Connection device for joining two pipe sections
AssigneeSaipem S.P.A.
InventorsFrancesco Lucchese, Gianluca Toso, Diego Lazzarin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A connection device for joining two pipe sections in a body of water has a first tubular body having a spherical face; a second tubular body having at least one spherical face; a tubular pusher arranged about the second tubular body and having a spherical face; a first mechanism for coupling the second tubular body between the first tubular body and the tubular pusher and providing a spherical coupling between the first and the second tubular body; and a second mechanism for blocking any movement about the spherical coupling of the second tubular body with respect to the first tubular body and the tubular pusher.
Claims16
A connection device configured to join two pipe sections, the connection device comprising:
- a first tubular body defining a spherical face;
- a second tubular body defining at least one spherical face;
- a tubular pusher arranged about the second tubular body and defining a spherical face;
- a first mechanism configured to:
- couple the second tubular body between the first tubular body and the tubular pusher, and
- form a spherical coupling between the first tubular body and the second tubular body;
- a second mechanism configured to block a movement, about the spherical coupling, of the second tubular member with respect to the first tubular body and the tubular pusher;
- and
- a vice configured to radially and axially clamp the first tubular body and the tubular pusher about the second tubular body at the spherical coupling, wherein the vice comprises at least two clamps defining respective inner faces that cooperate with respective annular protrusions of the first tubular body and respective annular protrusions of the tubular pusher configured to transfer radial and axial forces to the first tubular body and to the tubular pusher.
A connection device configured to join two pipe sections, the connection device comprising:
- a first tubular body defining a spherical face;
- a second tubular body defining at least one spherical face;
- a tubular pusher arranged about the second tubular body and defining a spherical face;
- a first mechanism configured to couple the second tubular body between the first tubular body and the tubular pusher, and to form a spherical coupling between the first tubular body and the second tubular body, the first mechanism comprising:
- a first frame integral with the first tubular body, the first frame defining a first seat configured to house an actuator with two anchoring members configured to be selectively inserted in the first seat and removed from the first seat,
- a second frame integral with the tubular pusher, the second frame defining a second seat configured to house an actuator with two anchoring members configured to be selectively inserted in the second seat and removed from the second seat, and
- a plurality of actuators connectable to the first frame and the second frame, the plurality of actuators configured to bring the first frame and the second frame a first distance apart to form the spherical coupling between the first tubular body and second tubular body;
- and
- a second mechanism configured to block a movement, about the spherical coupling, of the second tubular member with respect to the first tubular body and the tubular pusher.
A connection device configured to join two pipe sections, the connection device comprising:
- a first tubular body defining a spherical face;
- a second tubular body defining at least one spherical face;
- a tubular pusher arranged about the second tubular body and defining a spherical face;
- a first mechanism configured to:
- couple the second tubular body between the first tubular body and the tubular pusher, and
- form a spherical coupling between the first tubular body and the second tubular body;
- and
- a second mechanism configured to block a movement, about the spherical coupling, of the second tubular member with respect to the first tubular body and the tubular pusher, wherein the second mechanism is mounted on the tubular pusher and comprises a plurality of spacers arranged between the tubular pusher and the second tubular body, the spacers being selectively operable between an extended configuration and a retracted configuration wherein in the extended configuration, the spacers extend inside the tubular pusher and are configured to block movement of the second tubular body with respect to the tubular pusher.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.