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
  • F16L37/1235—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 the connection taking place from inside the pipes
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B25—HAND TOOLS; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; MANIPULATORS
  • B25B—TOOLS OR BENCH DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, FOR FASTENING, CONNECTING, DISENGAGING OR HOLDING
  • B25B5/00—Clamps
  • B25B5/14—Clamps for work of special profile
  • B25B5/147—Clamps for work of special profile for pipes
• • 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
  • F16B—DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING
  • F16B7/00—Connections of rods or tubes, e.g. of non-circular section, mutually, including resilient connections
  • F16B7/04—Clamping or clipping connections
  • F16B7/0406—Clamping or clipping connections for rods or tubes being coaxial
  • F16B7/0413—Clamping or clipping connections for rods or tubes being coaxial for tubes using the innerside thereof
• • 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
  • F16L1/00—Laying or reclaiming pipes; Repairing or joining pipes on or under water
  • F16L1/024—Laying or reclaiming pipes on land, e.g. above the ground
  • F16L1/06—Accessories therefor, e.g. anchors
  • F16L1/10—Accessories therefor, e.g. anchors for aligning

Definitions

• the invention relates to a device for centering adjacent pipes in accordance with the preamble of claim 1.
• a device is known from DE 4207375.
• the disadvantage of the known device is that the second pipe abuts on an inclined surface so that its position relative the first pipe is not stable.
• the device is in accordance with claim 1. In this way the second pipe is positioned around the guide sur- faces so that sideway movements of the pipes relative to one another are prevented.
• the device is according to claim 2. In this way the guide surfaces always have the correct radial position relative to the clamp surfaces.
• the device is according to claim 3. In this way the second pipe can rotate relative to the first pipe during and after centering. In accordance with an embodiment the device is according to claim 4. In this way it is easy to slide the second pipe that might rotate relative the first pipe on the guide pieces.
• the device is ac- cording to claim 5. In this way it is easy to adjust the radial position of the clamp surface and the guide surface simultaneously.
• the device is according to claim 6. In this way positioning and clamping the device in the first pipe simultenously positions the conical or elliptical rollers at the correct radial position .
• the device is according to claim 7. In this way by rotating the inner ring and the cam rings relative one another the number of clamps can be positioned simultaneously.
• the device is according to claim 8. In this way the cam surfaces are not subjected to wear and clamping takes place with little resistence .
• the device is ac- cording to claim 9. In this way changes in the inner diameter of the first pipe for instance due to heating of the first pipe does not influence the tension between the clamps and the first pipe.
• the device is ac- cording to claim 10. In this way before clamping the device in the first pipe the cam rings will be held in position .
• the device is according to claim 11.
• the inner ring is be- tween the pipes in a defined location.
• the invention relates to a device for centering adjacent pipes.
• the centering device is internally fixed at the end of a first pipe, after which the centering device centers the end of a second pipe relative to the end of the first pipe. After centering the first pipe and the second pipe in an embodiment they can rotate relative to one another so that the often used name pipe coupling is misleading and will henceforth be avoided.
• the centering device is used during coating of pipes with one or more layers while a conveyor transports successive pipes along a coating installation.
• a conveyor transports successive pipes along a coating installation.
• the pipes are transported in a longitudinal direction along the coating installation on the conveyor which comprises a series of wheel pairs that support the pipes.
• Each pipe is supported by a minimum of two wheel pairs.
• the coating process is a continuous process, so that gaps and irregularities between the pipes have to be re- cuted or avoided. For this reason adjacent pipes are joined together before the conveyor transports them along the coating installation. Because the pipes always have a slight curvature, the end of a first pipe will oscillate during transport relative to the front of a following pipe. This may create disturbances in the coating at the transition between two pipes. By using the centering device, the oscillating is eliminated and the coating process now takes place more evenly. There are several types of coating processes, in which different materials can be applied on the pipes. The centering device is suitable for all known coating processes.
