Swivel joint construction for pressure containing conduit

A swivel joint construction for movable flow lines, said swivel joint construction comprising:

• a pair of hub elements having an opening formed therein, said elements cooperating to define flow passage means through said swivel joint and to define seal recess means, said hub elments being rotatably related, each of said hub elements is formed to define an internal seal recess and said seal recesses of each of said hub elements, in the assembled relation of said hub elements, cooperate to define an elongated annular seal recess;
• means for interconnecting said hub elements with a flow line;
• thrust transmitting means being provided on said hub elements;
• housing means enclosing said thrust transmitting means of said hub elements and defining thrust supporting means;
• thrust bearing means being interposed between said thrust transmitting means of said hubs and said thrust supporting means of said housing means, said bearing means providing for said relative rotation of said hub elements and transmitting pressure induced thrust loads from said hub elements to said thrust supporting means of said housing means;
• seal means being disposed within said seal recess means and establishing fluid tight seals with each of said hub elements, said seal means including an elongated annular structural element spanning the joint between said hub elements and cooperating with said hub elements to define opposed annular primary seal pocket means;
• a pair of annular primary seal elements being disposed one within each of said primary seal pockets, said seal elements establishing an initial mechanical seal and being responsive to pressure within said flow passage means for increasing the sealing ability thereof;
• each of said annular primary seal elements being an annular sealing body being composed of sealing material having low friction characteristics and defining an inner seal groove therein;
• and
• an annular inner sealing element being disposed within said inner seal groove and establishing seals with said outer sealing body and with said elongated annular structural element.

A swivel joint construction for movable flow lines, said swivel joint construction comprising:

• a pair of hub elements each havinng an opening formed therein, said elements cooperating to define flow passage means through said swivel joint and to define internal seal recess means, said hub elements being rotatably related;
• internal threads being defined within each of said hub elements;
• connector seal surface means being defined within each of said hub elments;
• a pair of externally threaded connector subs being threadedly received by said internal threads of said hub elements;
• connector seal means being interposed between said connector subs and said connector seal surface means and establishing a seal therebetween;
• thrust transmitting flange means being provided on each of said hub elements, said thrust flange means being positioned in juxtaposed relation and defining a joint therebetween;
• housing means enclosing said thrust transmitting flange means of said hub elements and defining opposed thrust supporting shoulder means, said thrust transmitting flange means and said thrust supporting shoulder means cooperating to define a pair of annular thrust bearing receptacles;
• thrust bearing means being disposed within said thrust bearing receptacles between said thrust transmitting means of said hubs and said thrust supporting means of said housing means, said bearing means providing for said relative rotation of said hub elments and transmitting pressure induced thrust loads from said hub elements to said thrust supporting means of said housing means;
• and
• elongated annular transition seal means being disposed within said seal recess means and establishing fluid tight seals with each of said hub elements, said transition seal means bridging said joint.

A swivel joint construction for movable flow lines, said swivel joint construction comprising:

• a pair of relatively rotatable pressure containing elements each being connectable to sections of a flow line, said pressure containing elements being disposed in closely spaced relation and defining a joint therebetween;
• a seal carrier element being disposed within said pressure containing elements and bridging said joint, said seal carrier element cooperating with said pressure containing elements to define a pair of primary seal pockets disposed one at each extremity of said seal carrier element;
• a pair of primary seal assemblies being disposed one within each of said primary seal pockets, said primary seal assemblies including a relatively hard sealing body cooperating with said seal carrier element and said pressure containing elements to define annular seal chambers;
• a relatively soft sealing element being disposed within each of said annular seal chambers and establishing seals within said seal chambers, the sealing capability of said primary seal assemblies being directly responsive to pressure conditions within said swivel joint construction;
• and
• means for retaining said pressure containing elements in assembly.