GB2064695A

GB2064695A - Quick-acting coupling

Info

Publication number: GB2064695A
Application number: GB8036419A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: SCHEEPSWERF STAPEL BV
Current assignee: SCHEEPSWERF STAPEL BV
Priority date: 1979-11-29
Filing date: 1980-11-13
Publication date: 1981-06-17
Also published as: ES263217Y; ES263217U; FR2470913B3; FR2470913A1; DE3042230A1; GB2064695B; NL8006075A; BE886153A

Abstract

A quick-acting coupling for two pipeline segments 1, 2 comprises a socket 5 on one segment 1 and a spigot 6 on the other segment 2. On the inside, the socket 5 is conically flared at its free end and is provided with a separate snap ring locking member 12 adjacent to its other end. The forward end of the spigot 6 is bevelled on the outside for centring cooperation with the flared end of the socket. At its other end the spigot is provided with a collar 10 such that, as the spigot and the socket are being coupled, the collar can cooperate with the free end of the socket and possibly with the conically flared portion thereof for further centring the socket and spigot relatively to each other. The spigot is further provided between its collar and its bevelled forward end with means 14 for snapping cooperation with the locking member 12 so as to interlock the socket and spigot. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Quick-acting coupling For the coupling of pipe segments, in particular those used for dredging pipelines, many solutions have been proposed. These have the disadvantage either of a complex construction, or of requiring difficult work under sometimes difficult conditions (such as in heavy seas), or of both. This is especially cogent with modern developments, in which increases in scale are the order of the day.

In Dutch Patent Application 79,03496, there is described a ball joint which meets the disadvantages in question. The object of the present invention is to provide a quick-acting coupling for situations in which the pivoting action of the coupling is not required. This is the case, for example, and especially, with couplings of segments which are flexible in themselves, at any rate comprise a flexible portion. This is also the case, however, in situations in which a plurality of successive, rigid pipe segments can be arranged relatively easily approximately in a straight line relatively to each other, and after the coupling has been completed need not pivot relatively to each other.

According to the present invention, there is provided a quick-acting coupling for coupling two segments of a pipeline, in particular for pumping dredgings, comprising a socket attached to one of the segments and a spigot fitting in said socket and attached to the other segment, characterized in (a) that the portion of the socket adjoining the open end has a conical shape on the inside, while a locking member is attached to the other end of this portion, and the forward piece of the spigot adjoining its open end-its head-having such a shape on the outside that when the spigot is moved into the socket the cooperation of said head with the conical inside of the socket has a centring effect on said spigot and said socket relative to each other, and further the locking member is of such design that when the spigot is moved further into the socket they are ultimately interlocked through cooperation of said locking member with a locking member of the spigot; (b) that furthermore the spigot comprises a collar placed at such a distance from the open end thereof and, on the side proximal to the open end of the spigot being of such shape that when the spigot is moved into the socket the spigot and the socket are further centred relatively to each other through cooperation of said collar with the edge of the socket and possibly with the conical inside of the socket; and (c) that further the locking members of socket and spigot comprise a "snap mechanism" for locking in the end position.

The geometrical ratios of the socket and the spigot are naturally of importance for optimal functioning of the coupling and for a construction that is as favourable as possible from an economic point of view. Preferably the length of the conical portion of the socket, measured along its longitudinal axis, is at least equal to a third, and most preferably at least equal to half the smallest diameter of said conical portion. Furthermore, preferably, the length of the locking member of the socket is less than the length of the conical portion of the socket.

A further feature of importance is the apex angle of the cone whose peripheral surface coincides with the conical inner surface of the socket; this angle ranges preferably between 5 and 30 and most preferably between 10 and 20 .

In a preferred embodiment according to the invention the outside of the head of the spigot, adjacent to its open end, is at least in part bevelled. This bevel may have a straight conical form, but preferably is convexly curved. Alternatively it may be built up from straight pieces which are at an angle to each other (have different conicities), always ensuring, however a generally convex form, as will also be seen from the accompanying drawings.

The same applies to the configuration of the collar on the side proximal to the open end of the spigot which, likewise, is provided, at least in part, with a bevel as just described.

