UNIVERSAL HYDRAULIC COUPLING

Abstract: Universal hydraulic coupling comprising a centre sleeve (2), two end flanges (3), suitable fasteners and appropriate seals (5', 5''), and characterised by the fact that said sleeve is made of plastic material, for example Polyethylene, and that its ends are shaped to fit O-ring gaskets and profile sealing gaskets. In this w ay, the coupling does not require any internal protecting coating and can be used for connecting pipes of different diameters, and can be manufactured for any diameter nominal size. For application requiring large diameters and/or high pressures, the sleeve can be covered with a steel jacket to increase the mechanical resistance.

Description: Title: Universal hydraulic coupling Technical field The present invention relates a universal hydraulic coupling for piping systems in every material (steel, cast iron, PVC, fiber cement, etc.) conveying fluids of any type. In the state of the technique, concerning the above mentioned applications, there are already several realizations of couplings in metallic materials and comprising a centre sleeve, end flanges, bolts and sealing gaskets to prevent the leak of fluids at the pipe joints, or the inlet of air in case of underpressure installations. The big drawback of the known applications is that the metal centre sleeve requires specialised protection treatments of the internal surface to prevent corrosion and contamination of the fluid conveyed (if potable). The problem has been dealt with, using protecting thermoplastic resins paints of various kind, without solving it because the manufacturing costs increase remarkably and because the protecting coating usually presents defects (scratches, holes, etc) that grow wider during the life of the product and cause the corrosion of the metallic surface in touch with the flowing fluid. Disclosure of the invention The invention solves the above mentioned problems because it is an innovative coupling for piping systems comprising a centre sleeve, at least one end flange, suitable fasterners and appropriate seals, and characterised by the fact that said sleeve is made of plastic material, for example HD Polyethylene. In this way, the coupling does not require any internal protecting coating and can be used for connecting pipes of different diameters and can be manufactured for any nominal diameter size. The other aim of the invention is that it can join pipes of different diameters and/or materials due to the fact that the sleeve's ends are shaped in such a way to fit 0-ring gaskets and truncated-cone shaped sealing gaskets. According to the further aim the invention can be used with large diameters and/or high working pressures: the sleeve, in fact, can be covered with a steel jacket to increase the mechanical resistance. This and other advantages will appear in the detailed description of the invention referring to Table 1/1 which shows two examplifying and not restrictive figures: an axonometric projection (Fig. 1) and a frontal view (Fig. 2). Way of carrying out the invention With reference to Figs. 1 and 2 with 6 and 7 two generic pipe lenghts to be jointed are shown. With 1 the universal coupling is indicated, according to the invention, comprising a centre sleeve 2, made of plastic material, for example HD plyethylene, and two end flanges 3, suitable fasterners 4 and appropriate seals 5. In particular, the centre sleeve ends 2 can be shaped in such a way to fit both 0-ring gaskets 5' and truncated-cone shaped sealing gaskets 5" apt for the coupling of pipes that differ up to 25 mm in diameter. The use of plastic, for example polyethylene, to manufacture the centre sleeve provides a high flexibility in the production of every required diameter. If the diameter of the pipes to be jointed is quite large and/or the working pressure high, the present invention can be applied covering the sleeve 2 with a steel jacket to increase its mechanical resistance. As for the other elements of the coupling, the O-ring gaskets 5' can be standard elastomeric 0-rings that assure perfect seal due to their special configuration they assume once installed in the groove between the pipe 6 and 7, the sleeve 2 and the flange 3. The truncated-cone shaped gaskets 5" in elastomer have a trapezoidal section and assure perfect seal due to their special configuration they assume once installed in the groove between the pipe 6 and 7, the sleeve 2 and the flange 3, with the further advantage to allow the coupling of pipes of different sizes and materials. The end flanges 3 can be made of metals, for example steeel or cast iron, or in plastic, while the fasteners 4 usually comprise a number of steel bolts 4 consisting of a screw 4' and a nut 4" , or U-bolts and anything else.

Claims: Claims 1) Innovative universal coupling for piping systems comprising a centre sleeve 2, at least one end flange 3, suitable fasteners 4 and appropriate sealings 5; characterised by the fact that said sleeve can be made of any plastic material. 2) Coupling according to the claim 1 characterized by the fact that the ends of said centre sleeve 2 are shaped in such a way to fit 0-rings 5' and truncated-cone shaped sealing gaskets 5". 3) Coupling according to the claim 1 or 2, characterized by the fact that said sleeve 2 is covered with a steel jacket to increase its mechanical resistance. 4) Coupling according to claims 1, 2 or 3, characterised by the fact that said seals consist of at least one elastomeric O-ring 5'. 5) Coupling according to claims 1, 2 or 3, characterized by the fact that said seals comprise at least one elastomeric truncated-cone shaped gasket 5". 6) Coupling according to claims 1, 2 or 3, characterized by the fact that said end flange 3 is made of steel. 7) Coupling according to claims 1, 2 or 3, characterized by the fact that said end flange 3 is made of cast iron. 8) Coupling according to claims 1, 2 or 3, characterized by the fact that said flange 3 is made of plastic material. Coupling according to claims 1, 2 or 3, characterized by the fact that said fasteners 4 comprise a number of steel bolts 4 each consisting of a screw 4' and a nut 4" .

Inventors: TARANTINI ARCANGELO, TARANTINI, ARCANGELO
Applicants: TARANTINI ARCANGELO, TARANTINI, ARCANGELO
Application year: 1998
Main classification: F16L21
IPC codes: F16L21