Tubing interconnection system with different size snap ring grooves

A connection for pipe having male and female segments comprising:

• means in the inner diameter of the female segment defining at least two circumferential grooves, the grooves each having a predetermined axial length and being rectangular in cross-section, the axial lengths of the grooves decreasing progressively from the open end of the female segment;
• means in the outer diameter of the male segment defining at least two circumferential grooves having predetermined axial lengths matching the lengths of the grooves in the female segment and being positioned with like spacings, the grooves being rectangular in cross-section, the grooves of the male and female members being in facing relation when the male segment is inserted to a predetermined position within the female segment;
• a number of snap ring means, each disposed in the facing grooves of the female and male segments, the snap ring means spanning at least a substantial portion of the depth of each associated groove and each having an axial length that is a substantial fraction of the axial length of the groove in which it is disposed, such as to limit axial displacements between the male and female segments;
• and
• seal means disposed between the female and male segments in the region of the end of the male segment.

An upset pipe connection comprising:

• a female upset member having a substantially constant internal diameter overlap section terminating in an internal shoulder, the female member having at least two circumferential ring grooves of predetermined axial length, the ring grooves decreasing progressively in axial length in the overlap section from the end to the interior of the overlap section, and a circumferential O-ring groove between the closest ring groove to the internal shoulder;
• a male upset member having a substantially constant external diameter overlap section including at least two circumferential ring grooves matching and opposing those of the female member when the overlap sections are aligned;
• at least two snap ring means disposed in the aligned grooves of both the female and male members for limiting relative axial movement of the members, the snap ring means having axial lengths fitting only within groove sizes equal to or greater than those into which they are to be disposed;
• and
• seal means disposed between the male member and the internal shoulder of the female member.

A snap together connection for oil field tubular goods comprising:

• a collar with at least two internal circumferential grooves about a central axis on at least two inner surfaces along opposite axial sides of the center, wherein the relative axial lengths of the grooves decrease in the direction axially from each end of the collar toward the center region;
• a number of snap rings each disposed within a different one of the circumferential grooves in the collar and radially sized such that each ring can expand radially within its associated groove;
• an internal seal disposed at the center of the collar;
• at least one circumferential O-ring groove disposed in the inner surface of the collar between the internal seal and the closest adjacent circumferential groove;
• an O-ring disposed in each of the O-ring grooves;
• and
• a pair of pipes within the collar at each end, each pipe having an end shaped for engaging the internal seal and circumferential grooves sized and positioned to accept the snap rings, the pipe ends including camming surfaces for expanding the snap rings to facilitate entry of the pipes into the collars.

A unidirectional snap together connection for tubular goods comprising:

• first and second tube sections, each having a number of circumferential grooves of progressively larger axial length from the tube section end that is to be joined, wherein snap connector rings of different axial size may be received within the grooves;
• a collar having sets of internal grooves on opposite sides of a central region that align with and match the tube section grooves when the tube sections are inserted to predetermined distances within the collar;
• a number of compressible snap connector rings disposed within the collar grooves, the snap connector rings varying in axial length to fit only in grooves of selected axial length;
• and
• a center seal disposed within the collar between the ends of the tube sections and in contact therewith.

A quick fitting pipe interconnection system comprising:

• a pipe collar of parent unstressed metal and having a constant diameter interior wall having at least two circumferential grooves of predetermined axial dimensions therein on each side of an axially central region, the grooves on each side having decreasing axial dimensions from the adjacent collar end;
• a pair of pipes to be interconnected, the pipes including constant outer diameter sections for mating with a sliding fit into the interior wall of the collar and end means defining cam surfaces, and each pipe also having at least two circumferential grooves matching the collar grooves when the pipes are inserted to selected nominal positions into the collar;
• and
• open loop snap rings of smaller radial dimension than the radial gap between the opposing groove roots disposed within the grooves on each side of the central region, wherein the snap rings are of slightly smaller axial length than the grooves in which they fit, and are helically curved with respect to the loop plane with a pitch such that they contact both sides of the grooves.

A coupling system for connection of pipes comprising:

• a pair of tubular pipes, each having at least a terminal section of substantially constant outer diameter, a chamfered nose end at the outer diameter and a number of circumferential grooves therein;
• a collar having a substantially constant inner diameter mating with a sliding fit over the tubular pipes and a number of circumferential grooves therein positioned to oppose the grooves in the pipes when the pipes are inserted to nominal positions therein, at least two of the grooves on each axial side of the center of the collar being of different axial lengths, with the longer length being closer to the end of the collar;
• a central resilient seal ring compressed between the pipe nose ends and sized to fill the space therebetween when the pipes are in their nominal positions;
• elastomeric seal rings disposed in at least one of the grooves in the collar on each side of the central seal ring;
• and
• spring snap rings mounted in the grooves of different axial lengths on each side of the central seal ring on the collar and configured to expand over the chamfered nose of a pipe end within the opposed circumferential grooves in the collar, bypassing the circumferential grooves of shorter axial length until the appropriate length groove in the pipe is reached.