# US 2018/0023738 A1 · Hydraulic joint > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0023738 A1 - Document ID: US20180023738A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/654,418 - Filed: 2017-07-19 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-22 - Assignees: Steel Safe Fluid Power Pty Ltd - Inventors: Norman Ian Mathers - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180023738A1 ## CPC - F16L 27/125: {having longitudinal and rotary movement} - F16L 27/053: held in place by bolts passing through flanges - F16L 27/06: with special sealing means between the engaging surfaces - F16L 57/04: against fire or other external sources of extreme heat - G01M 3/2853: {for pipe joints or seals (G01M3/30 takes precedence)} - F16L 27/042: {comprising two pipes normally at right angles to each other} - F16L 2201/30: Detecting leaks - F16L: PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL - G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract Various systems and assemblies that can be utilized with hydraulic and other fluid flow lines are disclosed. According to one embodiment, the present application discloses an assembly that can include a first section, a second section and a third section. The first section can define a first passageway therein to receive and allow for passage of a fluid. The second section can define a second passageway that communicates with the first passageway. The second section and the first section together can form a first ball joint having an internal portion and an external portion. The first ball joint can comprise a moveable coupling between second section and the first section. The third section can define a third passageway that communicates with the second passageway. The third section can telescopically receive the second section therein and can be configured to form a linearly moveable joint between the third section and the second section. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An assembly comprising: a first section defining a first passageway therein to receive and pass a fluid; a second section defining a second passageway that communicates with the first passageway, the second section and the first section together forming a first ball joint having an internal portion and an external portion, the first ball joint comprising a moveable coupling between second section and the first section; a third section defining a third passageway that communicates with the second passageway, the third section telescopically receiving the second section therein and configured to form a linearly moveable joint between the third section and the second section; and a fourth section defining a fourth passageway that communicates with the third passageway, the fourth section and the third section together forming a second ball joint having an internal portion and an external portion, the second ball joint comprising a moveable coupling between the fourth section and the third section. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein one or more of the first section, the second section, the third section and the fourth section is configured to house a seal, wherein the seal is configured to allow for the passage of a portion of the fluid as a weep into a volume defined between at least the seal, the one or more of the first section, the second section, the third section and the fourth section and a second seal, and wherein the one or more of the first section, the second section, the third section and the fourth section is configured to define a passageway to drain the portion of the fluid from the volume. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The assembly of claim 2, wherein the seal comprises a Teflon bronze seal and is one of at least three seals provided between each of the first section and the second section, the second section and the third section, and the third section and the fourth section. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein one or more of the first section that forms the first passageway and the fourth section that forms the fourth passageway has at least one flared end portion configured to form a portion of a curvature of the external portion of at least one of the first ball joint and the second ball joint. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The assembly of claim 4, wherein the at least one flared end portion abuts a mating second flared portion of at least one of the second section and the third section at an interface, and wherein the interface allows a portion of the fluid to flow into a volume defined between at least one of the internal portion and the external portion of the first ball joint and the internal portion and the external portion of the second ball joint. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The assembly of claim 5, wherein the portion of the fluid that flows into the volume defined between the internal portion and the external portion of one or more of the first ball joint and the second ball joint further weeps past a first seal in the one or more of the first ball joint and the second ball joint and into a second volume defined between the first seal, the internal portion and the external portion of the one or more of the first ball joint and the second ball joint and a second seal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The assembly of claim 5, wherein the first seal comprises a Teflon bronze seal and is one of at least three seals provided between each of the first section and the second section, the second section and the third section, and the third section and the fourth section. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a circlip disposed between the second section and the third section, wherein the second section includes a flange projection received in a cavity of the third section and the circlip is configured to act as a stop to halt a movement of the flange projection out of the cavity. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein the assembly is configured such that each seal is recessed in one or more of the first section, the second section, the third section and the fourth section, the assembly with each seal recessed allowing for a relative movement between the first section and the second section, the second section and the third section, and the third section and the fourth section. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a flange configured to abut and be fastened to one or more of the first section and the fourth section, the flange configured to form a part of the external portion of one or more of the first ball joint and the second ball joint, wherein the flange is configured to house at least two seals in grooves therein and is configured to interface with one or more of the second section and the third section. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The assembly of claim 2, further comprising a third seal disposed within a volume defined between at least the seal, the one or more of the first section, the second section, the third section and the fourth section and the second seal, the third seal configured to expand and contract in response to temperature to regulate the weep to the passageway to drain the portion of the fluid from the volume. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The assembly of claim 11, wherein the third seal is configured to expand in the event of a fire or another high temperature event that results in an elevated temperature to block or substantially restrict the weep to the passageway. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The assembly of claim 11, further comprising a second passageway having a connector configured to connect with a leakage monitor. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The assembly of claim 13, wherein the second passageway communicates with the volume between the third seal and the second seal. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a swivel assembly configured to moveably couple to the fourth section. ### Claim 16 A system of joints comprising: a first section configured to define a first passageway therein; a second section configured to define a second passageway, the second section and the first section together configured to form a first ball joint having an internal portion and an external portion, the first ball joint configured as a moveable coupling between second section and the first section when the second section and the first section are assembled together; and a third section configured to define a third passageway, the third section configured to telescopically receive the second section therein and configured to form a linearly moveable joint between the third section and the second section when the third section and the second section are assembled together. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, further comprising a fourth section configured to define a fourth passageway, the fourth section and the third section together configured to form a second ball joint having an internal portion and an external portion, the second ball joint configured as a moveable coupling between the fourth section and the third section when the fourth section and the third section are assembled together. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, further comprising at least six seals with at least at least three seals provided between each of the first section and the second section and the second section and the third section. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein at least two of the at least six seals comprise Teflon bronze seals, at least one of the Teflon bronze seals disposed between each of the first section and the second section and the second section and the third section. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein the first section and the third section are configured such that each of the six seals is recessed from the second section when installed thereby allowing for a relative movement between the first section and the section and the second section and the third section. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein one or more of the first section, the second section, the third section and the fourth section is configured to house a seal, wherein the seal is configured to allow for the passage of a portion of the fluid as a weep into a volume defined between at least the seal, the one or more of the first section, the second section, the third section and the fourth section and a second seal, and wherein the one or more of the first section, the second section, the third section and the fourth section is configured to define a passageway to drain the portion of the fluid from the volume. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The system of claim 21, further comprising a third seal disposed within a volume defined between at least the seal, the one or more of the first section, the second section, the third section and the fourth section and the second seal, the third seal configured to expand and contract in response to temperature to regulate the weep to the passageway to drain the portion of the fluid from the volume. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The system of claim 22, wherein the third seal is configured to expand in the event of a fire or another high temperature event that results in an elevated temperature to block or substantially restrict the weep to the passageway. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The system of claim 23, further comprising a second passageway having a connector configured to connect with a leakage monitor. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The system of claim 24, wherein the second passageway communicates with the volume between the third seal and the second seal. ### Claim 26 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, further comprising a swivel assembly configured to moveably couple to the fourth section.