Patent ID: 9714547
Date: 2017-07-25
CPC Classifications: E21B,F16L

Claim:
1. A riser joint connection comprising: a box connector comprising a box bore shoulder, a box face, a box face surface, and an external box preload fixture projecting from an outer surface of the box connector such that a face of the external box preload fixture extends in a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the riser joint connection; a pin connector comprising a pin connector shoulder, a pin nose, and an external pin preload fixture projecting from an outer surface of the pin connector such that a face of the external pin preload fixture extends in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the riser joint connection and a pin nose; and a plurality of shear elements joined together by hinges in a bandolier configuration, the plurality of shear elements disposed within a shear element cavity defined by a box connector shear groove in alignment with a pin connector shear groove, wherein the plurality of shear elements contact and are compressed between load surfaces of the pin connector and the box connector such that the plurality of shear elements are preloaded in compression and are maintained compressed between the load surfaces of the pin connector and the box connector, wherein the box bore shoulder compressively engages the pin nose, wherein the box face surface compressively engages the pin connector shoulder, wherein the face of the external box preload fixture and the face of the external pin preload fixture are parallel to each other, and wherein the pin preload fixture and the box preload fixture are disposed on one axial side of the plurality of shear elements, and wherein the box face and the pin nose are preloaded in compression by applying an axial compressive preload force to the external box preload fixture and the external pin preload fixture.