WO1993009365A1

WO1993009365A1 - Pressure-vessel closure

Info

Publication number: WO1993009365A1
Application number: PCT/CH1992/000224
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alfred Ludwig
Original assignee: Gebrueder Sulzer Aktiengesellschaft
Priority date: 1991-11-07
Filing date: 1992-11-05
Publication date: 1993-05-13

Abstract

The invention concerns a pressure vessel comprising a bottom part (1) and a lid-like top part (2). Located in the region of the closure between the top and bottom parts (1 and 2), on the external surface of each part, is a series of grooves (7 and 8, respectively) running round the outside of the vessel. When the vessel is closed, at least three locking elements (9) in the shape of curved segments, with ridges matching the grooves (7 and 8) on the vessel and spaced round the outside of the vessel, engage in the grooves. The locking elements (9) are surrounded, in turn, by a ring (11) which can be displaced longitudinally and which cooperates with the locking elements (9). The ring is shaped such that, when moved into its closure posiiton, it engages the ridges on the locking elements (9) with the grooves (7 and 8) on the vessel and, when moved into a second position longitudinally displaced with respect to the closure position, disengages the ridges on the locking elements (9) from the grooves (7 and 8) on the vessel.

Description

Closure for a pressure vessel

The invention relates to a closure for a pressure vessel, which is composed of a lower part and a lid-like upper part.

In previous closures of this type, the lower part and the upper part are each provided with a flange near their abutting ends. The flanges are penetrated by several bolts distributed evenly over the circumference of the container, with which the

The lower part and the upper part are held together tightly under pressure. Such flange connections have the disadvantage that the stress curve in the flanges and in the container wall regions adjacent to the flanges is complex and the strength calculation is thereby made more difficult.

The invention has for its object to provide a pressure vessel closure, which is simpler in its construction and handling and in which the strength calculation in the closure area of the container is easier to carry out than with the pressure vessels with screwed flanges. This object is achieved according to the invention by the features of independent claims 1 and 2. With these designs of the closure, there is no need to attach flanges to the container parts or to provide stud bolts for tightly clamping the container parts together. In the closure according to the invention, for the purpose of closing the container, the lid-like upper part together with the axially displaceable ring and the ring-segment-shaped coupling parts are placed on the lower part by means of a lifting device and then the axial connection of the ring provides the tight connection between the upper part and the lower part by means of the coupling parts. In a corresponding manner, to open the container by means of a lifting device, the ring is first displaced axially, the coupling parts uncoupling the lower part and the upper part, after which the upper part is lifted off with the same lifting device. There is therefore no need to tighten screws when closing the pressure container and loosen these screw connections when opening the pressure container, which considerably simplifies the handling of the closure. Due to the lack of flanges, the strength calculation of the pressure vessel is also much easier.

Three embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail in the following description with reference to the drawing. Show it:

Fig.l shows a vertical section through a pressure vessel with the closure according to the invention, the closure in the left half in the uncoupled state and in the right half in the coupled

Condition is shown

2 shows a plan view of a part of the ring segment-shaped coupling parts, each without a guide flange part, 3 shows a vertical section through a modified closure in the coupled state,

4 shows a vertical section through the

Closure area of a further modified closure in the coupled state and

5 shows the closure area of the closure according to FIG. 4 in the uncoupled state.

According to Fig. 1 there is for high pressures, e.g. 300 bar, certain pressure vessels consisting of a lower part 1 and a lid-like upper part 1. 2. The lower part 1, which is spherical in its base area, has at its lower end a vertical ring wall 3, the lower end face 4 of which protrudes somewhat from the outer spherical surface and at the same time the standing surface of the pressure vessel forms. Starting from the spherically shaped bottom, the lower part 1 forms a cylindrical wall which has a thickened section 1 'near its upper end.

