USRE23343E

USRE23343E - Accumulator shell sealing plug

Info

Publication number: USRE23343E
Authority: US
Publication date: 1951-02-20

Description

1951 J. MERCIER ET AL Re. 23,343

ACCUMULATOR SHELL SEALING PLUG I Original Filed July 6, 1945 if f?" 2 & I 1'19 16' 74 INVENTOR- Reiuued Feb. 20, 1951 OFFICE 23,343 aocumna'ron SHELL sumo PLUG Jean Mercier, New York, and Edward M. Greek, West Hempstead, N. Y.; said Greer assignor to Greer Hydraulics, Inc., Brooklyn, N. Y.

Original No. 2,489,171, dated May 3, 1949, Serial No. 603,546, July 6, 1945. Application for reissue February 18, 1950, Serial No. 145,062

. 6Claims. (Cl.138 30) Matter enclosed in heavy brackets reissue specification;

This invention relates to'accumulators [as used in the hydraulic system of airplanes but] and more particularly to the component parts of [the] an accumulator and the manner of assembling those parts.

An accumulator is a fluid storage device that is connected to, a hydraulic system its]. Its principal function is to provide a surplus supply of the fluid in the system stored at a predetermined pressure so that any leakage in the system is automatically compensated for by the accumulator. The [construction of an] accumulator is usually a pressure vessel with a dividing yieldable wall [J or diaphragm so that air pressure may be charged through a. valve to the one side of the yieldable diaphragm and a fluid under pressure may be charged to the other side of the diaphragm. In another form of an accumulator a deformable bag or bladder is used instead of a. diaphragm. The bag is aflixed to one end of the shell by means of [the] a small air valve, desirably provided with a small stem. The opposite end of the shell'is provided with an oil port. [In this type of construction] Where the pressure vessel is a single shell, the deformable bag must be inserted through the larger opening of the oil port and the small air valve,

passed through a small perforation in the opposite end of the shell. It has been found advantageous to provide a rather large opening at the oil port end of the shell to facilitate the assembly of the bag in the accumulator. In providing a. large opening [there has arisen other] difiiculties have arisen, namely the provision of a safe and tight plug Safe in] that [it] will not blow out under extreme pressures within the shell and [tight so that it] will not permit leak- 7 age of fluid. The usual manner of closing the oil port end of the accumulator is to provide a large neck end integral with the shell.[and internally threaded, into this opening a plug is threadably secured and this plug is] into which a plug, provided with the correct size oil port L] is threadably secured. There are various disadvantages to this type of plug namely the threads may become worn or stripped [and weaken] thereby weakening the strength of such threads [and] with the result that when a maximum pressure is attained in the accumulator the plug may be blown out another]. Another difliculty arises in disassembling, [that is,] for the mechanic [does not always] may not relieve all the air pressure from the bag and consequently when the plug is partially released by matter printed in italics indie appears in the original patent but forms no part of this ates the additions made by reissue.

z the' mechanic it suddenly blows out and may cause injury.

This invention has for an object the provision of an accumulator that is provided with a locking means for the sealing plug at the oil port end.

Another object of this invention is the provision of means to necessitate pushing the oil port plug inward against any resistance to its removal before the plug may be removed.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a quick and easily installed oil port plug that is safely secured to the shell of the accumulator.

Other objects may be apparent by reference to the accompanying drawings and detailed descrlption in which,

Fig. 1 is a cross sectional view of the. accumulater, and

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the locking ring.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 1 there is a pressure resistant vessel illustratively a single shell Ill with two opposed ports or mouths II and I2 the]. The smaller port II is provided for a stem I3 of a [standard] pneumatic valve i5 and the larger port I2 is formed large enough to pass an accumulator bag l4 therethrough. The bag H is formed slightly pear [shape] shaped or at least smaller than the internal periphery of the shell l0 and is provided with the [standard] pneumatic larger end between the neck portion l8] than the d ameter A of the plug l6 and [the shoulder of the port 12.] forms a shoulder 24 at its upper end.

