Replaceable bladder accumulator device

Claim 1

A top repairable accumulator device comprising a pressure vessel having an oil port at one end and being closed at the other end, said closed end having an axially extending bore formed therein, a bladder assembly mounted at said other end, said bladder assembly including an elongate rigid stem having an annular flange portion of a diameter smaller than said bore, said stem including an axially directed gas charging passage, a bladder member including a mounting aperture molded over and bonded to said flange, a separable locking ring mounted on said stem, said ring having a diametric portion of larger diameter than said bore, and a second diametric portion including opposed reduced side edge portions spaced apart a distance less than the diameter of said bore, whereby said ring is endwise insertable into the interior of said vessel through said bore when inclined in the direction of the axis of said vessel, said ring including a central aperture of diameter larger than said stem and smaller than said flange, said stem projecting outwardly through said aperture and through said bore whereby said ring is sandwiched between the walls of said vessel surrounding said bore and said flange, a retaining plate extending downwardly into said bore, said plate including downwardly facing land portions shaped complementally to said reduced side portions, said land portions being disposed in juxtaposition to said side portions, said plate having an outer diameter portion fitting with close tolerance within said bore, and an inner aperture surrounding said stem, a thread portion formed on said stem outside said vessel and a lock nut assembly threadedly mounted on said threaded portion of said stem and including an undersurface reacting against said vessel, said nut assembly clampingly urging said flange outwardly against said ring and said plate inwardly against said ring, thereby removably to secure said bladder assembly within said pressure vessel.