JPH0412315Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to an automatic cylinder (high pressure gas container) cap opening/closing device.

Handling toxic, flammable, and corrosive gases is dangerous, and until now the opening and closing of cylinder caps containing these gases has been done manually, even when changing cylinders. There is a risk of coming into contact with these gases due to unforeseen accidents such as damage to the cap. Therefore, it goes without saying that these cylinders must be replaced after confirming that the caps of these cylinders are in a closed state, and it is also preferable to remotely control the opening and closing of the cylinders even after replacement.

Additionally, if an accident occurs in a place where gas is used as mentioned above or in the piping leading to it, conventionally, an emergency shutoff valve was installed in the piping from the cylinder to the place of use to stop the gas supply. I have to. However, if the piping accident location is upstream of the emergency shutoff valve, the gas flow will not be stopped, so the surest way is to close the cylinder cap and stop the gas supply. Furthermore, even after repairing a malfunctioning part, it is highly safe to supply gas from a remote location using a cylinder cap.

As a remote closing device for the main valve of a high-pressure gas container, a method is known in which a ratchet spanner is combined and manual operation is also possible (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 57-48358). This known system is intended only for remote closing of the main valve.

The applicant previously developed a device for automatically opening and closing cylinder caps by remote control, and filed an application for utility model registration (Utility Model Application No. 173632/1983). This device has a shaft that passes through the rotary cylinder, and a vane plate for rotating the shaft in the rotary cylinder.
The extension part below the rotary cylinder is provided with a metal fitting that fits and locks onto the cylinder cap, and the extension part above the rotary cylinder is provided with a contact point via a sleeve, and two stroke limits that come into contact with the contact point when the blade plate rotates. - The stopper and the contact constitute an operating mechanism for a signal indicating the opening/closing state of the cylinder cap, and the rotary cylinder is provided with two driving fluid supply/discharge holes. With such a configuration, the device of the present invention can be installed inside the cylinder box containing the cylinder,
We have succeeded in minimizing the danger to operators and others by making it possible to check the open/close status of cylinders from a remote location, and we have also installed gas leak detection alarms, earthquake detectors, fire detectors, and explosion detectors. By connecting the alarm signal emitted from the device to the pneumatic actuator of the device of the present invention, the cylinder cap could be automatically closed.

In the previous application, when the cylinder cap is rotated to open and close by a metal fitting that fits and locks the cylinder cap, the shaft that transmits the rotational force to the metal fitting is formed with a square cross section, so that it can sufficiently withstand the torque of the cylinder cap. It is set as. However, if a metal fitting is directly attached to a shaft with a rectangular cross section like this, the angular position of the metal fitting will be restricted by the angular position of the shaft.
As a result, it may become extremely difficult to fit the fitting into the cylinder cap. That is, the cylinder in the cylinder box must be placed with the mouthpiece gas outlet facing in a predetermined direction in order to be connected to the piping in the box. However, not only is the cylinder box narrow and difficult to work with, but the cylinder itself is large and extremely heavy. The angular position of the claw and the recess in the cylinder handle often did not match. The device of the present invention solves the above-mentioned problems by connecting the shaft and the metal fitting via a free chuck having a structure as described later.

The device of the present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the illustrated embodiment.

In the drawing, A is an air-operated rotary cylinder, which is configured to rotate around an axis G by the rotation of a blade plate (pallet) C.
As shown in the figure, the rotary cylinder A is rotated by air pressure that is pressurized through a driving fluid supply/discharge hole, that is, a compressed air injection/discharge hole E or F, drilled in the side wall of the rotary cylinder A. The axis G of the rotary cylinder A is formed to have a rectangular cross-section, protrudes and extends from both end surfaces of the rotary cylinder A, and is provided with a metal fitting D at one end thereof via a free chuck N to fit and lock the cylinder cap B. ing. The metal fitting D
can be replaced depending on the shape of the cylinder cap B. A contact I is disposed at the other end of the shaft G via a sleeve H, and a third
As shown in the figure, two stroke limit stoppers J and L are arranged to constitute a vane position detection mechanism of the electric signal display mechanism. Although not shown, when the contact I and the stroke limit stopper J or L are connected, they constitute an electrical circuit for a cylinder cap opening/closing display mechanism or supply compressed air.

