Appliance for Securing Covers within Receptacles with Hermetio Closure.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Sept., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 13th June, 1896-Accepted, 18th July, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Appliance for Securing Covers within Receptacles with Hermetio
Closure.
I, OTTOMAR ELSTNER, of Gelnhausen, Germany, Electrical Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:--
According to my invention I secure covers with hermetic closure within
receptacles of any desired sectional form, by fitting round the cover a flexible
tube, which, when the cover is inserted, is subjected to internal fluid pressure so as
to be expanded and thus made to fit air-tight both against the cover and the sides
of the vessel. The cover with the tube must be of such a size as to fit easily into
the vessel; the tube is provided with an inlet, closed by a valve, through which the
fluid pressure is introduced.
When the cover is brought into the desired position, the tube is filled with fluid
pressure, such as compressed air or gas, or liquid under pressure, whereby it
is expanded and pressed firmly against the sides of the receptacle so that the cover
is by this means securely held in the said position, and at the same time a hermetic
closure is insured.
For freeing the cover again, the fluid pressure is discharged from the tube,
whereupon the cover can be withdrawn.
This mode of closure differs advantageously from flanged closures in which
caoutchouc tubes are introduced between flanges and expanded by internal pressure,
in that flanges, and all the adjuncts thereto such as screw bolts, clamps, wedges,
cementing and the like are entirely done away with.
The requisite securing of the cover in the vessel is effected simply by a sufficient
distension of the closing tube. This arrangement possesses the special advantages
that the covers of cylindrical or prismatic receptacles can be secured at any desired
height, such for instance as close over the surface of the material contained in the
vessel, at whatever height it may be; furthermore, that the internal sides may
deviate more or less from the straight form, thus they may, for example, be slightly
tapering, or may have unevennesses, without preventing the air tight closure of the
covers; on the contrary, uneven, rough, porous, inner surfaces serve to hold the
cover more securely in position by means of the inflated elastic tubes.
This fitting of the covers to the inner sides of vessels having the same general
configuration but of varying form of the inner surface offers the farther advantage
that the covers do not require to be made for one particular form of vessel, but
can be used interchangeably with vessels varying more or less materially in
dimensions.
The covers are, for the purposes of my invention, either made with a flat
periphery or preferably the periphery is formed with a groove round it into which
the tube, which is more or less elastic, is fitted, being if desired made to project
slightly beyond the periphery of the cover, but so that the latter can be freely
inserted together with the tube into the vessel. At one point the tube is provided
with an upward projecting inlet, closed by a valve, for effecting its inflation
as before stated. The interior of the vessel may also have one or more shallow
grooves formed round it, into which the tube is pressed when inflated.
The tube can be of any desired sectional form, such as either circular, elliptic or
with a flat side for pressing against the vessel.

page_text: The tube may also form part of a caoutchouc cap fitting over the undor side and
round the periphery of the cover.
The invention is applicable to all kinds of receptacles or vessels; in particular it
may be applied with advantage to transportable accumulators for electric lighting,
electric propulsion, &c., as it is of particular importance in such cases to be able to
close and open the accumulator vessels rapidly, as the interior of the cells have to
be examined frequently and must yet be effectually closed in order to prevent the
liquid electrolyte from splashing about. The covers may in some cases be made
with flanges or lugs for resting upon the upper edge of the vessel but serving
merely to maintain the cover at a certain height in the vessel, or for preventing it
from being inserted beyond a certain distance.
Dated this 16th day of September 1895.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
Appliance for Securing Covers within Receptacles with Hermetic
Closure.
I, OTTOMAR ELSTNER, of Gelnhausen, Germany, Electrical Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement.
According to my invention I secure covers with hermetic closure within
receptacles of any desired sectional form, by fitting round the cover a flexible
tube, which, when the cover is inserted, is subjected to internal fluid pressure so as
to be expanded and thus made to fit air-tight both against the cover and the sides
of the vessel. The cover with the tube must be of such a size as to fit easily into
the vessel; the tube is provided with an inlet, closed by a valve, through which the
fluid pressure is introduced. When the cover is brought into the desired position,
the tube is filled with fluid pressure, such as compressed air or gas, or liquid under
pressure, whereby it is expanded and pressed firmly against the sides of the
receptacle so that the cover is by this means securely held in the said position, and
at the same time a hermetic closure is insured.
