Patent Description:
The present subject matter discloses a pipe coupling and restraining device that may be used for establishing longitudinally restrained pipe connections of multi-diameter and/or multiple materials pipes while allowing for axial misalignments between both ends of the device.

There are documents disclosing devices whose purpose is establishing longitudinal pipe connections. However, these devices are only suitable for mono-diameter and/or mono-material pipe connections. Others establish non-restrained (axially) pipe connections, creating sealed-only connections of externally restrained pipes. In addition, some devices are not tolerant to axial misalignments between pipes at both ends. For example, documents <CIT>, <CIT> present devices for coupling pipes of the same diameter at both ends without the possibility of coupling pipes within a range of diameters, nor the occurrence of axial misalignment between pipes at both ends. Document <CIT> describes a device for establishing connections between single-diameter and steel-only pipes. Document <CIT> presents a device for creating non-restrained longitudinal connections between pipes.

Document <CIT> discloses a further pipe coupling and restraining device for connecting to a pipe.

The present invention is defined by the appended independent claim. Advantageous features are defined in the dependent claims.

In general, the present disclosure relates to a pipe coupling and restraining device for connecting to a pipe wherein restraining and sealing are ensured, the installation of which being simpler and easier to perform.

The present document discloses a pipe coupling and restraining device for:.

The pipe coupling and restraining device can be a gate valve, a "T" socket, a socket bend, or a fixation flange, among others. The pipe coupling is preferably made of cast iron. The pipe coupling contains two axial ends, one of them is turned to the device to be coupled to the pipe and the other end is turned to the pipe to be coupled.

It is disclosed a coupling and restraining device for connecting to a pipe, comprising:.

It is disclosed a coupling and restraining device such that when the sleeve and clamping ring are axially compressed together, the collar assembly is pressed radially and axially, inwards into the pipe, such that the seal is compressed:.

It is disclosed a pipe coupling and restraining device for connecting to a pipe, said pipe defining a longitudinal axis, comprising:.

The wedge-shaped segment comprises interdigitated fingers on a face of the support body for meshing with corresponding interdigitated fingers of two neighbouring wedge-shaped segments in order to support the annular seal as a circumferentially uninterrupted surface, as if the wedge-shaped segments formed a contiguous annular surface around the pipe to support the annular seal without full longitudinal interruptions of such support.

In particular, said fingers have slack interdigitating with the fingers of the adjacent segment such that adjacent segments may oscillate between each other while the fingers are still interdigitated to accommodate a pipe imperfection or misalignment.

In an embodiment, the sleeve and clamping ring comprise bolt fixation tabs for tightening the sleeve and clamping ring against each other.

In an embodiment, the first and second annular abutment surfaces are arranged to be facing against each other in an axial direction such that the first and second annular abutment surfaces engage, when tightened one against the other, to compress the collar assembly against the pipe and against the second annular abutment surface.

The disclosed support body and gripper are both arranged to support the seal against the first annular abutment surface.

In an embodiment, the seal comprises an annular lip for fitting into the gripper.

The gripper may comprise snap-fit clips that allow a slidably coupling of the gripper to the support body.

The support body may comprise a track arranged for receiving the gripper in sliding motion and the gripper may comprise clips arranged for slidably coupling to the track.

The disclosed track may comprise ribs arranged to limit the sliding motion of the gripper.

The disclosed support body may comprise a mid-body extension and a matching slot for receiving such a mid-body extension and a matching slot for receiving such a mid-body extension, on its opposite side, for guiding each support body with the next, when forming the pipe collar.

The disclosed support body may comprise snap-fit clips and respective slot for coupling to other support bodies when forming the pipe collar assembly.

The disclosed gripper comprises a surface for providing continuous and dynamic compression on the annular seal, according to the position of the gripper.

The disclosed gripper may comprise a straight knurled face for gripping with the pipe.

The seal may be a polymeric sealing gasket.

The gripper may be knurled allowing such that its knurling ridges or ribs are angled against the removal of the pipe from the device.

The disclosed pipe coupling and restraining device allows for a small rotation of the collar assembly between the clamping ring and the sleeve such that small pipe misalignments can be tolerated while maintaining adequate grip and sealing. The collar assembly is able to adjust to said misalignment by sliding along the abutment surfaces of the clamping ring and of the annular sleeve.

In an embodiment, the clamping ring and sleeve are arranged to receive fastening bolts, optionally with matching nuts, for fastening the clamping ring against the sleeve wherein said bolts are circumferentially arranged around and on the clamping ring. Preferably the clamping ring and sleeve are arranged to receive nuts and bolts for fastening the clamping ring axially towards the sleeve wherein said bolts are circumferentially distributed.

