US2670232A

US2670232A - Cover clamp

Info

Publication number: US2670232A
Application number: US259959A
Authority: US
Inventors: Schmitz Ewald
Original assignee: AO Smith Corp
Current assignee: AO Smith Corp
Priority date: 1951-12-05
Filing date: 1951-12-05
Publication date: 1954-02-23
Anticipated expiration: 1971-02-23

Description

Feb. 23, 1954 E, sCHMn-Z 2,670,232

COVERv CLAMP Filed Dec. 5 1951 Y Z7 JNVENTOR.

V wald chmz'tz BY @41W I ATTORNEYS.

are generally used with `glass-lined tank for the llike.

4a manway cover for a tank which ly operated, and which permits ease of cleaning, 1 thereby providing for desirable sanitation chari the clamp of the invention J the lower end of the clamp the wing-nut turned 270 f tive to the position of the wing-nut depicted in Fig. 3:

Patented Feb. 23, 1954 COVER CLAMP Ewald Schmitz, Milwauke Smith Corporation, ration of New York e, Wis., assignor to A. O. Milwaukee, Wis., a corpo- Application December 5, 1951, Serial No. 259,959

4 Claims.

generally to a clamp for manway covers such as large storage tanks for various liquid products. Specically, the clamp of this invention will be described in association with a manway cover which may be used with a storage of beer or the This invention relates use in connection with One object of the invention is to provide a relatively simple clamp for use in connection with in which a positive connection is afforded between the turningr means employed and the clamp utilized in removably securing a manway cover to a tank in a desired location.

Another object is to provide a clamping means whereby the manway 'cover to which the means is applied is unlatched or latched in place without vvisual observation.

r the latter will be positively moved from locked or locking position so that a removably secured manway cover may be easily and quickly removed from the container or tank to which it has been applied.

Another object is to provide clamping means for the manway cover of a vessel or the like may be assembled with great facility, easiacteristics.

These and other objects will appear from the following description when taken in connection `with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figurevl is a top plan view of a manway cover -secured to a manway or the like by the clamps of this invention, sake of clarity;

with parts broken away for the Fig. 2 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of showing the clamp in a position to secure the manway cover to a man- Way;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the clamp backed off so that the hook disposed at hook is disengaged from the annular flange disposed at the upper edge of a manway;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing counterclockwise rela- Fig. 5 is a view taken'on line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

body I6 of the nut Fig. 6 is a view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

The following description will be limited to descri-bing a single clamping unit in conjunction with a manway cover for a storage tank in which any suitable number of these units may be spaced about a vessel cover as best seen in Figure 1.

Briefly the invention comprises a 'clamping member for clamping a cover over an opening in the tank in which the clamping member is permitted limited longitudinal movement and is actuated by rotational movement of a threaded nut. The clamping member is provided with a stop or abutment at one end, which frictionally engages a second stop or abutment on the nut disposed in the path of movement of the clamping member, the clamping member being moved by rotation of the nut. The binding action between the two stop members causes a hook disposed at the end opposite the stop end of the clamping member to swing outwardly from under a ange member on the tank which releases the cover member from engagement with the tank. In tightening the cover in place the established binding action of the two stops causes the hook to immediately swing under the ange for engaging the flange and'securing the cover in place. Each clamping member shown around the circumference is the same.

According to the invention a manway I, which may be disposed either vertically or horizontally, and having a wall 2, is provided with an annular flange 3, extending outwardly from the upper edge of the wall.

Cover 4 is disposed at the outer end of the manway I, and is shown as provided with spaced annular bearing cups 5, adjacent its outer edge, each formed by the apertured base 6 and the circular flange 1, the latter extending `outwardly from and upwardly and normal to the outer rim of the cover.

Gasket 8 of any suitable material may be dis posed between the ange 3 and the cover, and when compressed between the ilange and the cover, provides an efcient seal between these members. y

Adjacent the upper edge of the ange 'I a threaded aperture 9 is disposed radially through the flange for the reception of a hex-socket setscrew I0. 'I'he inner end II of set-screw I0 is disposed, when the clamp of the invention is kassembled, in an annular groove I2 disposed radja- `cent the lower edge of the body of a wing-nut I3, as later described.