'
For freeing the cover again, the fluid pressure is discharged from the tube,
whereupon the cover can be withdrawn.
This mode of closure differs advantageously from flanged closures in which
caoutchouc tubes are introduced between flanges and expanded by internal
pressure,
in that flanges, and all the adjuncts thereto such as screw bolts, clamps, wedges,
cementing and the like are entirely done away with.
The requisite securing of the cover in the vessel is effected simply by a sufficient
distension of the closing tube. This arrangement possesses the special advantages
that the covers of cylindrical or prismatic receptacles can be secured at any desired
'height, such for instance as close over the surface of the material contained in the
vessel, at whatever height it may be; furthermore, that the internal sides may
deviate more or less from the straight form, thus they may, for example, be slightly
tapering, or may have unevennesses, without preventing the air tight closure of the
covers; on the contrary, uneven, rough, porous, inner surfaces serve to hold the
cover more securely in position by means of the inflated elastic tubes.
2
This fitting of the covers to the inner sides of vessels having the same general
configuration but of varying form of the inner surface offers the farther advantage
that the covers do not require to be made for one particular form of vessel,
but can be used interchangeably with vessels varying more or less materially in
dimensions.
!
...
...
"

page_text: Figs. 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings shew by way of example various.
modes of carrying out my above described invention.
The cover b to be fixed airtight in the vessel a has a rounded groove c formed
round its periphery, and the expansible caoutchouc ring-shaped tube d is, by
reason of its elasticity, sprung into the said groove. The tube may project
somewhat beyond the groove, but the cover together with the tube must be capable
of being easily slid into the vessel a. The tube is provided with a small inlet.
branche closed by a check valve or other suitable means.
For charging the tube with air or other fluid the branch is temporarily connected
to a supply pipe for fluid pressure.
When the cover thus prepared is pushed into the mouth of the vessel a, and the
branch is connected, for example, to an air pump then a few strokes of the latter
will suffice to expand the tube sufficiently to cause it to be pressed in an airtight
manner closely against all parts of the vessel a against which it bears.
For releasing the cover when this has to be removed, the fluid under pressure
is simply allowed to escape from the interior of the tube by opening the closing
device at e.
The cover can then be readily withdrawn.
The inner walls of the vessel can also be made with a circular groove where the
cover is to fit against it, as shewn at Fig. 2, by which means the correct and tight.
fit of the tube is insured. The groove can be omitted from the cover, in the event.
of it not being required to insure its accurate position.
The cross section of the caoutchouc tube can be of any desired form, for instance,
in place of the circular form shewn, at Figs. 1 and 2, a tube d' Fig. 3 can be used
the section of which is semicircular where it fits into the correspondingly shaped
groove of the cover, while the outer side which is to fit against the smooth surface
of the vessel is formed flat.
Or the tube can be made to constitute part d' of a caoutchouc cap g fitted over
the cover, as shewn at Fig. 4.
This mode of fixing covers in the interior of receptacles, with simultaneous air
tight closure and with the avoidance of all such means of fixing (screws, clamps, &c.)
as have heretofore been used, can be employed with receptacles of all kinds.
It is of particular advantage for closing transportable accumulators for illumination,
or for propelling motor care, &c., as it is in this case of considerable importance to
be able not only to firmly secure the cover but also to enable it to be easily and
rapidly removed, and yet to afford a reliably tight closure, in order to prevent any
splashing out of the electrolyte, which is mostly dilute sulphuric acid.
The above described covers may also be made with a rim or with several
projecting lugs that rest upon the upper edge of the receptacle, but which do not
serve for fixing the cover, but only either to prevent it from being pushed too far
into the receptacle, or to insure a definite deepest position thereof.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
Appliance for fixing covers within receptacles, vessels, and the like, consisting
of an extensible closing tube d d d applied round the periphery of the cover,
which tube, after the insertion of the cover into the vessel, is inflated by fluid
pressure so as to be pressed tightly against the surface of the vessel and thus secure
the cover tightly thereto, substantially as described and shewn on the drawings.
Din 12.h dan of Tune 1896
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.