DEVICE FOR COUPLING AND SIMULTANEOUSLY LOCKING OF TWO COMPONENTS BOTH RADIALLY AND AXIALLY

Abstract: Self-coupling flange for coupling and at the same time both axial and radial locking of two components. The coupling is especially suited for coupling of an actuator to valves etc. The coupling comprises an upper part (4) arranged to be fixed to or incorporated into one component (2) and a lower part (5) arranged to be fixed to another component (3). The parts of the coupling further comprise an annular piston (12) and a locking ring (23). The coupling device has an inner through going radial opening (18), and both parts (4, 5) of the coupling has sloping contact faces (10, 22). The coup­ ling is equipped with flow passages (16, 17) for hydraulic fluid and is thereby suited for remote control.

Description: Because of the development of oil- and gas fields on even greater depths, it is a need for devices which make possible coupling and uncoupling of components without the use of divers. The devices must therefore be suitable for instal­ lation by remote control and give a good and secure coupling of the components. The need for such a joint arises for example by coupling of actuators to valves, coupling of val­ ves to pipes, coupling of pipes to pipes and also coupling of hydraulic/electric circuits. Such a coupling can also be used on other fields where there is a need for a "rapid" coupling of components. The object of the present invention is to produce a coupling which gives a rapid and secure installation and locking of the components. Uncoupling should also be easy to carry out. Further there is an object to construct a coupling which will function satisfactory by remote control and thereby be suited for use by coupling and uncoupling of components on greater depths of the ocean where diving operations must be avoided. Another object with the invention is to produce a coupling giving both radial and axial locking of the components. These and other objects of the invention is attained with a con­ struction which is characterized by the features described in the accompanying claims. The preferable design of the device according to the invention will be described with reference to the accom­ panying drawings wherein: Figure 1 shows partly in section the self-coupling flange with locking device as a coupling between an actuator and a valve. Figure 2 shows the lower part of the coupling both in section and in perspective. Figure 3 shows the upper part of the coupling as a part of an actuator and the lower part fixed to a valve. In figure 1 the self-coupling flange with locking device 1 is shown activated as a coupling between an actuator 2 and a valve 3. The coupling consists of an upper coupling part 4 arranged to be fixed to one unit and with a lower part of the coupling 5 arranged to be fixed to another unit. The upper part of the coupling consists of an upper sheet 6 and an inner cylinder 7 fixed to the sheet and with a surrounding cylindrical part also fixed to the sheet 6. The surrounding cylindrical part consists of an upper cylindrical encircling part 8 passing on to a lower cylindrical encircling part 9 with greater external diameter. The lowermost part of the encircling part 9 is formed like a semicylinder with sloping contact faces 10 and is exactly like the upper part of the lower coupling part 5, as it is described with reference to figure 2. The inner diameter of the upper cylindrical encircling part 8 is diminished at a point below the inner cylinder 7 in such a way that there is formed a stop shoulder 11 for an annular piston 12. The piston 12 can thereby be moved up and down in an annular space 13 formed between the upper sheet 6, the inner cylinder 7 and the upper cylindrical encircling part 8 of the coupling. In the lower cylindrical part the inner dia­ meter is increased in such a way that there is formed a cylindrical flat face 14 which functions as a continuous con­ tact face against the corresponding contact face 15 in the lower coupling part (figure 2). Both the annular piston 12 and the upper contact face 14 are fitted with O-ring sealings to ensure a tight and secure function of each of the parts. The upper half of the coupling is as well provided with flow passages 16, 17 for hydraulic fluid. The real flange function is formed of the continuous faces 14, 15 and sloping contact faces 10, 22. Especially figure 2 shows the lower coupling part 5, but the technical details of the upper and lower part, which are identical, are shown in figure 2A, B and C. Figure 2A shows the lower part of the coupling in "side view", 2B the lower part of the coupling seen from above, and figure 2C shows the lower part of the coupling drawn in per­ spective. The lower part 5 of the coupling is cylindrical and with a through-going radial opening 18. The upper part of the coupling has also an opening with the same diameter. The one half of the coupling part 5 is formed as a semicircular disc 19 which passes into a standing semicylindrical part 20 with smaller diameter. The top face of this part makes a inner semicylindrical turned continuous face in the other half of the lower part 5 of the coupling. This face 15 will come into contact with the corresponding cylindrical encirc­ ling part 14 of the upper part of the coupling when the coup­ ling is activated. The other half of the lower part of the coupling is made of a semicylindrical standing collar 21 which is higher than the other half of the lower coupling and which on the inside is sloping towards the turned face 15. The collar 21 has sloping contact faces 22 which will come into contact with the corresponding/same sloping contact faces 10 (figure 1) in the upper part of the coupling. Further the coupling is equipped with a locking ring 23 (figure 1 and 3) which is fixed to the annular piston 12. By the coupling procedure the two parts 4 and 5 of the coupling is arranged axially to each other in such a way that the cylindrical plane faces 14 and 15 physically are in contact. Because of that the sloping contact faces 10 and 22 have to pass each other by placing the parts together, the two parts 4 and 5 of the coupling will be (between 8 and 12 mm) in an eccentric position to each other. The real locking function occurs when the annular piston 12 transports the locking ring 23 from the starting point in the upper part 4 of the coupling into the opening 18 in the lower part 5 of the coupling. The lower part 24 of the locking ring is formed like a cone. This cone 24 ensures that the two parts 4 and 5 of the coupling always will be brought together with a radial movement if the two parts of the coupling 4 and 5 in the starting point is placed on to each other in such a way that the smallest diameter of the cone by penetration will fall within the circumference of the opening 18 in the lower part 5 of the coupling. The cone 24 of the locking ring will by penetration into the opening 18 try to entirely center the two parts of the coupling 4 and 5. However, the sloping contact faces 10 and 22 are placed in such a way that this is only just possible (between 0,2 mm and 0,6 mm eccentricity will exist). By this a prestressing of the sloping contact faces 10 and 22 towards each other is obtained. As a result of the prestressing the locking ring 23 will be pressed towards the one side of the wall of the opening 18 in the lower part 5 of the coupling and friction forces directed against the motion of the locking ring 23 arises. When this friction force is equal to the force from the hydraulic driven annular piston, the penetration of the locking ring 23 will stop. The locking ring 23 will in this position, as shown in Figure 1, physically prevent that the contact faces 10 and 22 can radially be separated. The inclined position of the contact faces 10 and 22 locks the two parts of the flange to each other in such a way that they cannot be separated axially as long as the locking ring 23 remains in the position as shown in figure 1. When disconnection is wanted, the locking ring 23 can be moved back to the upper part 4 of the coupling, and the two parts 4 and 5 of the coupling is free and can separate. The use of hydraulic equipment to move the annular piston back­ wards and forwards, makes remote control of the operation possible. In figure 3 the upper part of the coupling is shown as a part of an actuator 2 and the lower part is coupled to a valve 3. The arrows show the necessary eccentricity by coupling because of that the sloping faces has to pass each other (8-12 mm).

