US3289551A

US3289551A - Yielding pressure-chamber partitions

Info

Publication number: US3289551A
Application number: US354697A
Authority: US
Inventors: Rzepecki Josef
Original assignee: Maschinenfabrik Burckhardt AG
Current assignee: Burckhardt Compression AG
Priority date: 1963-03-29
Filing date: 1964-03-25
Publication date: 1966-12-06
Anticipated expiration: 1983-12-06
Also published as: CH405937A; NL6403094A; GB1059766A

Description

Dec. 6, 1966 J. RZEPECKI YIELDING PRESSURE-CHAMBER PARTITIONS Filed March 25, 1964 JOSEF RZEPECKI w/ (M as/ ATTORNEYS United States Patent 0 3,28%,551 YlELDlNG PRESSURE-CHAMBER PARTITIUNS Josef Rzepeclri, Allschwil, Switzerland, assignor to Maschinenfabrik linrclrhardt A.G., Basel, Switzerland Filed Mar. 25, 1964, Ser. No. 354,697 Claims priority, applicatiogzsjvgtzerland, Mar. 29, 1963,

2 Claims. (Cl. 92-99) Yielding wall elements for separating two chambers of equal pressure are used for many technical purposes, for example in measuring or regulating devices and in membrane pumps and membrane compressors. By virtue of the pliability of the partition substantially equal pressures are attained in both chambers. The pressure difference between the two chambers can correspond at the most to the slight resistance offered by the yielding material to the deformation thereof.

It is known to make such yielding partitions of soft materials of low resistance to deformation, such as leather, rubber or plastic having rubberlike properties. The use of such materials however, is impossible in the case of high pressures, as the partition of yielding material has to be clamped fast between two sealing flanges. The specific compressive loads at the point of grip may easily become greater than the compressive strength of the soft materials used, especially in the case of high operating pressures.

It is further known to by-pass this difficulty by choosing for the manufacture of the yielding partition a material of sufliciently high strength which is capable of withstanding the clamping or restraining forces, for example a thin plate of steel or another suitable metal. Such materials, however, have a very high modulus of elasticity. The permissible sag or deflection of the elastic partition thus may be very small in order to prevent the stresses in the wall from becoming too large and the risk of breakage. When using a metallic partition, therefore, the outside diameter has to be made substantially greater than when using a partition of a soft material. When operating under high pressures, however, this great diameter may give origin to substantial forces which have to be accommodated by the flange connection.

In the use of partitions made of soft yielding material and also of partitions made of steel or metal, it is moreover very difficult to protect the yielding partition against overloading and destruction in the case where the pressure acts in only one chamber, the other chamber being free of pressure. Especially in the case of very high operating pressures, there is the risk that the unidirectional high pressure punches through the yielding wall at the point of the feed bore.

The present invention aims to provide a yielding partition which is protected against overloading by the exterior clamping or restraining forces as well as against overloading by unidirectional pressure, and which furthermore permits of a relatively great deflection so that the outside diameter may be made extremely small.

To such end, the present invention proposes the use of a clamped-in or restrained partition between two chambers of equal pressures, which comprises an exterior holder ring made of a high-strength material such as steel, and an interior stopper also made of a highstrength material such as steel, as well as an intermediate ring of elastic material such as rubber, which is tightly connected to said two parts. By virtue of such construction of the partition, overloading and the detrimental consequences thereof are avoided.

The invention further proposes to so dimension the interior stopper that the feed bore and the radial grooves 3,289,551 Patented Dec. 6, 1966 for feeding and distributing the pressure agent are completely shrouded.

In accordance with a further proposal of the invention, the intermediate ring when unloaded is of a shape corresponding to the maximum deflection.

One form of the invention is shown, by way of example, in the drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 shows in section a yielding partition clamped or restrained between two flanges, and

FIG. 2 a bottom plan view of a flange.

Thepartition shown in FIG. 1 as clamped with its peripheral portion between two flange bodies, comprises three parts: an exterior holder ring 1, an interrior stopper 2 and an intermediate annular member 3.

The exterior holder ring 1 is made of steel or another high-strength material that is capable to accommodate the sealing forces exerted by the compression of the flanges 4. The interior stopper 2 also is made of steel or another suitable high-strength material and, therefore, may readily be made so strong that it will not be pressed into the feed bore 5 even when the pressure acts on one side only. The diameter of stopper 2 is such that also the radial grooves 6 are shrouded that serve for better distribution of the pressure underneath and above the elastic wall.

The intermediate ring 3 is made of an elastic and very yielding material such as rubber or a rubberlike material that is capable to withstand great deformations brought about by relatively small forces. The intermediate ring 3 is sealed or tightly connected to the exterior ring 1 and to the interior stopper 2. Such tight connection may be effected either by pressing-in or bonding or vulcanizing, or in some other suitable way and manner.

In FIG. 2 is shown the arrangement of the radial pressure feed grooves 6. It may be seen that the elastic ring 3 in the device according to the invention is perfectly protected against any kind of overloading, even in the case of unilateral pressure. In the latter case, the ring 3 will be pressed against the bearing face of flange 4, which face is of tapered or conical cross-section, and thereby protected from further deformation. Since the feed bore 5 and the grooves 6 are covered by the interior stopper 2, the intermediate ring 3 cannot be damaged.

The intermediate ring 3 suitably is given such a form that it will assume without any load the form shown in FIG. 1 which corresponds to the maximum deformation possible. The consequence is that when the yielding wall is deflected, only compressive and shearing stresses will arise, but no tensile stresses, whereby is facilitated the production of a tight connection between the elastic intermediate ring 3, the exterior holder ring 1 and the interior stopper 2. Furthermore, the span of life of ring 3 will be extended by the absence of tensile stresses.

What is claimed is:

1. A restrained yielding partition disposed between two flanges forming two chambers of equal pressure comprising an exterior holder ring made of metallic resistant material clamped between said flanges, an interior stopper made of metallic resistant material located within said chambers and spaced from said ring, an intermediate ring of an elastic material tightly connected to said exterior ring and said stopper to form a fluid tight partition between said chambers, a feed bore in each of said flanges opening into its associated chamber opposite said stopper, and said intermediate ring in the unloaded state abutting one of said flanges and having a form corresponding to maximum deflection so that said intermediate ring upon being moved into the plane of said exterior ring is tightly compressed against said exterior ring and said interior stopper.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,986,764 1/1935 Rhodes 6054.5 2,335,276 11/1943 Heintz 9299 French 92103 Hadley 9299 Devorss 9299 Simmons 92103 MARTIN P. SCHWADRON, Primary Examiner. SAMUEL LEVINE, Examiner.

H. G. SHIELDS, Assistant Examiner.