AU708590B2

AU708590B2 - Self-sealing plug

Info

Publication number: AU708590B2
Application number: AU40657/95A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Anthony A. Axford; Douglas Evans; Gordon Douglas Evans
Original assignee: WALKER AND GIBSON Pty Ltd
Current assignee: WALKER AND GIBSON Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1994-12-22
Filing date: 1995-12-22
Publication date: 1999-08-05
Anticipated expiration: 2015-12-22
Also published as: AU4065795A

Description

-2- This invention relates to plugs for fluid-containing vessels and pipes and more particularly to self-sealing plugs.

For the sake of convenience, the invention will be described in relation to a magnetic filter for an oil sump but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. For example, the plug of the invention could be used in relation to the sampling of fluid in a vessel or a pipeline.

10 Oil sumps for large industrial machines usually have a o* magnetic filter for gathering steel or iron particles that may be present in the sump. From time to time such a oo magnetic filter must be removed from the sump for cleaning purposes. Magnetic filters are usually located at the bottom oO.* 15 of the sump and thus it is common practice to empty the sump prior to removing the magnetic filter.

It is an object of the invention to provide a selfsealing plug for a fluid vessel or pipeline that may incorporate a magnetic filter or other operative device such as a fluid sampling means which permits the removal of the magnetic filter, other device or fluid sampling means with minimum loss of fluid.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a self-sealing plug for a fluid vessel or pipeline comprising:a mounting body adapted to close an opening in the vessel or pipeline, said mounting body having an inner end which when the mounting body is mounted on the vessel or pipeline will be located within the vessel or pipeline and an outer end which will be located outside the vessel or pipeline, a passageway through the mounting body and a sealing face at the inner end of the passageway, wherein the mounting body has a peripheral flange about its outer end which is adapted to engage and compress sealing means positioned between the flange and the vessel or pipeline, and further including a seal between the flange means of the plug element and the flange of the mounting body, (ii) a plug element movably mounted and normally captive in the passageway of the mounting body, said movable plug element having an inner end inwards of the inner end of the mounting body, an outer end outwards of the outer end of the mounting body, a :passageway through the plug element, sealing means around the inner end of the passageway, an opening adjacent the inner end of the passageway and flange means on the outer end of the plug element adapted to engage the mounting body so as to limit inward movement of the plug element, the plug element being movable between an inward or operating position at which fluid in the vessel or pipeline can enter the interior of the plug element through the opening adjacent its inner end and an outward or closed position at which the sealing means engages the sealing face of the mounting body to prevent flow of fluid into the passageway of the mounting body, and (iii) an operative element adapted to be removably located within the passageway of the plug element, said operative element having means for closing the outer end of the passageway through the plug element, and wherein the operative element has a peripheral flange 31/5/99 around its outer end and further including a seal between the flange of the operative element and the flange means of the plug element, the arrangement being such that when the plug element is moved to its outward or closed position, the operative element may be removed from the passageway in the plug element without there being flow of fluid from the vessel or pipeline through the passageway in the plug element.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which:o. Fig. 1 is a plan view of a self-sealing plug according to one embodiment of the invention, Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the plug shown in Fig. 1 15 taken in the direction of arrows A-A, and Fig. 3 is an exploded plan view of the plug shown in Fig. 1.

The self-sealing plug 10 shown in the drawings which may be used "with an oil sump includes a mounting body 11, a plug element 12 and an operative element 13 which in this instance is in the form of a bar magnet 20 filter.

ooo The mounting body 11 has a body portion 14 and a peripheral flange portion 15 in the form of a hexagonal nut. The body 11 has an axial passageway 16 therethrough. The body portion 14 is internally and externally threaded. At the inner end of the body portion 14 there is a sealing face 3/5/99 17. The plug element 12 has an elongated body portion 19 which in this instance is substantially longer than the body portion 14 of the mounting body 11 and a peripheral flange portion 20 in the form of a hexagonal nut. In this instance, the flange portion 20 is secured to the body portion 19 by a grub screw 21 but the flange portion 20 may be integral with the body portion 19.

The plug element 12 has an axial passageway 22 having an opening 23 at the outer end and openings 24 adjacent to 10 the inner end. At the inner end of the plug element there is a sealing face 25 having a seal 26 seated in groove 36 adapted to seal against the face 17 of the mounting body 11 *o as will be described below.

