Spring-capture assembly for a spring-biased mechanism and pressure relief valve including same

Abstract

A spring capture assembly is provided for securing a compression spring of a spring-biased mechanism, such as a spring-biased pressure relief valve, to permit disassembly of the mechanism without risk of damage or injury associate with rapid resiling of the spring from a compressed state. The assembly includes a tool, a housing having an opening for admitting passage of the tool and capturing the spring at one end, a spring retainer, and a compression spring mounted within the housing and captured at one end by said housing and toward an opposite end by the spring retainer. The tool is adapted for mating with the spring retainer and the housing to compress the spring therebetween. The spring capture assembly may be incorporated into a pressure relief valve for venting pressure and/or vacuum from a pressure vessel. Provided also is a method for disassembling a spring-biased mechanism including a spring capture assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A spring capture assembly for a spring-biased mechanism comprising:
 a tool having a shoulder and an elongated member having a distal end;   a housing having an opening for admitting passage of said tool;   a spring retainer mechanically interlockable to said tool; and   a compression spring mounted within said housing and captured at one end by said housing and at an opposite end by said spring retainer;   whereby rotation of said tool relative to said spring retainer with said tool mated to said spring retainer and said shoulder abutting said housing advances said spring retainer relative to said tool and acts to compress said compression spring between said spring retainer and said housing.   
     
     
         2 . The spring capture assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said distal end of said tool comprises threads, and said spring retainer comprises complementary threads for mechanically interlocking therewith. 
     
     
         3 . The spring capture assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said spring retainer further comprises a flange positioned to engage a portion of said compression spring.