A MEANS FOR JOINING TWO PIPE SECTIONS TOGETHER

Abstract: The object of the invention is to join two pipe sections (1 and 2) together when one pipe section (1) is inserted in the other pipe section (2), and this is effected by arranging explosive (3) inside the one pipe section which, when detonated, causes plastic deformation in both pipe sections so that they become joined together by means of a clamping action.

Description: A means for joining two pipe sections together The present invention relates to a means for joining two pipe sections together. More specifically the invention relates to a joint in which one pipe section is inserted into the second pipe section. According to known technique, such a joint can be effected by means of welding or explosive welding. Conventional welding generally takes too long and in certain cases explosive welding is too expensive in view of the aids required. Furthermore, both these known joining methods are unsuitable when joining is to be effected in waterways at depths of 3 - Ψ00 metres. The present invention relates to a means for joining two pipe sections together, in which, one pipe section is inserted into the other pipe section and joining is effected by the two pipe sections being clamped together. In practice this is effected by using explosive placed inside one pipe, the nature of the explosive being such that upon detonation it effects a clamping action between the two pipe sections. An explosive is suitably chosen which results in both the pipe sections outside the explosive being plastically deformed. An explosive is suitably chosen which when detonated results in a plastic deformation of 1% in the outer pipe section. The explosive selected should affect the two pipe sections so that the plastic deformation does not exceed the yield point of the material in the two pipe sections. The outer pipe section may be provided on its external surface with one or more peripheral grooves. Said peripheral grooves may have a depth of 60% of the thickness of the pipe and a width of five times the thickness of the pipe section. According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, said grooves may be partially or entirely illed with elastomeric material such as rubber or plastic. The explosive used may be in tubular form and may be in direct or indirect contact with the inner pipe section. If it is in direct contact, a layer of elastomeric material is generally arranged between the explosive and the inner pipe section. A layer of elastomeric material may also be arranged between the inner and the outer pipe sections, in which case it may consist of rubber or plastic. The material should be tubular. The means for joining an inner pipe section and an outer pipe section may also be used for splicing two pipes. In this case two inner pipes are brought into contact with each other, each pipe being provided individually with an explosive charge, or both being provided with a common explosive charge. . The outer pipe section is then pushed over the two inner pipe sections. When the explosive is detonated a joint is obtained between the two inner pipe sections. The same means used to join two similar pipe sections with the aid of explosive and an outer, surrounding pipe section} can also be used- to repair a pipe. The de ective part is removed and a new, whole pipe section is Inserted instead between the two ends after removal of the de ective piece. The replacement section is joined at both ends in exactly the same way as described above for joining two inner pipe sections covered by an outer pipe section. This means is used at both ends of the replacement piece. This application of the invention is particularly suitable for repair work on pipes located at the bottom of a waterway. Another application of the invention is in connection with distributer units consisting of a number of branch conduits. Here, each branch conduit consti¬ tutes the outer pipe when joining a pipe line which constitutes the inner pipe. Further characteristics of the present invention are revealed in the following claims. The present invention will be more fully described with reference to the accompanying our sheets of drawings, in which Figures 1-4 show two different embodiments of an outer pipe section and an inner pipe section, before joining and after joining, Figures 5-6 show an inner pipe section with two dif erent embodiments for the explosive, Figures 7-8 show two inner pipe sections in two different positions before joining, Figures 9-10 shows two different branch conduits designed for joining a number of pipes, the ends of the branch conduit constituting the outer pipe section in relation to the pipeline to be joined, which constitutes the inner pipe section, and Figure 11 shows six different consecutive stages in the repair of a defective section of