APPARATUS FOR JOINING COMPONENTS TOGETHER

Abstract: A coupling for connecting a pipe (12) to a flanged component comprises an adaptor (50) having a cylindrical body (52) and an annular flange (54) on one end thereof. The latter is adapted to connect to the flanged component and is formed with apertures (56). An annular gland (30) has a profiled leg (34) co-acting with an annular gasket (35). The latter is trapped between the leg (34) and the planar face on the outer end of the body (52). The gland (30) is also provided with a flange (32) providing a plurality of bolt holes therein, whereby bolts (60) can extend between the flange (32) and the flange (54) of the adaptor (50), tightening of the bolts causing compression of the gasket (35) against the body (52), with the profile of the leg (34) controlling movement of a nose portion (37) of the gasket (35) radially inwardly to form a seal against the outer surface of the pipe (12). Such a coupling can be located without relative movement being required between the pipe and the adaptor.

Description: Apparatus for Joining Components Together This invention relates to apparatus for joining components together and is particularly concerned with joining a plain ended pipe to another plain ended pipe or to a flanged component such as a valve, a pump, or a flanged pipe. It is well established to provided couplings for the connection of two plain ended pipes by way of compressing a resilient annular seal onto the external surfaces of both pipes. It is also well known to achieve this by providing a sleeve for location across the joint area and compressing an annular seal between each end of the sleeve, which is profiled to receive the seal, so that the latter is radially compressed against the respective pipe surface. Such couplings are used for example an the repair of existing pipework where a length of damaged pipe can be removed by cutting, and replaced with a new pipe which is connected to the existing pipework by a pair of couplings. It is also known to provide, for a plain ended pipe, an annular seal which can be compressed against a profiled surface at one end of a sleeve, the other end of which is connected to a flanged component such as a valve, a pump, or a flanged . pipe, whereby compression of the seal against the profiled end of the sleeve will again move the seal into a sealing relation with the pipe end. Such a coupling, known as a flange adaptor, enables fitting of valves and the like into pipework and also facilitates replacement when necessary. With known types of pipe couplings and flange adaptors, the design is such that, during installation, the two pipe ends, or the pipe end with the flange component, required to be moved relative to one another, to enable location of a bridging member across the pipe ends. This can be undesirable. According to the invention there is provided apparatus for coupling components together, the apparatus comprising means for bridging a joint area of the components, sealing means located longitudinally outwardly of the bridging means, means for compressing the sealing means against a substantially planar face of the bridging means, and the compressing means providing a profiled surface for engagement with the sealing means, whereby the latter is controlled by the profiled surface to move under compression against an external surface of a respective one of the components, whereby to sealingly join the components together relative to the joint area. Preferably apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein said one component is tubular and the bridging means comprises a member surrounding the tubular component and presenting the substantially planar face as a longitudi¬ nally outer surface of an end flange, the latter extending outwardly at substantially right angles to the axis of the tubular component. Preferably also the sealing means comprises a res¬ ilient member surrounding the tubular component, having a heel portion for engagement with the substantially planar face of the bridging means, and a nose portion for engagement with the compressing means. The compressing means may be movable parallel to the axis of the tubular component, whereby to engage the profiled surface of the compressing means against the sealing means. For use in connecting a tubular component in the form of a plain ended pipe to a flanged component, the compressing means is secured at one location to a flanged adaptor for movement relative thereto. For use as a pipe coupling, the bridging means provides a substantially planar face at each end, the sealing means provides a resilient member at each end, and the compressing means provides a pair of profiled surfaces for engagement with respective ones of the sealing means, whereby the pipes are sealingly joined together when the compressing means compresses each of the sealing means against the respective planar face of the bridging means. Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 is a sectional view through an upper half of a coupling according to the invention for connecting pipes together; and Fig. 2 is a sectional view through an upper half of a coupling according to the invention for connecting a pipe to a flange component. Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, a coupling 10 is provided to join together two plain-ended pipes 12, 14, which can be used in conveying fluids under pressure. The coupling includes an annular sleeve 16 which has an annular flange 18 at each end extending radially outwardly relative to the axis of the sleeve 16. From the flanges 18 respective main body parts 20, 22 extend towards one another but angularly outwardly to join at a central location 24 which is spaced radially outwardly of the inner ends of the flanges 18. Each of the latter presents a substantially planar face 26 facing axially outwardly of the sleeve 16, and at the inner end of each face 26, the flange 18 is provided with a chamfer 28. At each end of the sleeve 16 there is further provided an annular gland 30. The latter has a radially extending connecting flange 32 with a plurality of axial through holes therein, and a leg 34 integrally connected with a radially innermost end of the flange 32 and extending inwardly therefrom. The leg 34 is profiled to co-act with an annular sealing ring or gasket 35 as hereinafter described. Each of the sealing rings or gaskets 35 is trapped between a respective one of the legs 34 and the respec¬ tive planar face 26 of the flange 18 of the sleeve 16. Each ring 35 is profiled to have a heel portion 36 adjacent the planar face 26 and a nose portion 37 of substantially complementary profile to that of an inner face of the leg 34. The annular rings 35 can be formed of any suitable resilient material which provides a fluid seal. A series of bolts 38 extend circumferentially around the joint and are located by extending through aligned pairs of holes in the connecting flanges 32 of the respective glands 30. Each bolt 38 is externally threaded at each end whereby to receive a securing nut 40 which can engage against the connection flange 32 by way of a washer 42. When suitably installed, tightening of the bolts 38 causes the legs 34 to compress the rings 35 against the flanges 18, the profiles of the legs 34 controlling deformation and therefore movement of the rings 35 such that, while the heel portions 36 of the rings 35 remain in the one position, the nose portions 37 of the rings 35 are deformed by the legs 34 and move radially inwardly until they form a seal between the legs 34 and the pipe ends 12, 14. With the arrangement shown in Fig. 1, it would be necessary for the pipes 12, 14 to be moved relative to one another before the sleeve 16 could be positioned to overlie the respective ends of the pipes. However, because the glands 30 compress the sealing rings 35 against the sleeve 16 from axially outwardly thereof, relative movement of the pipes 12, 14 is not required where the spacing between the pipe ends is greater than the axial length of the sleeve 16, sealing still being effected between the rings 35 and the pipe ends. It will be apparent that where, for example, repair is required, it will be possible to provide for such a spacing between the respective pipe ends so that the coupling can be utilised without any relative movem¬ ent of the pipes being required. This is a considerable advantage over the existing art where location of seal¬ ing rings within the axial length of the sleeve thereby requires relative movement of the pipes to enable installation of the sleeve before the coupling can become effective. Further, the provision of the control surfaces for the rings 35 on the movable glands 30, as opposed to the sleeve 16, facilitates manufacture, and it will be appreciated that the design of the rings 35 may be altered as necessary, provided the rings function to be forced radially inwardly into a sealing relation with the respective pipe surfaces. Such a coupling enables the pipe joint to be rated at a pressure higher than that presently available, for example up to 25 bar. Fig. 2 of the drawings shows a coupling which is utilised to connect a plain-ended pipe to a flange comp¬ onent such as a valve, a pump, or a flanged pipe (not shown). In this drawing, like numerals are used to refer to like parts with the first embodiment. A flanged adaptor 50 has a generally cylindrical body 52, on one end of which is provided a radially outwardly extending annular flange 54 adapted for connection " to the flanged component. The other end provides a planar face. The flange 54 is formed with through apertures 56 aligned with respective bolt holes in the flange 32 of the single gland 30 which is utilised in this arrangement. Each aperture 56 has an enlarged section opening on to the end face of the flange 54 remote from the body 52, whereby to define an annular shoulder 58 within the aperture 56. A series of tie bolts 60 extend circumferentially around the joint and are located by extending through the apertures 56 in the flange 54 and the bolt holes in the flange 32. Each bolt 60 has a head 62 which, when the bolt is located initially through the flange 54, engages with the shoulder 58, each bolt 60 further being externally threaded at the other end whereby to receive a securing nut 62 which can engage against the connection flange 32 by way of a washer 64. Tightening of the nuts 62 on the bolts 60 causes the leg 34 of the gland 30 to compress the sealing ring 35 against the planar outer end of the body 52 of the adaptor 50, the profile of the leg 34 again controlling deformation and therefore movement of the ring 35, such that the nose portion 37 moves radially inwardly until a seal is formed between the leg 34 and the pipe end 12. Again, because the sealing ring 35 is located axi- ally outwardly of the adaptor 50, it will be appreciated that the coupling can be utilised without requiring relative movement between the adaptor 50 and the pipe 12, as described in relation to the first embodiment. Various modifications may be made without depart¬ ing from the invention. For example, the designs of the various components may differ from those described and shown, provided the components function together as required.

