Source: https://patents.justia.com/patent/8474131
Timestamp: 2019-11-20 20:08:47
Document Index: 443963178

Matched Legal Cases: ['arts 13', 'arts 13', 'arts 30', 'arts 30', 'arts 30', 'arts 30', 'arts 30']

US Patent for Apparatus for cold joining a coupling element to a pipe Patent (Patent # 8,474,131 issued July 2, 2013) - Justia Patents Search
Justia Patents Means To Simultaneously Fasten Three Or More PartsUS Patent for Apparatus for cold joining a coupling element to a pipe Patent (Patent # 8,474,131)
Nov 5, 2010 - Quickflange AS
Latest Quickflange AS Patents:
FIGS. 1a-c show a pipe 1 and coupling element 2 before beads 5, 6 are created. FIG. 2b shows the same after the beads 5, 6 created on the pipe 1 have been pressed into recesses 3, 4, respectively in the coupling element 2.
FIGS. 2a and 2b show the coupling element 2 fitted onto a pipe 1 and with beads 5, 6 pressed into place into recesses in the coupling element, the coupling element having a flange for attachment to another coupling element (not shown).
FIGS. 3a and 3b show a thin wall coupling 8.
FIGS. 10a and 10b show a coupling element structure 30 with flanges 30′, 30″ being tiltable relative to the structure 30 by movability over the partially spherical surface of the coupling element 30.
The principle of the tool is shown in FIGS. 4a, 4b, 5a and 5b, whilst different embodiments of a cone shaped member 20 (FIGS. 6-8) are used as a mechanical force amplifier and are fitted into the tool to cause expansion of the tool diameter to create beads in the pipe wall. FIG. 9 shows a tool with a hydraulic force amplifier.
FIG. 1a is a side view of the pipe and coupling, before the beads are pressed in;
FIG. 1c is a fragmentary enlargement of portion B of FIG. 1b;
FIG. 2a is a side view of the pipe and coupling of FIGS. 1a and 1b, after the beads are pressed in;
FIG. 2b is a sectional view taken along the line A-A of FIG. 2a;
FIG. 3a is a side view of another embodiment of the pipe and coupling;
FIG. 4a is a side view of a further embodiment of the pipe and coupling, before the beads are pressed in;
FIG. 4b is a sectional view taken along the line A-A of FIG. 4a;
FIG. 4c is a side view of the pipe and coupling of FIGS. 4a and 4b, after the beads are pressed in;
FIG. 4d is a sectional view taken along the line B-B of FIG. 4c;
FIG. 5a shows the principle of a tool to deform the beads;
FIG. 5b is a section view taken along the line A-A of FIG. 5a;
FIG. 9a is side view of a further embodiment of the tool;
FIG. 9b is a top view of a segment of FIG. 9a shown separately;
FIG. 10a is a side view of a still further embodiment of the pipe and coupling;
FIG. 10b is a sectional view along the line A-A of FIG. 10a; and
FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of an intermediate stage during the process of pressing as shown in FIGS. 4a and 4b.
FIGS. 1a-1c and 2b show that an outermost portion 2′ of the coupling element 2 against which pipe end 1′ rests is flared outwards. This is to allow the tool to give the pipe end 1′ an overbending outwards, which is necessary because the pipe end as mentioned, will otherwise tend to taper inwards. Thus, the pipe 1 will appear almost straight after the beads 5, 6 have been pressed, as can be seen in the section shown in FIG. 2b.
The same basic interior configuration of the coupling elements will apply to a coupling element or collar intended for loose flanges, movable flanges as shown in FIGS. 10a and 10b, and other types which may be suitable for a same fastening method.
