Abstract:
A system for connecting a connector end fitting of a mobile flexible liquid supply pipe, for liquified natural gas, for example, to a fixed tubing located on a support with a different system, such as the manifold of a liquid transporter ship. The system comprises a guide device for guiding the fitting in the fixed tubing, for establishment of a connection, and including a cone mounted on the pipe for engagement with a trumpet on the fixed tubing during connection, with a tractive effort applied by a cable fixed to the cone. The guide device is fixed to the fitting on the flexible pipe and is coaxial to the flexible pipe. The invention is applicable to the connection of a hose to the manifold of a ship.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention concerns a device for connecting the end of a deformable pipe for conveying a fluid, such as a cargo hose or an articulated piping for transferring liquefied natural gas, to a fixed piping, such as the manifold of a ship for transporting the fluid, of the type comprising a device for guiding the end of the pipe towards the fixed piping during the establishment of a connection, as well as a cone mounted on the movable pipe or the fixed piping and that is meant to engage a trumpet mounted on the fixed piping or on the movable pipe during connection through the effect of the pulling force exerted on a cable attached to the cone and passing through the trumpet. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In known connection systems of this type, the cone and the trumpet are respectively arranged at a certain distance of the pipe and the piping while being oriented approximately parallel to their axes. As a result of this arrangement, the pipe may be subject to rotations or bending and/or torsional stresses when its end fitting is seized during the formation of a connection. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The purpose of the invention is to offer a connection system that eliminates this drawback. 
     In order to realize this purpose, the connection system according to the invention is characterized in that the guide device mounted on the connecting end fitting of the deformable pipe is arranged coaxially thereto. 
     According to one feature of the invention, the system is characterized in that the cone is coaxially mounted in the outlet port of the end fitting or of the outlet end of the fixed piping, projecting axially from it, and in that the trumpet is coaxially mounted in the outlet end of the fixed piping or of the end fitting. 
     According to another characteristic of the invention, the system is characterized in that the trumpet is made in the form of a tubular piece, and in that the end part of the fixed piping or of the end fitting which contains the trumpet is configured in such a way that the trumpet is able to open outwardly into the outer wall of the tubing or of the end fitting. 
     According to another characteristic of the invention, the system is characterized in that the connecting end part that is equipped with the trumpet carries a winch for winding a cable that transports the end fitting towards the fixed piping. 
     According to another characteristic of the invention, the system is characterized in that the fixed piping is the tube of a connecting device, which can be displaced between a rest position and a position for fluid transfer, wherein this tube is interposed between the ship&#39;s manifold and the end fitting of the flexible pipe. 
     According to another characteristic of the invention, the system is characterized in that the deformable pipe is formed by a cargo hose. 
     According to another characteristic of the invention, the system is characterized in that the deformable pipe is made up of a succession of articulated segments. 
     According to another characteristic of the invention, the system is characterized in that the end part of the deformable pipe features a succession of three segments which are connected to each other by three rotating joints whose axes are orthogonal to each other. 
     According to another characteristic of the invention, the system is characterized in that the segments are curved so that the end connected to the end fitting is coaxial thereto and the free end of the segment which is attached to the rest of the pipe is also coaxial to the end fitting. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES 
       The invention will be better understood, and its other objectives, characteristics, details and advantages will appear more clearly in the explanatory description that follows and that is given with reference to the appended schematic drawings provided only as an example illustrating several embodiments of the invention, wherein 
         FIG. 1  is a view perpendicular to the axis of a transport ship equipped with a connection system according to the invention, illustrated in the state of connection of the deformable transfer pipe to the ship&#39;s manifold; 
         FIG. 2  is a view similar to  FIG. 1  but without connection of the pipe to the manifold; 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged view of part III of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged perspective view partially in section of a connection system similar to the one in  FIG. 3 , at a later stage of the connecting process; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view illustrating another embodiment of a connection system according to the invention, and 
         FIGS. 6 and 7  are lateral views of two variants of another embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  shows, in  1 , a transport ship for a fluid, for example, a liquefied natural gas, and, in  2 , a system for connecting a deformable pipe  3  to manifold  4  of the ship, which, in the example represented, is a cargo hose. In general, the ship constitutes a reference system that is independent of the pipe and that moves in a different way than the pipe. 
