Locking flush joint pipe connection and method
OwnerTed R. Dimitroffinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of borehole pipe installation begins with unfinished stick pipes brought to the installation site and then machined or cut to form male and female ends. The pipe ends are then locked together to form a flush joint. The lock can be provided via a groove cut into one of the ends for receipt of a lock gasket, which secures and seals the joint when the pipes are pushed together, and prevents the pipes from being pulled apart. Alternatively, to the groove and lock gasket, the ends can be glued and screwed together, with the screws allowing the joined pipes to be pulled through the borehole before the glue is dry. The pipe joint has flush exterior and interior surfaces to minimize borehole clearance and maximize fluid flow through the pipe assembly.
Claims13
A method of making a flush pipe joint in the field for connecting first and second stick pipes together in a pit for pulling into a borehole, comprising:
- bringing the first and second stick pipes with unfinished ends to a borehole installation site;
- then
- cutting an exterior portion on one end of the first pipe stick to create a male end;
- cutting an interior portion on one end of the second pipe stick to create a female end;
- then
- pushing the male and female ends together in the pit to create a flush pipe joint having smooth interior and exterior pipe surfaces;
- locking the male and female ends together using adhesive so that the pipes can be pulled into the borehole, and defining a longitudinal axis for the pipes;
- and
- extending screws into the pipes in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis so as to secure the pipes for pulling into the borehole while the adhesive cures.
A method of joining pipes at a field site having a borehole, comprising;
- forming at the field site male and female ends on unfinished ends of a pair of pipes;
- then
- matingly engaging the male and female ends to connect the pipes, and defining a longitudinal axis for the pipes;
- then
- locking the pipe ends together with screws extending into the pipes substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;
- and then
- installing the connected pipes into the borehole.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.