The structure of one embodiment of the free chuck N is explained in the fourth embodiment.
As shown in the figure. The free chuck N has a connecting member P equipped with a hole O having a square cross section for receiving a shaft G rotated by a vane plate C, and the shaft G is formed perpendicularly to the hole O after being fitted into the hole O. It is fixed by a screw installed in the screw hole Q provided. A cylindrical casing R is screwed into the outer periphery of the connecting member P, and a tightening mechanism S is installed inside the cylindrical casing R to tighten the connecting member P.
It is attached by being press-fitted into the protrusion T of. This tightening mechanism S is a mechanism similar to a collect chuck used in a machining mechanism, etc., and rotates an outer rotating member U to tighten the tightening member V inwardly with respect to the mounting shaft W. The metal fitting D is attached to one end of the attachment shaft W using a pin X. Therefore, in order to attach the metal fitting D to the free chuck N,
First, rotate the cylindrical casing R to raise it so that the tightening mechanism S can be operated, and then tighten the mounting shaft W equipped with the metal fitting D at an arbitrary angular position where the metal fitting D can fit into the cylinder cap B. It may be tightened using the attaching mechanism S. After the fitting D is attached, the cylindrical casing R is lowered to cover the tightening mechanism S, so that the tightening mechanism cannot be operated without permission.

By doing this, no matter what the angular position of the cylinder cap B is, in other words, the angular position of the metal fitting D (specifically, its claw) that fits into the outer circumferential recess of the cylinder cap B is fixed. No matter how it is, the mounting shaft W of the metal fitting D can be fixed at any angular position with the tightening member V in accordance with the angular position of the cylinder mouthpiece B, so the problems of the device of the prior application described above can be solved. did it.

In order to make the device of the present invention applicable to cylinders of various sizes, the device of the present invention is supported by a sliding stand M.
Adjust the height of the metal fitting D to match the size of the cylinder.
can be easily attached to the cylinder cap B.

The device of the present invention is constructed as described above, and its operating mode will be explained below.

First, the height of the device of the present invention is adjusted using the stand M, and the cylinder is placed in the cylinder box. Next, fit the metal fitting D into the cylinder cap B and lock it,
The metal fitting D is fixed to the shaft G by the tightening mechanism S of the free chuck N as described above, and the cylinder is thus set in advance in the cylinder box, and in this state the cylinder mouthpiece B can be remotely operated.

Figure 2 shows the cylinder cap open.
In order to close the cylinder cap B, compressed air (approx. 5 kg/cm ² ) is injected through the compressed air inlet/discharge hole E, and the vane C rotates in the direction of arrow a, and the arrow a in the rotary cylinder A rotates. The air on the side is discharged from the compressed air injection/exhaust hole F which is open to the atmosphere, and when this rotation (driving) torque is in equilibrium with the valve seat resistance torque of the mouthpiece, the vane plate C will move as shown by the dotted line in Figure 2. Stop at the position shown. This rotation angle is approximately 250°. At this time, contact I presses stroke limit stopper J. At the end of this rotation, the contact point I
When connected to the stroke limit stopper J, an electric circuit is formed and a lamp (not shown) indicating "closed" is lit, and after the lamp is lit, compression is applied to the rotary cylinder A at intervals of the timer set time. Stop the air supply. During the above-mentioned rotation of the vane plate C, the shaft G rotates, and accordingly, the metal fitting D attached to the shaft G via the free chuck N rotates to rotate the cylinder mouthpiece B in the "close" direction, thereby closing the cylinder. Close the cap and stop the gas supply.

When the cylinder cap is opened, a higher pressure (approximately 6
When compressed air of Kg/cm ² ) is injected, the vane C rotates in the direction of arrow b, the indoor air is discharged from the exhaust hole E, and the vane C rotates until it comes into contact with the stopper K and then stops. do. As before, the axis G is the contact point I
is rotated and connected to the stroke limit stopper L to form an electric circuit, the "open" lamp is lit, and at the same time, the supply of compressed air from the press-in/exhaust hole F is stopped.

When the signal indicating the opening/closing state of the cylinder cap is an electric type as in the above specific example, an electric circuit is formed by contact between the contact I and the stroke limit stoppers J and L, and the signal is "open" or "open". The lamp indicating "Closed" lights up.

In addition, when it is dangerous to provide an electric circuit near the cylinder cap, such as when handling flammable gases, pneumatic signals are preferable. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the pneumatic opening/closing display mechanism, which replaces the electrical opening/closing display mechanism of FIG. 1 (main parts shown in FIG. 3). . A cam I' is provided on a sleeve H at the opposite end of the shaft G to the free chuck N. As the blade C in FIG. 1 rotates, the shaft G rotates in the direction of the arrow, and the cam I' Press the head 1' or 2' of the limit valve 1 or 2. When the head 1' is pressed by the cam I', the flow path in the limit valve 1 is switched from the B section to the A section, and the compressed air from the compressed air source passes through the flow path in the A section of the limit valve 1. The piston 4 in the opening/closing display drive cylinder 3 is moved from right to left in the figure.

On the other hand, the head 2' of limit valve 2 is connected to the cam.
Since it is not pressed by I', the limit valve 2
The inner flow path is in the C section, and the piston 4 is moved by the movement of the piston 4 in the drive cylinder 3 described above.
The compressed air on the left side is discharged to the atmosphere through the C compartment channel.

