1. A tubular valving system comprising:
a tubular;
a seat movably engaged with the tubular;
a sleeve movably engaged with the seat between at least a first position, a second position and a third position;
a release member in operable communication with the sleeve and the seat that maintains the sleeve relative to the seat in the first position until release thereof;
a biasing member configured to urge the sleeve from the second position toward the third position; and
a flapper sealingly engagable with the seat, such that pressure greater than a first threshold level against the flapper when seated causes release of the release member allowing the sleeve and the seat to attain the second position and a drop in pressure against the seated flapper below a second threshold level allows the biasing member to move the sleeve relative to the seat to the third position thereby unseating the flapper from the seat and preventing the flapper from being seatable with the seat.
2. The tubular valving system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of the seats disposed at the tubular with each of the plurality of seats being in operable communication with one of a plurality of the sleeves, one of a plurality of the release members, one of a plurality of the biasing members and one of a plurality of the flappers such that each of the plurality of flappers is openable sequentially in a downstream direction.
3. The tubular valving system of claim 1, further comprising a hold-open element in operable communication with the flapper and movable between at least a first location that prevents the flapper from seating with the seat and a second location that permits the flapper to seat with the seat.
4. The tubular valving system of claim 3, further comprising a plurality of the seats disposed at the tubular with each of the plurality of seats being in operable communication with one of a plurality of the sleeves, one of a plurality of the release members, one of a plurality of the biasing members, one of a plurality of the flappers and at least one of the hold-open elements, the at least one of the hold-open elements being selectively movable between the first location and the second location.
5. The tubular valving system of claim 4, wherein the at least one of the hold-open elements is sequentially movable from the first location to the second location in an upstream direction.
6. The tubular valving system of claim 4, wherein the at least one of the hold-open elements is one continuous element that is engagable with all of the plurality of flappers.
7. The tubular valving system of claim 4, wherein the at least one of the hold-open elements is a plurality of the hold-open elements with a separate one of the hold-open elements being in operable communication with each of the flappers.
8. The tubular valving system of claim 7, wherein the plurality of hold-open elements are collars.
9. The tubular valving system of claim 1, wherein the flapper continues to be seated when the seat and the sleeve are in the second position.
10. A method of actuating valves in a tubular system comprising:
pressuring up against a flapper seated with a seat within a tubular to pressure greater than a first threshold pressure;
releasing a release member fixedly attaching the seat to a sleeve;
decreasing pressure below a second threshold pressure; and
moving the sleeve relative to the seat thereby opening the flapper.
11. The method of actuating valves in a tubular system of claim 10, further comprising moving the seat relative to the sleeve subsequent release of the release member.
12. The method of actuating valves in a tubular system of claim 10, wherein the moving the sleeve relative to the seat subsequent decreasing pressure is via a biasing member urging the sleeve relative to the seat.
13. The method of actuating valves in a tubular system of claim 10, further comprising pressuring up subsequent to release of the release member.
14. The method of actuating valves in a tubular system of claim 10, further comprising doing work with the pressuring up at pressures below or above the first threshold pressure prior to decreasing pressure below a second threshold pressure.
15. The method of actuating valves in a tubular system of claim 10, further comprising holding the flapper open with the sleeve subsequent decreasing the pressure.
16. The method of actuating valves in a tubular system of claim 10, further comprising:
pressuring up against a second flapper seated with a second seat within the tubular to pressure greater than a third threshold pressure;
releasing a second release member fixedly attaching the second seat to a second sleeve;
decreasing pressure below a fourth threshold pressure; and
moving the second sleeve relative to the second seat thereby opening the second flapper.
17. The method of actuating valves in a tubular system of claim 10, further comprising:
moving a hold-open element relative to the flapper; and
closing the flapper prior to pressuring up against the flapper.
18. The method of actuating valves in a tubular system of claim 17, further comprising:
moving a second hold-open element relative to a second flapper;
closing the second flapper;
pressuring up against the second flapper seated with a second seat within the tubular to pressure greater than a third threshold pressure;
releasing a second release member fixedly attaching the second seat to a second sleeve;
decreasing pressure below a fourth threshold pressure; and
moving the second sleeve relative to the second seat thereby opening the second flapper.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A hinge pivotally joining a first member to a second member, the hinge comprising:
a pivot axis defined by a pivot pin for attaching end portions of the first member and the second member; and
an extensible plate attachable to the first member and selectively extendable from a first position wherein the pivot axis is at least partially adjacent a first side of an imaginary plane defined by an outer surface of the first member to a second position wherein the pivot axis is located on an opposite side of the imaginary plane.
2. The hinge of claim 1 further comprising:
a keeper engageable with a portion of the first member to retain the hinge to the first member.
3. The hinge of claim 2 wherein the keeper is spring-loaded.
4. The hinge of claim 1 wherein the pivot axis is spaced a distance from the extensible plate.
5. The hinge of claim 1 further comprising:
a receiver for receiving the pivot pin therethrough spaced from the extensible plate; and
a spring-loaded keeper engageable with the first member to retain the hinge thereto.
6. A panel for a modular bulk container, the panel comprising:
a first member;
a second member; and
an extensible hinge pivotally joining the first member with the second member.
7. The panel of claim 6 wherein the extensible hinge is selectively extendable from a portion of the panel along a linear path.
8. The panel of claim 6 wherein the extensible hinge is selectively extendable from a portion of the panel at a substantially fixed angle thereto.
9. The panel of claim 8 wherein the substantially fixed angle is less than or equal to 90 degrees relative to an imaginary plane parallel to an outer surface of the first member.
10. The panel of claim 9 wherein the first member includes a slot through which a portion of the extensible hinge traverses.
11. The panel of claim 10 wherein the slot has an angle approximately equal to the substantially fixed angle at which the extensible hinge is selectively extendable.
12. The panel of claim 11 wherein the extensible hinge comprises a keeper for engaging a portion of the panel to ensure attachment of the extensible hinge thereto.
13. The panel of claim 6 wherein the second member comprises an extension selectively engageable with a portion of the first member as the second member pivots on the hinge wherein the extensible hinge extends outwardly from the first member in response to engagement between the first and second members.
14. The panel of claim 6 wherein the second member comprises a cam surface engageable with a surface of the first member causing reciprocal movement by the extensible hinge increasing a distance between a first end portion of the first member and a first end portion of the second member.
15. The panel of claim 6 wherein the hinge includes a pivoting axis about which the second member rotates, and the panel further comprises a means for increasing a distance of the pivoting axis from the first member.
16. The panel of claim 15 wherein the means for increasing a distance of the pivoting axis from the first member is activated by engagement of the first and second members as the second member is pivoted about an axis of rotation on the hinge.
17. The panel of claim 15 wherein a portion of the hinge is located within a slot located on the panel, the slot restricting operational motion of the portion of the hinge to two dimensions.
18. The panel of claim 15 wherein the hinge comprises a plate received within a slot located on the first member wherein the plate traverses within the slot to extend the hinge outwardly from the first member.
19. The panel of claim 18 wherein the slot has an angle relative to an imaginary plane parallel to a stacking surface of the first member.
20. A panel for a modular bulk container, the panel comprising:
a frame having a first frame surface defining a first imaginary plane and an opposing second frame surface defining a second imaginary plane;
a door having a first door surface; and
a hinge pivotally joining the door with the frame, the hinge having a single pivoting axis and being movable from a first position in the door closed condition wherein the hinge is entirely located between the first imaginary plane and the second imaginary plane to a second position located outwardly from the first position in a door open condition wherein an angle between the first imaginary plane and the first door surface is less than 30 degrees.