Although any suitable type of outlet'plug 16 could be used, in the embodiment illustratively shown herein, the plug 16 is formed with a head portion 17 desirably perforated to form a strainer and the neck portion 18 protrudes from port 12. The neck portion I8 is internally threaded to permit an oil port plug 2| to be threadably secured II, this] therein, the plug 2| having the port 22 for securing the fluid line thereto.

[The neck llofplug It is alsoexternally threaded so that an external nut 23 may be securedthereto. The portion of plug It where the neck It and the head I! meet forms a circular shoulder portion It. A locking ring II illustrated in Fig. 2 is neck portion ll of the plug ll of Fig. 1. The ring is is also formed with a slight curvature is on its upper face as indicated in Fig. 1 so that it fits into the shoulder 24 of the plug It. The outside diameter of the ring 2! is greater than the diameter "3 of the port It. The ring 25 is cut through one portion of its circumference as at 21 to permit the installation of this ring through the port II which is of smaller diameter. This is done by springing the ring or compressing it, then after it is within the shell it may be expanded] portion ll of the plug II. The plug It is then I brought down to the position indicated in Fig. 1.

' provided and is formed with an inside diameter v equal to the external diameter of the extended The 'seal 20 is next pressed into the opening it around the neck portion I. of the plug it. The

tor, it is [absolutely] necessary [to release all air pressure from the bag I4, as in removing the plug It it is necessary to push it inward so that the ring 28 may be slipped from the neck It and compressed to remove it through opening it.

A curved member desirably a locking ring 25 having an -outer diameter greater than the diameter "B" of port 12 is constructed so that it may be inserted into said port to encompass neck 18 oftheplug. Tothisendthering'isdeformable so that portions thereof are relatively displaceable to permit its introduction into the' mouth of port 12 and after it is in said mouth, may be restored to substantially its original shape.

Ring 25 has aninner periphery overlapped by said shoulder 24 and interpenes between shoulder 24 and the inner rim of port 12. Although any suitable locking ring of the above type may be used, in the embodiment herein, asshown in.

Fig. 2, the ring 25 is desirably of resilient material such as spring metal and is split as at 27 so that it may be deformed for insertion into port 12'by compressing the ring 25 to overlap the ends thereof and then after it is within the shell releasing the ring 25 so that it may assume its original shape.

The ring is preferably formed so that in cross section, as shown in Fig. 1, it has a cylindrical inner periphery snugly fitting around neck 18 and also desirably has a slight curvature 26 on its upper face that may be seated against the correspondingly curved shoulder 24 of plug 16.

The plug it may then be removed] first to, push the plug 16 inward so that ring may be slipped from the neck 18 and deformed to remove it changes without departing from the The ring also has ashoulder on the outer periphery thereof which may be seated on the inner rim of port 12 and substantially fills the space between the neck portion 18 of the plug 16 and the inner wall of the port 12 to prevent lateral displacement of said plug.

With the construction thus described, the ring may be seated aganst the inner rim of said port with said shoulder 24 seated against said ring 25, a nut 23 screwed on the externally threaded protruding portion of neck 18 of plug 16 releasably securing said plug to said shell.

Desirably a seal 2.0 is interposed between the neck portion 18 of the plug 16 and the inner wall of the port and is desirably compressed between the ring 25 and the nut 23' to prevent leakage of oil when the plug is secured to said shell.

[In assembling the accumulator the shell I0 is empty and'a bag It may be passed through the opening it] In assembling the accumulator a bag 14 may be passedthrough the opening 12 of the, empty shell 10. The valve stem I3 is pushed up through the opening II and a washer and nut are secured to the outside stem and threaded down to clamp the stem in the position indicated in Fig. 1. The plug it is then passed through the port It and the ring 25 is next. compressed and passed through port It, the ring tlisthenexpandedandpessedoverthe 1160i through'port 12, if there is any air pressure in the bag 14, the latter will press against the outlet plug 16 and prevent displacement thereof.

It is apparent therefore that a mechanic cannot remove the plug it with any substantial air pressure remaining in the bag It therefore] and consequently there is no danger of injury [from] as a result of the plug being blown out of the shell during disassembly [J and by reason of the fact that the plug is retained in place by the ooaction of shoulder 24 with ring 25, there is no strain on the enacting threads of the plug and the nut and hence there is no likelihood of stripping thereof.

Although a preferred form has been shown, it is understood that a mechanic working within the scope of that which is claimed, may make spirit of this invention.

What is claimed is: v

[1. In an accumulator comprising a shell having two ports, a. deformable partition secured within said shell separating said two ports from each other, a strainer plug placed inside the larger of said ports, a split spring locking ring of greater diameter than said largest port placed inside said port, means to secure said strainer plug and locking ring in juxtaposition with the said shell at the periphery of the large port.]

[2. In an accumulator comprising a shell having two ports, a deformable partition-secured within said shell separating said two ports, a strainer plug placed inside one of said ports, a split spring locking ring of greater diameter than said port into which said strainer plug is placed,

means to seal said strainer plug and locking ring in juxtaposition with the said shell at the periphery of the one port] [3. An accumulator according to claim 2 having means to release the air pressure from said air portion to release the force of said deformable partition on said strainer plug, and means to manually remove said split spring locking ring by pushing it inward toward said deformable partition so that said split spring may be compressed and removed through said mounting port to permit removal of said strainer plug] 4. An accumulator comprising a shell having two ports, a d formable partition secured within said shell and intervening between said ports, a plugin one of said ports and having a shoulder, the largest diameter of said plug being less than the diameter of said port, a locking member encomposting ldtd' plug and having an outer diameter greater than that of said port and an inner periphery overlapped by said shoulder and seated in position intervening between said port and said shoulder, said locking member having portions thereof relatively displaceable to permit of introduction thereof into the shell and of such seating, and means releasably to secure said plug to said shell.

5. An accumulator comprising a shell having two ports, a deformable partition secured within said shell and intervening between said ports, a plug in one of said ports and having a shoulder,

nut threaded on the portion of said plug extending from said port and clamping said locking ring between said shoulder and the inner rim of said port securely to retain said. plug in said port.

the largest diameter of said plug being less than the diameter of said port, a deformable locking ring of resilient material encompassing said plug and having an outer diameter greater than that of said port and an inner periphery overlapped by said shoulder and seated in position intervening between said port and said shoulder, said ring being split whereby it may be compressed to overlap the endsthereof for insertion into said port and means releasably to secure said plug to said shell.

6. The combination set forth in claim 5 in which said l cking member is a ring hav ng a shoulder on its Outer periphery seated on the inner rim '0; said port and substantially fills the space between the plug and the inner wall of the port, thereby to prevent lateral displacement of said plug.

7. An accumulator comprising a shell having two ports, a deformable partition secured within said shell and intervening between said ports, a plug in one of said ports having a shoulder at its inner end, said plug having a portion extending from said port, the largest diameter of said plug being less than the diameter of said port, a'

8. The combination set forth in claim 7 in which a seal encompasses said plug and is interposed between said sealing ring and said nut.

- 9. An accumulator comprising a shell having two ports, a deformable partition secured within said shell and intervening between said ports, a plug in one of said ports, the largest diameter of said plug being less than the diameter of said port, said plug having a reduced neck portion extending from said port, the body of said plug forming a shoulder with respect to said reduced portion, a deformable locking ring having an outer diameter greater than that of said port and a cylindrical inner periphery overlapped by said shoulder and snugly fitting around said neck portion, said ring intervening between said port and said shoulder and having a shoulder on its outer periphery seated against the inner rim of said port and a nut threaded ,on the neck of said plug extending from said port and clamping said locking ring between the shoulder of said plug and the inner rim of said port, securely to retain said plug in said port.

JEAN MERCIER. EDWARD M. GREER.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number