US2410214A - Safety mechanism for dye kettles and the like - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 29, 1946- J. H. HlGGlNSON ET AL 2,410,214

SAFETY MECHANISM FOR DYE KETTLES AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 7, 1944 2 Sheets- Sheet 1 irry.

29, 1946- J. H. HIGGINSON ET AL 2,410,214

SAFETY MECHANISM FOR DYE KETTLES AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 7, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 29, 1 943 SAFETY MECHANISM FOR DYE KETTLES AND THE LIKE Joseph H. Higginson and Homer C. Riggs, An-

dover, Mass, assignors to Riggs & Lombard, Inc., Lowell, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application January 7, 1944, Serial No. 517,460

3 Claims.

This invention relates to safety mechanism for closing an opening in a receptacle containing fluid underpressure, and the general purpose of the invention is to provide mechanism for preventing release of the cover so long as fluid pressure in the receptacle is maintained.

More particularly the invention relates to improvements in stock dye kettles, or other receptacles, containing hot dye, or other liquid, which is circulated under pressure through the stock in the kettle and which are provided with a sampling hole or aperture through which a sample of the stock in the kettle can be obtained, or the condition of the material in the receptacle can be determined.

In usual dye kettles or the like the aperture is provided with a cover which is clamped firmly over the aperture by detachable means so that the cover can be removed to obtain access to the material within the kettle. If the cover is released before the fluid pressure of the material is released the hot vapors issuing from the aperture is apt to injure'the operator.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a safety cover construction for the sampling hole or aperture in the dye kettle or the like, or more broadly stated to provide a cover mechanism for closing an opening in a receptacle containing fluid under pressure which cannot be released or removed so long as pressure in the dye kettle or receptacle is maintained.

A further object of the invention is to provide mechanism for more effectively clamping-the cover upon the opening and formaintainingthe cover in such clamped position until fluid pres sure in the container is released.

These and other objects andf eatures of the. invention will more fullyappear from the following description and the accompanying drawings and will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated hereinas applied to the cover plate of a stock dye kettle of the type illustrated and described in our prior Patent No. 2,275,818 granted March 10, 1942, but is adapted to othertypes of dye kettles in which the hot dye liquor is circulated in a closed container provided with a.

Inasmuch as the general 5 consampling hole. 7 struction of the dye kettle is disclosed in, our

prior patent aforesaid only such upper portion of the kettle and cover is illustrated herein as is,

necessary to illustrate the novel construction forming the subject matter of the present in} vention. v

In the drawings: 'i Fig. 1 is a view, mainlyin vertical section, of

' the upper portion of the dye kettle and the cover plate therefor provided with a sampling hole and cover mechanism embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, portions of the cover plate being broken away;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view in diametrical vertical section showing the cylindrical wall surrounding the sampling hole and cover therefor and the preferred mechanism for locking the cover in closed position; and,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view partly in Vertical section of a modified form of mechanism for locking the cover to the sampling hole in closed position.

The dye kettle, which may be of any suitable construction preferably of the type illustrated inour patent aforesaid, for containing the stock to be dyed with means for circulating hot dye liquor through the stock is provided with a vertical cylindrical wall I and the stock is supported upon 7 a suitable removable carrier having a central cured by a bolt H to the apex portion of divergtubular perforated standard through which heated dye liquor is forced under pressure into and upon the material on the carrier. The upper end of the standard 2 has secured to it a clevis adapted to be engaged by means for lifting the carrier out of the kettle. The cylindrical wall I is provided adjacent its upper end with a peripheral angle bar flange 3 having a rib 4 spaced from the wall I to provide a seat for a gasket 5 of suitable material upon which the peripheral portion of a cover plate 6 is mounted. The cover plate 6 preferably has an upwardly concave central portion and a vertical wall 1 adjacent its periphery and is reinforced byradial girders 8 welded thereto and to said peripheral wall and to a central hub 10. A circular top plate 9 desirably is mounted upon the girders 8 to form a finished cover plate construction. The central hub: I0 is seing lifting arms '12 having means (not shown) for swinging the cover plate construction upwardly out of the path of the stock carrier of the kettle when the latter is lifted out of the kettle.

A flange l3 complementary to the flange 3 on the upper end of the kettle extends outwardly from the wall 1 and overlies the periphery of the cover plate 6. Suitable means are provided for clamping the cover plate construction upon the gasket "5, such as equally spaced clamps l4 pivotally mounted inbrackets l5 secured to the angle bar flange member 3 and provided with a screw l6 having a headl'l to engage the flange l3 and actuating handles 18.

The top plate 9 has a suitable opening H! to permit access to the cover for a sampling hole 29 in the cover plate located in convenient proximity to the periphery of the kettle. A cylindrical wall 2!, which is welded to the cover plate 6, surrounds the periphery of the aperture The cover 22. for the sampling hole comprises a flat plate having a downwardly extending flange 23 which telescopically surrounds the peripheral wall 2! of the sampling hole.

Suitable means are provided for locking and? provided with suitable interengaging membersadapted when interengaged tohold or clamp the gasket of the cover tightly upon the peripheral wall 2! of the sampling hole. In the preferred construction the interengaging members comprise a plurality of pairs of diametrically opposite pins 26 which are mounted upon andextend outwardly from the peripheral wall 21 of the sampling hole. The flange 23 of the cover is provided with bayonet slots adapted to engage the respective pins 26 and comprise a. vertical entrance 2'! which communicates with alaterally and Slightly upwardly extending slot 28 so that when the cover is placed upon the wall 2| of the sampling hole the pins 2% will enter the vertical slot and upon rotative movement of the cover in a proper direction will force the cover downwardly so as to compress the gasket firmly upon the upper end of the wall.

Suitable means are provided for retaining the interengaging members in engagement so long as fluid pressure is maintained in the kettle. In the preferred construction illustrated a series of ratchet teeth 23 are formed on the under face of the outwardly extending rim 30 of the cover and are adapted to be engaged by. a suitable latch 3| which is forced into such. engagement. by the fluid pressure within the kettle.

In the construction illustrated the latch Si is integral with. or is secured to a cross head 32 which is reciprocably mounted in a sleeve 33 provided with an externally threaded lower end which engages a block 34 which is welded or otherwise secured to the cover plate 6. A lever 35 extends diametrically through suitable openings in the sleeve 33 and cross head 32 and is fulcrumed upon a pin 36 which is mounted in a boss extending from the wall of the sleeve 33. The lever 35 is provided with a slot 37 which is engaged by a pin 38 which is mounted in the; cross head and extends through the slot 31. The opposite end of the lever 35'is likewise provided with a slot 39 which is engaged by a pin 40 which is mounted in the bifurcated end portion of a 44 is so constructed that its upper surface will engage the inclined under face of the cover plates,

6 and the lower faceof thering wi1l,be in horizontal position at right angles to the axis of the piston rod ll. The ring 44 may be welded or otherwise secured to the under face of the cover plate 6.

A coiled spring 4i, which surrounds the latch 3i, and is interposed between the upper end of the cross head 32 and a flange 48 on the sleeve 33,

normally forces the latch downwardly out of ratchet-engaging position and likewise causes the lever 35 to depress the diaphragm into the position illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 3.

In the.- operation of the device the carrier of the kettle; isloaded: 'With stock to be dyed, or otherwise treated, while the cover plate is held in open position. The cover plate is then swung to closed position and secured firmly upon the kettle by the clamps l4;

Thehan'd hole cover 22 is then lowered through the opening l5 in the upper plate 8 of the kettle cover with its flange 23 telescopically surrounding. the peripheral Wall 2! of the sampling hole.

The cover is thenmanipulated to cause thepins 26, which extend outwardly from the wall 2i, to enter the vertical portion 21 of the bayonet slots. The cover is then rotated in a direction to cause the pins to ride on the inclined-lower wall of the portion 28 of the bayonet slot, thus forcing the cover and its gasket. 25 downwardly and. firmly sealing it upon the upper end of the wall 2.1- of the sampling hole.

When the hot dye liquor is. forced into the kettle the vapors therefrom produce suflicient fluid pressure in the upper portion of the kettle to force the diaphragm 43' upwardly thereby. causing the piston rod M to raise the outer end of the lever' 35 and raise the latch into engagement with the ratchet teeth 29. on the under face of the projecting rim 3!) of the cover, thus locking the cover against reverse rotation and maintaining the interengaging members of the cover in locked posi-. tion so long as fluid pressure in the kettle, is maintained.

By reason of thisconstruction thecover is ab- I solutely prevented from removal until release of the fluid pressure in the kettle when the spring 41 will force the latch downwardly into an operative position. The rim of the cover can then be readily grasped by the hands of the. operator and the cover reversely rotated and removed to permit sampling of the stock in the kettle or examination of the conditions-which obtain within the kettle.

It will be noted that by reason of the ratchet and latch construction the cover may be rotated arm which is pivotally mounted'upon theperiph;

eral Wall which surrounds the-sampling hole and extends diametrically over the cover and is connected centrally thereto with clamping means engaging the opposite end'of the arm to hold the cover in closed position and means operableby the fluid pressure in the kettletoprevent release of the clamping means so long as fluid-pressure is maintained in the kettle.

As illustrated in Fig. 5 a vertical ear or ears 49 are welded to. theperipheral wall 21 of the opening it) and a lever 50, which is pivotally mounted on the ear or ears 49, extends upwardly and .thence diametrically across the cover 22. The lever 50 is provided with a stud 5|, located centrally over the cover 22, the lower end of which extends into the space between a pair of bosses 52 and 53 which are preferably integral with and extend upwardly from the central portion of the cover. nected to the bosses52 and 53 by a pin 54. The upper end of the stud extends through the lever 50 and is secured thereto by a transverse pin 55. The free end of the lever is provided with a bifurcated end portion 56 and the upper edge of the lever is provided with a curved portion 51 which forms a seat for a hand wheel 58 the hub of which is provided with a screw threaded bore in which is mounted a screw threaded rod 59 having at its lower end an integral enlarged cylindrical portion 60 which is journaled on a stud 6| which is mounted in ears 62 which are welded to and extend outwardly from the peripheral wall 2| which surrounds the sampling hole 20. The cylindrical portion 60 of the rod 59 is provided with a series of ratchet teeth 63 adapted to be engaged by a locking pawl 64 which is slidably mounted in the upper wall of an inverted hollow cylindrical boss 65 which is Welded to the cover plate 60 of the kettle. The locking pawl 64 is forced into locking position by means subject to the fluid pressure within the kettle which, as illustrated in Fig. 5, is similar to that shown in detail in Fig. 3. In the construction shown in Fig. 5 the lower end of the locking pawl 64 has an enlarged cylindrical portion 66 which, like the piston rod 4|, shown in Fig. 3, is integral with or has secured to it a disk 42 which engages a flexible diaphragm 43 which is mounted on the under face of the ring 44 and clamped upon it by a ring 45 and screws 46. v

In the operation of the device shown in Fig. 5 the lever 50, which carries the cover 22, is swung to closed position, as illustrated in full lines in Fig. 5, so that the cover fits tightly upon the gasket 25 and clamps the latter firmly upon the upper end of the peripheral wall 2! of the sampling hole. The rod 59 is swung about its pivot 6| into the bifurcated end of the lever 56 and the hand wheel 58 then screwed down tightly clamping the cover in place. When fluid pressure builds up in the kettle the diaphragm 43 is forced upwardly thereby raising the locking pawl 64 into engagement with a tooth of the ratchet 63, thus preventing the clamping rod 59 and hand wheel 58 from being swung out of engagement with the lever 59 so that the cover cannot be removed until release of the fluid pressure in the kettle.

It will be noted that the bifurcation in the end of the lever extends somewhat beyond the vertical position of the rod 59 and that the lower end of the hub of the hand wheel 58 is circularly curved to fit upon the complementary circular seat 51 upon the lever 50. This enablesthe rod 59 to be swung sufiiciently to cause a proper tooth in the ratchet to be'engaged by the pawl 64 and hold the cover down upon the gasket 25 with sufficient pressure to prevent the escape of any gaseous fluid under pressure from the sampling hole.

Suitable means are provided for releasing the pawl when fluid pressure in the kettle is relieved. This desirably is accomplished by a coiled spring 61 which is interposed between the cylindrical portion 66 of the pawl and the upper wall of the The stud 5| is pivotallyconboss 65., When fluid pressure in the kettle is re leased the spring 61 will force the pawl 64 downto be swung outwardly over the end of the lever 59 to dotted position illustrated in Fig. 5. The

lever may then be swung upwardly and later-,.

ally thusremoving the cover to the dotted position illustrated in Fig. 5, thereby uncovering the sampling hole and permitting access to thecontents of thekettle. This construction presents} certain advantages over that illustrated in Figs.

1-3 in that the cover is always connected to the cover plate of the kettle instead of being freely removable from it.

It is obvious that the invention is applicable to other types of stock dyeing kettles or to any type of receptacle containing fluid under pressure with respect to which it is desirable to have an opening for determining the condition of the contents of the receptacle.

It is to be understood that the preferred embodiment of the invention shown and described herein is of an illustrative character and that other forms of interengaging and'locking mechanism may be employed within the spirit and scope of the claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. Safety closure mechanism for the sampling hole in a stock dye kettle or the like containing fluid under pressure and having a cover plate provided with an outwardly extending cylindrical wall surrounding the sampling hole comprising a cover for said sampling hole having a flange telescopically and rotatably fitting said wall, cooperating means on said cover flange and wall operable upon rotation of the cover in one direction to clamp the cover on said wall and upon rotation in the opposite direction to release the cover therefrom, a peripheral rim on said cover provided with a series of recesses, a latch reciprocably mounted on the cover plate of said kettle in cooperative relation to the recess in said rim, and means operable by the fluid under pressure in said kettle to maintain the latch in engagement with a recess in said rim so long as fluid pressure in the kettle is maintained. 2. Safety closure mechanism for the sampling hole in a stock dye kettle or the like containing fluid under pressure and having a cover plate provided with an outwardly extending cylindrical wall surrounding the sampling hole, comprising a cover for said sampling hole having a flange telescopically and rotatably fitting said wall, a gasket between the end of said wall and cover, complementary bayonet and slot connection on said flange and wall movable by rotation of said cover into interengagement in which slots on the cover are so inclined as to clamp the cover and gasket upon said wall, a peripheral rim on said cover provided with a series of ratchet teeth, a latch mounted on the cover plate of said kettle adapted to engage the teeth of said ratchet, and means operable by fluid under pressure in said kettle to maintain the latch in engagement with the ratchet so long as pressure in the kettle is maintained, and means withdrawing the latch from such engagement upon release of said fiuid pressure to permit reverse rotation and removal of said cover upon release of said fluid pressure.

3. Closure mechanism for the sampling hole of a stock dye kettle or the like containing fluid upon? said wall, a peripheral rim on said cover provided with a series of ratchet: teeth, alatch reciprocably mounted on the. cover plate. of. said kettle adapted to engage the teeth of said 'ratch et', a," latch-operating leverxmounted on the; cover plate of said,kett1e,.a diaphragm Within saidkettle subject to the fluid. pressure therein having,

means engaging said lever' operable to maintain said latch in engagement with said ratchet teeth so long as pressure ismaintained in said kettle, and a spring'acting upon said latch to withdraw it from engagement with said ratchet teeth upon 10 release of fluid pressure invthe kettle;

JOSEPH H'. HIGGINVSONL HOMER c. RIGGS.

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