AU724198B2 - Tapping component, a tapping component and seal arrangement and a method of tapping a pipe - Google Patents

Description

*5 S S 55..

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Applicant(s): JOHN VALVES PTY LTD Invention Title: TAPPING COMPONENT, A TAPPING COMPONENT AND SEAL ARRANGEMENT AND A METHOD OF TAPPING A PIPE The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: 2 TAPPING COMPONENT, A TAPPING COMPONENT AND SEAL ARRANGEMENT AND A METHOD OF TAPPING A PIPE This invention relates to a tapping component, a tapping component and seal arrangement and to a method of tapping a pipe.

Pipes made of ductile iron or cast iron are conventionally tapped in order to enable a service take off to be connected to the pipe whilst the pipe is under .pressure.

The pipe is tapped by a tapping machine which is passed through a heart valve seal arrangement to tap a hole in the pipe. After the hole is tapped the tapping machine can be removed and the heart seal valve arrangement prevents continued outflow of fluid from the tapped hole. A service take off may then be screwed into the valve housing to enable fluid to be taken from the pipe.

Our co-pending application No. 64824/94 describes a tapping machine and tapping band including a heart seal valve arrangement which is used to tap a pipe.

In order to prevent the tapped hole from being blocked by corrosion it is required that an anti tuberculation sleeve be located in the tapped hole. The anti tuberculation sleeve generally comprises a short plastic sleeve which must be pushed into the hole through the heart valve by an appropriate tool and located between an outer surface of the pipe and an inner surface of the pipe within the tapped hole. The sleeve may include ribs or flutes to assist in securement of the sleeve within the tapped hole between the outer and inner H: \Karen\Keep\JOHN-VALVES-tapping-comonent-Seal.doc 2/04/98 3 surfaces. The sleeve is typically formed from plastics material and the plastic material prevents corrosion and therefore blocking of the tapped hole.

The conventional technique requires the location of a sleeve within the hole and it is impossible after the hole has been tapped and a service take off connected to the pipe to determine whether the sleeve is actually in place unless the service take off is removed and a visual inspection is then made. Such visual inspections would be difficult because removal of the service take off and the visual inspection would release pressure from the pipe which means fluid would flow from the pipe. Thus, conventional techniques rely upon the service personnel to ensure that the anti tuberculation sleeve is located in place and there is no convenient or easy way for checking or ensuring that the sleeve is in place. Often, due to forgetfulness the sleeve may not be located in place or may not be correctly located 20 thereby resulting in the possibility of corrosion and "reduction in surplus and possible total blocking of the tapped hole. Furthermore the location of the sleeve requires the use of another tool which increases the amount of equipment service personnel must carry.

The object of this invention is to overcome this problem.

The invention in a first aspect may be said to reside in a tapping component for a tapped pipe which has a seal connected to the pipe, the tapped pipe having an outer surface, an inner surface and a tapped hole extending through the pipe from the outer surface to the inner H: \Karen\Keep WOHN-VALVES-tapi-component -seal .doc 2/04/98 4 surface, the tapping component including: a component body; coupling means on the component body for coupling the tapping component to the seal; and an anti tuberculation sleeve coupled to the component body for location in the tapped hole in the pipe between the outer and inner surfaces of the pipe.

In this respect of the invention, since the tapping component, which is actually connected to the pipe to provide take off of fluid, includes the anti tuberculation sleeve the anti tuberculation sleeve will always be located in place when the tapping component is located on the pipe. Furthermore a special tool for location of the sleeve is not required.

Preferably the anti tuberculation sleeve is integral with the component body. However, in other embodiments S. the anti tuberculation sleeve may be separate from the component body and attached to the component body by a friction fit, adhesive or any suitable method.

Preferably the anti tuberculation sleeve is formed from brass. However, particularly in embodiments where the anti tuberculation sleeve is not integral with the component body the sleeve may be formed from other materials such as plastics material or any other material which reduce corrosion or electrolysis with the pipe with which the tapping component is used.

Preferably the coupling means comprise screw threads on an outer surface of the component body and matching screw threads on an inner surface of the seal.

H:\Karen\KeepJOHN-VALVES-tapping-componnt-seal .doc 2/04/98 5 Preferably the component body is formed with a nut member for gripping by a spanner or suitable tool in order to screw thread the tapping component into the seal. In one preferred embodiment of the invention the nut member could be provided with a unique shape or identification so as to readily identify the tapping component as a tapping component which carries the anti tuberculation sleeve to provide a visual indication that an anti tuberculation sleeve is in place in the tapped pipe.

A further aspect of the invention may be said to reside in a tapping component and seal arrangement for a tapped pipe having an outer surface, an inner surface and a tapped hole extending through the pipe from the outer surface to the inner surface, the arrangement including: a seal including a housing having a bore therethrough and a valve in the housing; a tapping component having a component body; coupling means on the component body for coupling with the bore of the housing to locate the tapping component in the seal; and an anti tuberculation sleeve coupled to the component body for location in the tapped hole in the pipe between the outer and inner surfaces of the pipe.

Preferably the seal comprises a heart seal so that when the component body is coupled to the housing the component body and the anti tuberculation sleeve will push through the heart seal thereby opening the heart seal to locate the anti tuberculation sleeve in the tapped hole between the outer surface and the inner H: \Karen\Keep\JOHN-VALVES-tapping-component-seal.doc 2/04/98 6 surface.

The tapping component may comprise a union which has a second coupling means for receiving a valve or tap or service unit so as to couple the valve, tap or service unit to the union and hence to the pipe. In other embodiments the tapping component may be a complete service take off device such as a union and integral valve arrangement or tap arrangement.

0The invention may also be said to reside in a method of o tapping a pipe comprising the steps of: locating a seal arrangement on the pipe; drilling a hole through the pipe via the seal to provide a tapped hole in the pipe; and locating a tapping component through the seal to provide service take off from the pipe, the tapping component having a component body and an anti tuberculation sleeve coupled to the component body so that when the tapping component is located in the seal the anti tuberculation sleeve locates in the tapped hole of the pipe between the outer surface and inner surface of the pipe.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a view of a tapping component according to the preferred embodiment of the invention; and Figure 2 is a view of the tapping component located on a pipe.

H:\Karen\Keep\JOW-VALVES-tpping-component-seal .doc 2/04/98 7 With reference to Figure 1 a tapping component 10 is shown which is to be connected to a pipe 20 (see Figure 2) via a seal 22 (see Figure 2) after the pipe 20 has been tapped by a tapping machine such as that disclosed in our earlier patent application 64824/94 the contents of which is incorporated into this specification by this reference. Our earlier application 64824/94 also clearly discloses the technique for tapping the hole via the seal 22.

The tapping component 10 shown in Figure 1 comprises a component body 11 which is provided with a first screw thread section 12 and a nut member 14. A second screw thread section 16 may be arranged above the nut member 14.

The component body 11 below the screw thread 12 is provides with a shoulder 13 which tapers inwardly to a reduced diameter compared to the diameter of the screw thread section 12. An anti tuberculation sleeve 'o extends downwardly from the tapered section 13 and is of reduced diameter compared to the diameter of the screw thread section 12.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 1 the component 10 is in the form of a union to which is coupled a valve or tap 30. The valve or tap 30 has an inlet 32 and an outlet 34. A valve member 36 is located between the inlets 32 and 34 and a tap handle 38 is coupled to the valve member 36 for moving the valve member 36 between an open position and a closed position. Screw threads (not shown) are provided on the internal surface of the inlet 32 and also on the internal surface of the outlet H: \Karen\Keep\ JOHN-VALVES- tapping-component -seal .doc 2/04/98 8 34. The screw threads on internal surface of the inlet 32 can screw onto the screw threads 16 so as to secure the tap 30 to the union forming the tapping component of Figure 1. In other embodiments of the invention the tap 30 may be provided integral with the union 10 so as to form a single valve or tap member having the nut 14, the screw threads 12 and anti tuberculation sleeve In the preferred embodiment of the invention the anti 10 tuberculation sleeve 15 is formed integral with the remainder of the tapping component 10 and the tapping component 10 is formed from brass. However, in other embodiments the anti tuberculation sleeve 15 could be separate and connected to the component body 11 by adhesive or any other suitable method. If the anti tuberculation sleeve 15 is separate from the component body 11 and connected to the component body 11 by adhesive of the like the anti tuberculation sleeve *could be formed from a different material such as plastic material or the like.

Figure 2 shows the component 10 in use.

With reference to Figure 2, the seal 22 is located on the pipe 20 by a tapping band 23 as is well known. The seal 22 has a housing 24 which has a bore 26. The bore 26 is provided with an internal screw thread 27. A heart valve 28 is arranged within the housing 24 to selectively close off bore 26.

As is well known, in order to tap a hole in the pipe the seal 22 is located in place by the tapping band 23 and a tapping machine (not shown) is then passed through H: \Karen\Kee\JHN-VALVES-tappifg-component-seal .doc 2/04/98 9 the bore 26 opening the heart valve 28 and located against outer surface 36 of the pipe 20. The tapping machine then taps a hole 38 in the pipe. When the hole is tapped pressurised fluid and also material from the pipe 36 created during tapping is forced through the tapping machine in the manner which is described in our abovementioned co-pending application. The tapping machine may then be removed and the heart valve 28 will seal the bore 26 to prevent escape of pressurised fluid from the housing 24. Thus, the tapped pipe is sealed by Sthe seal 22.

