GB2074686A

GB2074686A - Multi line hose or cable connector

Info

Publication number: GB2074686A
Application number: GB8112425A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Gewerkschaft Eisenhutte Westfalia GmbH
Current assignee: Gewerkschaft Eisenhutte Westfalia GmbH
Priority date: 1980-04-24
Filing date: 1981-04-22
Publication date: 1981-11-04
Also published as: FR2481409A1; GB2074686B; DE3015809A1; BE888501A

Abstract

A connector for connecting two lengths of multi-line hydraulic hose comprises first and second sheaths 3 and 4 respectively. The sheaths 3 and 4 form a protective casing which houses a plurality of hydraulic conduits 2. One end portion 14 of the first sheath 3 is connected to one end portion 16 of the second sheath 4. The connection 11 is a rotatable telescopic connection, so that the sheaths 3 and 4 are relatively rotatable through at least 180 DEG . The connector may also be used to house electric cables in place of the conduits 2. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Connector This invention relates to a connector for connecting two lengths of single-line or multi-line hose or cable, and in particular to a connector for connecting two lengths of multi-line hydraulic hose.

Difficulties often arise when connecting two lengths of hose or cable, particularly when the two lengths extend substantially at rightangles to one another. These difficulties are obviously more serious where the lengths of hose or cable each contain a number of lines (for example electric lines or hydraulic or pneumatic conduits). This is because the lines of both lengths have to be attached to the connector, and this necessitates bending the end portions of the hoses or cables. Where the hoses or cables are thick and/or have a large number of lines, the bending of their end portions is difficult and complicated. This is particularly the case for multi-line hydraulic hoses of the type used in underground mining operations, which hoses have thick protective sheaths surrounding relatively large numbers of hydraulic conduits.In particular, problems arise in the regions where a longwall working meets the galleries (or roadways) at the ends thereof. In such a region, a multi-line hose extending along a gallery must be connected to a valve block, which is used to control the hydraulic working appliances of a roof support assembly and/or a winning machine. The valve block controls the working appliances via a multi-line hose extending along the longwall working. In order to save space, the valve block is arranged so that the hose extending along the working is connected to the valve block without its end portion having to be bent. Obviously, this necessitates bending the end portion of the gallery hose, and this gives rise to difficulties owing to the lack of space in the congested region where a longwall working meets its access gallery.

It has been proposed to use a connector having a rigid L-shape, so that both hoses can be attached without bending. This is, however, disadvantageous, because optional connection from either gallery direction is usually required .

The present invention provides a connector for connecting two lengths of single-line or multi-line hose or cable, the connector comprising first and second sheaths, each having first and second end portions, the first end portions of the sheaths being joined together to form a rotatable telescopic connection, and at least one line being housed in the protective casing formed by the sheaths.

With this form of connector, one sheath is rotatable relative to the other (through, for example, 1 80') without deformation of the protective casing defined by the two sheaths, and with the minimum expenditure of force.

The arc of movement can be kept small, and there is no danger of the rotated sheath springing back as is the case with known hose or cable which has to be bent.

Preferably, a plurality of hydraulic conduits constitute said at least one line. Thus, the connector can be used for connecting two multi-line hydraulic hoses.

Advantageously, the rotatable telescopic connection is such that its plane of rotation is substantially at right-angles to the axes of the first end portions of the sheaths. This results in a connector of relatively small size.

Preferably, the rotatable telescopic connection is such that its plane of rotation is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the second end portion of at least one of the sheaths. Where the plane of rotation is substantially at right-angles to both second end portions, the rotational movement will be parallel to the hose or cable and parallel to the floor. Moreover, the individual lines retain their relative positions before and after rotation through 1 80'.

Alternatively, the rotatable telescopic connection is such that its plane of rotation is substantially at right-angles to the longitudinal axis of the second end portion of one of the sheaths. This arrangement is particularly useful where the connector is used to connect a gallery hose to a valve block orientated perpendicular to the face of a longwall working.

