Metallic connector, assembly and method of assembly
AssigneeAFL Sp.A.
InventorsClaudio Maria Castiglioni, Carlo Moralli
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A metallic connector (1) comprises a female housing (2) in which a retaining ring (6) is made of a material which is harder than the female housing (2) so that the retaining ring (6) is urged into the inner wall of the female housing during a pressing operation. An annular sealing member (7) provides a water tight seal. In the connection assembly, the retaining ring (6) deforms an end of a metallic item (4) provided within the female housing to connect the female housing to the metallic item. The connection assembly is formed by a pressing operation which causes—the retaining ring (6) to deform both the female housing (2) and the metallic item (4) to be connected.
Claims23
A metallic connector for connecting an end of a steel pipe by deformation, wherein the metallic connector comprises a female housing, made of white heart malleable cast iron material and which has been subjected to heat treatment so it is tensile and ductile enough to allow deformation without cracking, which defines an inner wall which is adapted to receive the end of the steel pipe to be connected,
- a retaining ring which is provided within the female housing, the retaining ring adapted to receive the end of the steel pipe to be connected, the retaining ring being made of a material which is harder than the white heart malleable cast iron material used to make the inner wall of the female housing of the metallic connector, so that the retaining ring can deform the inner wall of the female housing of the metallic connector and be partially inserted therein after a pressing operation during which the female housing is joined to the end of the steel pipe to be connected.
(canceled)
A method for assembling a connector unit, comprising the steps of:
- providing a metallic connector made of white heart malleable cast iron material and which has been subjected to heat treatment so it is tensile and ductile enough to allow deformation without cracking, for connecting an end of a steel pipe by deformation, the metallic connector comprising a body comprising a female housing which defines an inner wall which is adapted to receive the end of the steel pipe to be connected;
- inserting the end of the steel pipe into the female housing of the metallic connector;
- providing a retaining ring between the female housing and the end of the steel pipe, the retaining ring being adapted to receive the end of the steel pipe to be connected, the retaining ring being made of a material which is harder than the white heart malleable cast iron material used to make the inner wall of the female housing and pressing the female housing of the metallic connector so as to cause a partial insertion of the retaining ring into the inside wall of the female housing by deformation of the inside wall, and to cause the retaining ring to apply a pre-determined force to the outside wall of the end of the steel pipe to be connected and to ensure that the steel pipe is held tightly in the metallic connector.
-20. (canceled)
-26. (canceled)
-30. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.