cover.

Claims

1. A remotely operable vessel cover assembly used with a vessel wherein the vessel includes a lower, substantially horizontal opening and a mounting rim surrounding the opening, comprising:

a plurality of connector pins extending from the vessel mounting rim;

a cover having a perimeter sized to fit against the mounting rim to provide a closure for the vessel opening;

means for receiving said connector pins having a first portion attached to said cover on a side of said cover opposite from the mounting rim, said first portion having openings through which said connector pins extend when said cover is in an initial position against the mounting rim;

means for locking said connector pins to said first portion;

means for the final positioning of said cover against the mounting rim, said final positioning means disposed substantially between said cover and said pin receiving means for moving said cover and said pin receiving means for moving said cover from the initial position into a desired final position against the mounting rim and for prestressing said connector pins interlocked with said pin receiving means;

means for locking said cover in the final position, said cover locking means disposed substantially adjacent said final positioning means between said cover and said pin receiving means, movable relative to said cover from an initial unlocked position to a final locking position for locking said cover in the desired final position in which said connector pins are prestressed; and

a safety lock assembly connected to said cover locking means to prevent accidental unlocking of said cover form the final locking position;

wherein said safety lock assembly comprises;

a housing having a first end, a midportion, and a second end with a bore extending through said housing, said midportion of said housing forming an enlarged cavity having substantially flat upper and lower surfaces, said substantially flat lower surface including a plurality of teeth and said second end of said housing attached to a force ring;

a connector rod having a first end and a second end, said first end pivotably connected to a ramp ring assembly and said second end slidably extending through the bore in said first end of said housing;

a gripper pivotably connected to said second end of said connector rod, said gripper having a plurality of teeth capable of engaging said housing teeth and an upper contact surface capable of contacting said housing upper surface, said gripper including a recess facing said second end of said housing; and

a plunger rod having a first end slidably extending through the bore in said housing second end and a second end outside of said housing,

wherein said first end of said plunger rod is received by said gripper recess when said plunger rod is advanced into said midportion until contacting said gripper such that when said first end of said plunger rod is fully received by said gripper recess said gripper teeth disengage from said housing teeth which permits said connecting rod to be advanced further into said housing.

2. A remotely operable vessel cover assembly used with a vessel having a substantially horizontal circular opening, the cover assembly comprising:

a circular mounting rim secured to the vessel and surrounding the circular opening;

a circular cover having a perimeter sized to fit against said mounting rim;

a force ring attached to said cover near the perimeter of said cover with said cover being between said force ring and said mounting rim, said force ring having a plurality of openings extending therethrough around its periphery;

a plurality of upper ramps connected to the periphery of said cover on a side of said cover adjacent said force ring;

a plurality of connector pins attached to and extending from said mounting rim in circumferential spacing around said mounting rim, each of said connector pins extending through one of the plurality of openings extending through said force ring when said cover is moved to an initial position;

a lock ring rotatably attached to said force ring, said force ring being located between said lock ring and said cover, said lock ring rotating relative to said connector pins to lock said connector pins extending through the openings in said force ring to said force ring to restrain said cover in the initial position;

a force actuator disposed between a portion of said force ring and a portion of said cover, said force actuator expanding under fluid pressure to react against said force ring and place said locked connector pins in a prestressed condition and seal said cover against said mounting rim;

a ramp ring assembly rotatably supported by said force ring alongside said force actuator between a portion of said force ring and a portion of said cover, said ramp ring assembly being flat on a side next to said force ring and having a plurality of lower ramps on a side next to said cover, wherein each of said lower ramps is positioned so as to match a said upper ramp on said cover and by rotation of said ramp ring assembly relative to said cover to lockingly seal said cover against said mounting rim; and

a safety lock assembly connected to said ramp ring assembly to prevent accidental releasing rotation of said ramp ring assembly relative to said cover;

wherein said safety lock assembly comprises;

a housing having a first end, a midportion, and a second end with a bore extending through said housing, said midportion of said housing forming an enlarged cavity having substantially flat upper and lower surfaces, said substantially flat lower surface including a plurality of teeth and said second end of said housing attached to said force ring;

a connector rod having a first end and a second end, said first end pivotably connected to said ramp ring assembly and said second end slidably extending through the bore in said first end of said housing;

a gripper pivotably connected to said second end of said connector rod, said gripper having a plurality of teeth capable of engaging said housing teeth and an upper contact surface capable of contacting said housing upper surface, said gripper including a recess facing said second end of said housing; and

a plunger rod having a first end slidably extending through the bore in said housing second end and a second end outside of said housing,

wherein said first end of said plunger rod is received by said gripper recess when said plunger rod is advanced into said midportion until contacting said gripper such that when said first end of said plunger rod is fully received by said gripper recess said gripper teeth disengage from said housing teeth which permits said connecting rod to be advanced further into said housing.

