Dual gasket lined pipe connector
AssigneeUnion Oil Company of California
InventorsWilliam C. Allen, William M. Rickard, Daniel P. Hoyer, David E. Stikkers, Matthew L. Kelley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A multi-piece, pipe joint seal has a slidable interface between seal pieces. The slidable interface allows for slippage between pieces during pipe joint assembly and disassembly, minimizing rotational and other stresses on the seal pieces and pipe sealing surfaces which may damage or endanger the deformable seal. The slidable interface seal is especially useful for joining brittle-lined pipe sections handling harsh fluids.
Claims24
A connector apparatus for containing a hard-to-handle fluid, the apparatus comprising:
- a first pipe section substantially composed of a non-fluid resistant material and having an interior passageway;
- a fluid-conducting liner substantially composed of a brittle fluid resistant material and substantially covering said interior passageway, the liner having a first sealing surface proximate to one end of said first pipe section;
- a second pipe section having a second sealing surface which is substantially opposingly located from said first sealing surface when said pipe sections are joined;
- a means for joining said pipe sections to produce compression of a deformable seal between said sealing surfaces and to produce rotation of the first pipe section relative to the second pipe section;
- and
- at least two deformable seal elements forming a deformable seal compressed between said sealing surfaces, said two compressed deformable seal elements slidably contacting each other at a slidable interface.
A connector apparatus for containing a hard-to-handle fluid, the apparatus comprising:
- a first pipe section substantially composed of a non-fluid resistant material and having an interior passageway;
- a fluid-conducting liner substantially composed of a fluid resistant material and substantially covering said interior passageway, the liner having a first sealing surface proximate to one end of said first pipe section, wherein said liner is composed of a brittle cementitious material and said seal elements are composed of flexible graphite and wherein said first sealing surface is formed in the absence of a machining process and wherein said brittle cementitious material is formed by casting and said first sealing surface has an as-cast surface finish;
- a second pipe section having a second sealing surface which is substantially opposingly located from said first sealing surface when said pipe sections are joined;
- a means for joining said pipe sections to produce compression of a deformable seal between said sealing surfaces, wherein the means for joining comprises:
- a threaded surface on said first pipe section;
- a mating threaded surface on said second pipe section;
- and
- means for engaging said threaded surfaces and rotating said first pipe section with respect to said second pipe section;
- and
- at least two deformable seal elements forming a deformable seal compressed between said sealing surfaces, said elements slidably contacting each other at a slidable interface, wherein first and second sealing surfaces form a ring-shaped gap when said pipe sections are joined, said gap partially enclosing sealing elements having a thickness parallel to said passageway ranging from no less than about 0.1588 cm to no more than about 0.635 cm prior to being compressed by said sealing surfaces.
A connector apparatus for containing a fluid, the apparatus comprising:
- a duct having an interior passageway;
- a brittle liner substantially covering said interior passageway, the liner having a first sealing surface;
- a duct mating element having a second sealing surface which is substantially opposingly located from said first sealing surface when said duct is joined to said duct mating element;
- a means for joining said duct and duct mating element while compressing a seal located between said sealing surfaces and while rotating the duct relative to the duct mating element;
- and
- at least two deformable seal elements compressed between said sealing surfaces, said two deformable seal elements slidably contacting each other at a slidable interface.
A method for sealably joining two duct-like sections, wherein each of said sections having generally opposing and spaced apart sealing surfaces when said ducts are joined, said method comprising:
- placing at least two gaskets between said opposing sealing surfaces, wherein said gaskets contact each other at a slidable interface, wherein one of said gaskets is capable of rotating with respect to another gasket when said gaskets are squeezed together;
- and
- squeezing together and rotating one of said sealing surfaces with respect to the other sealing surface, wherein said squeezing and rotating compresses and slides at least one of said gaskets against another gasket at said slidable interface.
A method for sealably joining two duct-like sections, wherein each of said sections having opposing and spaced apart sealing surfaces when said ducts are joined, said method comprising:
- placing at least two gaskets between said opposing sealing surfaces, wherein said gaskets contact each other at a slidable interface;
- and
- squeezing together and rotating one of said sealing surfaces with respect to the other sealing surface, wherein said squeezing and rotating compresses and slides at least one of said gaskets against another gasket at said slidable interface, wherein said ducts are substantially composed of a structural material and a brittle liner, said gaskets have an average total thickness before said squeezing and rotating step of from about 0.07938 to 0.3175 cm, and wherein said squeezing and rotating step is accomplished in the absence of sliding at the interfaces between said gaskets and said sealing surfaces.
A method for sealably joining two duct-like sections, wherein each of said sections having generally opposing and spaced apart sealing surfaces when said ducts are joined, said method comprising:
- placing at least one deformable gasket and at least one rigid end ring between said opposing sealing surfaces, wherein said gasket and end ring contact each other at a lubricated slidable interface, wherein one of said gasket is capable of rotating with respect to said end ring when said gasket and said end ring are squeezed together;
- and
- squeezing together and rotating one of said sealing surfaces with respect to the other sealing surface, wherein said squeezing and rotating compresses and slides said gasket and end ring at said lubricated slidable interface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.