pipeline. Figure 1 shows the righthand end of a first pipe 1. The pipe is inserted in a second pipe 2 which may be called the outer pipe, splice pipe or sleeve. The outer pipe 2 is. provided with a. number of peripheral grooves 4-7, where the depth of the grooves may be 60% of the thickness of the outer pipe 2, and there grooves may have a width corresponding to five times the thickness of the outer pipe 2. Inside the first or inner pipe is an explosive 3 in the form of a tube, with its right end closed and a detonator placed centrally at its end. The designation 8 indicates the centre line of the two pipes 1 and 2. When the explosive 3 is detonated the two pipes 1 and 2 are subjected to a force directed radially outwards. This force shall be of such a magnitude that when it has spent itself the two pipes 1 and 2 shall be clamped together. The force of the explosive shall be selected so that the yield point for the material in the two pipes 1 and 2 is not exceeded. The radial forces affect the inner pipe 1 in a manner causing a number of peripheral ridges or elevations 9-12 which penetrate into the peripheral grooves 4-7. Figures 3-4 show the pipes 1 and 2 before and after detonation of the explosive 3. The difference in relation to the means according to Figures 1-2 is that the grooves 4-6 have been filled with elastomeric material which may consist of rubber or plastic. Another difference is that a tubular, elastomeric layer 13 has been arranged between the inner pipe section 1 and the explosive 3. Figures 5 and 6 show two different embodiments of explosive. In Figure 5 the longitudinal cross-section of the explosive is U-shaped, the yoke being provided with a recess 17 for a detonator, not shown. In Figure 6, however, the explosive 3' is tubular or annular. Figures 7 and 8 show two different stages when using a means according to Figure 1 to splice two pipe sections arranged end to end. Considering Figure 7, a first pipe section or inner pipe 1 can be seen on the left and a second pipe section or sleeve 2'. The pipe section 1 is provided with explosive 3 at its rϊghthand end. The inner pipe section 1 is to be spliced to a second pipe section 18 of the same size as the pipe section 1. In relation to the outer pipe section 2', the pipe section 18 becomes an inner pipe. The pipe section 18 is provided at its lefthand end with explosive 19. The two pipe sections 1 and 18 can be moved towards each other into contact or near contact with each other, as shown in Figure 8. At this stage the outer pipe section 2' is moved to the right to cover the two inner pipe sections 1 and 18, as can be seen in Figure 8. The outer pipe section 2' may be provided with a number of peripheral grooves in the same way as the corresponding pipe sections in Figures 1-4. At the centre of the two explosives 3 and 19 are detonators 20 and fuses 21. The outer pipe section 2 1 and inner pipe sections 1 and 18 are joined together upon initiation of the detonator 20 in the same way as in Figures 1 -4. Figure 9 shows a branch pipe 22 with three pipe ends 23-25 for the receipt of three pipes 1,18 and 26. The pipes inserted into the ends of the branch pipe 22 are joined in the same way as in Figures 1-4. Figure 10 shows another example of a branch pipe 27 with no less than six pipe ends 23,24,25,28,29 and 30, these pipe ends being joined to the pipe sections 1,18,26,36,37 and 38. Figures 11a, l ib, l ie, l id, He and llf show how the means according to Figures 7 and 8 can be used to repair a pipeline. Figure 1 la shows two pipe ends 11 and 33, the damaged intermediate part having been cut away. The two pipe ends 1 and 2 are each provided with an outer pipe section or sleeve 2" and 34, as shown in Figure lib. Figure lie shows how the requisite explosive charges 3 and 35 are applied in the pipe ends 1 and 33. A pipe section to replace the damaged section is to be placed between pipe ends 1 and 33. Such a replacement section is shown in Figure l id. Here it is designated 18 and is provided at both ends with an explosive 19, 19', respectively and may be the same shape as is shown in Figure 7. Each explosive contains a detonator, the fuses being designated 21 and 21'. A short distance from each end, the pipe section 18 is provided with two stops 31 and 32, which may either be annular or consist of an outwardly directed unit. The pipe section 18 in Figure lid is placed between the two pipe sections 1 and 33, as can be seen in Figure He. The righthand outer pipe section 34 is then pushed to the left until it encounters the stop 32. T e outer pipe section 2" is pushed to the right until it encounters the stop 31. In Figure 1 If the inner pipe sections 1, 18 and 33 and the outer pipe sections 2" and 34 assume the positions necessary for detonation of explosives 3,19,19' and 35. Upon detonation, the pipe sections 1 and 18 will be