Wing-nut I3, provided with the usual handles I4, has a bore I5 extending longitudinally of the and is internally threaded at l1 from the lower a. distance substantially midway and provides a bridge 20 dles I4.

A threaded aperture erture 3, extends radially 3 edge of the nut, upwardly for the length of upper end I8 of the bore is reand is devoid of threads. The bore is tapered inwardly at i8 intermediate. the han- 2I, disposed above the apthrough the body of the wing-nut, for the reception of a second hexsocket set-screw 22, the

is disposed in the inner end 23 of which. upper end of bore I8 when. the

set-screw is turned inwardly toserve-its intend.-

ed function.

Clamping hook 2 is provided with a smooth body 25 adjacent its lower end`v which isdisposed in aperture 26 extending through basel 6 of cup 5 and is adaptedfor vertioal'movement therethrough in response nut. The lower end of body la' hook member to turning oi the wing- 21 which is adapted4 to seat a'gainst. the lower surface of flange 3' of the vessel unde'r" certain operating conditions.

ly above hook 21 .body stop lue outer vertical ed'g The mid-portion of body 251is fn 'a direction to wing-nut; The clamping hook` is disposed inthe l 25, and angularly onset from hook Immediateand'. extending radially from 2.1) a

23 is disposed so that it will' engage the e of' iiange 3'.

threaded at 29 match the threads i'i 0i the f bore of the wing-nut which in turn. isaligned withthe aperture 1in the base of the cup. Turnoffthe wing-nut,v under conditions oi restrict- A.ed axial` movement. of the wing-nut, will cause tne clamphook to leed into. or out or` the. wing'- nut..

l, T be clamping hook. 241 is. reduced in diameter from the. threaded portion. toadjacent the upper ,end of the clampi or valziutrner-it 30 a bvthe inner end 23 .downward travelof' the by the engageme'nt` oi .inner end. 23 of ng` hook. to provide a shoulder t. its upper of screw 22.. The axial Clamping hookis limited l' In. assemblingv the clamp. unit the.r wing-rmt .t3

is iriserted'mto the Set-screw ill,V is turned inwardly cover memben.

bearing. .cup 5- in the. manway -zsoythatfits inner end LLentei-s they annular groove 'The wing-nut is-now free to turnin the naamw-a5; cover while. being. held from moving in an axial direction. Next the clam-ping hook. 24 isi threaded into the wingenut andset-screw 22 -.s turnedir-iwardly so that its at the: reduced. portion and under- 331 ofthe clamping. hnolr..

To eiieot the inner end- 23. is the shoulder clamping operation with 'the .aclarrrp fof this 'invention after the ela-inpsA have been assembled on the cover mounted ,on the:

will clear the fjset vplace. "'hooisiare turned manway ange clockwise until the stops 28 on the'hooks meet the manway ange.

is then given about one and 'Each wing-nut gne-hair' turns .in Supp the hook; and and' compress the a clockwise direction to draw clamp `the cover to the frange gasket S' between the coverand the ange 3. so that. a pressure-tightv seal results.

since` the Vrotation of. the,

urther. i`s`ev direction results in move- 25 is provided' with endto. be engaged the shoulder 3.0A with. the the set-screw 22.

and-'the never is tank', the ihoolis 2:4y are 1set rehooks 2li 'halted by turning. .oi .the wirlgi ment of the hooks into the wing-nuts, with a resultant compression of the gasket.

To effect removal of the cover from the manway, the wing-nut of each unit is turned in a counterclockwise direction. This will cause the hook` 24 to be fed downwardly. with relation to thebody ofthe wing-nutiand flange 3 until shoulder 3i) of hook unit 24 engages the inner end 23 of the set-screw 22. At this time the axial movement of the hook unit is arrested and because of the binding action between shoulder 30 and the inner. endof the set-screw the hook 21 will swing tree of. iiange.- 3 tothe position shown in Fig. 6.

