US2385826A - Means for stoppering and opening fluid containers - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 2, 1945. A. MATHlSEN 2,335,826

MEANS FOR STOPPERING'AND OPENING FLUID CONTAINERS Fil ed Dec. 2', 1943 lksumrlolv Attorney Patented Oct. 2, 1945 MEANS FLUID CONTAINERS Y Anders Mathisen, Isleworth, England,'assignor to Graviner Manufacturing Company Limited,

Isleworth, England, a, British corporation Application December 2, 1943, Serial No. 512,666 In Great Britain December 18, 1342 J 8 Claims. 1C1. 16931) lhis invention relates to stoppering devices for fluid containers, particularly for storing fluid under pressure. 'Ihe'containers may be used for storing fire extinguishing liquids under gas pressure.

The invention is applicable for example to stoppering devices. as described in Patents Nos.

2,143,132 and 2,143,133 issued to H. M. Salmond on January 10, 1939.

stoppering devices of the kind described in Patent No. 2,143,132 are opened most satisfactorily by explosive charges of the kind herein described. However, in some cases it may be necessary to make provision for opening the stoppering device by hand-operated means, for example, when the explosive charge has failed to operate, or more especially in cases where the electrical ignition system has become disabled, particularly in connection with military operations.

In Patent No. 2,143,133 a stopperingv device for fluid containers is shown in the form of a plug having a recess or bore formed in one end thereof and a stem at the other end, this stem being connected to the plug by a thin rim of the 'material of the plug. The stem is surrounded by a sleeve whichis formed in the plug by forming a groove in the plug concentric with the stem. The stem is preferably of slightly. smaller diameter than the recess or bore, while a nut or screwed sleeve is screwed on the stem so as to confine a mall amount of explosive substance in the space between the stem, the sleeve, the bottom of the groove and the nut.

To explodethe explosive substance a fuse element is mounted in the stoppering device which, when energised by an electric current, ignites the explosive substance to fracture the thin rim of material connecting the stem to the plug, whereby the stem and nut are ejected so as to enable the fluid to be discharged from the container.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a stoppering device, for the purpose described, with hand operated means for fractur ing the stem.

In Patent No. 2,236,961 is described a stoppering device provided with manually operated means for fracturing a hermetic seal and for manually. closing the container after a predetermined amount of fluid has been discharged from the container.

According to the present invention astoppering device is provided for fluid containers, particularly for storing fluid under pressure, wherein a plug .is provided at one end with a bore extending almost completely therethrough, while a stem extends from the oppositeend of the plug, the stem being connected to the plug by a narrow rim of metal and being of slightly smaller 1diameter than the bore, the stem being. surrounded by a concentric sleeve formed integral with the plug, and is characterised in that the stem is screw-threaded externally and receives an internally screw-threaded sleeve engaged .by a screw-threaded bolt or like device passing through a fitting secured to the plug.

The invention will now be describedby way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein r Figure 1 shows an elevation. of device according to the present invention,

Figure 2 is a vertical section of Figure l.

Fig. 3 is a detail horizontal section ofthe free end, shown broken off, of the connecting terminal block, taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2'.

As shown in the drawing, a stoppering device is provided with a plug 1 of which the lower externally screw-threaded'portion 2 is adapted to be screwed into a fluid container 3, preferably containing fluid under pressure, a suitable washer 5 is preferably provided between the plug I and the container 3. .1

The lower end of the plug I is provided with a bore 4 extending substantially completely therethrough.

The .upper end of the plug I is machined to form a'sleeve 6 which is bored out so as to leave a central stem 1 integral with the plug I at a narrow rim of metal 8. As will be seen in the drawing, the bore 4. is of larger diameter than the stem 7, as a result of which the material of the rim 8 is capable of being severed in shear when tension is applied to the stem 1.

Around the stem '1, which is screwed externally, is provided'an annular groove 9 for the reception of an explosive substance In, which is confined in the groove 9 by a sleeve H.

An electrically energised fuse device I2 is mounted in the plug 1 and is connected to an electric current supply by a plug device I3 in an insulating block l4.

The part of plug l adjacent blockM is hexagon, and a mounting piece |4-a. which may be of metal is interposed between the hexagon and the block M, for firm support. The fuse device l2 comprises a high resistance wire coil 3| which heats adjacent ignitable material 3-2 which acts through lateral bore 33 extending through plug! to groove 9 containing explosive Ill.

The sleeve 6 is screw-threaded externally and a stoppering V the plug I,

simple action .of moving the handle 21,.

a hollow connecting fitting I5 is secured to the sleeve 6 by means of the screw-thread. The connecting fitting l5 comprises a chamber I6 into which the stem 1 and the sleeve H can be blown 'by the explosion or by the escaping gases after the rim 8 of material has been fractured and the bolt I8 forced upwardly, said chamber I6 having an outlet I1 which is screw-threaded externally V to take pipe union nuts and fittings so as to permit discharge of the fluid through piping at any desired point. At the time of the explosion, the bolt I8 is displaced upwardly until sleeve 1 l abuts of metal, an annular sleeve integral with said against the upper wall or ceiling of chamber l6. g

