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US 9,169,952 B2Granted
Systems and methods for hinge couplings
AssigneeTyco Fire Products LP
InventorMichael W. Horgan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A coupling for coupling pipe segments (2,4). The coupling includes a first housing component (12), a second housing component (14), and a fastener coupling the first and second components together. The fastener (22) has an aligned configuration defining an axis of alignment such that first and second housing components are in a closed configuration to define a central axis of the coupling. The fastener has a skewed configuration to define a pivot axis of the fastener such that the first and second housing components are in an open configuration. The pivot axis is substantially parallel to the central axis and substantially perpendicular to the axis of alignment.
Claims32
A coupling for coupling two pipe segments together, the coupling comprising:
- a first housing component having a first end, a second end, and an arcuate surface extending between the first and second ends of the first component;
- a second housing component having a first end, a second end, and an arcuate surface extending between the first and second ends of the second component, each of the first ends of the first and second housing components having a through hole;
- a fastener disposed within the through holes of the first ends of the first and second housing components so as to couple the first and second components about a single pivot axis, the fastener having a first element and a second element to define a first configuration and a second configuration of the fastener, the first configuration of the fastener includes the first and second elements of the fastener being substantially aligned such that the through holes of the first ends of the first and second components are substantially aligned so as to define an axis of alignment extending through the through holes, the second configuration of the fastener, with the first and second elements being rotated with respect to one another about the single pivot axis that extends substantially perpendicularly to the axis of alignment.
A coupling for coupling two pipe segments together, the coupling comprising:
- a first housing component having a first end, a second end, and an arcuate surface extending between the first and second ends of the first component;
- a second housing component having a first end, a second end, and an arcuate surface extending between the first and second ends of the second component, each of the first ends of the first and second housing components having a through hole;
- a fastener disposed within the through holes of the first ends of the first and second housing components so as to couple the first and second components, the fastener having a first element and a second element to define a first configuration and a second configuration of the fastener, the first configuration of the fastener includes the first and second elements of the fastener being substantially aligned such that the through holes of the first ends of the first and second components are substantially aligned so as to define an axis of alignment extending through the through holes, the second configuration of the fastener comprises the first and second elements being skewed with respect to one another about a pivot axis that extends substantially perpendicularly to the axis of alignment,
- wherein the first end of at least one of the first and second housing components includes an interior surface defining the through hole of the first end of the at least one component, the interior surface engaging a portion of the fastener so as to prevent relative rotation between the first and second components about the linear axis, the fastener includes a pin disposed along the pivot axis and which couples the first element to the second element.
1 more element
A coupling for coupling two pipe segments together, the coupling comprising:
- a first housing component having a first end, a second end, and an arcuate surface extending between the first and second ends of the first component;
- a second housing component having a first end, a second end, and an arcuate surface extending between the first and second ends of the second component, each of the first ends of the first and second housing components having a through hole;
- a fastener disposed within the through holes of the first ends of the first and second housing components so as to couple the first and second components, the fastener having a first element and a second element to define a first configuration and a second configuration of the fastener, the first configuration of the fastener includes the first and second elements of the fastener being substantially aligned such that the through holes of the first ends of the first and second components are substantially aligned so as to define an axis of alignment extending through the through holes, the second configuration of the fastener comprises the first and second elements being skewed with respect to one another about a pivot axis that extends substantially perpendicularly to the axis of alignment,
- wherein each of the first and second elements of the fastener has an enlarged head portion and a shank portion depending from the head portion along a longitudinal axis of the element that extends perpendicular to the pivot axis of the fastener;
- the head portion of each of the first and second elements including a through hole extending along the pivot axis, a pin disposed in the through holes of each head portion of the fastener to couple the first element to the second element such that the head portions of the first and second elements engage one another.
2 more elements
A method of assembling a pipe coupling comprising:
- pivoting a first fastener element relative to a second fastener element, the first fastener element being coupled to the second fastener element about a single pivot axis, the first fastener element disposed in a first end of a first housing component of the coupling relative to the second fastener element disposed in a first end of a second housing component of the coupling such that the first and second elements are disposed along a linear axis that is substantially perpendicular to the single pivot axis so to bring interior surfaces of the first and second housing components opposed to one another to define a central axis of the coupling that runs substantially parallel to the single pivot axis;
- and
- securing a second end of the first housing component to the second end of the second housing component.
A coupling for coupling pipe segments, the coupling comprising:
- a first housing component having a first pair of bolt pads;
- a second housing component having a second pair of bolt pads;
- a fastener coupling the first and second components together, the fastener has a first element and a second element defining an aligned configuration including an axis of alignment such that first and second housing components are in a closed configuration, in which the first pair of bolt pads are mating with the second pair of bolt pads so as to define a central axis of the coupling, the first and second elements of the fastener having a skewed configuration, in which the first and second element are coupled about a single pivot axis of the fastener such that the first and second housing components are in an open configuration, in which the first pair of bolt pads are spaced from the second pair of bolt pads, the single pivot axis being parallel to the central axis and perpendicular to the axis of alignment.
A coupling for coupling pipe segments, the coupling comprising:
- a first housing component;
- a second housing component, the first and second housing components having an open configuration and a closed configuration to define a central axis of the coupling;
- and
- a fastener coupling the first and second components together, the fastener having a first element engaged with the first housing component along a first engagement axis and a second element engaged with the second housing component along a second engagement axis, the first element being coupled to the second element about a single pivot axis such that the first and second elements of the fastener pivot with respect to one another about the pivot axis, that is perpendicular to a plane that includes at least one of the first and second engagement axes, the pivot axis being parallel to the central axis of the coupling about which the first and second housing components pivot relative to one another between the open and closed configuration.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.