     In this embodiment of the invention, the connection system comprises a connecting device  6  that can be moved between a storage position shown in  FIG. 2  and a connecting position in which it is interposed between manifold  4  and connector end fitting  8  of pipe  3 .  FIGS. 1 ,  3 , and  4  show the device in the connecting position. 
     As can be very clearly seen in  FIG. 4 , connector end fitting  8  of cargo hose  3  comprises an element such as a coaxial core  10  secured by radial retention walls  11  of the outlet port. The device carries a guiding cone  12  which extends into and parallel with the axis of end fitting  8  and of cargo hose  3 . The cone is thus coaxial with the cargo hose, outside of the end fitting while protruding axially from it in the direction of connection device  6 . 
     This device  6  is equipped with a tube  14 , one end of which is fitted with mounting flange  15  for connecting to manifold  4 , whereas the other end, intended for connection to end fitting  8 , is made in the form of a cylindrical tubular body  16 . This body  16  delimits an annular space  17  between its outer cylindrical wall  18  and a hollow center part  19 . Annular space  17  communicates with tube  14  and is open in the direction of end fitting  8 . 
     The terminating hollow body  16  comprises a wall  20  facing end fitting  8  that is perpendicular to the axis of the cylindrical body and also to the axis of cone  12 . This wall  20  contains drilled holes  21  through which end fitting  8  and tube  14  connect, wall  20  being then applied to annular front face  22  of the end fitting. Wall  20  extends radially beyond the outer wall of hollow body  16  and forms annular flange  24 . The end fitting comprises, uniformly distributed around its open end, a number of locking elements  25 , in the form of clamps or latches or the like, which are configured to rotate between a holding position of hollow body  16  of tube  14  against annular front face  22  of end fitting  8 , that is, in the connecting position of pipe  3  onto tube  14 , and a disengaged position shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     Inner cylindrical wall  18  of terminating hollow body  16  of connection device  6  delimits an annular space in which a tubular insert  27  can be coaxially mounted. Tubular wall  17  with its insert  27  constitutes the trumpet for receiving cone  21 , as can be clearly seen in  FIG. 4 . The inner wall can also directly constitute the receiving trumpet. 
     Connection device  6  is configured for supporting tube  14  and features support  29  by means of which it can rest on deck  30  of ship  1 . The device also supports winch  32  placed above tube  14  and body  16  so that a cable  33  which can be wound around it may pass approximately coaxially through the receiving trumpet of cone  12  of end fitting  8  and, after having been attached to the tip of the cone, may pull it into the trumpet as it is being wound around the winch, in the manner illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
     In conformity with  FIG. 4 , trumpet  18  opens, on the side of winch  32 , into wall  34 , which is parallel to wall  20  of end body  16 . In the case of  FIG. 3 , the terminating body is curved so that the wall of its outlet port  20  is slanted with respect to the horizontal and so that trumpet  18  may open into the peripheral wall of the terminating body, in  35 , in the curved part of the body. It should be noted that the trumpet runs coaxially with the axis of the outlet port and is rectilinear. 
       FIG. 5  shows another embodiment of the connection system. In this case, the fixed piping formed by tube  14  is in the form of an Ω so as to form a space  36  into which the free end of the cone and pulling cable  33  can be inserted, winch  32  being directly mounted on tube  14  at the level of the point of origin of the curvature, facing the end of the cone. As in the case of  FIG. 3 , one end of piping  10  presents mounting flange  15  for connection to the ship&#39;s manifold, whereas the other end is provided with the coaxially mounted internal trumpet. This end can be connected and held in place on end fitting  8  of pipe  3  by means of clamps or latches  25 , as can already be seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , which can be of any type, mechanical, hydraulic, or analogs thereof. 