4 9 0 06:- A service take off may then be coupled to the pipe via the seal 22. As is shown in Figure 2 the tapping component 10 is located through the bore 26 opening heart valve 28 so that the screw threads 12 engage with the internal screw thread 27 on the bore 26 to couple the tapping component 10 to the housing 24. The anti tuberculation sleeve 15 projects into the opening 38 20 between the outer surface 36 and an inner surface 39 of the pipe 20 to prevent corrosion of the tapped pipe in the vicinity of the hole 38 and blocking of the hole 38.

The tapping component 10 may be in the form of a union to which other appliances are attached to form the service take off or may be in the form of a complete service take off having a valve or tap such as a valve or tap 30 shown in Figure 1 or other devices as is required integral with it.

The third arrangement which uses a heart valve type seal provides a very compact check valve which is coupled to the pipe and this provides the advantage of ensuring a relatively short distance from the main tap connection H: \Iaren\Keep\JOHN-VALVEStapping-coponent-seal .doc 2/04/98 10 between the screw threads 12 and 27 and the main tap provided by the tap fitting 30 in the embodiment of Figure 1.

In the form of the invention in which the anti tuberculation sleeve 15 is integral with the component it is preferred that the entire component 10 be formed from the same material. However, in some embodiments the anti tuberculation sleeve 15 may be formed from a different material during manufacture of the component 10 from the remainder of the component notwithstanding integral coupling of the sleeve 15 to the remainder of the component In one embodiment of the invention the nut member 14 may be provided with a unique shape or indicia to indicate that the component 10 which is coupled into the housing 24 carries the anti tuberculation sleeve 15 to thereby provide a visual indication that an anti tuberculation sleeve 15 is in place in the pipe 20 to prevent corrosion and blocking of the tapped hole.

H: \Karen\Keep \JOHN- -v -tapin-component-seal.doc 2/04/98

Claims (9)

1. A tapping component for a tapped pipe which has a seal connected to the pipe, the tapped pipe having an outer surface, an inner surface and a tapped hole extending through the pipe from the outer surface to the inner surface, the tapping component including: a component body; coupling means on the component body for coupling the tapping component to the seal; and :an anti tuberculation sleeve coupled to the component body for location in the tapped hole in the pipe between the outer and inner surfaces of the pipe.

2. The tapping component of claim 1, wherein the anti tuberculation sleeve is integral with the component body. 0"0•

3. The tapping component of claim 1 or 2, wherein the anti tuberculation sleeve is formed from brass.

4. The tapping component of claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein the coupling means comprise screw threads on an outer surface of the component body and matching screw threads on an inner surface of the seal. The tapping component of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the component body is formed with a nut member for gripping by a spanner or suitable tool in order to screw thread the tapping component into the seal.

H: \Karen \Keep\ JOHN-VALVES- tapping-component -sea. doc 2/04/98 12

6. A tapping component and seal arrangement for a tapped pipe having an outer surface, an inner surface and a tapped hole extending through the pipe from the outer surface to the inner surface, the arrangement including: a seal including a housing having a bore therethrough and a valve in the housing; a tapping component having a component body; coupling means on the component body for coupling with the bore of the housing to locate the tapping component in the seal; and an anti tuberculation sleeve coupled to the component body for location in the tapped hole in the pipe between the outer and inner surfaces of the pipe. *I

7. The tapping component of claim 6, wherein the seal comprises a heart seal so that when the component body is coupled to the housing the component body and 9966 the anti tuberculation sleeve will push through the heart seal thereby opening the heart seal to locate the anti tuberculation sleeve in the tapped hole between the outer surface and the inner surface.

8. The tapping component of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the tapping component comprises a union which has a second coupling means for receiving a valve or tap or service unit so as to couple the valve, tap or service unit to the union and hence to the pipe.

9. The tapping component of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the tapping component is a complete service take off device integral valve arrangement or tap arrangement. H: \Karen\Keep\JOHN-VALVES-tapping-coponent -seal.doc 2/04/98 13 A method of tapping a pipe comprising the steps of: locating a seal arrangement on the pipe; drilling a hole through the pipe via the seal to provide a tapped hole in the pipe; and locating a tapping component through the seal to provide service take off from the pipe, the tapping component having a component body and an anti tuberculation sleeve coupled to the component body so that when the tapping component is located in the seal the anti tuberculation sleeve locates in the tapped hole of the pipe between the outer surface and inner surface of the pipe. Dated this 2nd day of April 1998 JOHN VALVES PTY LTD By their Patent Attorneys: GRIFFITH HACK Fellows Institute of Patent Attorneys of Australia. .e H: \Karen\Keep\JOHN-VALVES-tapping-component-seal .doc 2/04/98