3. A remotely operable vessel cover assembly used with a vessel having a substantially horizontal circular opening, the cover assembly comprising:

a circular mounting rim secured to the vessel and surrounding the circular opening;

a circular cover having a perimeter sized to fit against said mounting rim;

a force ring attached to said cover near the perimeter of said cover with said cover being between said force ring and said mounting rim, said force ring having a plurality of openings extending therethrough around its periphery;

a plurality of upper ramps connected to the periphery of said cover on a side of said cover adjacent said force ring;

a plurality of connector pins attached to and extending from said mounting rim in circumferential spacing around said mounting rim, each of said connector pins extending through one of the plurality of openings extending through said force ring when said cover is moved to an initial position;

a lock ring rotatably attached to said force ring, said force ring being located between said lock ring and said cover, said lock ring rotating relative to said connector pins to lock said connector pins extending through the openings in said force ring to said force ring to restrain said cover in the initial position;

a force actuator disposed between a portion of said force ring and a portion of said cover, said force actuator expanding under fluid pressure to react against said force ring and place said locked connector pins in a prestressed condition and seal said cover against said mounting rim;

a ramp ring assembly rotatably supported by said force ring alongside said force actuator between a portion of said force ring and a portion of said cover, said ramp ring assembly being flat on a side next to said force ring and having a plurality of lower ramps on a side next to said cover, wherein each of said lower ramps is positioned so as to match a said upper ramp on said cover and by rotation of said ramp ring assembly relative to said cover to lockingly seal said cover against said mounting rim; and

a safety lock assembly connected to said ramp ring assembly to prevent accidental releasing rotation of said ramp ring assembly relative to said cover;

a lock ring lever pivotably mounted on said cover and having a first end and a second end;

a lock ring ear mounted on said lock ring for engaging said second end of said lock ring lever;

a cylinder lock ring ear engaging said first end of said lock ring lever; and

a lock ring fluid cylinder mounted on said mounting rim and oriented tangentially to said mounting rim for engaging said lock ring lever and rotating said lock ring relative to said connector pins.

4. A remotely operably vessel cover assembly used with a vessel having a substantially horizontal circular opening, the cover assembly comprising:

a circular mounting rim secured to the vessel and surrounding the circular opening;

a circular cover having a perimeter sized to fit against said mounting rim;

a force ring attached to said cover near the perimeter of said cover with said cover being between said force ring and said mounting rim, said force ring having a plurality of openings extending therethrough around its periphery;

a plurality of upper ramps connected to the periphery of said cover on a side of said cover adjacent said force ring;

a plurality of connector pins attached to and extending from said mounting rim in circumferential spacing around said mounting rim, each of said connector pins extending through one of the plurality of openings extending through said force ring when said cover is moved to an initial position;

a lock ring rotatably attached to said force ring, said force ring being located between said lock ring and said cover, said lock ring rotating relative to said connector pins to lock said connector pins extending through the openings in said force ring to said force ring to restrain said cover in the initial position;

a force actuator disposed between a portion of said force ring and a portion of said cover, said force actuator expanding under fluid pressure to react against said force ring and place said locked connector pins in a prestressed condition and seal said cover against said mounting rim;

a ramp ring assembly rotatably supported by said force ring alongside said force actuator between a portion of said force ring and a portion of said cover, said ramp ring assembly being flat on a side next to said force ring and having a plurality of lower ramps on a side next to said cover, wherein each of said lower ramps is positioned so as to match a said upper ramp on said cover and by rotation of said ramp ring assembly relative to said cover to lockingly seal said cover against said mounting rim; and

a safety lock assembly connected to said ramp ring assembly to prevent accidental releasing rotation of said ramp ring assembly relative to said cover;

a force ring lever pivotally mounted on said cover and having a first end and a second end;

a force ring ear mounted on said force ring for engaging said second end of said force ring lever;

a cylinder force ring ear engaging said first end of said force ring lever; and

a force ring fluid cylinder mounted on said mounting rim and oriented tangentially to said mounting rim for engaging said force ring lever and rotating said force ring relative to said connector pins.