The disclosed pipe coupling and restraining device allows for the fasteners to be supplied independently of the coupling such that eroded fasteners can be fully and easily replaced, not requiring machining or rethreading of the pipe coupling. In an embodiment, the clamping ring and the sleeve comprise perforated tabs arranged for receiving said nuts and bolts.

In an embodiment, the clamping ring comprises as many tabs as considered necessary, radially distributed along the clamping ring, and each of the tabs being coplanar with the contiguous tab on the sleeve, for receiving said nuts and bolts. Preferably four or more bolts.

The disclosed bolt fixation tabs comprise blocking protuberances for preventing bolt or nut rotation in order to facilitate the tightening of said nuts and bolts. The bolt blocking protuberances are protruding ribs in said one or more tabs.

In an embodiment, the sleeve is of cast iron, in particular ductile cast iron. In an embodiment, the clamping ring is of cast iron, in particular ductile cast iron.

In an embodiment, the wedge-shaped elements and the gripper are of polymeric material, in particular polyoxymethylene (POM).

In an embodiment, the annular seal is grooved on the face that comes in contact with the pipe.

The pipe collar comprises wedge-shaped segments, which comprise a number of support bodies and grippers, as many as necessary, for adapting to the different diameters within the diameter range in consideration.

The support body may comprise extensions on both sides that overlap the neighbouring support bodies on their corresponding channels.

The gripper comprises extensions to radially compress the sealing ring against the pipe. The gripper extensions can be inserted into corresponding slots on the next gripper when forming the pipe collar.

In an embodiment, the annular seal is elastomeric, in particular polymeric, further in particular synthetic rubber, further in particular ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber, EPDM. The disclosed annular seal may comprise an annular lip to allow the fitting into the gripper.

In an embodiment, the nuts and bolts are of stainless steel.

In an embodiment, the rivets are made of stainless steel.

In an embodiment, the first and second annular abutment surfaces are angled and compatible with the wedge of the wedge-shaped elements and the annular seal, respectively.

In an embodiment, the nuts and bolts for radially compressing the collar assembly around the pipe.

In an embodiment, the pipe collar and the recess on the clamping ring for receiving the pipe collar have a conical shape such that an axial pipe traction effort results in a strengthening of the gripping of the rivet, on the pipe.

In an embodiment, the support body features a conical face along a wedge for better load distribution.

The gripper is able to slide along the support body and increase the compression force on the annular seal, and enhance gripping behaviour around the pipe.

In an embodiment, the gripper sliding motion increases the sealing behaviour of the device, around the pipe, as the annular sealing is stretched. In particular, when the gripper stretches the annular seal as the gripper slides onto the tube, detaching the annular seal from the first abutment surface, this serves to protect the annular seal corner between the first abutment surface and the pipe.

In an embodiment, the collar assembly comprises a pipe collar, formed by a number of wedge-shaped elements coupled to each other, and the annular seal.

In an embodiment, the pipe collar is attached to the annular seal, in particular the pipe collar segment grippers are attached to the annular seal, in order to prevent any subcomponent disassembly that might occur when setting or assembling the device on site.

It is also disclosed a gate valve, "T" socket, socket bend, or fixation flange comprising the coupling and restraining device of any of the previous claims.

The following figures provide preferred embodiments for illustrating the description and should not be seen as limiting the scope of invention.

<FIG> illustrates an embodiment according to the present disclosure of a pipe coupling and restraining device that comprises: the pipe coupling and restraining device <NUM>, a clamping ring <NUM>, a coupling sleeve <NUM>, the pipe or pipes to be coupled <NUM>, bolts and nuts <NUM> for joining the sleeve and ring together.

<FIG> illustrates in cross-section an embodiment according to the present disclosure of a pipe coupling and restraining device that comprises: the pipe coupling and restraining device <NUM>, clamping ring <NUM>; coupling sleeve <NUM>, bolt <NUM>, nut <NUM>, washer <NUM>, collar assembly <NUM>, pipe <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates in perspective an embodiment according to the present disclosure of a pipe coupling and restraining device that comprises: the pipe coupling and restraining device <NUM>, clamping ring <NUM>; coupling sleeve <NUM>, bolt <NUM>, nut <NUM>, washer <NUM>, collar assembly <NUM>, pipe <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates in detail an embodiment according to the present disclosure of a pipe coupling and restraining device that comprises: clamping ring <NUM>; coupling sleeve <NUM>, bolt <NUM>, nut <NUM>, pipe <NUM>, support body <NUM>, gripper <NUM>, rivet <NUM> and annular seal <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrate in more detail an embodiment of the collar assembly, seen from two different sides, according to the present disclosure of a pipe coupling and restraining device that comprises collar assembly <NUM>, wedge-shaped segment <NUM> and annular seal <NUM> (only present in <FIG>).

