Patent ID: 8904621
Filing Date: 2014-12-09
Classification: E02B,F16B,F16L,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A clamping connector for affixing to a tubular member, the connector comprising a collar, a plurality of movable dogs mounted in the collar and a plurality of separate actuation means, one for each of said dogs for driving the movement of the dogs, wherein: the collar has a collar axis and a radially inner wall and a radially outer wall, the inner wall being adapted to surround the tubular member with a gap between an outer surface of the inner wall and an outer surface of the tubular member; the inner wall has a plurality of apertures, each aperture leading to a passage through the inner wall; each of said dogs is slidably seated in one of said passages for movement in a radial direction with respect to the tubular member; around each passage the inner wall is spaced apart from an inner surface of the outer wall; each of said actuation means comprises a movable block within said space between the inner and outer walls, and movement means for moving the block in an axial direction with respect to the tubular member; each block has a radially outer surface in sliding contact with the inner surface of the outer wall when each block is moved in said axial direction; each block has a radially inner surface and each dog has a radially outer surface, said inner and outer surfaces of each corresponding block and dog being in sliding contact with each other when each block is moved in said axial direction relative to the corresponding dog; said contacting sliding surfaces of each corresponding block and dog are oppositely inclined with respect to each other such that said relative axial movement of the block and the dog causes each corresponding dog to be driven in said radially inwardly direction across said gap towards said outer surface of the tubular member; the movement means for each block is independent of the movement means for other blocks so that said plurality of blocks may, in use, be independently moved in said axial direction so that each corresponding dog is independently driven in said radially inwardly direction across said gap to grip said outer surface of the tubular member; and each block is contained between the inner and outer walls of the collar and has projecting ends that extend circumferentially a greater extent than the corresponding dog, said projecting ends making a sliding fit with both the inner and outer walls of the collar to keep each of said blocks correctly aligned with respect to the corresponding dog as each block is moved in said axial direction.