' .ing rneanson said cover` wardy beyond the: iange.

reassembly of the hook unit will result in the hook 24 oi the unit swinging beneath flange 3 due to the established binding engagement of shoulder 3U with setscrew or abutment 22.

The invention provides. aA structure.` for attaching a vcover in place wherein a. positive means is employed to rotate the hool: units and'. swing thehook portion oiV the unit to. pOsitQns: either beneath or removed from theiiange of thestructure with which the cover. is employed.v

Various .embodiments of the invention maybe employed Within the scope ofthefollowing calims.

I claim:

l. In acover assembly for. a. storagetaint:n or. the like having, a flange extending cxcumferentially oi an opening in thetank,^ alcover overlyingsaid opening andy extending .radially outwardly imm said flange,1 upstanding yflange means. on. said covena hollow cover tightening member secured to said cover flange against axial mov-GmBntbut freeto rotate,.a n abutment providedorr theinside ci. the cover tighteningt member). a clampingmember threaded into the cover tightening member, a hook disposed. .on one endA of: the. clamping membenan abutmentprovided onthe othervend or the vclanniping member adapted. to binding-ly engage. the abutment Ot the. Cover tightening member upon relatiae=V rotation ofthe.- members and efleet. positive rotation of the-haakt into. and out of. p0Sition.ior-eneaaement with theaneular cover rotation of each `flange. of the tank, and a. seeond abutment ori-:the

Ithe like having. ra. circumterentially. extending iiar-ige surrounding. .an-

opening zin; theY tank., a cover overlying said opening and flange,i bearprojecting. radially outa nut. rotatably- Seemed to said bearing means. an .abntmenton-saidmut,

. a clamping, member-extending thnongh thebearf means andv threaded inta the. nut,A

e, .henk

at one end ot theclamping-memben. a shoulder; at

:the ini-tial mammina' rot the other end of the clamping mernbpnadapted` to heI mit ,upon

ation. 0f thenllt t0 effect posi-tive .rotation et; said. nook; ontgof; and

when the cover is. 1 'After thecofver isset in place the f hei mm 'and ia' lug mm he ...adapted `to `engagev the edge into position for engagement with the iange .of clamping member ott the; trinkt-flange i and the rotational movement: .or .the hook arto,y a.. positive loekednr unlocked. position.

z use inconnectien having an annular dansent-tending 'circumferen- 3. The combination of a cianrn'and cover.- .tor with a storaeetankior the like tial-1mi an. ,opening for the tenis which comprises a cover for said opening having an upstangiing .circularcup extendingaxiallpoi said cogen, an

interiorly threaded cover tightening membergwing shape disposed Within said cup, said tightening member being free to rotate within said cup but restricted in axial movement therein, a clamping member threadedly disposed Within the tightening member, a hook disposed at one end of the clamping member and adapted to bear against the annular flange of the tank, an abutment disposed at the opposite end of the clamping member, and a set screw threaded through the side of said tightening member and extending inside the tightening member beneath the abutment on the clamping member to limit longitudinal movement of the clamping member downwardly and bind the clamping member to the cover tightening member to effect swinging movement of the clamping hook into and out of position for engagement with the annular ange of the. tank.

4. The combination of a clamp and cover for use in connection with a storage tank or the like having an annular ange extending circumferentially of an opening for the tank which comprises a. cover for said opening having an upstanding circular cup extending outwardly of said cover, a nut having an interiorly threaded body disment of the nut, an

posed within said cup, a threaded clamping member disposed within the nut body and disposed to move longitudinally upon rotation of the nut, a. hook disposed at the lower end of the clamping member, means to prevent longitudinal moveabutment on the upper end of the clamping member, a second abutment disposed in said nut to limit longitudinal moveand limit the rotational movement of the hook. EWALD SCHMITZ.

References Cited in the ille of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS