Swivel connector

A self cleaning ball bearing swivel connector. The first swivel member is equipped with a seal engaging surface defined by a frusto-conical shoulder and a cylindrical neck. The end of the tubular body which contains the bearing assembly is adjacent to but spaced a distance from the shoulder and together with the shoulder and the neck defines a seal receiving space. A flanged seal is supported in the seal receiving space and the flange is adapted to serve as a one-way flap type valve, permitting debris inside the seal receiving space to be extruded by centrifugal force as the swivel connector rotates, yet preventing the entry of debris or surrounding liquids. The angled surface provided by the frusto-conical shoulder decreases the resistance to the centrifugal force propelling the debris out of the seal receiving space and, thus, facilitates the extrusion of debris.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates generally to swivel connectors. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is directed to a swivel connector. The swivel 
connector comprises a first swivel member with a head having a first end 
and a second end. The first end supports a connector assembly. A 
frusto-conical shoulder extends from the second end of the head, and a 
cylindrical neck extends from the shoulder to form with the shoulder seal 
engaging surface. 
The swivel connector further comprises a second swivel member having a head 
with a first end and a second end. The first end supports a connector 
assembly. A tubular body having a first end and a second end is supported 
between the first and second swivel members so that the first end is 
adjacent to but spaced a distance from the shoulder of the first swivel 
member and so that the inner wall adjacent the end of the body is spaced a 
distance from the cylindrical neck of the first swivel member whereby the 
end and inner wall of the body and the shoulder and cylindrical neck of 
the first swivel member define an annular seal receiving space. 
A swivel assembly is housed in the tubular body and adapted to connect the 
first and second swivel members for rotation relative to each other. A 
first seal is provided between the second end of the tubular body and the 
second end of the second swivel member, and seal is adapted to seal the 
joint therebetween. A second seal is provided inside the annular seal 
receiving space and comprises an annular body and a inner resilient 
flange. The outer aspect of the annular body is attached to the inner wall 
of the first end of the tubular body opposite the cylindrical neck. The 
flange terminates in a tip which extends to engage the seal engaging 
surface. 
Further, the present invention comprises a swivel connector with a first 
swivel member with a head having a first end and a second end. The first 
end supports a connector assembly, and a cylindrical neck extends from the 
second end. The neck has a smaller diameter than the head so that the 
second end defines a shoulder which intersects the neck to form a seal 
engaging surface. 
The swivel connector further comprises a second swivel member having a head 
with a first end and a second end. The first end supports a connector 
assembly. A tubular body having a first end and a second end is supported 
between the first and second swivel members so that the first end is 
adjacent to but spaced a distance from the shoulder of the first swivel 
member and so that the inner wall adjacent the end of the body is spaced a 
distance from the cylindrical neck of the first swivel member whereby the 
end and inner wall of the body together with the shoulder and cylindrical 
neck of the first swivel member define an annular seal receiving space. 
A swivel assembly is housed in the tubular body and adapted to connect the 
first and second swivel members for rotation relative to each other. A 
first seal is provided between the second end of the tubular body and the 
second end of the second swivel member, and seal is adapted to seal the 
joint therebetween. A second seal is provided inside the annular seal 
receiving space and comprises an annular body and an inner resilient 
flange. The outer aspect of the annular body is attached to the inner wall 
of the first end of the tubular body opposite the cylindrical neck. The 
flange terminates in a tip which extends to engage the seal engaging 
surface. 
Still further, the present invention includes a swivel connector comprising 
a first swivel member having a head with a first end and a second end. The 
first end supports a connector assembly, and a frusto-conical shoulder 
extends from the second end of the head. A cylindrical neck extends from 
the shoulder to form with the shoulder a seal engaging surface. 
Also included is a second swivel member comprising a head having a first 
end and a second end. The first end supports a connector assembly. 
A tubular body having a first end and a second end is supported between the 
first and second swivel members so that the first end is adjacent to but 
spaced a distance from the shoulder of the first swivel member and so that 
the inner wall adjacent the end is spaced a distance from the cylindrical 
neck of the first swivel member whereby the end and inner wall of the body 
and the shoulder and cylindrical neck of the first swivel member define an 
annular seal receiving space. A swivel assembly is housed in the tubular 
body and is adapted to connect the first and second swivel members for 
rotation relative to each other. 
A first seal is provided between the second end of the tubular body and the 
second end of the second swivel member and is adapted to seal the joint 
therebetween. A second seal is provided inside the annular seal receiving 
space and is adapted to permit the extrusion of debris from the seal 
receiving space and to prevent the entry of debris and fluids into the 
seal receiving space.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Swivel connectors have many uses. For example, a ball bearing swivel 
connector such as that shown and described herein is ideal for directional 
boring procedures. Ball bearing swivel connectors, however, generate heat 
when rotated for prolonged periods at high speeds. For this reason, the 
swivel connectors are treated with a substance such as bentonite which 
serves as a coolant and a lubricant to prolong the life of the connector. 
However, bentonite tends to erode the bearings inside the connector. 
A seal may be employed to prevent entry of the bentonite and other fluids 
and debris into the bearing assembly. However, where debris of some sort 
has found its way into the bearing, or has become lodged in the joint area 
between the body of the connector and the rotating end, a seal may prevent 
removal of the debris. The present invention provides an improved swivel 
connector which is self-cleaning for the removal of debris yet includes a 
seal to prevent entry of corrosive substances and debris. 
