US3352028A

US3352028A - Industrial process and apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3352028A
Application number: US531898A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jay L Richman
Original assignee: Pennsalt Chemical Corp
Current assignee: Pennwalt Corp
Priority date: 1966-03-04
Filing date: 1966-03-04
Publication date: 1967-11-14
Anticipated expiration: 1984-11-14

Description

Nov. 14, 1967 L mCHMAN 3,352,028

INDUSTRIAL PROCESS AND APPARATUS- Filed March 4, 1966 INVENTOR.

y 26 i9- JAY LRCHMAN ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,352,028 INDUSTRIAL PROCESS AND APPARATUS Jay L. Richman, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Pennsalt Chemicals Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Mar. 4, 1966, Ser. No. 531,898 8 Claims. (Cl. 35-12) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Inner and outer containers are provided with a test object support supported within the inner container by a column extending through an end wall of the inner container for connection to a supporting spider carried by the outer container, with a bellows seal extending between the end wall and the container.

This invention relates to a double-Walled pressure vessel especially adapted for use as a chamber for space simulation.

In such a chamber it is desirable to have the inner container walls of a relatively thin gauge material. This reduces the thermal inertia and hence minimizes the load on the refrigeration equipment provided to. reduce the temperature in the chamber to outer-space levels. The light gauge inner container is also easy to support in a way which rapidly accommodates expansion and contraction. Problems arise in connection with such construction, however, because the inner chamber must contain relatively heavy objects which would tax the walls of the inner chamber and probably deform them.

The vessel of the invention provides support means for objects (for instance, equipment to be observed under space conditions), the support means not transmitting its load to or through the inner container wall in a manner which might deform it.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following specification including the attached drawings. In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic fragmentary sectional view of an apparatus embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 represents a bottom view of an apparatus embodying the invention;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary exploded elevational view in section;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 66 of FIGURE 2.

Briefly, the invention relates to a double-walled pressure vessel especially useful for space simulation and having Within it support means for an object to be subjected to such conditions. The weight of the support means and object thereon is transmitted in a manner such that no substantial weight is borne by the relatively thin wall of the inner container. The invention is useful for a bottom, side or top loading chamber.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, an apparatus embodying the invention is designated generally 10 in FIGURE 1. It comprises an outer container having a peripheral shell 12, 1'6 and an inner container having a peripheral shell 14. These shells have outward flanges 16b and 14a, respectively. The outer container has the removable section or spool 16 which may be coupled to the section above it by flanges 12a and 16a as shown. A bottom end wall 18 having a flange 18a is provided for the outer container and is adapted to be attached by its flange to the flange 16b of the peripheral shell. A bottom end wall 20 having a flange 20a is adapted to be secured by the flange to the flange 14a of the peripheral shell 14 of the inner container.

As indicated in the drawings and for purposes including those outlined above, the walls of the inner container are of relatively thinner material than the walls of the outer container.

As shown in FIGURE 3 the object support means comprises the support shelf 22 adapted to support the equip ment or other test object being subjected to the space environment. The object support means also includes a plurality of rigid columns 24 and a cross-shaped spider 26 to which the columns are secured. Each element of the spider 26 as shown in FIGURE 4 has a T-shaped cross section and as shown in FIGURE 3 is preferably concave upwardly to conform more or less to the curvature of the inner container bottom end wall 20. The end of each piece of the cross-shaped spider 26 is supported in the disassembled condition shown in FIGURE 3 by holding means secured to the shell of the outer chamber. As shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 this means may comprise a pair of parallel spaced ears 28, the vertical portion of the T being disposed between the ears and pinned as by pins 26a. The pins preferably are press fitted into holes in the vertical portion and are received in openings in the ears 28. On one set of ears the openings are slots 28a to allow for expansion and contraction of the spider. The spider 26 is shorter than the diameter of the shell to allow play for assembly in the shell as well as expansion. The holding means at the other end of the spider 26 may comprise parallel clips 34 (FIG. 6) between which the ends are held, in the bottom-loading variation shown, against vertical displacement.

It should be understood that by virtue of the arrange ment shown the spider 26 and consequently the shelf 22 is held relative to the shell against movement in all direc tions. Hence the chamber may be inverted or disposed on its side and the support function of the shelf will not be impaired. At the same time the spider is allowed ample room to expand and contract relative to the shell.

The T-shape cross section of the spider is shown as an example only. It should be understood that the spider could be fabricated from standard bar stock.

In the preferred version the holding means comprising the ears 28 and pads 34 are secured to the peripheral shell of the outer container at the removable section 16 above the bottom end wall of the outer container 18.

The columns 24 supporting the shelf 22 extend through flanged openings 30 in the bottom end wall of the inner container. The openings in these flanged openings are large enough to permit free vertical movement of the columns 24 relative thereto. Bellows seals 32 are provided from the top of each flanged opening to a point adjacent the top end of each column and assure maintenance of vacuum conditions without leakage through the flanged openings.

A framework 49 is secured to the underside of the wall 18. This framework 40 is provided with wheels 42 for horizontal movability.

In assembly the test object is secured to the shelf 22, the assembly including the framework 40, the

bottom end walls

18 and 20 and spool 16 with the spider 26 supported therein is raised until the flanges 12a and 16a engage. These flanges are bolted together. Subsequently the bottom end wall 18 is lowered, the shelf 22 and the inside bottom end wall 20 being supported by the spider 26 in engagement with the ears 28 and pads 34. The flanges 20a and 14a are then bolted together to secure the end wall 20 on the inner shell 14. Subsequently the bottom end wall 18 is raised until the flanges 16b and 18a may be bolted tight. The weight of the shelf 22 and the test object thereon is borne by spider 26 and the outer nd wall 18, the framework 40 and the wheels 42 and he platform on which they rest. Thus none of the weight )f the test object or shelf 22 is borne by the light inner nd wall 20.

The assembly procedure is the same whether the cham- Jer is as shown, is inverted or is on its side. The objectives )f thestructure remain the same in all these variations: iamely avoidance of. placing of stress on the inner cham- J61 walls and achievement of sealing of the inner cham- Jer end wall prior to scaling of the outer chamber end wall.

The term pressure vessel vessel adapted to enclose a Zone of superpressures.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or central attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims rather than the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A space simulation chamber comprising an inner and a relatively more substantial outer container, each container having a peripheral shell and a removable end wall, the end wall of the inner container having an opening therein, the outer container having spider holding means secured thereto, test object support means in the inner chamber and including a column extending through said opening and a spider secured to said column beneath the end wall of the inner container, and sealing means including bellows sealingly extending from about said opening between the end wall of the inner container and the support means.

2. A space simulation chamber as described in claim 1 wherein said spider holding means is secured to a removable spool comprising part of the peripheral shell of the outer container.

3. A space simulation chamber as described in claim 1 wherein the spider is of shorter dimension than the diameter of the outer container and the holding means holds the spider axially relative to the axis of the outer conas used herein means a or sub-ambient tainer but permits expansion and contraction of the spider.

4. A space simulation chamber as described in claim 3 wherein the holding means includes pin means penetrating each end of the spider respectively and securing one end against any movement relative to the shell of the outer container and permitting the opposite end axial movement relative to the axis of the spider along said end.

5. A space simulation chamber as described in claim 4 wherein the holding means on the said opposite end includes a slotted structure receiving said pin means.

6. A pressure vessel as described in claim 1 wherein said containers define a relatively thin walled inner container and a relatively thick walled outer container enclosing the inner container, each having its removable end wall at the bottom thereof, and wherein the object support means in said inner container extends through the opening in the bottom end wall of the inner container for support through said spider and spider holding means by the shell of the outer container.

7. A pressure vessel as described in claim 6 wherein said spider holding means are secured to the outer container above the bottom end wall of the outer container and hold against vertical movement the object support means but permit expansion of the support means as it undergoes temperature variations.

3. A pressure vessel as described in claim 7 wherein the outer container has above its bottom end wall an annular removable section of its shell to which the spider holding means are secured.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,011,674 12/1961 Jackson 220- 3,044,607 7/ 1962 Hopper 220-15 XR 3,101,861 8/1963 Mearns et a1 220 10 3,224,277 12/ 1965 Cham-berlin et al. 73432 EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

R. W. WEIG, Assistant Examiner.