AU599518B2

AU599518B2 - A hose coupling

Info

Publication number: AU599518B2
Application number: AU24553/88A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Ian Richard Robinson
Original assignee: RADCOFLEX AUSTRALIA Pty LIMITE
Current assignee: RADCOFLEX AUSTRALIA Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1987-10-30
Filing date: 1988-10-31
Publication date: 1990-07-19
Anticipated expiration: 2008-10-31
Also published as: AU2455388A

Description

599518 S F Ref: 41484 FORM COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALiA PATEN1S ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE USE: Class Int. Class Application Number: PI5156 Lodged: 30 October 1987 00 00 0 0 o 0 0o 0 00 0 oo o 00 0 0 0o Priority: Related Art: This document contains the Samendments made under.

Section 49 and is correct for |pirinting.

Accepted: Published: o 06 0 00 0a 0 a 0 a0 a 4 0 0o Name and Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: Radcoflex Australia Pty Limited 33 Prince William Drive Seven Hills New South Wales 2147

AUSTRALIA

lan Richard Robinson Spruson Ferguson, Patent Attorneys, Level 33 St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street, Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia Complete Specification for the invention entitled: A Hose Coupling The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us 5815/2 ABSTRACT A hose coupling for use in the petroleum industry to couple composite hoses with nozzles or tankers and the like.

Due to the flow of petroleum through the composite hoses, static electricity can build up if electrical continuity is maintained throughout the length of the hose. To ensure an electrical continuity path, metal helical coils are located on the inside and the outside of the hose. These helical coils are secured into apertures in the hose coupling by means of grub screws. The inner helical coil passes through a slot in the coupling to ensure that the hose is securely sealed onto the coupling to make sure there are no leakages and to ensure electrical continuity is maintained.

C

lA r 1 The present invention relates to hose couplings, and in particular, to a coupling to be used with a composite hose which is used to transfer fluids.

In the petroleum industry, hoses or conduits which are used to transfer the fluid petroleum are usually constructed of a composite plastics material of light construction with internal and external, helical steel reinforcing. The coupling which is used to connect the ends of the hoses with tankers and the like, must necessarily provide a continuous electrical path between the helical reinforcing and the coupling. The reason for maintaining this electrical path is that with the flow of the petroleum static electricity builds up, which if there is a break in the continuity of the electrical path the static electricity can rise to dangerous levels.

Known methods of maintaining the electrical conductivity use a metal conductor which is soldered to both the internal and external helical reinforcing as well as the coupling itself. One problem with such a connection is that with the rough treatment that the hoses and couplings are subjected to in the usual course of use, the soldered joints can sometimes and often deteriorate. Testing on the electrical conductivity between the helical reinforcing and the coupling therefore must be a continuous surveillance.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a coupling which maintains electrical continuity between the conductive parts of the hose and the coupling which substantially overcomes or ameliorates the abovementioned 2 disadvantages.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a coupling for a hose having inner and outer helically formed metal reinforcing, said coupling comprising two open ends and a passage way extending between said ends, a first one of said ends having a neck, the exterior surface of which is able to receive said hose to substantially seal the hose onto said coupling, the second one of said ends having a collar connectable to other apparatus, the first end of said coupling having an opening through which the inner helical metal reinforcing can pass to the interior of the passage way where the free end of the inner helical metal reinforcing is securable to said collar to maintain electrical contact therebetween, and said outer metal helical reinforcing being securable to the outside of said collar to maintain electrical contact therebetween.

ft, One embodiment of the present invention will now be described with 15 reference to the drawings in wLich: Fig. 1 is a partial longitudinal and cross-sectional view of the coupling and hose of the preferred embodiment, Fig. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view X-X of Fig. 1, and t Fig. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view Y-Y of the coupling of Fig.

1 illustrating a slot cut into the coupling.

The coupling 1 of the preferred embodiment is a substantially cylindrical member having openings at both ends 2 and 3 thereof. A passage way 4 connects between the ends 2 and 3. At the end 2 the coupling 1 has a collar -3which is used to fit over a nozzle (not illustrated) or pipe onto which the coupling 1 is to be connected. Not illustrated in the drawings, the coupling 1 can be clamped onto the pipe or nozzle by a clamp (not illustrated) which uses cam wing mountings to lock thereon. A gasket seat 6 is located at the end of the collar 5 for sealing purposes.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, a composite hose 7 having an inner helical coil 8 and an outer helical coil 9 is fitted over the end 3 which comprises a neck 10 of the coupling 1. An attachment barb 11 helps secure the hose 7 into a frictional fit which maintains a seal.

