Protective device for liquefied gas vessel

Abstract: A device for protecting a base ring of a liquefied gas vessel comprises a body (3) of plastic material which is securable to the lower end part (7) of the base ring (9). A recess (17) is arranged at the lower side of the body (3) which recess has a shape sub­ stantially complementary to the upper end part (19) of the liquefied gas vessel (11) so as to allow secure stacking of the gas vessel on top of another vessel.

Description: The invention relates to a protective device for a liquefied gas vessel. More particularly it relates to a base device to be arranged on the base ring of a portable liquefied gas vessel. Portable liquefied gas vessels are generally filled with a petroleum gas, such as butane or propane for domestic use. The vessels commonly have a cylindrical side wall and a dome-shaped bottom and top. Usually the vessels are equipped with a base ring which is arranged around the dome shaped bottom so as to provide a stable foundation on a flat surface. French patent specification publication No. 1411837 discloses a device for protecting a base ring of a portable liquefied gas vessel. The known device comprises a body of resilient material. The body includes an annular groove having a shape substantially complementary to the lower end part of the base ring so as to allow this lower end part to be arranged in the groove. In use the known device is rigidly secured to the lower end part of the base ring and thus provides a means for protecting the base ring against damage caused by impact and for preventing abrasion of the paint. A limitation of the use of the known device is that it does not allow secure stacking of liquefied gas vessels. It is an object of the invention to provide a protection device for protecting a base ring of a liquefied gas vessel, which allows secure stacking of liquefied gas vessels, so that the liquefied gas vessels can be placed in a stable manner on top of each other. In accordance with the present invention the protection device for protection of and to be arranged on the lower end part of a base ring of said vessel, which ring extends from the bottom of said vessel, the vessel having at its top at least a valve protecting cap, comprises a body of resilient material, comprises at one side an annular groove for pushing said device upon said lower end part, is provided with locking means to secure said device to said end part, and is characterized in that at its opposite side a recess is provided, extending to said bottom, and having a shape suitable for stacking said vessel on top of a similar vessel, which shape closely fits upon the top of said similar vessel when stacked. If the device according to the invention is secured to the lower end part of the base ring of a liquefied petroleum gas vessel in a position of the device wherein the lower end part of the base ring is arranged in the groove, the device can be placed on top of a similar vessel, thereby allowing the upper end part of the similar vessel to be arranged in the recess. Since the shape of the recess is substantially complementary to the upper end part of the similar vessel, the device according to the invention provides a secure means of stacking liquefied gas vessels. The invention will now be described by way of example in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view to the device according to the invention; Figure 2 shows schematically a liquefied petroleum gas vessel with the device according to the invention attached to the base ring of the vessel; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a first alternative embodiment of the device according to the invention; Figure 4 shows schematically a bottom view of a second alternative embodiment of the device according to the invention; and Figure 5 is a partial cross-section of the second alternative embodiment, along the line V-V of Fig. 4. The device for protecting a base ring of a liquefied petroleum gas vessel shown in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a circular body 3 of plastic material. An annular groove 5 is arranged at the upper side of the body 3 as illustrated in Figure 1. The groove 5 has a shape which is complementary to the shape of the inwardly curved lower end part 7 of the base ring 9 of the liquefied petroleum gas vessel 11. The body 3 is provided with locking means to secure the device to the lower end part 7 of the base ring 9, said locking means comprising a clip 13 of resilient material, which clip 13 in using the device is hooked to an edge 27 of the base ring 9. The clip 13 is an integral part of the body 3 and has the shape of an annular shoulder extending along the inner circumference of the groove 5. A recess 17 is arranged at the lower side of the body 3. The recess 17 has a shape substantially complementary to the upper end part of the liquefied petroleum gas vessel 11, which end part is formed by a valve protecting cap 19. The lower side of the body 3 is provided with a first annular support member 21 so as to support the device on a substantially flat surface and a second annular support member 23 so as to mount the device on top of a liquefied petroleum gas vessel similar to the liquefied petroleum gas vessel 11. The first annular support member 21 is arranged around the second annular support member 23. The upper side of the body 3 is provided with a dome shaped support surface 25 so as to support the dome shaped bottom 26 of the liquefied petroleum gas vessel 11 if the end part 7 of the base ring 9 is fully arranged in the groove 5. When the lower end part 7 of the base ring 9 is being placed in the groove 5, the clip 13 is elastically deformed by the base ring 9, and springs back when the lower end part 7 of the base ring 9 is in the groove 5. As a result, the clip 13 surrounds the edge 27 of the base ring 9 closely and the cylindrical support surface 25 is in contact with the lower part of the liquefied petroleum gas vessel 11. In a first mode of normal use of the device according to the invention the device is attached to the base ring 9 of the liquefied petroleum gas vessel 11 and placed on a substantially horizontal surface supporting the first annular support member 21. In a second mode of normal use of the device according to the invention the device is attached to the base ring 9 of the liquefied petroleum gas vessel 11 and placed on the upper part of a similar second liquefied petroleum gas vessel, which upper part supports the second annular support member 23. In this second mode the valve protecting cap 19 of the similar liquefied petroleum gas vessel is arranged in the recess 17 of the device. Since the body 3 of the device is manufactured of plastic material the device acts as an acoustic damper during handling of the vessel 11 which is generally made of metal. The first alternative device for protecting a base ring of a liquefied petroleum gas vessel shown in Figure 3 is similar to the device shown in Figures 1 and 2, except that the first alternative device is provided with an extended first annular support member 21a. In an arrangement whereby the first alternative device is placed on the upper part of a liquefied petroleum gas vessel, both the extended first annular support member 21a and the second annular support member 23 are supported by the dome shaped top of the liquefied petroleum gas vessel. In the second alternative embodiment, shown in Figs. 4 and 5, there are provided a plurality of clips 30 protruding from the inner circumference of the groove 5 which clips 30 in using the device are hooked to the edge 27 of the base ring 9. Each clip 30 is defined as a portion of the body 3 surrounded by a U-shaped slot 32 provided in the body 3. The clips 30 are arranged at regular intervals along the inner circumference of the groove 5. A central opening 34 is provided in the body 3, from which central opening 34 radial slots 36 extend outward so as to increase the flexibility of the device. Circumferential slots 38 are provided in the outer support member 21.