A screw-threaded bolt l8 orlike device engages with the sleeve II and extends, for example, through a packing gland or other device l9 through the connecting fitting so that by 1 0 tation of the bolt [8, for example by engagement.

of the hexagon or otherwise shaped head 28 on the bolt l8, externally to the fitting ill, a pull is exerted upon. the stem 1 causing fracture of the rim 8 of material connecting the stem. 1 to 7 To, rotate the bolt L8 is a spanner device having a handle 2] is fitted to the top of, the C011.- nectingfitting 1.5 which for this purpose is pro, vided with a boss 22 over'which is fitted a sleeve extension 13 of the spanner device so .as to rotate freely thereon. To the fitting I5 is secured an inverted L-shaped 2 4 which overlaps a flange 25 on the extension to obviate detach mentof the spanner from the connecting fitting l5, 7 a a It is found desirable to provide locking means to obviate accidental rotation of the spanne-rdevice and to this end a hole or orifice is provided in the extension 23 of the spanner device and in the rim 24 so thata vpin or other like locking device '25 can be passed through said holes when in a container, to which it is fitted to be discharged by electrical ignition or by hand operation Joy-the The pitch of the screw of the bolt 1:87 is preferably steeper than the screw ,of the stem], the pitches being preferably in such relation..that the stem .7 is broken off when :the spanner device is moved an arc of approximately wee. The screw of the bolt I8 is preferably 9f the opposite hand :to the screw oi the stem ,1. .7

To obviatethe necessity for too large an angle ofimovement of the handle :24, the screw thread by whichthe bolt t8 en ages thesleeve .H secured to the stem 1 may be :of the square type having .a moderate lead, and to reduce frictional (clients it is desirable to insert friction reducing means such as a roller hearing .or the Jiflsebetweenithe hexagon or otherwise shaped head 21'! .of :the bolt MS and :the top of the gland device 1L9 the connecting fitting 15 upon which the head 22,8 of the bolt l8 takes a hearing when this is rotated.

By rotating the bolt device by means .of said spanner, a pull is exerted upon :the stem fl where ;by fracture of the thin jrirn 1,8 of material .at its root is caused, the pressure ,of the ,fluid'theieF a-fiter forcing the stem Fl, sleeve U andbolt' l8 away from the opening produced the :plug at the end of the bore A. eonncdti-ngfitting i5 oisufficient size :to permit discharge of fluid through the outlet 1:! without Thelchamber inzthei plug, said sleeve being arranged concentrically to saidstem, an internally screw-threaded sleeve engaged at one, end by said stem, a screwthreaded bolt engaging the other end of said internally threaded sleeve,- and a fittinghaving an outlet therein, secured to said plug, said fitting having an opening in the end thereof remote said sleeve being arranged concentrically to said stem, said sleeve being screw-threaded externally, an internallysorewethreaded'sleeve engaged at one end by said stem, a screw-threaded bolt engaging the other end of said internally threaded sleeve, a fitting having one and inter.- nally screw-threaded and engaging said screwthreaded concentric sleeve by said screwthreaded end, said fitting having an opening in its other end through which said bolt passes, and a spanner device rotatably mounted on said fittins and engaging said bolt.

:3. A stoppering device according to claim 2, including packing means, such as, a gland in said fit-tin said bolt passing through said packing means, and a shaped head on said bolt engaging said spanner device. I I v A stoppering device according to claim 2, including a boss on said fitting, a sleeve on said spanner device, said sleeve fitting over said boss, a flange on said sleeve, and an L-shaped rim secured to said fitting and overlapping said flange.

5. A stoppering device according to claim 2, including a boss on said fitting, a sleeve on said spanner device, said sleeve fitting over said boss, a flange on said sleeve, and ,an L-shaped rim secured to said'fitting and overlapping said flange and locking means for preventing relative movement between said sleeve and said boss.

5. ,A stoppering device according to claim =2, including a boss on said fitting, a sleeve on said spanner .device,vsaid sleeve fitting over said boss,

21 flange .on saidsleeve, and an L shaped rim 'secured {to said fitting ,and overlapping said flange said rim and flange haying register-ing holes therein, and a pin engaging said registering holes.

A stopper-ingpdevice according to claim 2,

wherein the pitch of .the screw-thread of the ternally, said :plug :having an axial bore said threaded end extending almost completely there:-

tion thereto, said plug having an annular groove therein around said stem, said groove being adapted to receive an explosive, said plug having a lateral bore therein leading to said groove, said lateral bore being adapted to receive an ignition device, an internally screw-threaded sleeve receiving said stem, said internally threaded sleeve being adapted to close said groove, a fitting internally screw-threaded at one end, said fitting being screwed on said concentric sleeve, a boss at the other end of said fitting, a packing gland in said boss, a bolt passing through said gland and engaging the other end of said internally threaded sleeve, a hexagon head on said bolt, a spanner device rotatably mounted on said boss, said spanner device having a hexagon hole therein for engagement with said head, said spanner device including a handle, a sleeve fitting over said boss and a flange on said last mentioned sleeve, an L-shaped rim secured to said fitting, said rim overlapping said flange so as to prevent detachment of the spanner device while allowing same to turn on said boss, said flange and said L-shaped rim having registering holes therein, and a pin engaging said registering holes.

AN'DERS MATI-IISEN.

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