As seen in Figs. 1 and 3, a slot 12 is cut into the neck 10 of the coupling 1 and the inner helical coil 8 which is straightened passes through the slot 12 along the interior surface of the neck along the passage way 4. The end 13 of the inner helical coil 8 is fitted into a recessed aperture 14 and is locked into position by a pair of locking screws 15 which is manipulated from the gasket seat 6. Electrical contact and continuity is maintained between the metal of the helical coil 8 and the metal of the coupling 1.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the end of 16 of the outer helical coil 9 is straightened and insterted into a second recess aperture 17 in the exterior surface of the collar 5. Two locking screws 18 are used to secure the outer helical coil 9 into electrical contact with the metal of the coupling 1.

The particular configuration of the helical coils 4 8 and 9 being locked into position into the collar 5 is such that when the petroleum is forced through the coupling 1 and the hose 7 the pressure from the flow does not break the seal between the coupling 1 and the hose 7. Such an arrangement must meet industrial standards where a certain pressure within the hose must be withstood.

The foregoing describes only one embodiment of the present invention, and modifications obvious to those skilled in the art can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention.

For example, the rectangular slot 12 which is cut into the neck 10 of the coupling 1 can be a slot with a tapered end which can secure the inner helical coil 8 into position by the pressure of the edges of the slot 12.

5

Claims

1. A coupling for a hose having inner and outer helically formed metal reinforcing, said coupling comprising two open ends and a passage way extending between said ends, a first one of said ends having a neck, the exterior surface of which is able to receive said hose to substantially seal the hose onto said coupling, the second one of said ends having a collar connectable to other apparatus, the first end of said coupling having an opening through which the inner helical metal reinforcing can pass to the interior of the passage way where the free end of the inner helical metal reinforcing is securable to said collar to maintain electrical contact therebetween, and said outer metal helical reinforcing being securable to the outside of said collar to maintain electrical contact therebetween.

2. The coupling as claimed in claim 1 wherein the inner metal helical reinforcing is secured into an aperture on the inside of said collar.

3. A hose coupling as claimed in claim 2 wherein said inner helical metal reinforcing is straightened up after it passes through the opening.

4. A hose coupling as claimed in claim 3 wherein said collar has greater internal aid external diameter than said neck and therefore an annular internal shoulder and an annular external shoulder are formed in the coupling at the joining of the collar and the neck. A coupling as claimed in claim 4 wherein the aperture is located in the side of said annular shoulder and said free end of the inner helical Smetal reinforcing is secured in the aperture by at least one screw means which passes through a correspondlng second aperture in the annular face of said annular internal shoulder, wherein said inner helical metal reinforcing has its free end bent so as to be secured in said first aperture.

A L -6- l I; i

6. A coupling as claimed in claim 1 wherein said outer metal helical reinforcing is secured in a third aperture on the outside of said collar.

7. A coupling as claimed in claim 6 wherein said third aperture is located on the annular face of the external annular shoulder of said collar and said free end of the outer helical metal reinforcing is straightened to fit in said third aperture and Is secured in said collar by at least one screw means to ensure electrical contact and continuity.

8. The coupling as claimed in claim 7 wherein the said at least one screw means fits into a corresponding fourth aperture on the outside of S 10 said collar.

9. The coupling as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein an attachment barb means is located on the outside surface of said neck to assist the fit of said hose onto said coupling.

The hose coupling as claimed in any one of the preceding claims S 15 whereas a gasket seat is located on the annular face of said annular inner shoulder for sealing purposes.

11. The coupling as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said opening is a slot.

12. The coupling as claimed in claim 11 wherein the slot in said neck has a tapered end which secures said inner helical metal reinforcing in position.

13. A coupling substantially as described with reference to accompanying drawings. DATED this TWENTY NINTH day of MAY 1989 RADCOFLEX AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED Patent Attorneys for the Applicants SPRUSON FERGUSON -7-