AU688415B2

AU688415B2 - Coupling member

Info

Publication number: AU688415B2
Application number: AU81519/94A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Gary Allan Hocking
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-12-17
Filing date: 1994-12-16
Publication date: 1998-03-12
Anticipated expiration: 2014-12-16
Also published as: AU8151994A

Description

I C Regulion 32

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

(ORIGINAL)

0* 0 Name of Applicant: GARY ALLAN HOCKING 10 Hepburn Road, Doncastcr 3108, Victoria, Australia Actual Inventor: Gary Allan HOCKING Address for Service: DAVIES COLLISON CAVE, Patent Attorneys, S* 1 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, 3000.

Invention Title: COUPLING MEMBER Details of Associated Provisional Application No.: PM3013/93 Filed 17 December, 1993 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: -1-

I

09/01 '98 FRI 11:11 FAX 0392542770 D C C MIELBOURNE P;OPER\OCMISI9.94 356. 9/11 -2- COUPLING ASSEMBLY This invention relates to a coupling assembly.

The invention relates to a coupling assembly which can be used to make flange joints or couplings in non-ferrous tubes and pipes.

In many high rise buildings comparatively large diameter copper tubes are used for water supplies. These tubes may have bores in the range from 50mm to 200mm. The most common method of forming joins between the ends of the tubes and for connecting the tubes to valves and the like is to solder or braze bronze flanges onto the ends of the tubes. The flanges are comparatively massive and it generally takes a considerable amount of time to heat them up to the melting point of the solder. It is usually necessary to use a relatively gentle flame otherwise there would be a danger of blowing a hole in the copper tube. Typically it 15 may take 20 minutes of heating in order to bring the flange up to the melting point of the solder. This of course is time consuming. Additionally, because of the comparatively large size of the flange, the solder tends to run across its back face and a lot of solder is wasted.

This too can be expensive, particularly if silver solder is used. The bronze flange itself is also expensive.

Another problem which can occur is that the bronze flanges are frequently made from low grade materials and are sometimes porous so this can give rise to leaks in the resultant joint and a substantial amount of time and expense is necessary to replace a faulty flange.

The bronze flanges are cumbersome, heavy and after heating difficult to hold in place until sufficiently cool enough for the solder to hold.

The object of the present invention is to provide a novel coupling assembly and method of making a connection which substantially avoid the drawbacks noted above.

According to the present invention there is provided a coupling assembly for a non- 004 i /01 '9I8 FRI 11:11 FAX 0392542770 D C MELBOURNE 1005 P.\ODPR\IOCP815IP9-4,3J6 9/t1 -3ferrous tube or pipe, said assembly comprising a coupling member and a flange member, said coupling member being integrally formed by spinning, drawing and/or pressing from copper material and having: a sleeve portion for receipt of one end of the tube or pipe, (ii) abutment means projecting inwardly relative to the sleeve portion for engaging the end of the tube or pipe, and (iii) an annular flange portion which is located in a plane transverse to the sleeve portion, said annular flange portion having first and second annular faces and an outer peripheral edge; 10 and wherein the flange member comprises an annular flange member of ferrous material and having: a bore through which the sleeve portion of the coupling member can pass, (ii) bolt holes passing therethrough, and (iii) a coating of corrosion resistant material; 15 said coupling assembly being such that when the sleeve portion of coupling member is inserted through the bore of the flange member: the first annular face of the flange portion engages one face of the flange member, (ii) the outer peripheral edge of the flange portion is located radially inwardly of said bolt holes, and (iii) the second annular face is presented for engagement with a gasket.

Preferably the coupling member is formed from copper. Copper can be readily soldered to copper or brass tubes or pipes which are commonly used in the building industry.

Preferably further, the coupling member is spun or drawn at least in part from a single sheet of copper. Preferably the sheet of copper is fully annealed and is work hardened during spinning or drawing.

The invention also provides a method of making a connection for a non-ferrous tube _0/01 '98 FRI 11:12 FAX 0392542770 D C C MELBOURNE (006 PRIoRNOCaM$99.356 -/M -3Aor pipe using the assembly as defined in any one of claims 1 to 10, comprising the steps of: placing the flange member over the end of the tube or pipe so that the tube or pipe passes through the bore of the flange member, placing the coupling member on the end of the tube or pipe so that the tube or pipe enters said sleeve portion and abuts against said abutment means, joining the sleeve portion to said tube or pipe, and moving the flange member towards the coupling member such that the said face of the flange member is adjacent to the flange portion and wherein the peripheral edge of the flange portion lies inwardly of said bolt holes.

In the technique of the invention, the coupling member can be made of relatively light material which can be quickly heated up to the melting point of the solder so that it can be soldered to the end of the tube or pipe. This results in a substantial time saving compared to prior art techniques which require the relatively massive flange to be heated up. Further, the flange itself can be made from ferrous material and it is much cheaper than bronze flanges which are used in prior art techniques. Also less consumables such as solder and heating gas are needed.