<FIG> illustrate in more detail an embodiment of the collar assembly according to the present disclosure of a pipe coupling and restraining device that comprises collar assembly <NUM> and wedge-shaped segment <NUM>. <FIG> illustrate the adaptability to different diameters by the pipe collar comprising the wedge-shaped segments, as required for different pipe diameters.

<FIG> illustrates in more detail another embodiment according to the present disclosure of the wedge-shaped segments <NUM> comprising: the support body <NUM>, an extension surface <NUM> and the gripper <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates in more detail an embodiment according to the present disclosure of the wedge-shaped segments <NUM> comprising: the support body <NUM>, the gripper <NUM> and the rivets <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates in more detail an embodiment according to the present disclosure of the wedge-shaped segments <NUM> comprising the support body <NUM>, the gripper <NUM> and rivet <NUM>.

Different configurations of the rivet can be embedded in the gripper, as can be seen in <FIG> (pointed rivet <NUM>), 11B (diamond-pattern knurled surface rivet <NUM>) and 11C (rivet with a knurled surface with saw-toothed cross-section ridges <NUM>).

<FIG> shows two wedge-shaped segments for forming the pipe collar with interdigitated fingers <NUM> in different interlocking arrangements <NUM>(a) and <NUM>(b) where the diameter of the respective collar assemblies is similar but the respective angle formed between the two segments is dissimilar.

<FIG> shows two wedge-shaped segments fully coupled between each other.

<FIG> shows the gripper <NUM> reacting to the axial movement of the pipe, sliding along the support body <NUM> and radially into the pipe for enhanced gripping effort.

<FIG> shows the support body <NUM>, the gripper <NUM> and the rivet <NUM> according to another embodiment.

<FIG> shows two wedge-shaped segments coupled between each other.

<FIG> represents the frontal view of the wedge-shaped segments and the back view of the wedge-shaped segments, respectively, according to another embodiment showing the interdigitated fingers <NUM> and snap-fit coupling <NUM> for coupling to a slot in a adjacent segment while allowing an adjustable gap between adjacent segments.

<FIG> show the annular seal <NUM> before, after and during stretching as the gripper <NUM> engages further into the pipe. As can be seen in <FIG>, after the stretching there is a deformation of the seal <NUM>. During the stretching (<FIG>), the seal becomes stretched with some recesses. It can be seen that the seal becomes thinner in the inferior part as the gripper <NUM> extends the annular seal <NUM> along the tube. This improves sealing against the tube. Also, when transporting the pipe coupling and restraining device the annular seal <NUM> keeps the grippers <NUM> from falling off the device.

Claim 1:
Pipe coupling and restraining device for connecting to a pipe, said pipe defining a longitudinal axis, comprising:
a coupling sleeve (<NUM>) for receiving an end of the pipe (<NUM>) to be restrained and
having a first annular abutment surface;
a clamping ring (<NUM>) having a second annular abutment surface;
a collar assembly (<NUM>) for restraining and sealing the pipe, comprising:
a pipe collar formed by wedge-shaped segments (<NUM>), each segment comprising a support body (<NUM>) and a gripper (<NUM>) arranged between the pipe and the support body, and an annular seal (<NUM>) for sealing the coupling sleeve to the pipe;
wherein the gripper (<NUM>) is slidably coupled to the support body for sliding forwardly and radially into the pipe for restraining the pipe when the pipe is pulled from the device;
wherein the support body (<NUM>) and gripper (<NUM>) are both arranged to support the annular seal (<NUM>) for sealing against the first annular abutment surface;
wherein the annular seal (<NUM>) is arranged to extend from the first annular abutment surface to the gap between grippers (<NUM>) and pipe (<NUM>);
wherein the first or the second annular abutment surfaces is conical such that when the coupling sleeve (<NUM>) and clamping ring (<NUM>) are axially compressed together, the collar assembly (<NUM>) is pressed inwardly into the pipe compressing the seal radially between collar assembly (<NUM>) and the pipe (<NUM>) and also axially between the collar assembly and the first annular abutment surface;
characterised in that the wedge-shaped segment (<NUM>) comprises interdigitated fingers (<NUM>) on a face of the support body (<NUM>) for meshing with corresponding interdigitated fingers of two neighbouring wedge-shaped segments (<NUM>) in order to support the annular seal as a circumferentially uninterrupted surface;
wherein the gripper (<NUM>) comprises extensions to radially compress the annular seal (<NUM>) against the pipe (<NUM>), wherein the extensions can be inserted into corresponding slots on a neighbouring gripper for forming the pipe collar.