The opening/closing display section 5 consists of a fixed frame 8 having two display windows 6 and 7, and a slide section 9 that slides left and right behind the fixed frame 8 in conjunction with the piston 4 of the drive cylinder 3. The slide portion 9 has a green part that indicates "closed" and a red part that indicates "open". In the figure, when the head 1' of the limit valve 1 is pressed, it is "closed".
As the piston 4 of the drive cylinder 3 moves to the left, the slide part 9 of the display part 5 also slides to the left, and the green part becomes visible through the display window 7 of the fixed frame 8. Similarly, in the case of "open", the head 2' of the limit valve 2 is pressed, compressed air flows into the left side of the drive cylinder 3, moves the piston 4 to the right side, and the sliding part 9 of the display part 5 also moves to the right side. The red portion becomes visible through the display window 6 of the fixed frame 8. In this way, when the window is open, the red color can be seen from the fixed frame window 6, and when the window is closed, the green color can be seen from the window 7, and the red and green parts are not visible from other windows. This makes it easy to identify whether the cylinder cap is open or closed.

In addition, by connecting the alarm signals from gas leak detection alarms, earthquake detectors, fire detectors, explosion detectors, etc. to the above-mentioned "closed" electric circuit by known means, the cylinder cap is automatically closed. Closure can be done.

Since the device of the present invention has the configuration and operation as described above, its functions and effects are listed as follows.

(1) Compressed air can be supplied remotely.

(2) The lighting of the detection lamp can be attached to the cylinder box, or it can be turned on remotely.

(3) Since the driving (motor) torque can be changed by adjustment, it can be adjusted by adjusting the stiffness of the cylinder cap, and this adjustment is performed by adjusting the supply pressure of the driving fluid.

(4) The driving fluid may be dry air from an air cylinder or nitrogen gas packed in a cylinder.

(5) The fitting and locking fittings for the cap are designed to be detachable with a free chuck so that they can be replaced according to the shape of the cylinder cap, and by using this free chuck, the fittings and locking fittings for the cap can be attached or removed at any angle. The metal fittings can be easily attached to the cylinder cap.

(6) The main body of the opening/closing device of the present invention can be set on a vertically adjustable sliding stand so that it can be attached to cylinders of various sizes.

(7) When the pressure of the compressed air source drops, the cylinder can be closed by automatically injecting compressed air from the emergency air reservoir into the air injection/discharge hole.

(8) By attaching the main body of the device of the present invention to a cylinder box, the electric or pneumatic automatic opening/closing operation of the cylinder cap housed in the box can be performed by remote control.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a partially sectional front view of the device of the present invention attached to a cylinder mouthpiece, Fig. 2 is a plan view taken along the line shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a plan view taken along the line shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a plan view taken along the line shown in Fig. 1. 5 is a partially sectional plan view showing the free chuck of the device of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the pneumatic opening/closing display mechanism. In the figure, A is a rotary cylinder, B is a cylinder cap, C is a vane plate, D is a metal fitting, E and F are compressed air injection and discharge holes, G is a shaft, H is a sleeve, I is a contact point, and J and L are strokes. limit stopper,
K is a stopper, N is a free chuck, 1 and 2 are limit valves, 1' and 2' are their heads, 3 is a drive cylinder, and 5 is an open/close indicator.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] 1. A rotary cylinder A having two driving fluid supply/discharge holes E and F is provided, and within this rotary cylinder A, a rotary cylinder A is provided.
A vane plate C is installed on a shaft G passing through the rotary cylinder A, and the vane plate C can be moved to two positions by supplying a driving fluid into the rotary cylinder A from either one of the driving fluid supply/discharge holes E and F. A metal fitting D that fits and locks the cylinder cap B is attached to the lower extension of the rotary cylinder A of the shaft G so that it can be freely attached and detached by a free chuck N and its angular position can be adjusted; The cylinder cap B can be opened and closed via the metal fitting D by the rotation of the shaft G caused by the rotation of the blade C, and the open/close state of the cylinder cap B is displayed by the rotation of the shaft G or by supplying a driving fluid. An automatic cylinder cap opening/closing device characterized by being equipped with an electric or pneumatic signal display mechanism. 2. The electric signal display mechanism is provided with a sleeve H on an extension of the shaft G above the rotary cylinder A.
provided at positions corresponding to the contact point I attached through and the two rotational positions of the vane plate C,
The automatic cylinder cap opening/closing device according to claim 1, which is a registered utility model and has a vane position detection mechanism comprising two stroke limit stoppers J and L that contact the contact point I at that position. 3. The pneumatic signal display mechanism has a display board that indicates the open/closed state of the cylinder mouthpiece B, which is provided in each display box having a structure divided into two, and is configured to indicate the supply of driving fluid to the rotary cylinder A. The automatic cylinder cap opening/closing device according to claim 1, wherein the display panel is simultaneously driven by the driving fluid to display the display panel.