Integral flexure tapping sleeve
AssigneeMueller International, LLC
InventorsDavid Latimore Hughes, JR., Timothy J. Mitchell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tapping sleeve is described comprising a flow channel. The flow channel comprises an inlet and an outlet. A shell partially surrounds the flow channel. The shell comprises a cap shell portion, a flexible shell region, a tapped shell portion, and a clamp extending across a circumferential reach between the tapped shell portion and the cap shell portion. The clamp extends across the circumferential reach between the tapped shell portion and the cap shell portion to secure the tapping sleeve on the pipe. In the closed position, the clamp couples the tapped shell portion to the cap shell portion, and the flexible shell region is interposed between and more flexible than the tapped shell portion and the cap shell portion.
Claims27
A tapping sleeve comprising:
- a flow channel comprising an inlet and an outlet;
- and
- a shell partially surrounding the flow channel, the shell comprising:
- a tapped shell portion;
- a cap shell portion opposite the tapped shell portion;
- a clamp extending across a circumferential reach extending between the tapped shell portion and the cap shell portion, the clamp configured to couple the tapped shell portion to the cap shell portion when the clamp is in a closed position;
- and
- a flexible shell region interposed between and more flexible than the tapped shell portion and the cap shell portion.
A method of manufacturing a tapping sleeve, comprising:
- cutting a series of kerfs axially through a planar ductile material;
- bending the planar ductile material into a three-dimensional C-shape to define a shell comprising a tapped shell portion comprising a port, a flexible shell region comprising kerfs, and a cap shell portion;
- and
- coupling a clamp across a circumferential reach of the shell, the clamp is configured to compressively couple the tapped shell portion to the cap shell portion across the circumferential reach.
A method of installing a tapping sleeve comprising:
- flexing a flexible shell region of a shell by widening the shell between a tapped shell portion and a cap shell portion;
- sliding a circumferential reach over an outer diameter of a pipe;
- and
- coupling a clamp extending across the circumferential reach defined between the tapped shell portion and the cap shell portion of the shell.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.