Claims: Claims : - 1. Apparatus for coupling components together, the apparatus comprising means for bridging a joint area of the components, sealing means located longitudinally outwardly of the bridging means, means for compressing the sealing means against a substantially planar face of the bridging means, and the compressing means providing a profiled surface for engagement with the sealing means, whereby the latter is controlled by the profiled surface to move under compression against an external surface of a respective one of the components, whereby to sealingly join the components together relative to the joint area. 2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein said one component is tubular and the bridging means comprises a member surrounding the tubular component and presenting the substantially planar face as a longitudinally outer surface of an end flange, the latter extending outwardly at substantially right angles to the axis of the tubular component. 3. Apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein the sealing means comprises a resilient member surrounding the tubular component, having a heel portion for engage- ment with the substantially planar face of the bridging means, and a nose portion for engagement with the compressing means. 4. Apparatus according to Claim 2 or 3, wherein the compressing means is movable parallel to the axis of the tubular component, whereby to engage the profiled surface of the compressing means against the sealing means. 5. Apparatus according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein, for use in connecting a component in the form of a plain ended pipe to a flanged component, the compressing means is secured at one location to a flanged adaptor for movement relative thereto. 6. Apparatus according to Claim 5, wherein the com¬ pressing means comprises a gland on which is formed the profiled surface, the gland further providing a flange having a plurality of through holes which can be aligned with through apertures in the flanged adaptor, whereby a plurality of securing means can extend between the gland and the adaptor to provide for the relative movement effecting compression of the sealing means. 7. Apparatus according to Claim 6, wherein the secu¬ ring means comprises a plurality of tie bolts each of which has a head locatable in the respective aperture in the adaptor and has a threaded end for location through the gland whereby to receive a securing nut thereon. 8. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein, for use as a pipe coupling, the bridging means provides a substantiallly planar face at each end, the sealing means provides a resilient member at each end, and the compressing means provides a pair of profiled surfaces for engagement with respective ones of the sealing means, whereby the pipes are sealingly joined together when the compressing means compresses each of the sealing means against the respective planar face of the bridging means. 9. Apparatus according to Claim 8, wherein the comp¬ ressing means comprises a pair of glands each providing a respective one of the profiled surfaces and each of which provides a flange having a plurality of through holes therein, securing means being locatable through aligned pairs of the through holes in the glands to provide for movement together of the glands and thereby compression of each of the sealing means. 10. Apparatus according to Claim 9, wherein each of the securing means comprises a bolt which can extend through the aligned apertures and is threaded at each end to receive a respective securing nut thereon. 11. Apparatus for coupling components together, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Inventors: TURNER STANLEY, WALDRON PHILIP JAMES, TURNER, STANLEY, WALDRON, PHILIP, JAMES
Applicants: TURNER STANLEY, WALDRON PHILIP JAMES, TURNER, STANLEY, WALDRON, PHILIP, JAMES
Application year: 1991
Main classification: F16L27
IPC codes: F16L21, F16L27