Safety pressure relief device

Claim 2

In a safety pressure relief device adapted to be clamped between a pair of conventional annular pipe flanges, said pipe flanges including a plurality of bolt members disposed through openings positioned in spaced relationship about the peripheries thereof, the improvement comprising: said safety pressure relief device including a rupture disk supported between a pair of annular supporting members, said supporting members being adapted to fit between said pipe flanges and the bolt members thereof; and an annular spacing member attached to the outside periphery of one of said supporting members, said spacing member being of a shape such that when said safety pressure relief device is clamped between said pipe flanges and said bolt members, said device is centered therein.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 which is further characterized to include: said rupture disk having an annular flat flange portion; each of said annular supporting members having annular flat portions to coact and support the annular flat flange portion of said rupture disk; and means attached to said supporting members for aligning said supporting members, centering said rupture disk therebetween and preventing said rupture disk from being installed upside down in the supporting members.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the means attached to said supporting members for aligning said supporting members, centering said rupture disk therebetween and preventing said rupture disk from being installed upside down in the supporting members comprises: the annular flat portion of one of said supporting members including a plurality of upstanding posts positioned thereon; the annular flat portion of the other of said supporting members including a plurality of bores for receiving and engaging said upstanding posts when said supporting members are clamped together thereby aligning said supporting members; and said rupture disk including a plurality of apertures in the annular flange portion thereof positioned with respect to said upstanding posts so that when said rupture disk is positioned between said supporting members with said upstanding posts fitted through said apertures it is centered therebetween and positioned right side up.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said rupture disk is a reverse buckling disk having a concave-convex portion attached to said annular flange portion.

Claim 6

In a safety pressure relief device adapted to be clamped between conventional pipe flanges, said pipe flanges including a plurality of bolt members disposed through openings positioned in spaced relationship about the peripheries thereof, the improvement which comprises: said safety pressure relief device including a concave-convex reverse buckling rupture disk having an annular flat flange portion connected to the concave-convex portion thereof; inlet and outlet supporting members adapted to fit between said pipe flanges and said bolt members, said supporting members having annular flat portions to coact and support said annular flat flange portion of said rupture disk; means attached to said supporting members for aligning said supporting members and centering said rupture disk therebetween with the convex surface of said rupture disk facing said inlet supporting member; and one of said supporting members including an annular spacing member attached to the outside periphery thereof, said spacing member being of a shape such that when said safety pressure relief device is clamped between said pipe flanges and said bolt members, said device is centered therein.

Claim 7

In a safety pressure relief device adapted to be clamped between conventional pipe flanges, said pipe flanges including a plurality of bolt members disposed through openings positioned in spaced relationship about the peripheries thereof, the improvement which comprises: said safety pressure relief device including a concave-convex reverse buckling rupture disk having an annular flat flange portion connected to the concave-convex portion thereof; inlet and outlet supporting members adapted to fit between said pipe flanges and said bolt members, said supporting members having annular flat portions to coact and support said annular flat flange portion of said rupture disk; means attached to said supporting members for aligning said supporting members and centering said rupture disk therebetween with the convex surface of said rupture disk facing said inlet supporting member; and one of said supporting members including an annular spacing member attached to the outside periphery thereof, said spacing member being of a shape such that when said safety pressure relief device is clamped between said pipe flanges and said bolt members, said device is centered therein.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the means attached to said supporting members for aligning said supporting members and center in said rupture disk therebetween with the convex surface thereof facing the inlet supporting member comprises: the annular flat portion of the inlet supporting member including a plurality of upstanding posTs positioned thereon; the annular flat portion of the outlet supporting member including a plurality of complimentary bores for receiving and engaging said upstanding posts when said supporting members are clamped together thereby aligning said supporting members; and said reverse buckling rupture disk including a plurality of apertures in the annular flange portion thereof positioned with respect to said upstanding posts so that when said rupture disk is positioned between said supporting members with said upstanding posts fitted through said apertures it is centered with the convex surface thereof facing said inlet supporting member.