Vessel screen retaining system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12290094-B2
Application number	US-202418594378-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 4, 2024
Priority date	Sep 5, 2017
Publication date	May 6, 2025
Grant date	May 6, 2025

Abstract

Certain embodiments include a screen assembly of a vessel, where the screen assembly includes a plurality of fixed elements and a retainer, and the retainer includes a ring, a plurality of wedges disposed about the ring, and a plurality of keyholes at spaced locations about the ring. Each keyhole includes a bore and a slot extending from the bore into an adjacent wedge of the plurality of wedges, the slots have a width less than the bores, and the retainer may receive the fixed elements through the bores and may be rotated in a relation with the plurality of fixed elements to bring the plurality of fixed elements into simultaneous engagement with the wedges.

First claim

We claim:

1. A screen assembly of an impregnator vessel, the screen assembly comprising:
a fixed element having a head and a first aperture therethrough;
a pin configured to be received by the first aperture; and
a retainer including:
an inner ring,
a rim extending axially from the inner ring,
a wedge on the inner ring, and
a keyhole located on the inner ring, the keyhole including:
a bore, and
a slot extending from the bore into the wedge, whereby the retainer is configured to receive the fixed element through the bore and the retainer is configured to rotate so as to bring the fixed element into engagement with the wedge, and the fixed element is configured to receive the pin through the first aperture such that the pin contacts the rim such that further rotation of the retainer is reduced.

2. The screen assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a bracket having a vertical leg portion and a horizontal leg portion, the pin being configured to retain the bracket such that the vertical leg portion is against a backside of the wedge and the horizontal leg portion is against a level portion of the wedge.

3. The screen assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a retainer clip configured to prevent the pin from withdrawing from the first aperture.

4. The screen assembly of claim 1 , wherein the retainer further comprises:
an outer ring.

5. The screen assembly of claim 4 , further comprising:
a screen including,
a screen disc body comprising a mesh interposed between first and second plates,
each of the first and second plates including a first ring and a second ring, the second ring of the first and second plates superposable with the outer ring of the retainer and the first ring of the first and second plates superposable with the inner ring of the retainer, and each of the first and second plates including a perforated section adjacent to the respective first ring and the respective second ring of the first and second plates, and
a second aperture on the second ring of the first and second plates, the second aperture configured to receive a second fixed element with clearance.

6. The screen assembly of claim 5 , the screen further comprising:
a slot extending from the second aperture such that the screen may be rotated relative to the received second fixed element.

7. The screen assembly of claim 1 , wherein the retainer further comprises:
a pair of handles supported from the inner ring.

8. The screen assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a lid including a lid body, and
a grate fixedly supported from the lid body, the fixed element axially extending from the grate.

9. A screen assembly of an impregnator vessel, the screen assembly comprising:
a fixed element having a head and a first aperture therethrough;
a pin configured to be received by the first aperture; and
a retainer including:
an inner ring,
a rim extending axially from the inner ring, the rim having a second aperture thereon,
a wedge on the inner ring, and
a keyhole located on the inner ring, the keyhole including a bore and a slot extending from the bore into the wedge, the retainer configured to receive the fixed element through the bore and the retainer configured to rotate so as to bring the fixed element into engagement with the wedge and the first aperture in alignment with the second aperture such that the pin is configured to be received by the first and second apertures.

10. The screen assembly of claim 9 , further comprising:
a retainer clip configured to prevent the pin from withdrawing from the first and second apertures.

11. The screen assembly of claim 9 , wherein the retainer further comprises:
an outer ring.

12. The screen assembly of claim 11 , further comprising:
a screen including:
a screen disc body including a mesh interposed between first and second plates,
each of the first and second plates including a first ring and a second ring, the second ring of the first and second plates superposable with the outer ring of the retainer and the first ring of the first and second plates superposable with the inner ring of the retainer, and each of the first and second plates including a perforated section adjacent to the respective first ring and the respective second ring of the first and second plates, and
a third aperture on the second ring of the first and second plates, the third aperture configured to receive a second fixed element with clearance.

13. The screen assembly of claim 12 , the screen further comprising:
a slot extending from the third aperture such that the screen may be rotated relative to the received second fixed element.

14. The screen assembly of claim 9 , wherein the retainer further comprises:
a pair of handles supported from the inner ring.

15. The screen assembly of claim 9 , further comprising:
a lid including a lid body.

16. The screen assembly of claim 15 , further comprising:
a grate fixedly supported from the lid body.

17. The screen assembly of claim 16 , wherein the fixed element axially extends from the grate.

Assignees

• Philip Morris Usa Inc

Inventors

• Hull Nathaniel
• Lisbeth Adam
• Sammler William
• Tilley John

Classifications

• B01D2201/4084

  Snap or Seeger ring connecting means · CPC title

• B01D24/4876

  in which the filtering elements are moved between filtering operations; particular measures for removing or replacing the filtering elements (B01D24/46, B01D24/4807 take precedence) · CPC title

• B01D2201/4015

  Bayonet connecting means · CPC title

• B01D24/44

  for discharging filter cake, e.g. chutes · CPC title

• B01D2201/40

  Special measures for connecting different parts of the filter · CPC title