Separable connection for conduit segments conveying a fluid under pressure
AssigneeWatts Regulator Co.
InventorsJohn S. Colter, Alfred J. Schommer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved separable connection, between conduit segments for conveying therethrough a fluid under pressure, is provided by flange and socket means that permits telescoping to initially locate the axes of the conduit segments within a plane, and then employing cam means to move the axes of the conduit segments into axial alignment while simultaneously moving the conduit segments axially toward each other to effect compression of seal means therebetween to effect a fluid-tight seal of the connected conduit means.
Claims19
In a separable connection between a pair of elongate conduit members, through which extend longitudinal flow passageway means for conveying a fluid under pressure, the flow passageway means in the conduit members requiring substantially precise alignment and a fluid-tight seal between conduit members when they are properly connected;
- the improved separable connection comprising, in combination:
- the adjacent ends of the pair of conduit members each including an abutment face lying transverse to the axis of the flow passageway means and surrounding a terminus of the flow passageway means;
- a compressible seal means surrounding a terminus of the flow passageway means in one of the pair of conduit members at each separable connection defined between a pair of conduit members;
- flange means and socket means, on respective adjacent ends of the pair of conduit members, arranged to effect initial telescoping therebetween to planarly align the axes of the flow passageway means in the pair of conduit members, with the abutment faces spaced apart slightly and the seal means uncompressed;
- and cam means on said adjacent ends of the pair of conduit members for simultaneously forcing the planarly aligned axes of the flow passageway means into substantially precise axial alignment while axially compressing the compressible seal means between the abutment faces on the pair of conduit members, to provide a fluid-tight seal for the flow passageway means at the separable connection,
- said cam means including a bored sleeve means provided on one of the pair of conduit members, the longitudinal axis of the bored sleeve means lying parallel to the abutment face of the one conduit member and lying skew of, but in a plane perpendicular to, the axis of the flow passageway means;
- the other of said pair of conduit members providing an abutment leg with a cam surface thereon that is positionable laterally adjacent the bored sleeve means;
- and an elongated drive pin arranged for selective slidable entry into the bore of said bored sleeve means and arranged to be selectively forced laterally into sliding and driving engagement with the cam surface on the abutment leg, to thereby move the abutment leg and said other conduit member relative to the one conduit member.
In a separable connection between a pair of conduit members through which extend flow passageway means for conveying a fluid under pressure, the flow passageway means in said conduit members requiring substantially precise alignment and a fluid-tight seal between conduit members when they are operatively connected, the adjacent abutment faces of said conduit members lying in parallel planes that are inclined to a reference plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the flow passageway means that are aligned when the conduit members are operatively connected, and with compressible seal means carried by at least one of the conduit members and extending beyond the inclined face thereof toward the inclined face of the other conduit member;
- the improvement comprising, in combination:
- telescoping connection means carried by the respective adjacent ends of the pair of conduit members to permit relative movement of said conduit ends in opposite directions transverse to said longitudinal axis of the flow passageway means,
- a first set of planar cam elements operatively associated with the adjacent ends of the pair of conduit members and arranged for forcing said adjacent faces toward each other to compress the compressible seal means when movement is effected in one of said opposite directions;
- and
- a second set of cam elements operatively associated with said adjacent ends of the pair of conduit members for selectively effecting an operative connection, or for permitting separation, of the adjacent ends of the pair of conduit members.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.