• the centering device provides this support and makes transportation of the pipes on the conveyor possible whereby the centering device in one pipe serves as support for the next pipe.
• Fig. 1 and 2 show a perspective view of both sides of a centering device
• Fig. 3 shows a section of a pipe with the centering device of figures 1 and 2 in the position before tightening in the pipe
• Fig. 4 shows a section of a pipe with the centering de- vice of figures 1 and 2 in fixed position in the pipe
• Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of detail of the centering device of figures 1 and 2
• Fig. 6 shows the centering device of figures 1 and 2, fixed in a pipe, a few moments before the centering of the pipes, and
• Figure 7 shows a schematic detail of a section through the centering device of figures 1 and 2 between adjacent pipes .
• Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 show a centering device for centering an end of a first pipe relative to an end of an adjacent second pipe.
• the centering device comprises a centrally placed inner ring 1 which has a outer diameter that is preferably smaller than an outside diameter of a pipe in which the centering device is tightened and larg- er than an inside diameter so that the inner ring 1 cannot slide into the pipe.
• the outer circumference of the inner ring 1 is provided with notches that together prevent the inner ring 1 sliding into the pipe.
• the inner ring 1 has slots 20 in radial direction; each slot 20 has a shaft 3 which can move radially in the slot 20.
• the center lines of the shafts 3 are parallel to the center line of the inner ring 1 and the pipes that have to be centered.
• the shaft 3 has on one side a flat roller 4 and on the other side an elliptic roller 5; the flat roller 4 and the elliptic roller 5 can rotate freely around the shaft 3.
• the maximum diameter of the elliptic roller 5 is a few millimeters less than the diameter of the flat roller 4.
• the outer circumference of the cam ring 2 has cams 13, whereby each cam 13 cooperates with a shaft 3 mounted in the slots 20 in the inner ring 1.
• the shaft 3 can have a cam roller 7 that can roll over the cam 13, the two cam rollers 7 that cooperate with the cams 13 on both cam rings 2 are mounted on the shaft 3.
• the cam rings 2 For axially positioning the cam rings 2 relative to the cam rollers 7, the flat roller 4 and the elliptic roller 5 on the shaft 3 there are washers at the ends of the shaft 3.
• Other solutions for axially positioning are possible such as grooved cam rollers 7.
• Bolts 14 connect the cam rings 2 and spacers 15 keep the cam rings 2 at a fixed distance so that the cam rings 2 form a single part.
• the cam rings 2 can rotate together relative to the inner ring 1 around a rotation shaft that is approximate parallel to the shafts 3, whereby the cams 13 move over the cam rollers 7.
• the cams 13 are shaped such that the relative rotation of the inner ring 1 and the cam rings 2 forces the shafts 3 to move in a radial direction in the slots 20.
• the flat rollers 4 are located on the shafts 3 between the cam rings 2 so that the forces generated by the inner surface of a pipe on the flat rollers 4 are divided over the two cam rings 2.
• the elliptic rollers 5 extend outside the width of the cam rings 2 and the flat rollers 4 and the elliptic rollers 5 are on different sides of the inner ring 1.
• An actuator 6 can force the inner ring 1 and the two cam rings 2 to rotate relative to one another.
• the actuator 6 as shown in figure 5 has a bracket 8 that is hinge- ably coupled to the cam rings 2.
• a pin 16 can slide through a hole in the bracket 8 and a fork 11 at the end of the pin 16 connects the pin 16 to the inner ring 1.
• the pin 16 is threaded, and a nut 10 can be screwed on the threaded end of the pin 16.
• a spring 9 is situated between the nut 10 and the bracket 8 for maintaining the tension in the pin 16 when there is a small relative rotation of the inner ring 1 and the cam ring 2.
• each shaft 3 has a spring 12.
• the side with the flat rollers 4 is placed in front of an end of a first pipe 18. Then the centering device is pushed into the pipe 18 until the inner ring 1 rests against the outer end of the first pipe 18.
