US1963675A

US1963675A - Method of obtaining an autoclave closure for vessels of all kinds

Info

Publication number: US1963675A
Authority: US
Inventors: Plainevaux Pierre; Antoine Joseph
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1932-07-17
Filing date: 1933-06-10
Publication date: 1934-06-19
Anticipated expiration: 1951-06-19

Description

J1me 1934- P. PLAINEVAUX El AL 2 1,963,675

METHOD OF OBTAINING AN AUTOCLAVE CLOSURE FOR VESSELS OF ALL KINDS Filed June 10, 1933 F/GE.

UNITED STATES METHOD or OBTAINING AU'rooLAvE CLOSURE FOR VESSELS OF ALL KINDS Pierre Plaineyaux and; Joseph Antoine,-

Brussels, Belgium Application June 10,1933,- Serial No. 675,318

- In Belgium July 17, I932 2 Claims. (oi. 220-61)" This invention relates to improvements in closures for vessels of the type known as autoclave closures which hermetically close the vessel by exerting pressure at the joint between the closure and the vessel which increases automatically with increase of interna 1 pressure in the vessel, the

object of the invention being to effect such improvements in the construction of the closure as to simplify it and enable bolts and the like appliances heretofore closures to be entire used in connection with such ly dispensed with.

In the known closures of this type the internal pressure developing in the interior of the vessel exerts its effect on the elastic packing ring interposed between the wall of the vessel and the cover, and on the bolts and shackles which maintain the cover in place. packing ring, disconnecting of The setting in position the tightening of the closure members, when it of the the bolts, and the is required, for instance, completely to disengage the mouth of the vessel, constitute very delicate and tedious operations.

These disadvantages and defects are avoided by means of the present invention, according to which the autoclave closure of the vessel is effected automatically by the internal pressure acting directly on the closure cover or on a part integral with the latter, in such a manner that the elastic joint which is imprisoned on all sides ensures a perfectly hermetic closure.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the mouth 'of the vessel to be closed is surrounded by a flange having its lower part profiled in the form of an inclined plane or bevel and having externally a groove adapted to receive an elastic packing ring, and upon this flange there rests an annular part cover member, the in contact with the or sleeve made in of, and integral with a said annular part being held elastic packing ring by a ring two or more parts, and embracing by suitable walls or rims the inclined faces of the said flange and annular part of the cover.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into practice, We

have appended here trating the same by to one sheet of drawing, illusway of example, in which:

tion.

Figure 2 is a secti of Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a sec packing ring.

onal plan along the line C-D tion illustrating one form of As illustrating in the drawing, the vessel which is to be obturated has, for example, a tubular part 1 which is provided with, or to which is attached in any convenient manner, an annular flange 2. This flange is flat at its upper part 6 and is provided on its outer upper periphery with a groove 3 open at the top and adapted to act as a housing partially to receive an elastic packing ring 4 of rubber, metal or other suitable material. At its lower portion the flange 2 has an inclined or bevelled profile 5 extending upwardly towards the axis of the tubular part 1.

The cover 6 rests on the collar 2 through the intermediary of an annular part or flange '7 flattened on the part adapted to come into contact with the collar 2, and also having a peripheral groove 8 in which lodges the upper part of, the elastic packing ring 4. At its upper portion the flange 7 is annularly bevelled or profiled at 9 in an opposite direction to the flange 2, the

bevels

5 and 9 being similar and symmetrical.

The two

flanges

2 and 7 are embraced by a sleeve 10 cut diametrically into two or more parts and provided with inwardly extending rims having inclined faces corresponding to the

inclined faces

5 and 9.

Supposing that the tubular part 1 is vertical it will be easily understood that upon closing the vessel the weightof the cover 6 and sleeve 10, weighing on the elastic packing ring 4, compresses and crushes the latter into its housing and in itself ensures a tight closure corresponding to the pressure which such weight exerts. If the pressure developed in the interior of the vessel becomes superior to the weight ofthe ele-- ments 6 andlO, it acts on the cover and raises it progressively in such a manner that'the elastic packing ring 4 tends to resume its initial position, but the cover 6 carries along with it the sleeve 10 which, owing to the contact of the inclined surface 11 .with the inclined.

surfaces

5 and 9, becomes radially contracted and presses the joint 4 in a direction perpendicular to the initial crushing force. The result is that the joint 4 is forced completely to flll the housing grooves in the

flanges

2 and 7 and to remain compressed against the sleeve and the flanges.

The closure thus obtained is absolutely tight and automatic, and does away with any manipulation of bolts or other devices. It is, so to speak, set up immediately and without effort.

Furthermore it offers a great security because, in order to open the vessel, it is necessary previously to release the pressure. The cover then descends with the sleeve under their own weights,

and the sleeve can then be easily removed, after which removal it is only necessary to take off the cover in order totally to open the mouth of the vessel.

The autoclave closure according to the present invention is capable of numerous applications. It is particularly suitable for flasks intended to contain carboglace, which would thus replace the carbonic acid which is usually supplied in liquefied form in flasks of very considerable weight and which consequently give rise to various disadvantages during transport.

What we claim is:

1. In combination with a vessel having an outwardly extending flange arranged around its mouth and an annular grooves at the periphery and upper side of said flange; a closure having an annular peripheral groove in its lower side, an elastic packing ring between said flange and said closure and arranged in said grooves thereof, the

width of such packing ring being such as to normally hold the closure in spaced relation to the flange, and a divided ring adapted to fit around said flange and said closure and to bear on said closure and against the under side of said flange, said flange, closure, and divided ring having coengaging camming surfaces adapted when the closure is subjected to internal pressure in the vessel, to force said divided ring radially inwardly on said flange, said closure, and against said packing ring.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the coacting camming surfaces of the flange, closure, and divided ring converge toward the common axis of the vessel and closure and to a point substantially midway between the lower side of the flange and the upper side of the closure.

PIERRE PLAINEVAUX. JOSEPH ANTOINE.