Undersea hydraulic coupling with dovetail seal
AssigneeNational Coupling Company, Inc.
InventorRobert E. Smith, III
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An undersea hydraulic coupling includes a male member and female member, and a two-piece retainer for restraining radial movement of a wedge-shaped annular seal into the central bore of the female member. The two-piece retainer includes a cylindrical retainer sleeve member slidably received within the female member bore, and a threaded retainer-locking member threadable to mating threads in the wall of the central bore. The retainer-locking member holds the retainer sleeve member in place within the female member bore. The annular seal is restrained from radial movement by a dovetail interfit with a mating shoulder on at least one of the retainer sleeve and the retainer-locking members.
Claims15
An undersea hydraulic coupling comprising:
- (a) a body having a central axis and a first longitudinal bore concentric with the axis and having a circumferential shoulder intermediate the bore;
- (b) a two-piece retainer adapted to be inserted into a first end of the first longitudinal bore and to seat on the shoulder, the retainer having a second longitudinal bore concentric with the axis;
- (c) a probe having an outer circumference, the probe adapted to be inserted through the second longitudinal bore and into the first longitudinal bore;
- (d) a first annular elastomeric seal adapted to be inserted between each piece of the two-piece retainer, the first annular seal having a wedge-shaped cross-section mating with a corresponding wedge-shaped shoulder on at least one piece of the two-piece retainer, the first annular seal configured to engage the circumference of the probe as the probe is inserted through the second bore and into the first bore;
- (e) a second annular metal seal insertable into the first longitudinal bore to be interposed between the shoulder and the two-piece retainer, the second seal configured to engage the first bore and the circumference of the probe as the probe is inserted through the second bore and into the first bore.
The coupling of claim 7 wherein the threaded locking member comprises a stepped central bore beginning at a first diameter proximate the first end and terminating at a second tapered surface proximate the second end, the tapered surface engageable with the circumference of the probe.
A female member of an undersea hydraulic coupling comprising:
- (a) a body having a first longitudinal bore extending therethrough and a circumferential shoulder;
- (b) a retainer sleeve member having first and second ends adapted to be slidably inserted into the first longitudinal bore, the first end abutting the circumferential shoulder;
- (c) a metal seal insertable into the first longitudinal bore interposed between the first end of the retainer sleeve and the circumferential shoulder;
- (d) a retainer-locking member adapted to be inserted into the first longitudinal bore, the retainer-locking member configured to interengage the body and the retainer sleeve member so as to maintain the retainer sleeve member in abutting relationship with the circumferential shoulder;
- (e) an elastomeric seal having a wedge-shaped cross-section, adapted to be interposed between the second end of the retainer sleeve member and the retainer-locking member, at least one of the retainer sleeve and retainer-locking members having a circumferential shoulder configured to restrain the elastomeric seal from moving into the first longitudinal bore in response to forces tending to urge the elastomeric seal to move radially inwardly.
An undersea hydraulic coupling comprising:
- a female member having a central bore extending therethrough and a circumferential shoulder intermediate the central bore,
- a male member adapted to be inserted into the central bore, forming an annulus therebetween;
- a two-piece retainer configured to be inserted into the annulus;
- and
- an elastomeric seal configured to engage the male member as the male member is inserted into the central bore, the elastomeric seal interposed between the first piece and second piece of the two-piece retainer and having an interfit with the first piece and second piece whereby the retainer restrains the elastomeric seal from radial movement into the central bore upon separation of the female member and male member;
- and
- a metal seal interposed between the two-piece retainer and the circumferential shoulder.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.