Patent ID: 11959351
Assignee: FMC TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Field: Civil engineering (Other fields)
Classification: CPC E | IPC E

Claim 11:
12. A method for connecting a first body and a second body, comprising:
connecting a connecting assembly comprising a connector and a main piston to a first axial end of the first body;
wherein a first end of the connector is in a connected position, the connected position including a first locking profile formed on the first end engaging a first receiving profile formed on the first axial end,
wherein a second end of the connector is in a disconnected position;

positioning the first body so the first axial end interfaces a second axial end of the second body and so the second end of the connector is adjacent to the second axial end;
translating the main piston from an unlocked position to a locked position, wherein the second end of the connector converts to the connected position;
capturing at least a first groove of a second receiving profile formed on the second axial end with a first tooth of a second locking profile formed on the second end of the connector, the first tooth having a first altered surface formed along a leading side of the first tooth;
holding both the first end and the second end of the connector in the connected position to interlock the first locking profile with the first receiving profile and to interlock the second locking profile with the second receiving profile; and
sequentially engaging teeth of the second locking profile to the second receiving profile such that the first tooth fully engages the first groove before a second tooth of the second locking profile having a second altered surface fully engages a second groove in the second receiving profile,
wherein the altered surface of the first and the second teeth is an angled surface, and wherein a slope of the angled surface of the first tooth is greater than or equal to a slope of the angled surface of the second tooth.