The lid-like upper part 2 is also spherical and has a thickened cylindrical section 2 'towards the lower part 1. On the outside, section 2 'is somewhat worked off at its lower end, so that a shoulder 6 and an annular wall 5 projecting relative to this are formed. With the shoulder 6, the upper part 2 rests on the lower part 1, whereas the ring wall 5 serves as a centering guide surface when the upper part 2 is put on. In the outer surface of the annular wall 5, an annular groove, not shown, for receiving a likewise not shown O-ring seal is provided which rests against the adjacent ^• surface of the lower part 1 in the closed state of the pressure vessel.

In the outer surface of the cylindrical sections 1 'and 2' four ring grooves 7 and 8 are incorporated, of which each has a triangular cross section and each together form a sawtooth-like profile. Sawtooth-like projections matching the ring grooves 7 and 8 are provided on the inside of six ring segment-shaped coupling parts 9, which are arranged around the pressure vessel (see also FIG. 2). In the outer surface of the coupling parts 9, three annular grooves 10 are machined with a trapezoidal cross section. Between the three ring grooves 10 and above the uppermost ring groove 10, trapezoidal teeth 10 'thus arise in cross section.

The six coupling parts 9 are surrounded by an axially displaceable ring 11, which has an inwardly projecting flange 12 at its upper end, which extends to an annular wall 13 of the upper part 2, which guides the ring 11 with its axial displacement with its outer surface. At the lower end of the ring 11, an inwardly projecting flange 14 is provided, which extends to the outer surface of the thickened section 1 *, which also serves as a guide for the ring 11. On the underside of the flange 14, distributed over its circumference, are vertical pins 15 which protrude into matching holes of a ring 16 fastened to the lower part 1 and which ensure that the ring 11 cannot rotate relative to the pressure vessel. A conical control surface 17 is provided on the upper side of the flange 14, which cooperates with a corresponding conical surface 18 at the lower end of the coupling parts 9 when the ring 11 is moved upwards in FIG. On the inner surface of the ring 11, ring grooves 19 corresponding to the ring grooves 10 are incorporated, which between them and below the lowest ring groove 19 give rise to three teeth 19 'with a trapezoidal profile. At the upper end of the coupling parts 9 each have a radially outwardly projecting pin 20, each of which is guided in an elongated hole 21 of the ring 11. At the height of the pins 20, the coupling parts 9 each have one internally projecting flange part 39, which can slide in a matching annular groove of the upper part 2 and forms a horizontal guide for the respective coupling part.

On the ring wall 13 of the upper part 2, an annular disk 22 is detachably fastened, which projects with its outer edge relative to the outer surface of the ring wall 13 and thus forms a stop for the sliding movement of the ring 11. The ring 11 has at its upper end several eyelets 23 distributed over the circumference, in each of which a hook or the like. of a hoist can be introduced.

The described closure works as follows.

In the position of the coupling parts 9 shown on the right in FIG. 1, their sawtooth-like profiles engage in the corresponding profiles formed by the ring grooves 7 and 8 in the lower part 1 and in the upper part 2. The ring 11 assumes its lowest position, i.e. it rests on the ring 16 and its trapezoidal teeth 19 * rest on the trapezoidal teeth 10 * of the coupling parts 9 and press them against the pressure vessel. So that the lower part 1 and the upper part 2 are held securely and tightly together.

To open the pressure vessel, an upward pulling force is exerted on the eyelets 23 of the ring 11 by means of a lifting device, which causes the ring 11 to lift off the ring 16. If the trapezoidal teeth 19 'come into the area of the trapezoidal annular grooves 10 of the coupling parts 9 and the control surface 17 comes into contact with the counter surface 18, the coupling parts 9 are pressed radially outwards, the flange parts 39 guiding the coupling parts horizontally, and the teeth 19' come to lie in the ring grooves 10; at the same time, the sawtooth-like profiles of the coupling parts 9 come out of the annular grooves 7 and 8, as shown on the left in FIG is. With further pulling movement upwards, the ring 11 rests against the ring disk 22, and the upper part 2 is lifted off the lower part 1.

When the pressure vessel is closed, the upper part 2 is lowered onto the lower part 1 by means of the lifting device. When the shoulder 6 is seated on the lower part 1, the ring 11 is lowered further, the coupling parts 9 moving radially inward because of the inclined flanks of the trapezoidal teeth 19 ', so that their sawtooth profile again with the ring grooves 7 and 8 in Intervention come, as shown in Fig.l right.

In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 3, instead of the sawtooth-like profile, ring grooves 30 and 31 with a semicircular cross section are provided in the lower part 1 and in the upper part 2, in each of which a wire ring 32 with a round cross section is inserted. Correspondingly, suitable ring grooves with a semicircular cross section are incorporated on the inside of the coupling parts 29, which tightly enclose the rings 32 in the coupled state. Another difference from the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1 is that the axially displaceable ring 41 has a further control surface 37 in addition to the lower control surface 17 in the upper ring area, which cooperates with a corresponding conical surface 38 on the coupling parts 29. The coupling parts 29 also have an inwardly projecting flange part 39 on their inner side, which slides horizontally in a suitable annular groove, which is provided between the upper part 2 and the ring wall 13 which is separately fastened to it here.

Instead of the trapezoidal ring grooves with the trapezoidal teeth in between, in the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 3 there are lying on a conical surface on the outside of the coupling parts 29 and on the inside of the ring 41 Stepped surfaces 40 and 42 are provided, which slide on each other in the last phase of the coupling and press the coupling parts 29 against the cylindrical sections 1 'and 2' of the pressure container. In the first phase of the coupling, the coupling parts 29 are moved radially inwards by the inclined control surfaces 42 * of the step surface 42, which then slide on the inclined counter surfaces 40 'of the step surface 40, so that their semicircular grooves come into engagement with the wire rings 32 . The cone angle of the step surfaces 40 and 42 is 5 °.

Arranged in the lower flange 44 of the ring 41 is a locking pin 45 which, in the coupled state of the closure, projects with its left end in FIG. 3 into a matching blind hole 46 in the lower part 1. To uncouple the lock, the locking pin 45 must therefore be pulled out of the blind bore 46 beforehand. The pins 20 guided in each case in an elongated hole 21 of the ring are fastened in the ring wall 13 in the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 3, and the coupling parts 29 slide on a pin 20 during their radial movements.

The principle of operation of the closure according to FIG. 3 is in principle the same as that described for FIG. 1. To open the closure, the ring 41 is lifted by means of a hoist, the control surfaces 17 and 37 with the

Mating surfaces 18 and 38 come into contact and move the coupling parts 29 radially outward, since at the same time the inclined control surfaces 42 'of the step surface 42 of the ring 41 are at the level of the inclined counter surfaces 40' of the step surface 40 of the coupling parts. The ring grooves of the coupling parts 29, which are semicircular in cross section, are then out of engagement with the profiles of the lower part 1 and the upper part 2 formed by the wire rings 32, so that in the further Lifting movement of the ring 41 of the lid-like upper part 2 lifts off the lower part 1.

3, the conical step surfaces 40 and 42 can also lie on a cylindrical outer surface.

The arrangement of the step surfaces 40 and 42 is not tied to the profiling formed by the wire rings 32. Rather, it can also be used in the embodiment according to FIG. 1 with the sawtooth-like profiling, as, on the other hand, the embodiment with the trapezoidal teeth 10 ^l and 19 ^{r can be used} with profiling with wire rings 32.

In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1, surfaces corresponding to the counter surfaces 38 in FIG. 3 can also be provided in the upper region of the coupling parts 9, which interact with the control surfaces 37 in FIG. 3 on the ring 11.

In the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 4 and 5, the principle of the closure according to the invention is applied to a pressure container in which the lid-like upper part 52 projects into the upper end of the lower part 51. The lower part 51 in turn has a cylindrical section 51 *, the inside diameter of which is somewhat larger than the inside diameter of the remaining cylindrical part of the container. At the transition from the larger diameter to the smaller diameter, there is a shoulder 51 * 'on which the cover 52 rests, the outer circumference of which is offset according to the two different inner diameters. A profile 57 in the form of an annular groove with a trapezoidal cross section is worked into the inner surface of section 51 '. In this ring groove 57, the six rest in the closed position according to FIG Ringseg-shaped coupling parts 59, which are profiled on the outside corresponding to the annular groove 57, namely in the form of a bead 58 running in the circumferential direction. On the inside of the coupling parts 59, an axially displaceable ring 61 is arranged, which on an annular cylindrical portion 52 'of Cover 52 is guided.

Similar to the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 3, the ring 61 has two control surfaces 67 and 77 which cooperate with correspondingly inclined counter surfaces 68 and 78 on the coupling parts 59 when the container is opened. In addition, on the inside of the coupling parts 59 and on the outside of the ring 61, step surfaces 60 and 62 lying on a conical surface are provided, which - as in the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 3 - slide on one another in the last phase of coupling the closure and the coupling parts in press the profile 57 of the cylindrical portion 51 '. In the first phase of coupling, two control surfaces 62 'on ring 61 interact with two counter surfaces 60' on coupling parts 59.

At the upper end of the cylindrical section 51 ', a plate 80 is fastened, which extends over the entire cross section of the pressure vessel and on which the coupling parts 59 are guided in a radially displaceable manner. A plurality of eyelets 23 also extend through the plate 80, only one of which is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 and which are screwed into the upper end of the ring 61. The eyelets 23 are still interconnected by a disk 81.

To open the cover 52, the ring 61 is raised by means of ropes attached to the eyelets 23. When its control surfaces 67 and 77 come into contact with the counter surfaces 68 and 78 of the coupling parts 59, the coupling parts move radially inwards, leaving the profile 57 of the lower part 51 emerge, as shown in Fig.5. In the course of further lifting the ring 61, it is lifted out of the lower part 51 together with the plate 80, the coupling parts 59 and the cover 52.

When the container is closed, the coupling parts 59 - as soon as the cover 52 'is seated on the shoulder 51' '- are first pressed outwards by the control surfaces 62 * and in the last phase by the stepped surfaces 62, with each bead 58 in the annular groove 57 in cylindrical portion 51 * is pressed.

Claims

1.Closure for a pressure vessel consisting of a lower part and a lid-like upper part, the upper part and the lower part each having a cylindrical section in the closure area and these two sections are provided on their outside with a profile running in the U-direction of the pressure container, into which in the locking position engage at least three ring segment-shaped coupling parts distributed over the circumference of the two sections, which are profiled in accordance with the profile of the two sections, which in turn are surrounded by an axially displaceable ring which interacts with them and is designed in such a way that when it moves into the locking position the profiling of the coupling parts engages with the profiles of the two sections and when moving to a second position, which is axially displaced to its closed position, the profiling of the coupling parts on the one hand and the profiles of the two sections and in turn disengages.

2. Closure for a pressure vessel consisting of a lower part and a lid-like upper part, the upper part in the closed position protruding into the upper end region of the lower part and the upper part and the lower part each in the closure region have cylindrical section, the cylindrical section of the lower part being provided on its inside with a profile running in the circumferential direction of the pressure vessel, into which in the closed position at least three ring segment-shaped coupling parts distributed over the circumference of the section, correspondingly profiled, engage, which in turn engage with an axially displaceably guided ring on the cylindrical section of the upper part cooperate, which is designed such that when it moves into the closed position it brings the profiling of the coupling parts into engagement with the profile of the section on the lower part and during a movement into a second position, the is axially displaced to its locking position

Profiling of the coupling parts on the one hand and the profile of the section of the lower part on the other hand disengages.

3. Closure according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the ring is provided with at least one control surface inclined to the axis of the pressure vessel and that the coupling parts are provided with a correspondingly inclined counter surface interacting when the ring is moved into the closed position.

4. Closure according to claim 3, characterized ^'in that the ring is provided with at least one further, to the axis of the pressure vessel inclined control surface and that the coupling parts with a correspondingly inclined when moving the ring in the second

Position interacting counter surface are provided.

5. Closure according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the profile in the respective cylindrical section and the profile in the Coupling parts are formed by ring grooves with a triangular cross section.

6. Closure according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that ring grooves with a semicircular cross section are provided in the respective section and in the coupling parts and that a wire ring with a round cross section is inserted in each ring groove of the respective section to form the profiles.