Origin of the Shamrock 2

[stookeyfpe]

I'll preface my post by stating I am not a mechanical engineer nor will I attempt to design pressure vessels(I'm a fire protection engineer by degree).

A question arose today from a fire captain assigned to me. He inspected a large LPG plant and noted that the pressure vessel meet the ASME BPV by noting that the vessel nameplate was marked with a "U" inside of shamrock.

He then asked this question: "Why was a shamrock used?"

I've looked on the web and I can't find anything. This is obviously not a serious design or BPV code question but I figured that this group may provide the answer.

 

[metengr]

I am at ASME Boiler Code meetings this week, when I go out to dinner with some of my most senior colleagues, I will make it a point to ask them. Stay tuned tomorrow.

 

[waskillywabbit]

Good luck so the things don't blow up?

Brian

 

[JoeTank]

Several friends (and former AIs) often joke that the shamrock symbol is the ASME'e way of saying... good luck with your pressure vessel.

Steve Braune
Tank Industry Consultants

http://www.tankindustry.com

 

[CodeRef]

Take a look at the ASME LOGO (The Old One)and within each leaf of the clover is the letters A.S.M.E.

Here is a link to a page that contains the old logo:

http://www.techstreet.com/

 

[unclesyd]

The National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors has a similar logo.

It is the Shamrock or 4 leaf clover with N in the top vertical leaf and B in the both horizontal leafs and I in the loser vertical leaf. The margins of the leaves are connected with a centering X.

I was told many years ago that these marks were derived from the makers mark once used by all craftsman. For many years all our welders used symbols instead of alphanumerics to identify their welds. Even in the machine shop when a machinist was made a journeyman he was given a marker (symbol) to stamp his work.

My father's mark was two circles connect by a tangent line. This was his father’s mark and he was presented this by the president of TCI (USS) in 1933. This mark was the property of Woodward Iron Company and was given to TCI when as it was presented to my father. My father said many times that it was a nice gesture but the best part was getting an hour for lunch instead of the normal 20 minutes.

 

[metengr]

Well, having spent the last week at ASME Boiler Code meetings and after several dinners and drinks, the only explanation I got from one of my senior Code associates is that since the ASME symbol preceded the boiler code symbol(s), it was adopted by the boiler code committee.

This still does not answer your question. Well, after a lively discussion, the only answer I could take back is that since ASME was founded in New York, and with the heavy Irish population in New York at that time, the initials of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers fit rather nicely in a 4 leaf clover arrangement.

If this doesn't directly answer your question, I at least got something out of the deal because one of the senior level ASME code associates bought me a drink as a result of this rather interesting question.

 

[stookeyfpe]

Thanks metengr and unclesyd. You both get a star. Your answers reinforce the usefulness of this website.