The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying 20 drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a coupling member; Figure 2 is an end view of the coupling member; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view through a coupling assembly of the invention; and Figures 4 to 7 show steps in forming the coupling member, Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a coupling member 2 which forms part of the coupling assembly of the invention. It comprises first and second cylindrical portions 4 and 6 which Q.\OPPER\Ca'\8519.C 10/S.96 -4are joined by an intermediate portion 8 which includes an inwardly directed groove 10. The inwardly directed groove 10 produces a shoulder 20 which projects inwardly, as shown in Figure 3. In an alternative embodiment, the groove need not be continuous but may comprise a plurality of spaced depressions in the first cylindrical portion 4 which produce a plurality of circumferentially spaced shoulders 20. In this embodiment it is preferred that there are four of these shoulders. The coupling member includes a flange 12 which is connected to the second cylindrical portion by a curved portion 14. The radius of curvature of the portion 14 is in the range 5mm to 8mm.

Figure 3 shows the coupling member 2 mounted on the end 16 of a copper tube 18. It will be noted that the inner diameter of the first cylindrical portion 4 is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the tube 18. It is preferred that there is a relatively snug fit and accordingly a clearance of from 0.1mm to 1.5mm is left between the internal diameter of the cylindrical portion 4 and the outer diameter of the tube 18.

i. It will be further noted that the end 16 of the tube abuts the inward shoulder or shoulders 20 produced by the groove 10, as seen in Figure 3. This prevents the end of the tube 16 from extending through or excessively into the coupling member 2.

20 The assembly further includes a flange 22. The flange 22 is preferably formed from e: ferrous material such as steel or ductile iron (400/12) and conforming to the appropriate flange standard, which for Australia is AS 2129. Typically the flange has a thickness conforming to the appropriate standard and its inner and outer diameters are chosen according to the size of the tube 18. The flange 22 is provided with a number of bolt holes 24 for forming bolted connections to similar flanges or to flanges provided -i on valves, pumps, or the like. One of the inner edges 25 of the flange is rounded so as to have a profile which matches the curved portion 14 of the coupling member 2. This arrangement reduces stresses which might otherwise be induced in the coupling member in the region between the flange 12 and the second cylindrical portion 6 if a sharp junction were provided at this point.

The radius of curvature is 5mm for flanges 22 used with tubes 18 of 125mm outside diameter or less. For flanges which are used with tubes of greater than 125mm outside diameter, the radius of curvature is preferably 8mm.

The flange 22 is preferably coated with a corrosion resistant layer or paint so as to avoid problems caused by electrolytic action between the ferrous material of the flange and the copper used in the coupling member 2. Preferably a polyester layer is sprayed onto the annular member 22 to provide this protective covering.

The coupling is effected by first locating the annular member 22 on the tube 18.

The coupling member 2 is then placed on the end 16 of the tube so that the shoulder or :i shoulders 20 engage the end 16 of the tube. With the annular member 22 clear of the coupling member 2, heat is applied to the coupling member 2 and the end of the tube to raise the temperature to the melting point of solder (such as silver solder). The solder is then applied to form a watertight join between the first cylindrical portion 4 and the end region of the tube 18. After cooling of the components, the flange 22 can then be moved along the tube 18 and over the coupling member 2 so that the end face 26 of the flange engages the rearward face of the flange 12 of the coupling member 2. It will be noted that the peripheral edge 28 of the flange 12 lies inside the bolt holes 24 so that there is no need to provide holes in the flange 12 in order to accommodate the connecting bolts (not shown). An annular gasket 30 is provided so as to lie adjacent to the flange 12. The gasket 30 preferably comprises a non-asbestos mill board having a thickness of say 1.5mm. It is further noted that the gasket used can be an annular type rather than a full face type which is usually needed in prior art techniques in which a bronze flange is directly braised to the end of the tube. Annular gaskets are cheaper and more convenient to use.

941216,p:\opu'gMchockingxczp,5

II

-6- The coupling is then completed by placing bolts through the bolt holes 24 so as to form a bolted connection to a similarly formed connection on another tube or to a flange of a valve or the like.

It will be further noted in the arrangement of the invention that the internal diameter of the second cylindrical portion 6 is greater than the bore of the tube 18. This has the advantage of avoiding head losses and also can advantageously provide space so as to accommodate partial entry of valve elements or the like.

Figures 4 to 7 diagrammatically illustrate one technique for forming the coupling member 2 of the invention. Figure 4 shows a round sheet 32 of copper material. The thickness of the material is chosen according to the size of the member. For coupling members used with tubes less than 125mm in diameter a thickness of 1.6mm is appropriate. Where the coupling members is to be used with tubes of greater than 125mm in diameter, a thickness of 2mm is appropriate. The sheet 32 is held against a die 34 by means of an anvil 36 and spun. Force is applied to the sheet 2 so that it conforms to the shape of the die, as shown in Figure 5. The radial end face 38 of the partly formed coupling member is then removed. At this stage the flange 12 is oriented at about 450 to second cylindrical portion 6. The final shaping of the flange 12 to lie in a transverse plane is effected by means of a press so that the coupling will then be as shown in Figure 6. Finally, the groove 10 is rolled into the intermediate zone 8 between :o i the cylindrical portions 4 and 6 to produce the final coupling member 2. In the embodiment where the groove 10 is replaced by a number of depressions, these are preferably pressed into the cylindrical portion 4 after drawing or spinning of the cylindrical portions 4 and 6.

