Thermally Compensated Mounting Flange and Method of Use

Abstract

A thermally compensated mounting flange 10 useful for mechanically attaching equipment to a device which can be operated at a relatively high temperature is disclosed, such as an actuator 32 to operate valve 12. The mounting flange 10 and valve 12 can be made of different materials with unequal thermal expansion coefficients. The mounting flange 10 has a flange portion 14 and one or more legs 16A,16B extending from the flange portion 14 to a distal end mechanically secured to the valve 12. At least one pin 36 can be disposed through an attachment bore 22,24,26 in a leg 16A,16B and into or through the body of valve 12. An open-ended slot 30 is formed from the distal end and terminates at an aperture 28 spaced from a periphery of a leg 16A,16B. Aperture 28 can conveniently serve as a sight hole for inspection of the top of valve 12.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a thermally compensated mounting flange of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the thermally compensated mounting flange of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the thermally compensated mounting flange of FIGS. 1-2.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the thermally compensated mounting flange of FIGS. 1-3 along lines 4-4.

FIG. 5 is an end view of an assembly of the thermally compensated mounting flange of FIGS. 1-4 and a valve, according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the assembly of FIG. 5 further including a valve actuator secured to the thermally compensated mounting flange, according to one embodiment of the invention.

Claims

1. A thermally compensated mounting flange to mechanically attach equipment to a device wherein the thermally compensated mounting flange and the device have different thermal expansion coefficients, comprising: a flange portion;one or more legs extending from the flange portion to a distal end mechanically securable to the device; andan open-ended slot formed from the distal end of the one or more legs and terminating at an aperture spaced from a periphery of the one or more legs.

2. The thermally compensated mounting flange of claim 1 wherein the flange portion comprises a generally flat annular plate.

3. The thermally compensated mounting flange of claim 1 wherein at least one of the one or more legs comprises a flat plate.

4. The thermally compensated mounting flange of claim 1 wherein the open-ended slot in the one or more legs is formed along a longitudinal centerline thereof.

5. An assembly of a thermally compensated mounting flange and a device wherein the thermally compensated mounting flange and the device have different thermal expansion coefficients, comprising: a flange portion;one or more legs extending from the flange portion to a distal end mechanically secured to the device; andan open-ended slot formed from the distal end of the one or more legs and terminating at an aperture spaced from a periphery of the one or more legs.

6. The assembly of claim 5 wherein the device comprises a valve.

7. The assembly of claim 6 wherein a stem of the valve extends through a central opening in the flange portion.

8. The assembly of claim 7 further comprising an actuator attached to the flange portion and connected to the stem of the valve.

9. The assembly of claim 6 wherein the distal end of the one or more legs is received in a longitudinal recess formed in the valve.

10. The assembly of claim 6 wherein the one or more legs comprises an opposing pair of legs.

11. The assembly of claim 6 wherein the one or more legs is mechanically secured to the valve by at least one pin passing through an attachment bore in the distal end of the one or more legs intersected by the open-ended slot and into the valve.

12. The assembly of claim 11 wherein a diameter of the pin is selected to permit full closure of the open-ended slot under thermal stress conditions.

13. The assembly of claim 11 wherein the one or more legs is further mechanically secured to the valve via a pair of pins each received in corresponding bores formed in the one or more legs and formed in the valve, the pair of pins disposed on opposing sides of the open-ended slot.

14. The assembly of claim 6 wherein the one or more legs is mechanically secured to the valve via a pair of pins each received in corresponding bores formed in the one or more legs and formed in the valve, the pair of pins disposed on opposing sides of the open-ended slot.

15. The assembly of claim 6 wherein the aperture comprises a sight hole to view an area between the flange portion and the valve.

16. A method of forming a thermally compensated connection between equipment and a device with a mounting flange wherein the mounting flange and the device have different thermal expansion coefficients, comprising: attaching a flange portion of the mounting flange to the equipment;mechanically securing a distal end of one or more legs extending from the mounting flange to the device; andproviding an open-ended slot extending from the distal end of the one or more legs and terminating at an aperture spaced from a periphery of the one or more legs.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the device comprises a valve.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the equipment comprises an actuator connected to a stem of the valve.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the open-ended slot in the one or more legs is formed along a longitudinal centerline thereof.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the mechanically securing step comprises inserting a pin through an attachment bore in the one or more legs intersected by the open-ended slot and into the valve.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising selecting the pin to have a diameter that permits full closure of the open-ended slot under thermal stress conditions.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the mechanically securing step further comprises inserting a pair of pins into corresponding bores formed in the one or more legs and formed in the valve, the pair of pins disposed on opposing sides of the open-ended slot.

23. The method of claim 17 wherein the mechanically securing step comprises inserting a pair of pins into corresponding bores formed in the one or more legs and formed in the valve, the pair of pins disposed on opposing sides of the open-ended slot.

24. The method of claim 17 further comprising viewing an area between the flange portion and the device using the aperture as a sight hole.