Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16L—PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16L37/00—Couplings of the quick-acting type
  • F16L37/08—Couplings of the quick-acting type in which the connection between abutting or axially overlapping ends is maintained by locking members
  • F16L37/12—Couplings of the quick-acting type in which the connection between abutting or axially overlapping ends is maintained by locking members using hooks, pawls or other movable or insertable locking members
  • F16L37/1205—Couplings of the quick-acting type in which the connection between abutting or axially overlapping ends is maintained by locking members using hooks, pawls or other movable or insertable locking members using hooks hinged about an axis placed behind a flange and which act behind the other flange

Definitions

• This invention relates to quick disconnect pipe couplers and more particularly to a quick disconnect coupler for locking a marine loading arm to a tanker vessel.
• the present invention is directed to an improved clamping mechanism for a quick disconnect coupler which is self-adjusting and provides a combined axial and radial move- ent of the clamping jaws.
• the jaws provide a self- centering action in bringing the coupler and pipe into align ⁇ ment for clamping them in a sealed connection.
• the clamping unit is hydraulically operated but does not rely on hydraulic pressure to maintain the jaws in the clamped position once the jaws are set.
• An overcenter toggle linkage provides a positive clamping action.
• the present invention provides a quick dis ⁇ connect coupler for connecting the flanged end of a pipe to a second pipe by means of a plurality of jaw actuator units.
• Each jaw actuator unit includes a support member anchored to one of the pipes.
• a frame member is movably supported on the support member for movement in a direction parallel to the axis of the pipe.
• a clamping jaw is movably supported from the frame member by a pair of linkage arms of different length.
• a pair of toggle arms are pivotally connected to each other and respectively to the frame member and to the jaw.
• An hydraulic actuator has one end connected to the pivotal connection between the two toggle arms. The other end of the hydraulic actuator is connected to a cam which is rotatably supported on the frame member.
• the cam has a cam surface in contact with a stop secured to the support mem ⁇ ber.
• the hydraulic actuator operates both the toggle link ⁇ age and rotates the cam to set the jaw in clamping position and to move the supporting frame axially to adjust for varia- tions in thickness of the pipe flange.
• FIG. 1 is a side view partly in section of the coup- ler mechanism in the closed or clamping position
• FIG. 2 is a partial side view in section showing the clamping mechanism in the open position
• FIG. 3 is a partial end view of the coupler assembly.
• the coupler as ⁇ sembly includes a section of pipe indicated generally at 10 which terminates at one end in a flange 12 by which the pipe section is mounted on the end of a standard pipe.
• the other end of the pi e"section 10 is- machined with lip 14 forming an end surface to which is attached a sealing gasket 16.
• the quick disconnect coupler assembly includes a plu ⁇ rality of hydraulically operated clamping units, as indicated at 20, which are spaced circumferentially around the outer perimeter of the pipe section 10.
• Each of the clamping units operates a clamping jaw 22 which is designed to engage the flange 24 on the end of a standard pipe section 26 and clamp the face of the flange 24 against the sealing gasket 16 with the pipe 26 in axial alignment with the pipe section 10.
• the jaws 22 are formed with a notch 25 formed by facing material 27 for engaging both the outer perimeter and back surface of the flange 24.
• the hydraulic clamping units individually move the associated jaws between a clamping position, as shown in FIG. 1, and an open position, as shown in FIG. 2.
• the motion of the jaws is along an arc, indicated at 28, which is substantially perpen ⁇ dicular to the face of the flange at the clamping position and curves out and away from the flange in the open position, thus providing a substantially axial path of movement at the clamping position and a substantially radial movement as it approaches the open position.
• Each clamping unit 20 is movably mounted on the pipe section 10 by a support member 30 which is in the form of a split collar, the two sections of the split collar being bolted together as indicated at 32 and 34.
• the split collar is thermally insulated from the pipe section by a pair of retaining rings 36 and 38 made of suitable thermal insulated plastic material.
