Sculptor's pressure vessel

Abstract

A sculptor's pressure vessel having a frame, a pressure container and an expandable member for pushing the pressure container against a portion of the frame to seal the container. A pressurized gas supply is connected expandable member to inflate it and to push the pressure container against the top of the frame to seal the pressure container. The pressurized gas supply is also connected to the frame top to pressurize the pressure container when it is in sealed contact with the frame.

1 . A pressure vessel comprising: 
 a pressure container having an inside, an outside and having an opening therein to allow items to be placed in or removed from the pressure container;    a lid being sized and adapted for covering the pressure container opening to isolate an internal pressure inside the pressure container;    means for pushing the lid and the pressure container together to seal the lid against the pressure container; and    a conduit in communication with the inside of the pressure container and selectably in communication with a source of pressurized gas for inserting gas into the pressure container and thereby raising the internal pressure in the pressure container.    
   
   
       2 . The pressure vessel of  claim 1 , further comprising a frame comprising a bottom, top and at least one side member, said at least one side member being connected to both the bottom and to the top, and wherein the lid is an integral part of the top.  
   
   
       3 . The pressure vessel of  claim 1  wherein the means for pushing the lid and the pressure container together is pneumatically expanded.  
   
   
       4 . The pressure vessel of  claim 3  wherein the means for pushing the lid and the pressure container together is an expandable air spring.  
   
   
       5 . The pressure vessel of  claim 3 , further comprising a frame comprising a bottom, a top and at least one side member, said at least one side member being connected to both the bottom and to the top to hold the bottom and the top a fixed distance apart, the lid being integral with the top, and wherein the pressure container is housed inside the frame when pressurized; and said means is positioned between the pressure container and the frame to push the pressure container against the lid when the means is actuated.  
   
   
       6 . The pressure vessel of  claim 5 , wherein the means includes an air spring.  
   
   
       7 . The pressure vessel of  claim 1  wherein the means for pushing the lid and the pressure container together is hydraulically expanded.  
   
   
       8 . The pressure vessel of  claim 1  wherein the pressure container is a hollow cylinder having opposite ends, one end being capped and the other end being open.  
   
   
       14 . A method for pressurizing a mold containing material to be hardened comprising: 
 placing at least one mold containing material to be hardened in a pressure container;    actuating an expandable means to push the pressure container against a lid, thereby sealing the pressure container; and    directing pressurized gas into the sealed pressure container to increase the pressure in said pressure container.