     In relation to the operation of the connection system, in rest mode, end fitting  8  of pipe  3  can float on the sea surface or be placed on a different moving reference system. When it must be connected to a ship&#39;s manifold placed close to the end fitting, the part of the connection system, namely connection device  6 , which in rest mode is hanging high above deck  30  of the ship from the end of a supporting arm  38  by means of a cable  39 , is first lowered onto deck  30  so that its support  29  may rest on the deck. The connection device could also be stored on the ship and set up by means of an arm. Then cable  33  is paid out from winch  31 , passing through the trumpet in order to be attached at its free end to the end of cone  12 . Then, by winding the cable on the winch, end fitting  8  is pulled towards the connecting end of tube  14 , and in the final stage, is correctly positioned by the cable, the cone and the trumpet, guided to its connecting position on this end of the tube. Due to the coaxial position of the cone in end fitting  8  of deformable pipe  3 , the carrying of the end fitting towards its connecting position does not cause any rotary motion and thus no parasitic twisting or bending in the pipe. 
     It should be noted that the pipe could be a cargo hose or be made up of a succession of rigid articulated segments. On the other hand, the connection device could be permanently mounted on the piping. 
     Of course, within the framework of the invention, the cone could be mounted in the end of the fixed tube and the trumpet could be mounted in end fitting  8  of deformable pipe  3 . The winch would then also be mounted on the end fitting, which could then have a curved shape, in similar fashion to the connecting end of tube  14  in  FIG. 3  to ensure the opening towards the outside of the trumpet. 
     In relation to the connection device, instead of being displaceable as in the example represented, it could be permanently mounted on the deck of the ship. The essential function of this device is to push the connecting face to which the end fitting of the pipe will be connected to the side of the ship or beyond it to ensure the collection of the pipe from below, advantageously according to an appropriate angle with respect to the vertical or even in this direction. 
     What emerges from the foregoing is that the invention generally concerns the connecting of two pipes, each of them fixed or movable, deformable or rigid, and moving with different uncontrollable motions. The connection operation is ensured simply by means of coaxially pulling the cable, then the cone, through the trumpet, which itself crosses through or opens outside of the fluid confinement, so as to prevent, during the connection process, any parasitic torsional or bending stresses in the case of cargo hoses or parasitic rotary motions in the case of articulated arms equipped with the equivalent of a ball-and-socket joint at their ends.  FIGS. 6 and 7  illustrate the connecting end of a pipe which has three successive segments, connected to each other by three rotating joints, each having an axis oriented in one of three orthogonal dimensions. More precisely, the end part comprises a U-shaped segment  41 , one branch  42  of which is extended and curved according to a 90° angle, all the while staying in the plane of the U. The free end  43  is connected to the end fitting  8  by means of a rotating joint  44 . The free end of the other branch  45  of segment  41  is connected by means of a rotating joint  46  to a second segment  47  curved in the shape of an L, the other end of which is connected by means of a rotating joint  48  to a third pipe segment  49 , also curved in the shape of an L, the free end  50  of which is coaxial with end fitting  8  and attached by a flange  51  to arm  52  of the pipe, which is aligned with branch  50  of segment  49 . It should be noted that the adjacent and connected branches of the two segments  47  and  49  are aligned with one another and that their other branches delimit a 90° angle. It is due to this configuration of the connecting end of the pipe that each of the axes of the three rotating joints  44 ,  46 , and  48  extend in one of the three orthogonal directions of space. 
       FIGS. 6 and 7  furthermore illustrate that the end fitting of connection  8  of the movable pipe can be connected to the fixed piping while being oriented obliquely, from below, as in  FIG. 3 , or from above. In the latter case, connection device  6 , now referenced as  6 ′, essentially has the same configuration as in  FIG. 3 , but opens obliquely upward, winch  32  being then placed below.