US 4,749,192 AGranted

Fluid coupling construction for non-pressure balanced fluid conducting swivel joints

OwnerD. Franklin Howethinventor

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Abstract

A non-pressure balanced fluid conducting swivel joint for coupling high pressure hydraulic conduit comprised of first and second tubular housing sections which are coaxially interfit with each other and a tubular sleeve member supported intervening between superposed portions of the housing sections. The sleeve is secured thrust resistant and for rotation to the inner of the housing sections via a pair of spaced apart annular races containing bearings extending between the inner housing section and the sleeve member. The outer housing is rotationally interlocked with the sleeve member by virtue of a flexible circumscribing pin engaging an insert contained in an annular groove complementary formed between the outer periphery of the sleeve member and the inner diameter of the outer housing. An external slot permits insertion and removal of the driving pin that includes a tang at its outer end which when the pin is operably contained in the groove can be removed for disassembly of the housing sections to effect servicing of the internal seal. An external sleeve when mounted about the slot of the outer housing serves to shroud the slot and tang from ready access so as to minimize tampering and potential environmental damage.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A swivel joint for the coupling of fluid conduit comprising in combination:

(a) a first tubular housing section defining an axially extending bore and an inlet having means for connecting an end of a first fluid conduit;
(b) a second tubular housing section defining an axially extending bore and an outlet having means for connecting a second fluid conduit with which said first fluid conduit is to be coupled;
(c) said housing section being arranged with one section internally interfit within the other in a coaxial alignment and in bore communication with each other;
(d) seal means contained between opposing interfitted surfaces of said housing sections for effecting a seal relation preventing leakage of fluid content from within said bores;
(e) a sleeve member supported about an inner of said housing sections intervening in a clearance space defined between opposing surfaces of said interfitted sections, said sleeve member and the inner housing section surface thereat defining complemental inner and outer races containing a plurality of individual bearing members for affording relative rotation between said sleeve and the inner of said sections;
(f) mutual grooves annularly defined between said sleeve and the outer of said sections;
and
(g) threadless interlock means including an interlock member removably positioned in said mutual grooves for cooperatively effecting threadless interlocks both rotational and axial between said sleeve and the outer of said sections.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.