Apparatus for fastening flanged tubular members

Apparatus for axially aligning and securing to each other a pair of open-ended tubular members, each member having a radially outwardly protruding end flange, each flange having a relatively flat mating face at the outermost end of the tubular member and a back side having a generally conical shape so that when the mating faces of the tubular members contact one another the back sides of the flanges generally converge radially outwardly towards one another, the apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of clamping spools each having a generally cylindrical hub and rim segments at each end of said hub and extending radially outwardly from the hub, said rim segments defining opposing clamping faces and having an outer periphery extending over an arc of less than 360.degree., said rim segments being shaped so that there is at least one point where the rim segments do not protrude radially outwardly beyond the hub;
• a ring for retaining said spools, said ring having an inner diameter greater than an outer diameter of the flanges and a plurality of circumferentially spaced cutouts, said cutouts having a circumferential width at least as great as the diameter of the hubs of said spools;
• means for movably connecting said spools to said ring at said cutouts;
• means for rotating said spools so as to orient the clamping faces of said rim segments radially inward;
• and means for independently moving each of said spools radially inwardly so as to contact the opposing clamping faces of said rim segments with the back sides of the flanges thereby generating oppositely directed axial forces to the flanges for sealing the tubular members to one another.

Apparatus for aligning and securing open ended generally tubular pressure members having circumferential end flanges proximate the open ends and protruding radially outwardly, wherein said flanges have generally flat mating faces and radially outwardly converging back sides, the apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of clamping spools each having a generally cylindrical shank and rim segments at opposite ends of said shank and protruding radially outwardly from said shank, said rim segments extending over an arc of less than 360.degree. and being shaped so that there is at least one point where they do not radially protrude beyond the shank, the rim segments of each shank defining opposing faces which diverge radially outwardly from the shank so as to overlap the converging back sides of the mated flanges when said clamping spools are positioned so as to clamp said flanges;
• a spool retaining ring having an inner diameter greater than an outer diameter of said flanges and having a plurality of cutouts equally spaced circumferentially on its radially inner face, each of said cutouts having a circumferential width at least as wide as the diameter of said shanks for receiving said clamping spools, said ring further having a plurality of threaded holes extending radially from each of said cutouts to the radially outer face of said ring;
• a plurality of spring devices for movably connecting said clamping spools to said cutouts, each of said spring devices being secured to said ring proximate its radially inner face and between adjacent cutouts, said spring devices contacting the shank portions of said spools;
• a plurality of threaded bolts, each of said bolts being disposed within a respective threaded hole and having a radially inwardly directed end contacting the shank portion of said spools for moving said spools radially inwardly as said bolts are tightened;
• and
• means for rotating said spools as to orient the opposing faces of said rim segments radially inwardly so as to provide axial securing forces to said mated flanges when said clamping spools are moved radially inwardly by said bolts.