Sealing to prevent for example pumped dredged material from leaking from the pipeline is preferably provided by providing the locking member of the socket with a circumferential recess in which a sealing means is arranged for cooperation with the head of the spigot, referred to above under (a), after coupling of the socket and the spigot.

The snap mechanism advantageously comprises a snap ring of such diameter and thickness that, in its inoperative position, as far as its thickness is concerned, it lies partially within a circumferential recess of the locking member of the socket, and partially outside it, while the head of the locking member of the spigot, referred to above under (a) has a recess forming a barb behind the portion with a convex outside, corresponding to said circumferential recess in the locking member of the socket, the arrangement being such that when the spigot is moved into the socket said head lockingly cooperates with said snap ring.

The two coupled segments can be uncoupled in a simple manner by providing the socket with a recess for the insertion of a tong mechanism (as, for example, described in, and shown in Fig. 2 of, Dutch Patent Application No. 79,03496) for retraction of the snap ring fully within the circumferential groove of the socket by widening the ring.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the collar referred to above sub (b) has a conical enveloping surface such that, when the socket and the spigot are in the coupled condition the greatest diameter of the enveloping surface is slightly less than the diameter of the inner cone of the socket at the place corresponding to the place of this greatest diameter of said enveloping surface, while this enveloping surface makes an angle with the longitudinal axis of the spigot at least equal to the angle which the conical inner surface of the socket makes with the longitudinal axis.

Accordingly, the collar may consist, for example, of a cone frustum of sheet material. A saving of material and cost of operation is obtained, however, by defining the enveloping surface by the diagonal ribs of a plurality of fins arranged on a tubular part of the spigot and extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the spigot.

Some embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the quick-acting coupling according to the presen invention (applied to flexible pipeline segments) in a first centring phase; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the same coupling after coupling; Figure 3 illustrates a different embodiment of the quick-acting coupling according to the present invention, one part being a longitudinal sectional view, and another being an elevational view omitting the flexible end portions of the segments, in the coupled condition; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view, taken on the line IV-IV of Fig. 3.

It is observed that, in connection with the space available, the conical part of the socket is shown shorter in Figs. 1-3 than in the preferred embodiments.

Referring now in particular to Figs. 1 and 2, designated by reference numerals 1 and 2 are flexible portions (for example of rubber or plastics material) of two pipeline segments to be interconnected. The socket is connected trough flange connection 3 to the flexible part 1 of the one segment and the spigot is connected through flange connection 4 to the flexible part 2 of the other segment. The socket is designated by 5 and the spigot by 6.

Designated by 7 is a conical surface on the inside of the socket and by 8 the bevelled surface on the outside of the end of the spigot, adapted to cooperate with conical surface 7 during the initial centring phase.

When the spigot is moved into the socket, in a second phase, the end 9 of socket 5 will come into contact with the bevelled side 11 of collar 10 and during further movement the two members will be centred further through cooperaton of 9 and 11. Such centring is further promoted by the cooperation of the conical surface 7 with the bevelled side 11 of the collar. During this movement surface 8 of spigot 6 will press a snap ring 12 into a slot 13 of socket 5. Ultimately the snap ring 1 2 will snap back into recess 14 of spigot 6, whereby the spigot and the socket are inter locked. A gasket (rubber or plastics) is shown at 15.

Fig. 3 relates to an embodiment in which the spigot comprises a collar formed by a plurality of approximately triangular "fins", the diagonal ribs of which together define an enveloping surface having the form of a frus tum of a cone. This embodiment is in addition suitable for clampingly connecting the seg ments of a pipeline without using flanges and bolts. Fig. 3 and 4 show more details of the locking means than Figs. 1 and 2.

Shown diagrammatically at 101 and 102 are flexible portions of two segments to be interconnected. These are clampingly slipped on tube sections 104 and 105, provided with ridges 103, which sections respectively form part of a spigot 106 and socket 107. Spigot 106 has a locking member 108 cooperating with a locking member 109 of socket 107.

The spigot is further provided with a collar consisting of a ring 110 and six "fins" 111.

