SPRING-CAPTURE ASSEMBLY FOR A SPRING-BIASED MECHANISM AND PRESSURE RELIEF VALVE INCLUDING SAME
First Claim
1. A pressure relief valve for venting a pressure vessel containing a pressurized fluid, comprising:
- a mount, said mount having a lower portion adapted for mounting to the pressure vessel, a passageway for venting fluid therethrough, and an upper portion defining a first mating structure circumscribing said passageway;
a valve seat supported on said mount about said passageway;
a poppet matable with said valve seat to occlude said passageway and disrupt a flow of fluid therethrough;
a housing having a first portion defining a second mating structure complementary to said first mating structure, and an opening for admitting passage of a tool;
a spring retainer having a mating structure mechanically interlockable with the tool, and a flange; and
a compression spring mounted within said housing and captured at one end by said housing and at an opposite end by said flange of said spring retainer, said compression spring biasing said poppet from an open position spaced from said valve seat toward a closed position in abutting relationship with said valve seat.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A spring capture assembly is provided for securing a compression spring of a spring-biased mechanism, such as a spring-biased pressure relief valve, to permit disassembly of the mechanism without risk of damage or injury associate with rapid resiling of the spring from a compressed state. The assembly includes a tool, a housing having an opening for admitting passage of the tool and capturing the spring at one end, a spring retainer, and a compression spring mounted within the housing and captured at one end by said housing and toward an opposite end by the spring retainer. The tool is adapted for mating with the spring retainer and the housing to compress the spring therebetween. The spring capture assembly may be incorporated into a pressure relief valve for venting pressure and/or vacuum from a pressure vessel. Provided also is a method for disassembling a spring-biased mechanism including a spring capture assembly.
2 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A pressure relief valve for venting a pressure vessel containing a pressurized fluid, comprising:
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a mount, said mount having a lower portion adapted for mounting to the pressure vessel, a passageway for venting fluid therethrough, and an upper portion defining a first mating structure circumscribing said passageway; a valve seat supported on said mount about said passageway; a poppet matable with said valve seat to occlude said passageway and disrupt a flow of fluid therethrough; a housing having a first portion defining a second mating structure complementary to said first mating structure, and an opening for admitting passage of a tool; a spring retainer having a mating structure mechanically interlockable with the tool, and a flange; and a compression spring mounted within said housing and captured at one end by said housing and at an opposite end by said flange of said spring retainer, said compression spring biasing said poppet from an open position spaced from said valve seat toward a closed position in abutting relationship with said valve seat. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A spring capture assembly for a spring-biased mechanism comprising:
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a tool having a shoulder and an elongated member having a distal end; a housing having an opening for admitting passage of said tool; a spring retainer mechanically interlockable to said tool; and a compression spring mounted within said housing and captured at one end by said housing and at an opposite end by said spring retainer; whereby rotation of said tool relative to said spring retainer with said tool mated to said spring retainer and said shoulder abutting said housing advances said spring retainer relative to said tool and acts to compress said compression spring between said spring retainer and said housing. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A spring capture assembly for a spring-biased mechanism comprising:
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a tool having an elongated member bearing threads, and supporting a complementarily threaded nut; a housing having an opening for admitting passage of said tool; a spring retainer mechanically interlockable to said tool; and a compression spring mounted within said housing and captured at one end by said housing and at an opposite end by said spring retainer; whereby rotation of said nut relative to said elongated member with said tool mated to said spring retainer and said nut abutting said housing withdraws the tool relative to the housing and acts to compress said compression spring between said spring retainer and said housing. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A method for disassembling a spring-biased mechanism having a spring capture assembly for capturing a compression spring of the mechanism, the method comprising:
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manually grasping an elongated tool having a distal end; inserting the distal end of the tool through a housing of the spring capture assembly; mating the distal end of the tool with a spring retainer of the spring capture assembly; manipulating the tool to draw up the spring retainer and compress the compression spring between the spring retainer and the housing; and disassembling the spring-biased mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification