US2539991A

US2539991A - Pressure expansion gun

Info

Publication number: US2539991A
Application number: US114724A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert S Chapman
Original assignee: ELMER R PERKINS
Current assignee: ELMER R PERKINS
Priority date: 1949-09-09
Filing date: 1949-09-09
Publication date: 1951-01-30
Anticipated expiration: 1968-01-30

Description

Jan. 30, 1951 R. s. CHAPMAN PRESSURE EXPANSION GUN 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Sept. 9, 1949 Jan. 30, 1951 R. s. CHAPMAN PRESSURE ExPANsIoN GUN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 9, 1949 fifi/iff v N Rm Y MKM fc\a V T Nxxr A Patented Jan. 30, 195i PRESSURE EXPANSION GUN Robert S. Chapman, Phoenix, Ariz., assignor to Elmer R. Perkins, Young County,7 Tex.

Application September 9, 1949, Serial No. H4524 4 Claims. (Clz S32-l.)

This invention pertains to pressure expansion guns for extracting "fibre from fibrous bearing plants.v

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an economical and eiilcient vessel into which libre bearing plants may be placed and sealed, so that steam may be introduced to permeate all parts of the charge and at a desired time thereafter the contents may be discharged or expelled by the opening of the valve at the bottom of the vessel.

Another object is to provide an expansion vessel of the type mentioned which has means for loading and distributing the load within the vesse Another object is to provide an expansion vessel of the type mentioned in which means is provided for distributing steam or high pressure air evenly to all parts of the load.

Still another object is to provide mechanism for closing an expansion valve at the bottom of a cylindrical shaped vessel and for quickly opening it to permit 4the contents to expand therefrom. Other objects will appear hereinafter.

l attain the foregoing objects by means of the apparatus shown in the accompanying drawings in which Figure l is a vertical sectional view of the expension vessel. and attendant mechanism.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the vessel with the operation mechanism sectioned off and removed.

Figure 3 is aside elevation of the opening and closing mechanism, drawn on an enlarged scale.

Figure 4 is a horizontalsection taken on lines 3-3 of Figure l. f l

And Figure 5 is a plan view of the dash pot cylinder piston.v

Similar numerals refer to similar parts in the several views.

The body of the vessel 2 is cylindrical. It is closed at the top by a dome shaped header 3 Vand at the bottom by an end piece 4. The entire perimeter of the vessel may be lagged as indi- 2 longitudinally through the center of the vessel is a shaft 30 which carries the expansion valve plug 3l at its bottom end. A gland thimble 32 seals shaft 30 in area 6 at the top of the vessel. and a gland thimble 34 sealsv'the shaft 30 into the bottom of the central steam distribution tube- 25. These thimbles also act as bearings. Valve plug 3| is resiliently attached to shaft 3l by means of a heavy spring 36 tensioned by a nut 31 at its bottom end.

Surrounding tube 25 and concentrically positioned is a cylindrical load holding basket M. This is perforated throughout its perimeter and both this and tube 25 are provided with strengthening rings 42.

On the top of the vessel closure 3, a steam entrance inlet pipe 45 is positioned to direct steam into vessel 2 and over a conical distribution plate it. A steam control valve is indicatedby numeral 4l. In addition to the steam entrance pipe there are compressed air inlets il connected to pipe N9 and closed by valve 50. and a vacuum pipe line 52 closed by valve 54, and lastly a safety valve 56.

Leaves or other libre bearing plants and parts of plants are introduced into the chamber through entrance opening l5 after door il has been unlocked and opened. Prior to this, v alve plug 3| has been closed on valve seat packing 22. The libre bearing material lls basket 40, and as it reaches the top, hand wheel Il is rotated in order to rotate the levelling rake 9 which opercated by the numeral 5. The top header of the vessel includes a circular area 6 which forms a support for the valve operating mechanism infv y shaped and its opening 20 isprovided with a flange 2| carrying a ring shaped packing 22.

Concentric with the axis of the vessel is a perforated steam distribution tube 25. This is attached to the inner surface of area 6 at its top, and has a thimble 29 at its bottom. Extending is filled and leveled, the cover i1 is closed and bolted shut. Steam is then introduced through pipe until the proper pressure has been reached throughout the load. When this is done valve plug 3| is quickly released from seat 2b and the load expanded downward into a receiver where it is brought into contact with water spray and thoroughly washed and tumbled.

Thereafter the vacuum pipe line 52 may be opened to scavenge the interior of the vessel of water vapor etc., and make it ready for the next load. In certain instances after the introduction of steam as aforesaid compressed air is introduced through openings 48 at a higher pressure than the steam pressure within the chamber and expansion made thereafter.

Valveplug 3| is held on packing ring 22 of seat 20, and released from this seat by mechanism indicated generally at 'I but shown in detail in Figure 3.

The plug is primarily closed and held closed by a piston 6B operating in a valve operating '22. lit is held and locked in this position (While pressure is maintained on it) by the mechanism shown in Figure 3, and consisting of a number of angular wedges 64 surrounding shaft 30 and resting on the top face of plate 65, which is the cover of shock absorbing cylinder or dash pot 66. These frictional lock wedges are held normally in loose position by a circular spring 61, and are supported by loose hinges on the top of plate 65. While plug 3i is held closed, a slip sleeve or collar 63 is jammed down tightly over these wedges by means of lever operated by piston rod 'Il running in locking cylinder 12. The piston in this cylinder can be actuated either by hydraulic means or pneumatic means. By the action of slip sleeve 63, wedges 64 grip tightly against rod 30 so that valve plug 3| is held in closed position. After this, steam is introduced into vessel 2, as above explained. After steam has been introduced, the valve plug 3| is released by reversing movement of sleeve 63. Wedges 6I then release shaft 30 and the internal pressure of vessel 2 forces valve plug 3i to open position as shown by dotted line 3IA.

To stop the motion of shaft 30 and its attendant parts, when it has reached the limit of its travel. I provide the dash pot cylinder 66, which is partially lled with oil 80, and piston 8| on shaft 30. Piston 8i is perforated by a number of holes 85 arranged centrically near its perimeter. This allows the oil 80 to move from the bottom of this cylinder to its top as the piston is forced downward. The size and relation of these holes to the volume and size of piston 8i in cylinder 66 governs the speed with which the downward m'otion of the piston is stopped. A valve 63 seats on larger holes 86 and is positioned on shaft 30 below the bottom face of piston 8l. It is slidably operative, a short distance, on shaft 3|) so that it opens and stays open by its own weight when piston 8| is at the top of cylinder 66, and closes when its tapered nose 84 impinges on the top of oil 80. During the ilrst part of its downward stroke air and oil flow through holes 85 and I6 until the surface of oil 80 is reached. Thereafter, the oil is forced through the holes, 85 only, and the motion of the piston is progressively retarded as it approaches the bottom of cylinder 66.

It is to be understood that before valve plug l 3| has been opened by operation of cylinder 60,

all hydraulic iluid is removed from the under side of the piston 6I operating in cylinder 6U. Suitable oil pumps and control valves are connected to both the valve operating cylinder 60 and the collar operating or locking cylinder 12.

These are of conventional structure and are therefore not shown in detail.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided an expansion vessel, as herein concerned. which is easily constructed and assembled, and operatively and thermally efficient. The fibrous plant material may be forced through loading door or wilted by wet steam and fed by gravity. The load is evenly distributed by the leveling rake, and then, after closing and sealing the loading door, steam is evenly introduced throughout the whole load by the perforated center tube and the load holding basket. I have found that steam at high temperatures, often chars the plant fibers, therefore, I have provided means for the introduction of compressed air. Steam is first introduced to permeate and soften the plant material; high pressure air is then introduced to build up pressure to attain complete CII expansion. The position of the loading door at the top, and the expansion valve at the bottom of the cylindrical vessel enhance the elciency of the entire unit.

I claim:

1. A pressure expansion gun for extracting fiber from fiber bearing plants, including in combination a cylindrical vessel closed by a header at the top and by a funnel shaped end piece at the bottom terminating in a concentrically positioned valve seat; an axially extending concentrically positioned perforated steam distributing tube attached to the bottom face of said header at its top and positioned by a thimble at its bottom; an axially extending bottomless cylindrical perforated load holding basket concentrically positioned in spaced relation to said steam distributing tube; an eccentrically positioned loading door in said top header; a valve plug supported on a centrally positioned axially extending and operating valve shaft slidably bearing in and sealed into said top header, adapted to close on said valve seat and open by downward movement therefrom: means moving said valve shaft to closed position and instantly releasing it, when desired, including a piston mounted on the top of said valve shaft operative in a hydraulic cylinder mounted on said top header, a set of friction jaws surrounding said shaft and mounted on said top header, an axially operative collar surrounding said jaws adapted to clamp them onto said valve shaft; and hydraulic means for moving said collar from clamping position to released position; and means for introducing steam into the top of said cylindrical vessel so that it enters said perforated steam distributing tube and said perforated basket and permeates ber bearing plants loaded into said basket.

2. A pressure expansion gun for extracting fiber from fiber bearing plants, including in combination a cylindrical vessel closed by a header at the tcp and by a funnel shaped end piece at the bottom terminating in a concentrically positioned valve seat; an axially extending concentrically positioned perforated steam distributing tube attached to the bottom face of said header at its top and positioned by a thimble at its bottom; an axially extending bottomless cylindrical perforated load holding basket concentrically positioned in spaced relation to said steam distributing tube; and eccentrically positioned loading door in said top header; a valve plug supported on a centrally positioned axially extending and operating valve shaft slidably bearing in and sealed into said top header, adapted to close on said valve seat and open by downward movement therefrom; means moving said valve shaft to closed position and instantly releasing it, when desired, including a piston mounted on the top of said valve shaft operative in a hydraulic cylinder mounted on said top header, a set of friction jaws surrounding said shaft and mounted on said top header, an axially operative collar surrounding said jaws adapted to clamp them onto said valve shaft; and hydraulic means for moving said collar from clamping position to released position; and a dash pot for stopping the opening movement of said valve shaft including a cylinder mounted on said top closure, a piston, keyed to said shaft, operative in said cylinder having a plurality of small holes near its perimeter, and large holes near its center closable by upward movement of a plate valve, and hydraulic fluid, half filling said cylinder, whereby it may be forced into the upper portion of said cylinder through said holes and so that said plate valve may be closed on impact'therewith; and means for introducing steam into the top of said cylindrical vessel so that it enters said perforated steam distributing tube and said perforated basket and permeates fiber bearing plants loaded into said basket; and means for introducing compressed air into said vessel independently of said steam.

3. A pressure expansion gun for extracting fiber from fiber bearing plants, including in combination a cylindrical vessel closed by a header at the top and by a funnel shaped end piece at the bottom terminating in a concentrically positioned valve seat; an axially extending concentrically positioned perforated steam distributing tube attached to the bottom face of said header at its top and positioned by a thimble at its bottom; an axially extending bottomless cylindrical perforated load holding basket concentrically positioned in spaced relation to said steam distributing tube; an eccentrically positioned loading door in said top header; a valve plug supported on a centrally positioned axially extending and operating valve shaft slidably bearing in and sealed into said top header, adapted to close on said valve seat and open by downward movement there from; means moving said valve shaft to closed position and instantly releasing it, when desired,

including a piston mounted on the top of said valve shaft operative in a hydraulic cylinder mounted on said top header, a set of friction jaws surrounding said shaft and mounted on said top header, an axially operative collar surrounding said Jaws adapted to clamp them onto said valve shaft; and hydraulic means for moving said collar from clamping position to released position; and means for leveling and distributing fiber bearing material introduced through said eccentrically disposed loading door, including a rotary leveling rake iournalled around said valve shaft at the top of said vessel, and a radially extending drive shaft geared to turn said rake at its inner end, having a drive wheel at its outer end, passing radially outward through said vessel and sealed by a gland; and means for introducing steam into the top of said cylindrical vessel so that it enters said perforated steam distributing tube and said perforated basket and permeates ilber bearing plants loaded into said basket.

4. In a pressure vessel for expanding ber bearing plants, having a centrally positioned vertically Voperating expansion valve, closing on a valve seat at the bottom thereof mechanism for operating said valve, including in combination; a vertical valve shaft carrying a valve plug on its lower end and a piston on its upper end, adapted to extend through the upper part of said vessel; glands providing bearing surfaces and sealing means' for said shaft in said vessel; a hydraulic cylinder operatively accepting. said shaft piston, arranged to force said shaft upward to close said valve and, when desired, to permit rapid downward opening movement thereof; a dash pot for slackening and stopping downward movement of said valve shaft including a cylinder supported on the top of said vessel surrounding said shaft partially filled with oil, a piston keyed to said valve shaft operative in said cylinder, peripherally disposed holes in lsaid piston forming a primary multiple passageway of predetermined size between the bottom of said cylinder and the top. a secondary larger passageway through said piston formed by holes formed adjacent the center thereof to permit rapid movement of oil from the upper end of said cylinder to the lower end thereof, a plate valve slidably operative on said shaft below said piston being normally in depressed open position, and adapted to be moved upward to a position closing said secondary passageway by impact of said valve with said oil in said dash pot cylinder; means for retaining said shaft in raised position to keep said valve closed including a plurality of gripping dogs surrounding said shaft and hinged to the top of said dash pot cylinder, said dogs being wedge shaped and having levelled outer faces tapering inward, a locking collar surrounding said dogs having an internal bore tapering inward and upward, and means for forcing said collar downward onto sad dogs to clamp them onto said shaft, and for reverse movement to effect release, including a lever hinged to said cylinder and operative on said collar, and a hydraulic piston and cylinder adapted to move the unhinged end of said lever downward and upward and move said collar from clamping to released position.

ROBERT S. CHAPMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATEN'IS Brandes June 28, 1945