According to FIGS. 5a and 5b, the principle of the tool is based on a plurality of segments 10 having circular segment ridges 11 intended for being pressed out towards the inside of the pipe wall and thus forming the beads 5, 6 first. Towards the end of the pressing operation, the cylindrical segment parts 13 of each of the segments forming a cylindrical assembly of segments is pressed against the inside of the pipe at the portions located sideways relative to the beads 5, 6 to prevent said portions from buckling inwards. This process is shown on FIGS. 4a-4d as well as on FIG. 11. FIGS. 4a and 4b show the pipe 1 and the coupling 2 before the pressing operation, and FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of an intermediate stage during the pressing where the aforementioned buckled-in areas b of the pipe sideways relative to the beads 5, 6 can he seen. In FIGS. 4c and 4d it is seen that the cylindrical parts 13 (FIG. 5a) of the segments 10 have pressed the buckled-in areas b (FIG. 11) back towards the coupling element 2 so that they lie almost flush with the inside wall of the pipe and its diameter. This after-pressing gives a powerful radial tensioning effect in the pipe which increases the contact pressure between pipe 1 and coupling element 2, the sealing points between beads 5, 6 and grooves 3, 4, and prevents the retraction of the pipe 1 as mentioned above when referring to plain ridges as previously described in, for example, DE 3144385. A projection 14 is located innermost on the segments 10, i.e. close to a tool element flange 21, said projection 14 intended to cause pressure against the end 1″ of the pipe 1, as indicated also on FIG. 11. In a corresponding portion of the coupling element 2 there is a recess 15 which may be made in the form of a bevel edge or a cut-out. This cut-out 15 can, for some uses, be partially filled with sealing material, or it may have an O-ring fitted therein. This special design of the tool and the coupling element has been found to be necessary in order to prevent the pipe from tapering or buckling inwards as previously mentioned.
The segments 10 and especially the ridges 11 are subjected to extremely large stresses during the pressing operation and are therefore made of hardened steel. Consequently large radial forces are also required to operate the segments 10. As an example thereof, the pressing of a connection between a coupling element 2 and a steel pipe 1 with an outer diameter of 76 mm and a wall thickness of 3.2 mm as shown on FIGS. 2a and 2b by using eight segments 10 would require a radial force per segment of about 200 kN, in total a required force of about 1600 kN. These are huge forces within, a very narrow space, and the tool according to the invention therefore uses a power actuator located outside the pipe 1 combined with a force amplifier 20 inside the pipe 1.
FIGS. 9a and 9b show a tool with hydraulically operated segments 22. A segment 22 is shown separately and it can be seen that the segment 22 is fastened to a piston 27 which can move in a corresponding cylinder 28 in a housing 24 which is filled with oil. The segments 22 have circle sector ridges 23 to create beads. The illustrated tool has a total of eight pistons 27 and eight cylinders 28. When a rod 25 is pressed into the housing, the oil in the housing 24 will press the pistons 27 outwards. The greater the diameter of the piston 27 in relation to the diameter of the rod 25, the greater the force amplification. Reference numeral 21 denotes a tool attachment flange, the flange having a plurality of attachment holes 26.
A cold joining of the coupling element 2 to the pipe 1 in this manner, unlike, for example, welding, that the material of the coupling is not given a modified surface structure. Therefore, the invention is suitable for couplings as shown in FIGS. 10a and 10b where a coupling element 30 has an outer surface being part of a spherical surface, the coupling element 30 to be fastened to the pipe l and where a two-part flange has parts 30′, 30″ which can be joined to each other by screw action attachment, the two parts 30′, 3″ located on each side of the coupling element and facing one another. The flange with its flange parts 30′, 30″ will then be capable of being mounted at an angle which can be variably set relative to the pipe. The flange with its parts 30′, 30″ will either be freely movable, even after screwing the flange parts 30′, 30″ together, or will be such that it is locked in the coupling element 30 when the flange 30′, 30″ is tightened to another flange (not shown).
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628743 September 1992 AU
2724257 December 1977 DE
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0570178 November 1993 EP
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56030689 March 1981 JP
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Patent Publication Number: 20110109082
Assignee: Quickflange AS (Tvedestrand)
Inventor: Hilberg Karoliussen (Risor)
Application Number: 12/940,539
Current U.S. Class: Means To Simultaneously Fasten Three Or More Parts (29/757); Tube, Sleeve Or Ferrule (29/282); By Expanding Inner Annulus (29/507); Joined To Overlapping Ends Of Plural Rods (29/518); Radially Expanding Internal Tube (29/523); Expanding Internal Member (285/258)