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A method of making a cylindrical pressure vessel (11) with a large diameter port in its sidewall includes the step of providing a mandrel (23) of desired diameter and filament winding upon the same. After winding one overall innermost layer, an annular reinforcement belt (16) is helically wound atop

A method of making a cylindrical pressure vessel (11) with a large diameter port in its sidewall includes the step of providing a mandrel (23) of desired diameter and filament winding upon the same. After winding one overall innermost layer, an annular reinforcement belt (16) is helically wound atop a defined region using a band (60) of resin impregnated parallel strands (39) under tension. The annular belt (16) is then itself helically overwound with the resin impregnated parallel strands of filamentary material under tension to provide two complete outer layers. After curing and removal from the mandrel (23) at least one aperture (71) is cut in the sidewall within the reinforcement belt (16) and a side port fitting (75) is installed in the aperture (71).

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The invention claimed is: 1. A filament-wound cylindrical pressure vessel having an interior diameter of at least 8 inches which vessel has a port of at least 3 inches in diameter in its sidewall and which vessel is capable of operating at an internal pressure of 150 psig or above, which vessel com

The invention claimed is: 1. A filament-wound cylindrical pressure vessel having an interior diameter of at least 8 inches which vessel has a port of at least 3 inches in diameter in its sidewall and which vessel is capable of operating at an internal pressure of 150 psig or above, which vessel comprises: a tubular body formed with (a) an innermost layer of a helically wound band of resin-impregnated strands of filamentary material, which innermost layer extends from end to end of said tubular body, (b) an annular reinforcement belt located along an axial section of the outer surface of said innermost layer, which belt is formed by bands of a bandwidth of at least about 3.3 inches that create at least 7 essentially complete layers, each of which layers has an axial length less than the previous layer thereof, the axial length of said reinforcement belt being at least about twice said interior diameter and (c) at least first and second essentially complete, outer layers formed of helically wound bands of resin-impregnated strands of filamentary material which bands have a bandwidth of at least about 4 inches, said first layer being disposed upon outer surfaces of said reinforcement belt and said innermost layer, and both said outer layers extending for the length of said tubular body, all said layers being integrally joined to one another as a result of the occurrence of the substantially simultaneous solidification of said resin which impregnates said strands, at least one aperture which extends through the sidewall of said pressure vessel and is located in said reinforcement belt, and a side port fitting having a diameter of about 3 inches or greater disposed in said aperture. 2. The pressure vessel according to claim 1 wherein each of said bands that comprise said reinforcing layers includes at least about 20 of said strands of filamentary material and wherein one said reinforcement belt is located near each end of the pressure vessel. 3. The pressure vessel according to claim 1 wherein said strands of filamentary material are continuous throughout said outer layers, said reinforcing layers and said innermost layer and are tied off at one end of said tubular body by at least one circumferential hoop wrap at an angle of at least about 75°. 4. A method of making a filament-wound cylindrical pressure vessel having an interior diameter of at least 8 inches which vessel has a port of at least 3 inches in diameter in its sidewall and which vessel is capable of operating at an internal pressure of 150 psig or above, which method comprises the steps of: (a) providing a mandrel having a cylindrical surface of at least 8 inches in diameter and rotating said mandrel about an axis thereof, (b) winding an innermost essentially complete layer about said mandrel, (c) then creating a tubular reinforcement belt by helically winding a band of resin-impregnated parallel strands of filamentary material under tension having a bandwidth of at least about 3.3 inches atop said innermost layer in a region to create a first reinforcing layer having a defined axial length of at least about twice the diameter of the mandrel and repeating said helical winding to create a plurality of such reinforcing layers, each of which reinforcing layers essentially completely covers the defined axial length, (d) then helically overwinding said tubular reinforcement belt and the remainder of said mandrel with a band of resin-impregnated parallel strands of filamentary material under tension having a bandwidth of at least about 4 inches to provide more than one essentially complete overall outer layer, each of which outer layers extends for at least the length of the intended pressure vessel, (e) curing said layered construction to solidify same on said mandrel while said strands of filamentary material remain wound under tension, (f) removing said cured pressure vessel from said mandrel, (g) cutting at least one aperture in the sidewall of said pressure vessel within said reinforcement belt, and (h) installing a side port fitting in said aperture. 5. The method according to claim 4 wherein said band includes at least about 20 of said strands of filamentary material to provide said bandwidth, which strands are pulled through a resin bath during said helical windings of each said innermost, said reinforcement belt and said overwound overall layers, and wherein each layer of said reinforcement belt includes multiple passes along said defined axial length of said mandrel to essentially completely cover the surface thereof. 6. The method according to claim 4 wherein said parallel strands of filamentary material are pulled onto the rotating mandrel at a wind-angle of at least about 55° for a total of at least 5 passes to create each essentially complete layer of said reinforcement belt, and said overwinding is carried out to create at least 2 of said outer layers. 7. The method according to claim 4 wherein said reinforcement belt is constructed using at least 7 essentially complete layers, each of which has an axial length less than the previous layer thereof. 8. The method according to claim 4 wherein said strands are continuous throughout said outer layers, said reinforcement belt and said innermost layer. 9. The method according to claim 8 wherein said strands are pulled onto said mandrel at a tension of at least about 2 lbs. and are tied off at the end of said overwrapping using at least one circumferential hoop wrap at an angle of at least about 75°. 10. A method of making a filament-wound cylindrical pressure vessel which has an interior diameter of at least 8 inches which vessel has a port of at least 3 inches in diameter in its sidewall and which is capable of operating at an internal pressure of about 150 psig or above, which method comprises the steps of: (a) providing a mandrel having a cylindrical surface of the desired inner diameter of the pressure vessel and rotating said mandrel about an axis thereof, (b) helically winding a band of resin-impregnated parallel strands of filamentary material having a first bandwidth of at least about 4 inches under tension about said mandrel to create an innermost layer which essentially completely covers the entire surface and extends for an axial length of at least the length of the intended pressure vessel, (c) creating a tubular reinforcement belt by helically winding a band of plurality of resin-impregnated parallel strands of filamentary material, having a second bandwidth of at least about 3.3 inches but less than said first bandwidth, under tension about said mandrel in a region having an axial length of at least about twice the diameter of the mandrel to provide at least 5 reinforcing layers, each of which layers essentially completely covers the entire surface of a defined annular region of said mandrel, (d) then helically overwinding said reinforcement belt and the remainder of said mandrel with a band of resin-impregnated parallel strands of filamentary material of said first bandwidth under tension to provide more than one essentially complete outer layer, each of which outer layers extends for at least the length of the intended pressure vessel, (e) curing said layered construction to solidify same on said mandrel while said strands of filamentary material remain wound under tension, (f) removing said cured pressure vessel from said mandrel, (g) cutting at least one aperture in the sidewall of said pressure vessel within said reinforcement belt, and (h) installing a side port fitting in said aperture. 11. The method according to claim 10 wherein said strands are continuous throughout said outer layers, said reinforcement belt and said innermost layer. 12. The method according to claim 11 wherein said strands are pulled onto said mandrel at a tension of at least about 2 lbs. and are tied off at the end of said overwrapping using at least one circumferential hoop wrap at an angle of at least about 75°. 13. The method according to claim 10 wherein said reinforcement belt is constructed using at least 7 essentially complete layers, each of which has an axial length less than the previous layer thereof, and is formed by bands of a bandwidth of at least about 3.3 inches.