joined together by a clamping action and the inner pipe sections 18 and 33 will be joined to the outer pipe section 34 by a clamping action. The two pipe sections 1 and 33 have now be joined in an extremely simple and elegant manner. The procedure described in Figures 11 a, b, c and d, e and f is particularly suitable for use in repairing defective pipelines in waterways, at the bottom of the waterway, for instance. No complicated tools are required. All that is necessary is to fit the pipe section 18 and then push over the outer pipe sections 2" and 34 and then select an explosive which will elastically deform both outer and inner pipe sections in such a way that when the pressure has ceased, the outer, cylindrical parts 2" and 34 will have decreased diameter. This decrease in diameter gives rise to a calmping action around the inner cylindrical sections.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A means for clamping a first pipe section in a second pipe section into which the irst pipe section is inserted, the outer surface of the first pipe section being in close proximity to the surface of the second pipe section so that the first pipe section can be inserted without force into the second pipe section, charac¬ terised in that the second pipe section (2) constitutes a support against radial forces from the inside and that the first pipe section (1) contains explosive (3) so dimensioned that when the explosive is detonated the first pipe section will be clamped securely in the second pipe section (2) by plastic deformation of the first pipe section (1). 2. A means according to claim 1, characterised in that said second pipe section (2) is provided with one or more peripheral grooves (4-7). 3. A means according to claim 2, characterised in that the peripheral grooves (4—7) contain elastomeric material such as rubber. 4. A means according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the explosive (3) is in tubular or annular in form and is in direct or indirect contact with the inner surface of the first pipe section (1). 5. A means according to claim 4, characterised in that a layer (13) of elastomeric material Is arranged between the explosive (3) and the first pipe section (1). 6. A means according to claim 4, characterised in that at the part facing the opening of the first pipe section (1) the explosive (3) is provided with a disc¬ shaped piece of explosive partially or entirely closing said part to the explo¬ sive (3). 7. A means according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that an elastic layer is arranged between the first (I) and the second (2) pipe sections. 8. A means according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the explosive (3) is arranged at or close to the end of the first pipe section (1) to be inserted into the second pipe section (2). 9. A means according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the second pipe section (2') constitutes a support for the first pipe section (1), and also for a third pipe section (18) of the same type as the first pipe section (1), the ends of said latter pipe sections (1 and 18) being in contact or almost in contact with each other. 10. A means according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said second pipe section consists of the pipe-connection (23) of a distributer unit (27) having a number of branch conduits (23-25, 27-30). 11. A means according to claim 1, characterised in that said explosive is so dimensioned that both the first pipe section (1) and the second pipe section (2) are subjected to plastic deformation. 12. A means according to claims 2 or 3, characterised in that said peripheral grooves (4-6) have a depth of 60% of the thickness of the pipe section (2). 13. A means according to claim 12, characterised in that said peripheral grooves (4-6) have a width of five times the thickness of the pipe section (2). 14. A means according to claim 11, characterised in that the explosive (3) is so dimensioned that the plastic deformation is greater for the second pipe section (2) than for the first pipe section (1). 15. A means according to claim 14, characterised in that the plastic deformation of the second pipe section (2) is approximately 1%. 16. A means according to claim 9, characterised in that the other end of the third pipe section (18) is provided with explosive (19') in the same way as its first end, that the other end is opposite the end of a fourth pipe section (33) which is provided with explosive (35) and a fifth pipe section (34) is provided to act as support for the other end of the third pipe section (18) and said end of the fourth pipe section (33).

Inventors: LANDE GOERAN, PERSSON BENGT, LANDE, GOERAN, PERSSON, BENGT
Applicants: NITRO NOBEL AB, VOLVO AB, AB VOLVO
Application year: 1985
Main classification: B23K20
IPC codes: B23K20, F16L13