GB1576204A

GB1576204A - Pipe-connecting component of elastic material

Info

Publication number: GB1576204A
Application number: GB1597678A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Taurus Gumiipari Vallalat
Current assignee: Taurus Gumiipari Vallalat
Priority date: 1978-04-22
Filing date: 1978-04-22
Publication date: 1980-10-01

Description

(54) PIPE-CONNECTING COMPONENT OF ELASTIC MATERIAL (71) We, TAURUS GUMIIPARI VALLALAT, of 1087 Budapest, Kerepesi ut 17, Hungary, a body corporate organised and existing under the laws of Hungary do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The subject of the invention is pipeconnecting component of elastic material containing one or more built-in strengthening layers and made of rubber or rubber-like plastics, for pipes, or pipelines.

According to the present level of technical knowledge, there are various solutions known concerning pipe-connecting components of elastic material (having a compensating section) which can be fitted between two pipelines.

With these solutions it is a general intention to design such an expanding component that accomodates the variations in length caused by temperature change, and axial misalignment and insulates the straight sections of the pipelines from vibration, acoustic and electrical effects. Naturally the ideal solution of the problem would be to use a design that can offer a high extension value with small structural length and, at the same time, can be easily mounted.

With the solutions presently known such a configuration is not known which can simultaneously satisfy the conditions of high extension value and easy mountability.

There are, for instance, such solutions known where a framework, constituted by some high-strength fibrous material, is embedded in an elastic material and on its two ends a joining flange is fitted. The joining flange is then compressed to the pipe-flange by a metallic ring. In the middle of the component there is an annular enlargement and a cylindrical section is formed on its both sides to facilitate mountability. With this solution a problem is presented by the fact that - in order to facilitate mountability - the cylindrical sections are covered by a jacket that is formed in one piece with the metallic rim clamping the flanges together. Such solutions are described in the West German Patents Nos.

2 002 555 and 2 065 110. Although this configuration is simple in the respect of mountability, the metallic jacket formed in one piece with the metallic ring, however, constitutes an extraordinarily rigid structural part. A similar situation arises with such solutions where the cylindrical section is formed by a girdle made of a very thick fibrous material.

Mounting problems are presented, however, with such designs where the flange diameter is identical with that of the joining pipe-flange, because they can thus be fitted only by using an armature of two semicircular parts fitted on to the two, buttedtogether flanges prior to fastening of the metallic rim.

The above mentioned solutions are outlined, for example, by the following patent descriptions - Nos. 3 363 918 (Italy) and 3 429 592 (USA).

There are also known such solutions where instead of one annular enlargement two or more are used. But with these solutions the rigid cylindrical sections which provide easy mountability can also not be omitted at both ends of the component. This means that a compensating effect outdoing that of the known solution can be achieved only with greater structural lengths.

As can be seen from the aforesaid, there is no solution known at the present level of technical knowledge that can satisfy all the requirements and, at the same time, can achieve an increased compensating effect and easy mountability without increasing the structural length.

The object of the invention is to form such pipe-connecting component of elastic material that eliminates the disadvantages of the known solutions in such a way that it can allow a high compression, or expansion, with a relatively small structural length, and offers an appropriate insulating effect, assuring, in addition, the possibility of easy mountability.

According to the present invention there is provided pipe-connecting component of elastic material, comprising a tubular body made of natural or synthetic rubber reinforced with fibres, the tubular body being formed at each end into a flange for packing between a pipe end flange and a securing ring, and axially inwardly of each end with a radially-outwardly-extending annular formation which permits the securing rings to be snapped into position in engagement with the flanges of the body, and rings of material of strength adequate to meet forces to be anticipated in use of the component, embedded in the body and defining at least one axially-inner section from two axially outer sections extending to the annular formations, the body when relaxed, having its axially-inner section or sections annularly enlarged and its axially-outer sections cylindrical and, when subjected to an internal pressure, being capable of having its axially outer sections annularly enlarged radially and the diameter of its axially inner section or sections correspondingly decreased, radially.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 illustrates a component according to the invention, in cross-sectional view, in operative state; and Figure 2 illustrates the above elastic pipeconnecting component, in cross-sectional view, in operation.

In the drawing, pipe-connecting component comprises a tubular body which contains reinforcing fibres 3 of steel, glass or of synthetic material of strength adequate to meet forces to be anticipated in use of the component, between external and internal natural, or synthetic-rubber layers 2, 4, the reinforcing fibres laying at an angle of less than 55" with the axis of the body. When choosing the material for the external and internal layers 2, 4 naturally, the chemical effect of the flowing medium must also be taken into account. The reinforcing inserts 3 are bent over around end rings 5 to form flanges 1. The internal layer 4 is bent up to the greatest diameter of the flange so that it covers the whole surface and thereby provides a packing.

Rings 6 made of steel, glass or synthetic material of strength adequate to meet forces to be anticipated in use of the component, define a middle annularly-enlarged axial section from two outer cylindricl axial sections of the component (Figure 1). To prevent the possible displacement of the component during the operation after the composition (cambering, vulcanization) the rings 6 may be fitted with flanges 7.

Snap-rings 12 vulcanized on the end of the cylindrical axial sections ensure that, when assembling, fastening rings 8 can be rotated to the appropriate position and maintained later in this position. Reinforcing inserts 13 can be positionted under the snap-rings 12.