• Figure 3 shows the centering device in this position wherein the flat rollers 4 are free of a wall 21 of a pipe.
• the first pipe 18 After applying the centering device at the rear end of the first pipe 18, see figure 6, the first pipe 18 is placed on the wheels of the conveyor and transported. Af- ter the first pipe 18 has passed a certain point, a second pipe 19 is placed on the wheels of the conveyor. The second pipe 19 is accelerated until it catches up and collides with the first pipe 18. During the last moments of the catching up process the second pipe 19 slides over the elliptic rollers 5 which stick out of the first pipe 18, until the second pipe 19 is pushed against the inner ring 1 of the centering device and the elliptic rollers 5 force the second pipe 19 to center with the first pipe 18.
• the first pipe 18 is pulled from the second pipe 19 by accelerating the first pipe 18, meanwhile the centering device remains fixed in this first pipe 18.
• the first pipe 18 is removed from the conveyor and the centering device is removed from the pipe.
• the nut 10 is loosened so that the cam rings 2 can be rotated relative to the inner ring 1, the springs 12 press the shafts 3 radially towards the center of the inner ring 1 and the centering device is removed from the first pipe 18.
• centering device In further embodiments of the centering device other constructions can be applied.
• a relief roller 17 (indicated in figure 7 with interrupted lines) is mounted between the cam ring 2 and inner ring 1 on the side of the elliptic rollers 5.
• the elliptic roller 5 is used to center the second pipe 19 during the moment the second pipe 19 approaches the first pipe 18. After this the relief rollers 17 and not the elliptic rollers 5 support the second pipe 19 during the coating process.
• the figure 7 shows bearings between the rollers 4, 5 and 7 and the shaft 3. In other embodiments the shaft 3 be a part of or may rotate with one of the rollers.
• flat rollers 4 form a clamping element against the inside surface of the first pipe 18, while they are pressed against the pipe wall during the fixing of the centering device.
• the clamping elements may have another form, as long as they do not damage the insides of the pipe. They also do not have to rotate around the shafts 3.
• the elliptic rollers 5 and if applicable the relief rollers 17 are rotatable around the shafts 3 as the first pipe 18 and the second pipe 19 may have differ- ent rotation speeds.
• rollers 4, 5 and 17 which interact with the pipes 18, 19 is preferably steel with a hard surface to prevent deformations, but other materials are possible. This depends on the surface condition of the inside of the pipe. For example, if the inside of the pipes is coated it may be desirable that the rollers are made out of plastic or rubber, to prevent the coating from being damaged when using the centering device.
• the actuator 6 for the rotating and positioning of both cam rings 2 relatively to inner ring 1 comprises the nut 10 on one side and the pin 16 with a fork 11 fixed on the inner ring 1 on the other side.
• the pin 16 comprises a hook which is fixed in a toothed strip on the inner ring 1.
• Other embodiments of the actuator 6 might comprise a rack and pinion, where the cam rings 2 are rotated by changing the position of the pinion.
• the usage of a lever is possible, where pulling the lever makes the cam rings rotate relatively to the inner ring.
• the actuator 6 can be actuated manually, other means of activation might be electric or hydraulic drives that can be coupled to an energy source when the centering device is fixed in the end of the first pipe 18.
• the elliptic rollers 5 force the pipes 18, 19 to center relative to each other.
• the rollers 5 do not necessarily have to be elliptic, for example, the centering can also be achieved with conical rollers or rollers with a different form, as long as the pipes are forced to center when they are joined.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Coating Apparatus (AREA)
• Jigs For Machine Tools (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

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• 2008
  • 2008-11-26 NL NL1036246A patent/NL1036246C2/nl not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2009
  • 2009-11-26 WO PCT/NL2009/050720 patent/WO2010062177A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2009-11-26 RU RU2011125911/06A patent/RU2518705C2/ru not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2009-11-26 EP EP09764614A patent/EP2370724A1/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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