Tank Liner Installation Device with Hollow Cutters
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Solution Overview
Problem
The installation of liners and gaskets in large liquid storage tanks is labor-intensive and prone to human error and safety risks due to the need for drilling and installing numerous chime bolts, which requires significant time and effort.
Innovation Solution
A device with a rigid support and hollow cylindrical cutters, controlled by a depressable pedal or pneumatic system, is used to simultaneously puncture liners and gaskets between tank components, allowing for multiple holes to be formed at once, and a separate device for inserting bolts through pre-drilled holes, reducing manual effort and improving safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual drilling and bolt installation is performed for each hole individually, then installation precision can be maintained, but installation time and labor effort increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The device combines multiple drilling operations and bolt installation operations into a single integrated tool. The bar assembly with multiple holders positions drill bits and bolts simultaneously, allowing the operator to complete multiple holes in one positioning action, thereby dramatically increasing installation speed while maintaining precision through the rigid structural framework
Solution Approach 2:
The device pre-positions multiple drill bits and bolts in their correct locations before the actual drilling and installation begins. The holders on the bar assembly hold bolts ready for insertion, and the drill bits are positioned at precise intervals, eliminating the need to locate and set each hole individually during the installation process
2Ease of operation
If multiple holes are drilled and bolts installed individually, then equipment complexity remains low, but labor intensity and safety risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The device is segmented into modular components: a bar assembly with multiple holders, interchangeable drill bit sets, and bolt holders. This segmentation allows the complex function of multi-hole drilling and bolt installation to be achieved through simple, replaceable parts that can be easily swapped depending on the specific installation requirements, reducing the perceived complexity for the operator
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional drilling and reaming is performed for each hole, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but installation time and effort increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The device extracts the time-consuming reaming operation from the installation process by using pre-manufactured threaded inserts or self-tapping bolts. The drill bits create pilot holes, and the threaded components are then inserted and secured, eliminating the need for separate reaming operations for each hole while maintaining manufacturing simplicity
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are devices and methods useful for installing a liner and/or a gasket at the base of a tank, e.g., between the horizontal lips of a tank base chime and a tank wall panel. Devices including hollow cylindrical cutters are used to puncture the liner and/or gasket material. In one device, a depressable pedal causes the hollow cylindrical cutters to move upwardly to puncture the liner and/or gasket material. In an alternative device, at least one pneumatic cylinder causes the hollow cylindrical cutters to move downwardly to puncture the liner and/or gasket material. Another device installs bolts through the horizontal lips of the tank base chime and tank wall panel and the punctured liner and/or gasket material there between.