• the retaining ring 36 engages the back of the lip 14 while the retaining ring 38 engages a shoulder 40 1 extending around the outside of the pipe section 10.
• the support member 30 is formed with peripheral flanges 42 and 44 which clamp the retaining rings in place. The space be ⁇ tween the pipe section and the support member 30 is then
• the support member 30 has four pairs of grooved tracks, as indicated at 48, the tracks extending in a direction
• Each clamping unit includes a frame member, indicated generally at 50, having guides 52 which slidably engage the grooved tracks 48, thus allowing the clamping unit to be secured to the pipe section while allowing the clamping unit to be constrained to move-
• the mounting arm is pivotally connected to a pair of cams 58 which are rotatably supported on the frame member 50 by a shaft 60.
• the cams 58 have cam surfaces 64 which en ⁇ gage a pair of stops 66 projecting from the support member 30.
• the cams 64 as viewed in FIG. 1, are shaped such that clock-
• 25 wise rotation of the cams about the shaft 60 causes the dis ⁇ tance between the axis of the shaft 60 and the stops 66 to increase, thereby forcing the clamping unit to shift to the left, as viewed in FIG. 1.
• the cams 58 may be held against the stops 66 by tension springs 70 secured at one end to the 0 outer ends of the shaft 60 and at the other end to the sup ⁇ port member 30.
• the other end of the hydraulic actuator 54 is con ⁇ nected to an overcenter toggle linkage for moving the clamp ⁇ ing jaw 22.
• the clamping jaw 22 is hinged to the frame mem- 5 ber 50 by two pair of linkage, arms 76 and 78.
• the linkage arms 76 are substantially longer than the linkage arms 78.
• the linkage arms 76 and 78 are substantially parallel and extend radially away from the axis of the pipe section.
• the linkage arms 76 and 78 are joined to the clamping jaw by hinge pins 80 and 82, respectively, which lie along a line extending substantially parallel to the axis of the pipe sec ⁇ tion when the jaw is in the clamping position.
• the other ends of the linkage arms 76 and 78 are connected to the frame member 50 by hinge pins 84 and 86, respectively.
• the linkage arms 76 rotate about the hinge pin 84 and the linkage arms 78 rotate around the hinge pin 86. Since the arc through which the hinge pin 82 moves has a much short ⁇ er radius than the arc through which the hinge pin 80 is moved, rotation of the linkage arms 76 and 78 causes the notched end of the jaw to move initially laterally and then radially outwardly, in the manner shown in the drawings.
• the jaw is moved between the -clamping and open posi ⁇ tions by the hydraulic actuator 54.
• the end of the hydraulic actuator is connected to the jaw by a pair of toggle arms 90 Which are journaled at one end on the hinge pin 82 and journaled at the other end on a hinge pin 92 to which the end 88 of the actuator is connected.
• the end 88 of the actuator is also linked to the frame member 50 by a pair of toggle arms 94 which are hinged at one end on the hinge pin 84 and at the other end on the hinge pin 92.
• the length of the hydraulic actuator In operation, if the length of the hydraulic actuator is expanded by admitting fluid under pressure to one end, it operates to open the jaw by causing the toggle linkage arms 94 to rotate about the hinge pin 84. This causes the toggle arms 90 to move the hinge pin 82 in a clockwise arc about the hinge pin 86, thereby causing the jaw to move from the clamped position to the open position. Because the hydrau ⁇ lic actuator is floating, that is, both ends are movable re- lative to the frame member 50, expansion of the hydraulic 1 actuator also operates to rotate the cams 58 in a counter ⁇ clockwise direction around the hinge pin or shaft 60. The cams are thus rotated by the expansion of the actuator 54 until the mounting arm 56 of the actuator moves to a detent
• a notch 100 in the end of the support arm 56 of the actuator engages a detent ball 102 which is part of a detent assembly 104 mounted on the frame member 50.
• the detent assembly 104 includes a compression spring which urges the detent ball 102 outwardly into engag-
• the hydraulic actuator 54 is then caused to retract, moving the end 88 of the actua ⁇ tor 54 to the left.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Quick-Acting Or Multi-Walled Pipe Joints (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=22147522

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (2)

Family Cites Families (6)

• 1979
  • 1979-03-02 WO PCT/US1979/000118 patent/WO1980001833A1/en unknown
• 1980
  • 1980-09-10 EP EP19790901235 patent/EP0024388A1/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events