Importance

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Abstract

A layered head for a pressure vessel includes a frame which has the general contour of the head and is formed from a plurality of stiffeners, some of which extend circumferentially and others of which extend meridionally. The stiffeners create a grid and each opening of the grid is occupied by a plurality of plates which are curved to match the contour of the frame and are stacked upon one another in face-to-face contact. Moreover, the several plates in each grid opening are progressively larger in surface area, with the innermost plate having the smallest surface area and the outermost plate having the largest. The peripheral edges of the plates are located directly opposite the sides of the stiffeners, and to accommodate the variance in the surface areas of the plates, the sides of the stiffeners are stepped. The individual plates are welded along their peripheral edges to the stiffeners, and because of the stepped configuration of the stiffeners and the variances in the surface areas of the plates, the welds of successive plates are offset from each other.

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First Claim