Claims: 1. Device for coupling and simultaneously locking of two components both radially and axially, especially for coupling of actuator to valves,characterized in that it includes an upper part (4) of a coupling arranged to be fixed to one component (2) and a lower part of a coupling arranged to be fixed to another com­ ponent (3), as the parts of the coupling is provided with an annular piston (12) and a locking ring (23) respectively, and where the coupling device has an interior through going radial opening (18) 2. Device according to claim 1,characterized in that both parts of the coupling (4, 5) have sloping con­ tact faces (10, 22). 3. Device according to claim 2,characterized in that the sloping contact faces (10, 22) is arranged in such a way that the two parts of the coupling (4, 5) cannot wholly be centered. 4. Device according to claim 1,characterized in that the upper part (4) of the coupling comprises an upper circular sheet (6) with an inner cylindrical part (7) and with a surrounding cylindrical part fixed to the sheet (6), where the surrounding cylindrical part (8) passing on to a lower cylindrical encircling part (9) with greater diameter, and where the lowermost part of the encircling part (9) is formed like a semicylinder with sloping contact faces (10). 5. Device according to claim 4,characterized in that the upper part of the coupling (4) is provided with flow passages (16, 17) for hydraulic fluid. 6. Device according to claim 4,characterized in a stop shoulder (11) for the annular piston (12) in the upper cylindrical encircling part (8). 7. Device according to claim 1,characterized in that the lower part (5) of the coupling comprises a semi­ circular disc (19) which passes into a standing semi­ cylidrical part (20) with smaller diameter, and where the top face of this part makes an inner semicylin­ drical turned continuous face (15) in the other half of the lower part (5) of the coupling, which consists of a semicylindrical standing collar (21) which is higher than the other half of the lower part of the coupling and with sloping contact faces (22). 8. Device according to claim 1,characterized in that the lower cylindrical encircling part (9) with con­ tact faces (10) in the upper part (4) of the coupling is formed equivalent to the lower part (5) of the coupling. 9. Device according to claim 1,characterized in that the locking ring (23) is formed with a cone part (24). 10. Device according to claim 1,characterized in that the upper part (4) of the coupling is incorporated in an actuator.

Inventors: SANDE, KURT
Applicants: SKARPENORD CONTROL SYSTEMS A.S.
Application year: 1986
Main classification: F16L37
IPC codes: F16L37