During assembly the connecting component of elastic material, is positioned by means of the rings 8 snapped in position between pipe-flanges 9 and each ring 8 is rotated around its axis so that the axes of the borings are in alignment with the axes of borings of the pipe flanges 9 and screws 10 are fitted through the axially-aligned boring, with their heads towards the middle axial section of the component and nuts 11 are tightened on the screws.

Under the effect of internal pressure (Figure 2) the cylindrical axial sections are expanded radially, into annular enlargements.

Instead of having a middle axial section between the two rings 6 as shown, there may be provided two or more axially-inner annularly-enlarged sections defined by three or more rings 6.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A pipe-connecting component of elastic material comprising a tubular body made of natural or synthetic rubber reinforced with fibres, the tubular body being formed at each end into a flange for packing between a pipe end flange and a securing ring, and axially inwardly of each end with radially-outwardly-extending annular formation which permits the securing rings to be snapped into position in engagement with the flanges of the body, and rings of material of strength adequate to meet forces to be anticipated in use of the component, embedded in the body and defining at least one axially inner section from two axiallyouter sections extending to the annular formations, the body, when relaxed, having its axially-inner section or sections annularly enlarged and its axially-outer sections cylindrical and, when subjected to an internal pressure, being capable of having its axially outer sections annularly enlarged radially and the diameter of its axially-inner section or sections correspondingly decreased radially.

2. A pipe-connecting component according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing fibres lie at an angle of less than 55" with the axis of the body.

3. A pipe-connecting component according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. such pipe-connecting component of elastic material that eliminates the disadvantages of the known solutions in such a way that it can allow a high compression, or expansion, with a relatively small structural length, and offers an appropriate insulating effect, assuring, in addition, the possibility of easy mountability. According to the present invention there is provided pipe-connecting component of elastic material, comprising a tubular body made of natural or synthetic rubber reinforced with fibres, the tubular body being formed at each end into a flange for packing between a pipe end flange and a securing ring, and axially inwardly of each end with a radially-outwardly-extending annular formation which permits the securing rings to be snapped into position in engagement with the flanges of the body, and rings of material of strength adequate to meet forces to be anticipated in use of the component, embedded in the body and defining at least one axially-inner section from two axially outer sections extending to the annular formations, the body when relaxed, having its axially-inner section or sections annularly enlarged and its axially-outer sections cylindrical and, when subjected to an internal pressure, being capable of having its axially outer sections annularly enlarged radially and the diameter of its axially inner section or sections correspondingly decreased, radially. An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 illustrates a component according to the invention, in cross-sectional view, in operative state; and Figure 2 illustrates the above elastic pipeconnecting component, in cross-sectional view, in operation. In the drawing, pipe-connecting component comprises a tubular body which contains reinforcing fibres 3 of steel, glass or of synthetic material of strength adequate to meet forces to be anticipated in use of the component, between external and internal natural, or synthetic-rubber layers 2, 4, the reinforcing fibres laying at an angle of less than 55" with the axis of the body. When choosing the material for the external and internal layers 2, 4 naturally, the chemical effect of the flowing medium must also be taken into account. The reinforcing inserts 3 are bent over around end rings 5 to form flanges 1. The internal layer 4 is bent up to the greatest diameter of the flange so that it covers the whole surface and thereby provides a packing. Rings 6 made of steel, glass or synthetic material of strength adequate to meet forces to be anticipated in use of the component, define a middle annularly-enlarged axial section from two outer cylindricl axial sections of the component (Figure 1). To prevent the possible displacement of the component during the operation after the composition (cambering, vulcanization) the rings 6 may be fitted with flanges 7. Snap-rings 12 vulcanized on the end of the cylindrical axial sections ensure that, when assembling, fastening rings 8 can be rotated to the appropriate position and maintained later in this position. Reinforcing inserts 13 can be positionted under the snap-rings 12. During assembly the connecting component of elastic material, is positioned by means of the rings 8 snapped in position between pipe-flanges 9 and each ring 8 is rotated around its axis so that the axes of the borings are in alignment with the axes of borings of the pipe flanges 9 and screws 10 are fitted through the axially-aligned boring, with their heads towards the middle axial section of the component and nuts 11 are tightened on the screws. Under the effect of internal pressure (Figure 2) the cylindrical axial sections are expanded radially, into annular enlargements. Instead of having a middle axial section between the two rings 6 as shown, there may be provided two or more axially-inner annularly-enlarged sections defined by three or more rings 6. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A pipe-connecting component of elastic material comprising a tubular body made of natural or synthetic rubber reinforced with fibres, the tubular body being formed at each end into a flange for packing between a pipe end flange and a securing ring, and axially inwardly of each end with radially-outwardly-extending annular formation which permits the securing rings to be snapped into position in engagement with the flanges of the body, and rings of material of strength adequate to meet forces to be anticipated in use of the component, embedded in the body and defining at least one axially inner section from two axiallyouter sections extending to the annular formations, the body, when relaxed, having its axially-inner section or sections annularly enlarged and its axially-outer sections cylindrical and, when subjected to an internal pressure, being capable of having its axially outer sections annularly enlarged radially and the diameter of its axially-inner section or sections correspondingly decreased radially.

3. A pipe-connecting component according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the

reinforcing fibres are of steel, glass or synthetic material, of strength adequate to meet forces to be anticipated in use of the component.

4. A pipe-connecting component according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the annular formations are vulcanized into the surface of the body.

5. A pipe-connecting component of elastic material, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.