With reference now to the drawings in general and to FIG. 1 in particular 
there is shown therein a swivel connector constructed in accordance with a 
preferred embodiment of the present invention and designated generally by 
the reference numeral 10. The swivel connector 10 comprises a first swivel 
member 12, a second swivel member 14 and a tubular body 16 supported 
therebetween which houses a swivel assembly 20. 
The first swivel member 12 comprises a head 22 having a first end 24 and 
second end 26. The first end 24 supports a connector assembly 30. In the 
embodiment shown, the connector assembly 30 is a conventional toggle 
comprising a spindle 32 and spool 34. The spindle 32 is threadably mounted 
in a bore 36 which intersects a U-shaped space 38 which receives the spool 
34. 
Extending from the second end 26 of the head 22 is a cylindrical neck 40 
which has a smaller diameter than the head 22. Thus, the second end 26 
defines a shoulder 42 which intersects the neck 40 the shoulder 42 and the 
neck 40 cooperating to form a seal engaging surface 44 for a purpose yet 
to be described. Preferably, the shoulder 42 is frusto-conical so that it 
forms a slanted surface which in cross-section defines an obtuse angle, 
that is, an angle of greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees 
relative to the neck 40. 
With continuing reference to FIG. 1, the second swivel member 14 comprises 
a head 50 having a first end 52 and second end 54. Like the first end 24 
of the head 22, the first end 52 of the head 50 supports a connector 
assembly 56 in the form of a toggle comprising a spindle 58 and a spool 60 
(shown in phantom). Extending from the second end 54 of the head 50 is a 
threaded stem 60. 
With reference now also to FIG. 2, the tubular body 16 has a first end 64 
and a second end 66. As indicated previously, the tubular body 16 is 
supported between the first and second swivel members 12 and 14 and houses 
the swivel assembly 20. In the assembled connector 10, the first end 64 is 
adjacent to but spaced a distance from the shoulder 42 of the second end 
of the head 22 of the first swivel member 12. The inner wall 70 near the 
end 64 is spaced a distance from the cylindrical neck 40. Thus, the 
surfaces defined by the inner wall 70, the shoulder 42 and the neck 40 
(the latter two forming the seal engaging surface 44) define an annular 
seal receiving space 74. 
Returning to FIG. 1, the second end 66 of the tubular body 16 is threaded 
to engage the threaded stem 60 of the second swivel member 14. A seal such 
as an O-ring 78 is positioned at the joint between the body 16 and the 
second swivel member 14. The 0ring preferably is selected to provide a 
seal which is impervious to liquids and particulate debris at least at 
atmospheric or near atmospheric pressure. 
Referring still to FIG. 1, the swivel assembly 20 is housed in the tubular 
body 16 and is adapted to connect the first and second swivel members 12 
and 14 for rotation relative to each other. In the preferred practice of 
this invention, the swivel assembly is a bearing assembly comprising a 
first bearing 80 and a second bearing 82 supported a distance apart inside 
the body 16 by a spacer ring 84. The bearings 80 and 82 are supported on a 
stem 86 which extends from the neck 40. The stem 86 has a smaller diameter 
than the neck 40 so that the neck serves to retain the bearing 80 between 
the neck and spacer ring 84. The free end 90 of the stem 86 is threaded to 
engage a locking nut 92 between the second bearing 82 and the threaded 
stem 60 of the second swivel member 14 so that the locking nut retains the 
second bearing 82 between the locking nut and the spacer ring 84. 
Turning again to FIG. 2, a seal 100 is positioned in the annular seal 
receiving space 74. The seal 100 is adapted to permit the extrusion of 
liquids and debris from the seal receiving space and to prevent the entry 
thereinto of debris and fluids. A preferred seal 100 comprises an annular 
body 102 and an inner resilient flange 104. The preferred seal is 
integrally formed of steel reinforced neoprene so that the entire seal is 
somewhat resilient. The body 102 is pressed into place inside the first 
end 66 of the tubular body 16 and then sealed. 
Although the flange 104 may take several shapes, it is preferably generally 
conical in cross-section so that the thickness gradually decreases 
terminating in the tip 106. The seal 100 and the flange 104 are sized so 
that the tip 106 of the flange will engage the seal engaging surface 44 by 
appressing the seal engaging surface and more preferably the neck 40 of 
the seal engaging surface, as illustrated in the drawings. As shown, the 
flange 104 extends at an angle from the body 102 toward the shoulder 42 
and has a length such that the tip 106 will be spaced a distance from the 
seal engaging surface 44 when flexed slightly from centrifugal force. In 
this way, the flange 104 acts as a one-way flap valve for the seal 
receiving space 74. The angled flange 104 will offer minimal resistance to 
debris being extruded by centrifugal force as the first and second swivel 
members 12 and 14 are rotated rapidly. 0n the other hand, the angled 
flange 104 will provide substantial resistance to entry of such debris 
into the seal receiving space 74. 
Now it will be appreciated the swivel connector of the present invention 
provides advantages not heretofore present in swivel connectors. The 
angled shoulder 42 provides a slanted surface which offers substantially 
less resistance to debris being extruded from the seal receiving space 74 
by centrifugal force than would a strictly vertical shoulder surface 
(relative to the neck). The flanged seal acts as a one-way valve to seal 
the space 74 and the internal swivel assembly 20 from the intrusion of 
debris and corrosive substances. 
Changes may be made in the combination and arrangement of the various 
parts, elements, steps and procedures described herein without departing 
from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following 
claims.