Patent ID: 6676168
Filing Date: 2004-01-13
Classification: F16L,Y10T

Abstract:
A metallic vessel including a wall having a cornerless hole formed therethrough, and a hollow fitting assembly installed with a pressure-tight seal in the hole for connection to an external member, the hollow fitting assembly comprising:a hollow body element including a metallic body flange portion bearing against a first side of the wall to form metal-to-metal contact between the body flange portion and the first side, with a seal ring disposed in an annular recess of the body flange portion and compressed between the body flange portion and the first side, the seal ring extending around the hole, the hollow body element further including hollow body barrel portion having a circular cross section and and extending through the hole from the body flange portion; a pusher flange attached to an outer surface of the body barrel portion; a force-distributing metallic washer disposed between the pusher flange and a second side of the wall, with a first face of the washer facing the second side, and a second face of the washer facing away from the second side; jack bolts threadedly secured within internally threaded apertures of the pusher flange, with free ends of the jack bolts pushing the washer against the second side, and with threaded portions of the jack bolts forcing the pusher flange away from the vessel to pull the body flange portion toward the first side for compressing the seal ring to create a pressure-tight seal around the hole.