Patent ID: 6059318
Filing Date: 2000-05-09
Classification: D01D,Y10S

Abstract:
A lateral entry coupling system for connecting two pipes such that fluid may be carried through one pipe and into the other, wherein the coupling system comprises:a wear plate having at least one opening therein arranged in fluid communication with a first pipe;a flange having at least one opening therein arranged in fluid communication with a second pipe;locator means, arranged to permit lateral approach of said flange with said wear plate, for locating said flange relative to said wear plate such that said opening in said wear plate is generally aligned with said opening in said flange as said flange and said wear plate are brought together by lateral approach and comprisinga pin associated with said flange and a notch associated with said wear plate such that said pin is received into said notch by lateral approach of the flange and wear plate, and wherein said notch includes opposite trough walls which converge at a notchbottom and splay outwards from said notchbottom and said pin is sized to be received in said notchbottom while said openings in each of said flange and wear plate are generally aligned, and, further wherein said pin comprises a base, a post projecting from said base and an enlarged head at the distal end of said post; and wherein said notchbottom has a longitudinal dimension which is comparable to the length of said post such that when said flange and wear plate are locked together that said post lies with a peripheral surface generally longitudinally along said notchbottom with said base near one end of said notchbottom and said enlarged head near the other; and further wherein said notch includes a ramped back surface for being engaged by said enlarged head such that as the flange and wear plate are brought together along a lateral approach, the pin is arranged to move into said notch and follow any of said trough walls or ramp wall to a nested position at said notchbottom with flange closely positioned adjacent said wear plate and with said openings in each of said flange and wear plate being generally aligned; anda locking mechanism arranged to permit lateral approach of said flange with said wear plate and to lock said flange and said wear plate together while said openings in said flange and wear plate are generally aligned and the first and second pipes are thereby in fluid communication with one another.