Flanged pipeline connections
AssigneeFurmanite International Limited
InventorArthur W. Richardson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for sealing leaks of flanged pipe couplings comprises providing a peripheral space between faces of the flanges and in the region of that space a loose ring in facing annular grooves of the flange faces. Should a leak occur between the flanges of the coupling the loose ring allows process fluid to escape past the ring to reduce the effect of localized pressure that may otherwise distort or damage the flange faces.
Claims3
In a flanged pipe coupling comprising a pair of pipes for transporting process fluid, said pipes having flanged ends coupled together face to face with a gasket therebetween, the improvement comprising the combination of:
- (i) an annular space defined by annular aligned grooves formed in each of the facing flanged ends,
- (ii) a unitary annular ring of reduced height and width dimension relative to the respective height and width dimension of the aligned annular grooves to be thereby loosely retained in the said space, the said ring being of such thickness as not to interfere with sealing by the said gasket, whereby, in the event that a leak occurs from between the flanges, the process fluid may escape past the ring and vent to the atmosphere, and
- (iii) port means for receiving injected sealing compound into the said space.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.