US 4,887,646 AGranted

Test fitting

AssigneeThe Boeing Company

InventorOliver J. Groves

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Abstract

A high pressure fitting for placing on a tubing includes an annular sleeve having sealing rings therein and a collar enclosing a portion of the sleeve to restrain lateral movements of the sleeve with respect to the tubing. The sleeve has an interior threaded region to receive a plug and an interior annular region. A recess in the annular region retains an O ring and two backup rings which contact the tubing. The sleeve does not contact the tubing. The collar includes two members that have a flange extending into a recess of the exterior of the sleeve to retain the sleeve. The collar also includes an interior tapered annular region spaced away from the end of the tubing for retaining tapered sleeves. The tapered sleeves grip the tubing to prevent movement of the collar and the sleeve with respect to the tubing when high fluid pressure is in the tubing. A tube guide having a shoulder abutting the end of the tubing aids in placing the sleeve on the tubing. The tube guide has a diameter at the shoulder, equal to or slightly greater than, the external diameter of the tubing. The tube guide is placed in the tubing and the sleeve is slid over the tube guide and onto the tubing after which the tube guide is removed.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A test fitting for an annular tubing comprising:

means for subjecting the tubing to a fluid pressure, an annular sleeve having an interior surface and an exterior surface, said interior surface having a diameter slightly larger than an external diameter of said tubing, said sleeve having an interior annular recess in said interior surface having an O ring and backup rings therein for contacting said tubing to provide a fluid seal between said tubing and said sleeve, said sleeve having an exterior annular recess in said exterior surface;
a collar assembly including two collar members being held together by fasteners, said collar assembly having a restraining portion and a gripping portion, said restraining portion enclosing a portion of said sleeve and having flanges extending into said exterior annular recess in said sleeve for holding said sleeve onto said tubing, said gripping portion including a tapered interior surface region;
two tapered sleeves being tapered at an exterior surface and of uniform curvature at an interior surface having the exterior surface in mating contact with said gripping portion of said collar assembly and said interior surface being in contact with said tubing such that shear force between said tapered sleeves and said tube is transferred, at least partially, into inward compression force on said tapered sleeves.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.