Method of sealing a large gasketed enclosure 1

[drax]

We manufacture a product about the size of a refrigator, that must be submersible. We use 1.25 round gasket on the door and I need to seal the door to the body without using hardware, Does anyone know of a innovative way to seal with a quick opening solution without having to use tools?

many thanks!!!!

 

[MadMango]

Perhaps a hand-pump to create a slight vacuum in the box? Later at depth, the door should be self-sealing due to pressure exerted on it. "Happy the Hare at morning for she is ignorant to the Hunter's waking thoughts."

 

[butelja]

Have you looked at using toggle clamps such as those offered by DeStaco or Carr-Lane? These could be used to clamp the door tight enough to effect the initial seal until external pressure further assists.

Rigidity of your door may come into play with respect to sealing. If a rectangular plate is uniformly loaded with edge support, the corners will try to curl up if not restrained.

 

[umamagesh]

There is a process used on Otoclave for sealing. You may try a similar one.

 

[drax]

thanks guys. There is really no external pressure unless the device is flooded...this is rare. I would have to rely on the clamping device to seal it. I'll check out Carr lane and Destaco. Old submarines used a wheel to seal but I not quite sure how that worked.

Thanks
Mark

 

[MadMango]

Turning the wheel forced bars thru a latch plate, against an inclined ramp that pressed the door against a seal. The ammount of force on the seal could be adjusted by how engaged the bars where on the inclines. These inclines were usually brass, and would wear as the doors were used. Just another clamping action. "Happy the Hare at morning for she is ignorant to the Hunter's waking thoughts."

 

[winkler]

Have you considered the 1/4 turn locking action which secures the top and bottom of the door of a semi trailer?

There isn't a great deal of design info that you've given but if you need to put the sixth side onto a rectangular box you could use the toggle clamps mentioned or a handle which rotates and captures a post sticking out of each of the four sides of the plate. I've seen this to secure freezer doors. The final position of the rotary handle snugs the door tightly against the sealing face. Rotating the handle begins to capture the post in a groove on the half-disk shaped handle. Completing the rotation compresses the seal because the groove is manufactured to guide the post towards the center of handle rotation. I apologize if this is a lousy description.

Regards,

Winkler

 

[pipewelder1999]

Here is a picture of a "Watertight door" used on Navy ships. The door is secure by a series of independent dogs and wedges. In some cases the dogs are all linked together to allow them to operate at once.

http://www.rrm.spear.navy.mil/ready_resources_material/RRMExamples/quick_acting_watertight_door.htm

also see

http://www.floodbarriers.com/m_wt_qa1-pic.html

Hope this helps

G AUstin

http://weldinginspectionsvcs.com

 

[arun17]

If the application is not for deep sea, and for some test set up ,you may probably try electromagnts on the lid and inside of the box to provide tightning force. Probably you may avoid the bolts this way. Whenever you want to open the lid simply switch off power to electromagnet "Knowledge is power"

 

[quark]

Drax!

Pharmaceutical autoclaves use similar type of door sealing for horizontal or vertical sliding doors. Gasket is kept in a groove and a port provided in the groove provides compressed air supply which pushes the gasket towards door and makes it leak proof.

The regulatory requirement of 0.5mbar/min in 10 minutes is being met in this type of arrangement.

Regards,

Truth: Even the hardest of the problems will have atleast one simple solution. Mine may not be one.

 

[winkler]

It suddenly comes to mind that the over center latch on the front of my tool box seems to clamp things down pretty tight. Can you put a series of those around the edges?

Winkler