The conical portion of the socket is designated by 112, and a reinforcing ring is shown at 11 3. The head end of the locking member of the spigot has a blunt point 114 and is provided with a bevel 115 which makes an angle of 15 with the longitudinal axis and a further bevel 116 which makes an angle of 5" with the longitudinal axis. A circumferential groove in the locking member of spigot 117 is filled with a sealant (neoprene), it being clearly shown how sealing is obtained through cooperation of this sealant and the head end of the locking member of the spigot. A snap ring 118 is prevented from rotation by a stop plate 119 shown in Fig. 3 and in elevational view in Fig. 4, and which has been welded to the body of the locking member of the socket.

The two "open" ends of the snap ring are provided with semi-cylindrical bores 120. The snap ring is further provided with a bevel 121 for cooperation with the head end of the locking member of the spigot when the spigot is moved into the socket. The locking member of the socket is provided with an opening 122 through which grippers (not shown) can be inserted for opening the snap ring for un coupling the spigot and the socket. During this movement, feet of the grippers engage with the semi-cylindrical bores of the snap ring. When the open ends of the snap ring are forced apart, its diameter is increased, owing to which it comes to lie fully within the annular space 123 in the locking member of the socket. It is clear that "barb" 124 of the head end of the locking member of the spigot is then no longer retained. Except for the F place where the grippers are to be inserted for uncoupling, the annular space 123 may be filled with cellular rubber to prevent fouling.

Claims

1. A quick-acting coupling for coupling two segments of a pipeline, in particular for pumping dredgings, comprising a socket attached to one of the segments and a spigot fitting in said socket and attached to the other segment, characterized in (a) that the portion of the socket adjoining the open end has a conical shape on the inside, while a locking member is attached to the other end of this portion, and the forward piece of the spigot adjoining its open end-its head-having such a shape on the outside that when the spigot is moved into the socket the cooperation of said head with the conical inside of the socket has a centring effect on said spigot and said socket relative to each other, and further the locking member is of such design that when the spigot is moved further into the socket they are ultimately interlocked through cooperation of said locking member with a locking member of the spigot; (b) that furthermore the spigot comprises a collar placed at such a distance from the open end thereof and, on the side proximal to the open end of the spigot being of such shape that when the spigot is moved into the socket the spigot and the socket are further centred relatively to each other through cooperation of said collar with the edge of the socket and possibly with the conical inside of the socket; and (c) that further the locking members of socket and spigot comprise a "snap mechanism" for locking in the end position.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, measured along the longitudinal axis, the length of the conical.portion is at least equal to one-third, and preferably at least equal to half the smallest diameter of said conical portion.

3. A device as claimed in either of the preceding claims, characterized in that, measured along the longitudinal axis, the length of the locking member of the socket is less than the length of the conical portion of the socket.

4. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the apex angle of the cone whose peripheral surface coincides with the conical inner surface of the socket ranges between 5 and 30 , and preferably between 10 and 20 .

5. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outside of the head of the spigot, referred to under (a), is of substantially convex shape for cooperation with the conical inside of the socket and with the snap mechanism of the locking member of the socket.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the locking member of the socket is provided on the inside with a circumferential recess for receiving a sealant for sealing cooperation with the head of the spigot, referred to under (a), after the coupling of the socket and the spigot.

7. A device as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the snap mechanism comprises a snap ring of such diameter and thickness that, in its inoperative position, as far as its thickness is concerned, lies partially within a circumferential recess of the locking member of the socket and partially outside it, while the head of the locking member of the spigot, referred to under (a), has a recess behind the portion with a convex outside, corresponding to said circumferential recess in the locking member of the socket, the arrangement being such that when the spigot is moved into the socket said head lockingly cooperates with said snap ring.

8. A device as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the socket has a recess for the insertion of a tool for widening the snap ring to retract said snap ring fully into the circumferential groove of the socket for uncoupling the coupled socket and spigot.

9. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the collar referred to in claim 1, sub (b), has a conical enveloping surface such that in the coupled condition of socket and spigot, the greatest diameter of the enveloping surface is slightly less than the diameter of the inner cone of the socket at the place corresponding to the place of this greatest diameter of said enveloping surface, and said enveloping surface makes an angle with the longitudinal axis of the spigot at least equal to the angle which the conical inner surface of the socket makes with the longitudinal axis.

10. A device as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the enveloping surface of the collar is defined by the diagonal ribs of a plurality of fins arranged on a tubular part of the spigot and extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the spigot.

11. A quick-acting coupling constructed and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 or Figs. 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.