Claims: A protection device for protection of and to be arranged on the lower end part (7) of a base ring (9) of a liquefied gas vessel, which ring extends from the bottom (26) of said vessel (11), the vessel having at its top at least a valve protecting cap (19), said device comprising a body (3) of resilient material, the body comprising at one side an annular groove (5) for pushing said device upon said lower end part (7), and being provided with locking means (13, 30) to secure said device to said end part (7), characterized in that, at its opposite side a recess (17) is provided, extending to said bottom (26), and having a shape suitable for stacking said vessel (11) on top of a similar vessel, the shape closely fitting upon the cap of said similar vessel when stacked. The device according to claim 1, wherein the locking means (13) comprise at least one clip of resilient material, which clip in using the device is hooked to an edge (27) of the inwardly curved lower end part (7) of the base ring (9). The device according to claim 2, wherein the clip (13) is an integral part of the body (3). The device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the clip (13) has the shape of an annular shoulder extending along the inner circumference of the groove (5). The device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein a clip (13) protrudes from the inner circumference of the groove (5). The device according to claim 5, wherein the clip (30) is defined as a portion of the body (3) surrounded by a U-shaped slot (32) provided in the body (3). The device according to claim 8, wherein a plurality of clips (30) are arranged at regular intervals along said circumference. The device according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein a central opening (34) is provided in the body (3), from which opening a plurality of radial slots (36) extend outwardly. The device according to claims 1-8, wherein the material of the body is plastic.

Inventors: BANNELL JOHN LESLY KINGSFORD, ROBINSON JOHN FOSTER, BANNELL, JOHN LESLY KINGSFORD, ROBINSON, JOHN FOSTER
Applicants: SHELL INT RESEARCH, SHELL INTERNATIONALE RESEARCH MAATSCHAPPIJ B.V.
Application year: 1989
Main classification: F17C13
IPC codes: F17C13