It has been found that the technique described above which includes spinning, pressing and rolling, produces a superior product which has a relatively uniform wall thickness. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that if parts of the wall thickness are reduced during the forming process, those parts will constitute a point or zone of weakness which could lead to failure of the coupling member when it is subjected to pressure. It has been found that following the above mentioned production 941216,pc cphodkng.cap,6 I- I -7method, the wall thickness of the coupling member 2 is reduced by less than 2% of its initial thickness. An alternative method of producing the coupling members 2 would be by deep drawing using appropriately shaped dies. The aforementioned coupling members 2 and joining methods in accordance with the invention are suitable for operating at working pressures of 1600kPa which normally has to be tested at 2400kPa.

Table I below shows preferred dimensions (in millimetres) for various size tubes or pipes: 0 Length of Outer Internal Initial Nominal Coupling Diameter of Bore of Length of Thickness Bore Member 2 Flange 12 Portion 6 Portion 4 of Sheet 32 30 90 57 10 65 30 103 69 11 5 80 35 122 85 13 100 42 154 111 16 125 45 186 136 17 150 50 211 161 17 200 55 268 211 19 2.5 LL I S5 S S 55*5 Many modifications will be apparent to those skilled from the spirit and scope of the invention.

in the art without departing 941216,p:\opcft phoekng.cav,7 I I I

Claims

1. A coupling assembly for a non-ferrous tube or pipe, said assembly comprising a coupling member and a flange member, said coupling member being integrally formed by spinning, drawing and/or pressing from copper material and having: a sleeve portion for receipt of one end of the tube or pipe, (ii) abutment means projecting inwardly relative to the sleeve portion for engaging the end of the tube or pipe, and (iii) an annular flange portion which is located in a plane transverse to the sleeve 10 portion, said annular flange portion having first and second annular faces and an outer peripheral edge; and wherein the flange membrr comprises an annular flange member of ferrous material and having: a bore through which the sleeve portion of the coupling member can pass, So 15 (ii) bolt holes passing therethrough, and (iii) a coating of corrosion resistant material; said coupling assembly being such that when the sleeve portion of coupling member is inserted through the bore of the flange member: the first annular face of the flange portion engages one face of the flange member, (ii) the outer peripheral edge of the flange portion is located radially inwardly of said bolt holes, and (iii) the second annular face is presented for engagement with a gasket.

2. A coupling assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sleeve portion includes first and second portions, the latter being of greater diameter than the former, and the abutment means being located therebetween.

3. A coupling assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein the flange portion extends from one end of said second portion. 09/01 '98 FRI 16:57 FAX 0392542770 D C C MELBOURNE Q:OPER\GCP \1519.C3 9/1L -9-

4. A coupling assembly as claimed in claim 2 or 3 including a transition portion between the first and second portions. e S *SS* S S S S

5. A coupling assembly as claim groove formed i said transition port A coupling assembly as claim plurality of depressions formed in 10 transition portion.

7. A coupling assembly as clair member is formed by spinning or dr 15 8. A coupling assembly as cai member has the dimensions set out i

9. A coupling assembly as clai material comprises steel or ductile in A method of making a connec as defined in any one of claims 1 to placing the flange member ov passes through the bore of the flange placing the coupling member enters said sleeve portion and abuts a joining the sleeve portion to s moving the flange member tow flange member is adjacent to the flange portion lies inwardly of said bolt holi ed in claim 4 wherein the abutment means comprises a ion. ed in claim 4 wherein the abutment means comprises a the outer surface of the first portion adjacent to said ned in any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the coupling awing a single sheet of copper. ned in any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein the coupling n Table 1. ned in any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein the ferrous on. ;tion for a non-ferrous tube or pipe using the assembly comprising the steps of: ter the end of the tube or pipe so that the tube or pipe member, on the end of the tube or pipe so that the tube or pipe gainst said abutment means, aid tube or pipe, and lards the coupling member such that the said face of the e portion and wherein the peripheral edge of the flange es. 09/01 908 FRI 16:57 FAX 0392542770 1) 0 C ME~LBOURNE ll. A coupling assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 0*

12. A method of making a connection for a non-ferrous tube or pipe substantially as hereinbetbre described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 9th day of January, 1998 GARY ALLAN HOCKING 15 By his Patent Attorneys DAVIES COLLISON CAVE ABSTRACT A coupling member for a non-ferrous tube or pipe having first and second cylindrical portions joined by an intermediate portion having an inwardly directed peripheral groove A flange (12) is connected to the second cylindrical portion. The tube or pipe (18) is entered into the first cylindrical portion until the end of the tube or pipe abuts an internal shoulder (20) formed by the groove The first cylindrical portion is then soldered to the tube or pipe. In an alternative form, the :Va groove (10) is replaced by spaced inwardly directed depressions to produce a plurality of circumferentially spaced shoulders *oe 941216,p:\opE,cp,hockin9.-p, 1I I