Coupling arrangement for pipe conduits conducting a medium containing radioactive substances

Abstract

The invention is directed to a coupling arrangement for pipe conduits thrh which a medium containing radioactive or toxic substances is conveyed. The coupling arrangement includes a first coupling unit mounted on the end of a first one of the pipe conduits. A conduit engaging assembly is mounted at the end of the second one of the pipe conduits and includes an inner conduit segment tightly connected to and aligned with the second pipe conduit. A tubular member is arranged in surrounding relationship to the inner conduit segment so as to be coaxial therewith. The tubular member has a forward free end facing toward the first coupling unit and a second coupling unit is mounted on the forward free end of the tubular member and is joinable to the first coupling unit. Each of the coupling units includes a valve which is movable between a first position for blocking the flow of medium and a second position for defining a clear through bore communicating with the first and second pipe conduits when the coupling units are joined together. The conduit engaging assembly further includes a device for displacing the tubular member and the inner conduit segment relative to each other so as to cause the inner conduit segment to penetrate and pass through the bores of the valves thereby establishing a clear through connection between the first and second pipe conduits to permit the passage of the medium from one of the pipe conduits to the other one of the pipe conduits. In this way, there are no contaminated surfaces on the outside of the coupling units after the inner conduit segment has been withdrawn and when each of the valves has been rotated to its first position.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.