Pressure vessel door

Abstract

A door for a pressurized vessel comprises a circular seat and lid. The seat has a plurality of locking receivers that are configured to receive a locking arm on the outer surface of the lid when the lid is positioned against the seat. The lid has a plurality of guides configured to direct the travel of the locking arms as the locking arms move toward and away from the locking receivers. A locking actuator is positioned on the outer surface of the lid and configured to cause each locking arm to extend through one of the guides and locking receivers so that a pressurized seal is maintained. An opening actuator is also coupled to the lid and to the pressurized vessel and is configured to conceal and expose the opening by positioning the lid against and away from the seat, respectively.

1 . A door for a pressurized vessel, comprising: 
 a circular seat having a plurality of locking receivers positioned on the seat, each locking receiver configured to receive a locking arm;    a circular lid having a plurality of guides, the number of guides corresponding to the number of locking receivers and configured to direct the travel of the locking arm;    a locking actuator configured to cause each locking arm to extend through a guide and locking receiver when the lid is secured to the seat, wherein a seal is created between the lid and seat, and so as to extend through the guide but not the locking receiver when the lid is not secured to the seat;    an opening actuator coupled to the lid and configured to remove the lid from the seat, thereby exposing an opening in the seat to an interior area of the pressurized vessel, and configured to place the lid against the seat, thereby concealing the opening in the seat to the interior area of the pressurized vessel.    
   
   
       2 . The vessel of  claim 1 , wherein the locking actuator moves a locking bar linearly, wherein the locking bar is coupled to a rotator that is configured to rotate about the center of the lid.  
   
   
       3 . The vessel of  claim 2 , wherein the locking arms are coupled to the rotator proximate to the end of the locking arm so that each locking arm travels approximately radially outward about the outer surface of the lid.  
   
   
       4 . The vessel of  claim 1 , wherein the lid contains four guides and the seat contains four locking receivers.  
   
   
       5 . The vessel of  claim 1 , wherein the opening actuator is a hydraulic actuator.  
   
   
       6 . The vessel of  claim 1 , wherein the opening actuator is an electric motor.  
   
   
       7 . The vessel of  claim 1 , wherein the locking actuator is a hydraulic cylinder.  
   
   
       8 . The vessel of  claim 1  wherein the locking actuator is an electric actuated device.  
   
   
       9 . The vessel of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 one or more seal rings positioned on the inner surface of the lid and configured to physically contact the seat when the lid is in a closed position so that a pressurized seal is created.    
   
   
       10 . The vessel of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a pin extending beyond a bottom surface of the locking arm; and    a track configured into a portion of the outer surface of the lid, wherein the track receives the pin so as to guide the travel of the locking arm when the locking arm is in motion.    
   
   
       11 . The vessel of  claim 10 , wherein the lid contains one track for each locking arm and each track extends in a direction between the center point of the lid and the outer circumference of the lid.  
   
   
       12 . A method for sealing an opening to a pressurized vessel, comprising the steps of: 
 activating a lid actuator coupled to the pressurized vessel and to a circular lid to position the lid over the opening to the pressurized vessel and into contact with a seat coupled to the pressurized vessel, wherein the lid travels in an arc in relation to the lid actuator; and    activating a locking actuator on the outer surface of the lid to rotate a locking communicator positioned at the center of the lid, the locking communicator coupled to a plurality of locking arms, wherein each locking arm travels through a guide coupled to the lid and through a locking receiver coupled to a seat, and wherein the lid seals to the seat when the locking arms travel through the locking receiver.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the lid actuator is a hydraulic actuator.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the locking actuator is a hydraulic cylinder.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the step of: 
 routing each locking arm along a track configured into the outer surface of the lid, wherein each locking arm is configured with a pin that engages and travels in the track.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the lid seats to the seat according to a circular seal coupled to the lid that engages both the seat and the lid when the lid is in a closed position so as to enable the pressurized vessel to maintain pressures greater than one atmosphere.  
   
   
       17 . A lid assembly for a circular opening on a pressurized vessel, comprising: 
 a circular metal lid having one or more o-ring seals on an inner side;    a plurality of metal guides attached on the outer surface of the lid, each guide having an opening;    a plurality of locking arms, one locking arm for each guide, wherein the locking arms extend through the guide opening;    a rotator assembly positioned on the outer surface of the lid and positioned at the center of the lid, the rotator assembly coupled to each locking arm and configured to rotate, wherein the rotation of the rotator assembly moves each locking arm in a direction so that the locking arm moves toward and away from the center of the lid in correspondence to the direction of rotation of the rotator assembly;    a locking actuator positioned on the outer surface of the lid and mechanically coupled to the rotator assembly, the locking actuator being configured to rotate the rotator assembly about the center of the lid in a clockwise or counterclockwise orientation according to the movements of the locking actuator;    a seat coupled to the pressurized vessel around the opening, the seat configured with a plurality of locking dogs, each locking dog having an opening and positioned on the seat to align with the guides for receiving the locking arms when in an extended position; and    a lid actuator coupled to the lid and to the pressurized vessel that is configured to move the lid to and from the seat to expose or close the opening according to the movement of the lid actuator.    
   
   
       18 . The door of  claim 17 , wherein the locking actuator is configured to rotate the rotator assembly so that the locking arms move in a direction toward the center of the lid and extend through the guides but not through the locking dogs.  
   
   
       19 . The door of  claim 17 , wherein the locking actuator is configured to rotate the rotator assembly so that the locking arms move in a direction away from the center of the lid and extend through the locking dogs.  
   
   
       20 . The door of  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 a controller that directs the movement of the locking actuator and the lid actuator.    
   
   
       21 . A lid assembly for a circular opening on a pressurized vessel, comprising: 
 means for positioning a lid over the opening, said means for positioning coupled to the pressurized vessel;    means for rotating a rotator assembly positioned on the outer surface of the lid at the center of the lid;    means for engaging the lid to a seat on the pressurized vessel, the means for engaging coupled to the means for rotating;    means for directing the movement of the means for engaging, said means for directing positioned on the outer surface of the lid; and    means for receiving the means for engaging, said means for receiving positioned on the seat.