US 7,066,496 B2 · Fitting with separable gripping device for pipe and tube

Abstract

A tube fitting for a tube end has a female threaded member that cooperates with a male threaded member. The female member includes a tube gripping device in the form of a gripping ring or ferrule that is attached to the female member by a frangible web. Upon a partial pull-up the ferrule engages a camming surface on the male threaded member and breaks off or separates from the female threaded member to become a separate piece so that the fitting then functions as a single ferrule tube fitting. Additional features include a steep camming angle on the camming surface to cause the ferrule to grip the tube end with a bite-type action and to form a primary seal between the camming surface and a front end of the separated ferrule. The ferrule front end, and optionally the entire female threaded member including the initially integral tube gripping device, are hardened to have a hardness ratio that is at least about 3.3 times the hardness of the material of the tube end on the Vickers scale.

Claims32

Dependent claims

A tube fitting for a tube end, comprising:

a female coupling member and a male coupling member that can be joined together such that the male coupling member extends into the female coupling member to assemble the fitting onto a tube end;
said female coupling member having a tube gripping device attached thereto;
said tube gripping device separating from said female member during assembly of the fitting to a pulled-up condition, said female member having an unbroken drive surface that engages said tube gripping device after separation.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Fitting with separable gripping device for pipe and tube

Life of this patent

Fitting with separable gripping device for pipe and tube

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims32