GB2069648A

GB2069648A - Take-off device for tapping pipelines

Info

Publication number: GB2069648A
Application number: GB8021201A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: CICCOLALLO G
Current assignee: CICCOLALLO G
Priority date: 1980-02-14
Filing date: 1980-06-27
Publication date: 1981-08-26
Also published as: FR2476267B1; BE883551A; GB2069648B; IT8012441A0; FR2476267A1; IT1136124B

Abstract

This invention relates to a fluid take off device for tapping fluid from pipelines and comprising a two-part sleeve 12 fitted around the tube from which fluid is to be tapped and a valve 7 to be screwed on the sleeve and fitted with a hollow piercing bit. The packing 9 between valve and sleeve is placed in an annular recess interrupting the thread 5 in the valve section bearing the piercing bit, whereas the sleeve-half 1 is designed so that the corresponding thread 4 on which the valve is threaded is interrupted at the outer end so as to leave a length having a cylindrical surface so that the packing will act as a seal between the two cylindrical surfaces even when adjusting the valve by rotation to its most favourable position, without loss of the seal. In order to ensure a stable positioning of the valve, a nut 11 is screwed on to the thread of the valve and this nut is tightened against the sleeve half 1 after adjustment of the valve position. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to fluid take off devices with piercing means for tapping fluid from pipelines Fluid take off devices fitted with piercing means for tapping the fluid from already installed and operating pipelines are already known.

The known devices for example, according to Italian patents No. 997.303 and No.

12763 A/77, each consist of a suspended or wall-mounted two-part sleeve, on one part of which is threaded a valve equipped with a hollow piercing bit. When the valve is threaded on the sleeve part appropriately, the bit will pierce the pipe thus automatically creating a branch connection to the pipeline without spilling any fluid or interrupting the fluid flow in the pipeline from which the branch is to be taken.

These well tested known devices can be used even by non-technicians, but they have the drawback that the valve, especially if it has a handwheel, which it usually has, will not always be in the most favourable position for easy operation since the seal between sleeve part and valve is achieved by a gasket placed in a seating on the end surface of a threaded sleeve action of the sleeve part and into which the valve is screwed. If the valve is tightened until the correct pressure is applied on the packing and the handwheel is not in the correct position, it will be difficult to obtain the desired positioning of the hand wheel without loosening or damaging the seal. It would of course be possible to replace the packing with one of a different thickness but in this case it would be necessary to stop the fluid flow in the piping into which the branch connection has been made.

The invention has an object of providing a fluid take off device which is constructed in such a way as to allow for permanent positioing of the valve without leakage whilst enabling positioning of the valve in the desired orientation.

According to the invention there is provided a fluid take off device for tapping fluid from already installed and operating pipelines, comprising a sleeve portion for fitting around the pipeline where the take off connection is to be made, a valve portion having a piercing means adapted to penetrate the pipeline and make the connection when the valve portion is screwed to the sleeve portion, the threads enabling said screwed connection being interrupted in the sleeve portion or valve portion to receive a sealing ring which engages#a, cylindrical region on the other of said portions when screwed together, the said cylindrical region being of such length to permit relative angular adjustment of the said portions without loss of the sealing effect provided by said seal.

The invention permits suitable orientation of the valve i.e. it can be tightened or loosened according to need, the perfect seal being always ensured by the annular sealing member located between the two cylindrical surfaces, which can move axially with respect to each other; as soon as the desired valve position is reached, the valve can be locked stably by tightening the nut against the sleeve.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:~ Figure 1 shows a side view of the valve and hollow piercing bit portion of the device; Figure 2 shows a side view of the upper sleeve-half of the sleeve portion of the device; Figure 3 shows a vertical section of the upper sleeve half shown in Fig. 2; Figure 4 shows a side and half sectional view of the valve locking nut of the device; Figure 5 shows a side and half sectional view of the sealing ring which locates between the valve and sleeve portions; Figure 6 shows a side and port sectional view of one embodiment of the device adapted to be suspended from the pipeline; and Figure 7 shows a side and part sectional view of another embodiment of the device which is adapted to be wall-mounted.