The plug element 12 has an external thread 27 adapted *o*o to engage the internal thread 28 of the mounting body 11. A seal 33 is positioned between the flange portions 15 and The seal 33 seats in annular recess 35 in the flange 15. At the outer end of the plug element 12 there is an internal .i threaded portion 29.

The magnetic filter 13 consists of a bar magnet 30 and a peripheral mounting flange 31 having a threaded portion 32 adapted to engage the internal threaded portion 29 of the plug element 12. A seal 34 is positioned between the mounting flange 31 and the outer end of the plug element.

In use, the mounting body 11, complete with plug 12 and operative element 13, is screwed into the opening of the empty sump. A seal (not shown) positioned between the flange and the sump is compressed to provide a fluid tight seal when the mounting body 11 is screwed into the opening of the sump. The sump is then filled with fluid some of which passes through the openings 24 in the plug element 12 and around the magnetic filter 13. When the magnetic filter 13 is to be cleaned, the plug element 12 is unscrewed from the mounting body 11 until the sealing face 25 engages and seals against the sealing face 17 of the body portion 11. The magnetic filter 13 can then be removed from the plug element 12 with minimal loss of fluid from the sump.

10 Various modifications may be made in details of design and construction without departing from the scope and ambit of the invention. For example, the operative element may be a temperature sensor, a velocity sensor or a sensor reactive to a change in composition of the fluid flowing through the 15 openings 24.

S

The self-sealing plug of the invention may be used with a wide variety of vessels and pipelines. The self-sealing plug could be used for sampling flowable materials in a vessel or pipeline.

THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:- 1. A self-sealing plug for a fluid vessel or pipeline comprising:a mounting body adapted to close an opening in the vessel or pipeline, said mounting body having an inner end which when the mounting body is mounted on the vessel or pipeline will be located within the vessel or pipeline and an outer end which will be located outside the vessel or pipeline, a passageway through the mounting body and a sealing face at the inner end of the passageway, wherein the mounting body has a peripheral flange about its outer end which is adapted to engage and compress sealing means positioned between the flange and the vessel or pipeline, and further including a seal between the flange means of the plug element and the flange of the mounting body, a plug element movably mounted and normally captive in the passageway of the mounting body, said movable plug element :--having an inner end inwards of the inner end of the mounting body, an outer end outwards of the outer end of the mounting body, a passageway through the plug element, sealing means around the ge: inner end of the passageway, an opening adjacent the inner end of .the passageway and flange means on the outer end of the plug element adapted to engage the mounting body so as to limit inward ~movement of the plug element, the plug element being movable between an inward or operating position at which fluid in the vessel or pipeline can enter the interior of the plug element through the opening adjacent its inner end and an outward or closed position at which the sealing means engages the sealing face of the mounting body to prevent flow of fluid into the passageway of the mounting body, and 31/5/99

Claims

2. A self-sealing plug according to claim 1 wherein the flange of the mounting body has a recess for receiving the seal between the outer end flange of the mounting body and the flange means on the outer end of the plug element. r
3. A self-sealing plug according to claim 1 wherein the sealing means at *°'the inner end of the plug element includes a peripheral flange around the inner end of the plug element which overlies the sealing face of the mounting body and a seal adapted to seal against the sealing face when the plug element is in its outward or closed position.
4. A self-sealing plug according to claim 1 wherein the plug element has a plurality of openings adjacent its inner end to permit free flow of fluid through the plug element. A self-sealing plug according to claim 1 wherein the operative element is a magnetic filter. 31/5/99 9
6. A self-sealing plug according to claim 1 wherein the operative element includes means for collecting a sample of the fluid. Dated this 31st day of May 1999 WALKER AND GIBSON PTY LIMITED Patent Attorneys for the Applicants PETER MAXWELL ASSOCIATES **4 e4 ABSTRACT A self-sealing plug for a fluid vessel or pipeline has a mounting body a movable plug element (12) and an operative element (12) which may be a magnetic filter or a fluid sampler. When the operative element is to be removed, the plug element (12) is screwed outwards until the seal (26) mates with the sealing face (17) to prevent flow of fluid through the mounting body (11). So o S *o A S.o 6