Accumulator with float orienting means

Claim 1

In a guided-float accumulator comprising a vessel in the shape of a sphere or cylinder adapted to contain high fluid pressures, a mouth at the bottom of the vessel, fluid outlet means associated with the mouth for connection of the vessel and its content to a hydraulic system such as used in an oil well blowout preventer, a normally open shut-off valve associated with the mouth in series with the fluid outlet means, and a vented float movable in the vessel along transversely centered normally vertically extending guide means according to the level of the liquid fill within the vessel to thereby close off the shut-off valve and prevent the escape of pressurized gas from the ullage space of the vessel into the hydraulic system proper as the liquid fill within the vessel approaches exhaustion, the improvement which comprises provision of a vent outlet for the float and a ballast weight for the float with the vent outlet and ballast weight on opposite sides of the center of said normally vertically extending guide means, said float being mounted for free turning around said center whereby whatever the degree of liquid fill of the vessel, sidewise tilting of the vessel so as to move the normally vertically extending guide means toward a horizontal position will be accompanied by rotation of the vent outlet to the then-high side of said center of said normally vertically extending guide means to keep the vent outlet above the liquid fill and maintain the float directly vented to the ullage space of the vessel.