With reference to the figures, the fluid take off device consists, as is well known, of a sleeve portion formed by two couplable sleeve halves 1 and 2 which can be coupled by screws, to position the sleeve portion around the pipe 3 to which a branch connection is to be made. The sleeve portion may be adapted as is well known, so that it is suspendable from the pipeline (Fig. 6) or for wall-mounting (Fig. 7).

The upper part of the sleeve-half 1 has a sleeve portion having a threaded bore 4 onto which a threaded socket 5 of the valve portion 7 is screwed. The socket 5 carries the piercing bit 6. According to this invention, the thread of socket 5 of the valve portion is interrupted by a recess 8 apt to receive a sealing ring in the form of toroid shaped gasket 9, whereas the thread of bore 4 of the upper sleeve half is interrupted at the top as shown by reference 10. In the assembled device, the sealing action of the packing 9 is effective over the entire height of the cylindrical region 10 of the coupling half, so that there will be no fluid leakage when tightening or loosening the valve by an amount represented by the said height of region 10, takes place.The could not be achieved if the packing were placed on the upper end surface of the sleeve-half 1 and pressed axially by the valve portion which would require to be completely tightened.

Furthermore, according to this invention, a nut 11 is screwed onto the socket 5 of the valve portion in order to lock the valve portion in the desired position and this is achieved when nut 11 is tightened against the upper edge of the sleeve-half 1.

The procedure for fitting the device to a pipeline will now be described. First of all, the nut 11 is completely screwed down onto the socket 5 of the valve portion and the packing 9 is placed in the recess 8. The valve portion is then screwed with the valve thereof closed into the bore 4 of the sleeve-half 1, the packing 12 having been placed between the pipe and piercing bit and the shimming 13.

having been placed as shown so that it will be possible to use the same device for pipes having different diameters. When the valve portion is tightened. the piercig bit will perforate the pipe thus creating a branch connection, whereas the packing 9 penetrates in the cylindrical section 10 thus ensuring a perfect seal along this section against seepages from the gasket 12. Total tightening of the valve portion will make it, however, difficult to place the hand wheel on the valve in a favourable position so that the valve portion has to be slightly loosened to achieve the most suitable position of the hand-wheel. Locking of the valve portion in this position can be easily achieved by tightening the nut 11 against the sleeve half 1.

Obviously, the invention herein described for exemplication but not limitative purposes may be subject to variations and adjustments based upon the large number of take off devices currently on the market, and for easy replacement of components by similar items having the same scope and remaining within the following claims.

Claims

1. A fluid take off device for tapping fluid from already installed and operating pipelines, comprising a sleeve portion for fitting around the pipeline where the take off connection is to be made. a valve portion having a piercing means adapted to penetrate the pipeline and make the connection when the valve portion is screwed to the sleeve portion, the threads enabling said screwed connection being interrupted in the sleeve portion or valve portion to receive a sealing ring which engages a cylindrical region on the other of said portions when screwed together, the said cylindrical region being of such length to permit relative angular adjustment of the said portions without loss of the sealing effect provided by said seal.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the valve portion has a threaded socket and the sleeve portion has a threaded bore by which the portions are screwed together, the thread on the plug being interrupted to receive the sealing ring.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein a locking nut is threaded onto the socket, which nut can be screwed against the sleeve to lock the valve in any position to which it is adjusted.

4. Fluid take of device for tapping fluid from already installed and operating pipelines comprising a two-component sleeve which is for fitting around the pipe to be tapped and which is assemblable by screws, one part of which has an internal thread the device further including a valve with a threaded socket to be screwed in the internal thread of the said sleeve part, the valve being equipped with a hollow piercing bit apt to pierce the tube during installation of the valve on the sleeve, characterised in that the said inner thread of the sleeve half is interrupted at the upper part so as to create a cylindrical surface section, whereas there is a recess in the threaded socket of the valve and in that a torodial packing is placed in the said recess, and a nut is screwed onto the socket of the valve, so that after screwing down the valve on the sleeve, and having pierced the pipe to be branched off, the valve can be positioned according to need, always ensuring a perfect seal by means of the toroidal gasket since the valve can be stably positioned by tightening the nut against the sleeve-half.

5. A fluid take off device for tapping fluid from already installed and operating pipelines, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.