Patent ID: 6113157
Filing Date: 2000-09-05
Classification: E21B,F16L,Y10S

Abstract:
An articulated connector for connecting together portions of a pipeline, the articulated connector comprising:a first flowline member having a central longitudinal axis, an axial flow passage, and an external radial flange at one end thereof, said radial flange having a first internal coaxial annular surface in the form of a segment of a hemisphere to provide a first receptacle cavity in the end of the first flowline member;a second flowline member having a central longitudinal axis, an axial flow passage, and an outwardly flaring end portion having a second internal coaxial annular surface to provide a second receptacle cavity configured as a segment of a hemisphere with the same radius of curvature as said first internal coaxial annular surface, said flaring end portion having an external surface formed as the segment of a sphere with a larger radius than the second internal coaxial annular surface and in coaxial relation therewith;a collar disposed in sleeved relation on the flaring end portion of said second flowline member and provided with an interior annular surface having a first annular portion matching the curvature of the external surface of said flaring end portion and in conforming engagement therewith and a second annular portion with an internal diameter which is greater than the external diameter of said second flowline member;a ball member in the form of a segment of a sphere symmetrical about a diameter of the sphere with a radius of curvature conforming to that of said first and second internal coaxial annular surfaces and disposed between said first and second flowline members with its external surface in conforming engagement with said first and second internal coaxial annular surfaces, said ball member having a flow passage extending therethrough in coaxial relation with said first flowline member and said collar;means for joining said first flowline member to said second flowline member in a fixed relation to one another, said means comprising a plurality of bolts, each of which has a bolt shaft which extends through said radial flange into threaded engagement with said collar and clamps the collar against the second flowline member to hold the second flowline member in fixed relation to the first flowline member and the collar in spaced relation to the first flowline member, said bolts being arranged in an angular spacing around the longitudinal axes of the first flowline member and said collar; anda drive means for applying a force to stretch the length of each of said bolts by a limited amount to thereby loosen the engagement of the collar with the second flowline member and the junction of said first and second flowline members and to allow articulated movement of the second flowline member with respect to the first flowline member, said force being predetermined so as not to exceed the yield strength of said bolts and upon being withdrawn to allow the bolts to shrink in length and reestablish a clamping engagement of the collar with the second flowline member.