Advantageously, the first sheath is provided with an outwardly-extending flange on its first end portion, the first end portion of the second sheath surrounding said flange. Preferably, said flange is secured within the first end portion of the second sheath between a shoulder formed within the first end portion of the second sheath and a locking ring held within a groove formed within the first end portion of the second sheath. The shoulder and the groove formed within the first end portion of the second sheath may be spaced apart sufficiently to permit said flange to have a predetermined degree of play. This form of rotatable telescopic connection is cheap and guarantees easy rotation.

Preferably, the two end portions of each sheath are substantially mutually perpendicular, and the central region of each sheath is of reduced cross-section when compared with the cross-sections of the end portions of that sheath. This formation enables the height of the connector to be kept to a minimum.

The second end portion of each sheath may be attached to a respective coupling device, the coupling devices being effective to couple the connector to two single-line or multi-line hoses or cables. Advantageously, one of the coupling devices is a male coupling device, and the other coupling device is a female coupling device. It is possible to arrange two or more connectors together, in end-to-end relationship, using these coupling devices.

This permits rotation in more than one plane.

Advantageously, each coupling device has a casing which houses a plurality of plug pins, each of the plug pins being attached to a respective one of the hydraulic conduits, the plug pins of each coupling device being held fast within the casing of that device by means of at least one retaining member.

Preferably, the casing of one of the coupling devices is provided with an axial extension piece, the axial extension piece being provided with a plurality of bores each of which is aligned with a respective plug pin, the plug pins of said one coupling device engaging within the internal ends of said bores, the external ends of said bores being engageable around the plug pins of a complementary coupling device to be attached to said one coupling device. With this arrangement, the plug pins of the complementary coupling device can be the same size as the plug pins of said one coupling device, so that the complementary coupling device can be the same size as said one coupling device.

Previously, the plug pins of the complementary coupling device had to be large enough to engage around the plug pins of the known type of connector, so that the complementary coupling device was itself much larger.

Conveniently, said one coupling device is a male coupling device, in which case the axial extension piece is provided with an external screw thread for engagement with a complementary internal screw thread of a female coupling device to be connected thereto. The axial extension piece may be formed integrally within the casing of said one coupling device.

Advantageously, each of said bores is provided with a widened portion at each end, and wherein gaskets are fitted in said widened portions, the gaskets serving to seal against the associated plug pins. Preferably, a respective gasket retention member is provided at each end of the axial extension piece, each gasket retention member being provided with a plurality of apertures aligned with the bores in the axial extension piece, said apertures being of slightly greater diameter than the associated plug pins. The gasket retention members prevent the gaskets from falling out of said widened portions. In order to prevent radial displacement of the gasket retention members, each may be provided with a central axial projection, the central axial projections extending towards one another and engaging in corresponding recesses formed in the axial extension piece.Conveniently, the gasket retention members are connected together by a central screw-threaded member, the screw-threaded member extending through the external gasket retention member, through a transverse wall positioned between the two gasket retention members and forming part of the axial extension piece, and engaging with a complementary threaded bore in the internal gasket retention member.

Said one coupling device may be provided with an alignment pin which is parallel to, and off-set from, the central longitudinal axis of said one coupling device, the alignment pin engaging within apertures in the gasket retention members and said transverse wall. The alignment pin thus aligns the two gasket retention members, and hence ensures alignment of the two associated sets of plug pins.

Preferably, each coupling device is provided with an alignment rod which is parallel to, and off-set from, the central longitudinal axis of that coupling device. The alignment rod of said one coupling device may be aligned with a bore formed in the axial extension piece and in the gasket retention members, the alignment rod engaging within the internal - end of said bore, the external end of said bore being engageable with an alignment rod of a complementary coupling device to be connected to said one coupling device; and the alignment rod of the other coupling device may be engageable, in use, within an aperture formed within the retaining member of a complementary coupling device to be attached to said other coupling device, whereby the plug pins of said other coupling device are aligned with complementary plug pins of the complementary device.

The invention also provides a hydraulic coupling device having a casing which houses a plurality of plug pins, each of the plug pins being attachable to a respective hydraulic conduit of a multi-line hose, the plug pins of the coupling device being held fast within the casing by retaining means, wherein the casing of the coupling device is provided with an axial extension piece, the axial extension piece being provided with a plurality of bores each of which is aligned with a respective plug pin, the plug pins engaging within the internal ends of said bores, the external ends of said bores being engageable around the plug pins of a complementary coupling device to be attached to said coupling device. This form of coupling device can be connected directly to a complementary coupling device of the same size, as the plug pins of the two devices can be of the same diameter.

Two forms of connector, each of which is constructed in accordance with the invention, will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of the first form of connector; Figure 2 is a cross-section taken on the line ll-ll of Fig. 1; and Figure 3 is a cross-section, similar to that of Fig. 2, of the second form of connector.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a connector, indicated generally by the refer ence numeral 1, for connecting two lengths of multi-line hose (not shown), each of which is constituted by a plurality of hydraulic conduits bunched together within a protective sheathlike casing. The connector 1 has a plurality of hydraulic conduits 2 (see Fig. 2), which are connectible to the hydraulic conduits of the two multi-line hoses, the hydraulic conduits being protected by two inter-connected sheaths 3 and 4. A male hydraulic coupling device 5 is provided at the free end of the sheath 3, and a female hydraulic coupling device 6 is provided at the free end of the sheath 4.

The male hydraulic coupling device 5 is connected to a complementary female hydraulic coupling device (not shown) provided at the end of one of the multi-line hoses, and the female hydraulic coupling device 6 is connected to a male hydraulic coupling device 8 provided at the end of the other multi-line hose. Said one multi-line hose extends along a mine gallery (not shown), as indicated by the double-headed arrow 7, whereas said other multi-line hose extends along a longwall working (not shown). The male hydraulic coupling device 8 is connected to said other multi-line hose via a valve block 9, which can be attached, for example, to the roof shield of a mine roof support unit (not shown) provided in the longwall working. The sheath 3 is telescopically and rotatably connected, at 11, to the sheath 4.The rotatable telescopic connection 11 is such as to permit the sheath 3 to rotate through an angle wof 180 , in a plane parallel to the floor, so that said one multi-line hose can be connected to the hydraulic coupling device 5 from either side.

As shown in Fig. 2, the two sheaths 3 and 4 are each shaped like a squashed question mark, that is to say each sheath 3,4 has a mouth 1 2,1 3 respectively which lies substantially at right-angles to the axis of the associ ated coupling device 5,6. Moreover, by reducing the cross-section of each sheath 3,4 in the central region thereof, the maximum height b of the connector 1 is substantially the same as the external diameter d of the coupling devices 5 and 6. This formation of the sheaths 3 and 4 also results in the telescopic connection 11 being positioned substantially equidistant from the two coupling devices 5 and 6.

The mouths 12 and 13 respectively of the sheaths 3 and 4 are defined by the end portions 14 and 1 6 of the sheaths, the two end portions being rotatably interconnected so as to form the rotatable telescopic connection 11. This is achieved by forming an outwardlyextending flange 15 at the end of the end portion 14, and by holding the flange within the end portion 16. The flange 15 is held, so as to permit a limited degree of movement between a shoulder defined by the end portion 16 and a locking ring 18 held in a groove 17 formed within the end porton 16.

Thus, the mouths 12 and 13 are concentric, and define the axis 19 of the rotatable telescopic connection 11; and the connection 11 is such that the plane of rotation is parallel to the axes 20 of the coupling devices 5 and 6.

The ends of the sheaths 3 and 4 remote from the rotatable telescopic connection 11 are each provided with an outwardly-extending flange 21. Each end of each conduit 2 is connected to a respective male plug pin 22 housed within the associated coupling device 5 or 6, the plug pins being press-fitted onto the ends of the conduits. The plug pins 22 associated with each coupling device 5 or 6 are held in position, by a respective pair of retaining discs 23 and 24, within a csing 25 or 26 respectively. The two retaining discs 23 and 24 of each coupling device 5 or 6 are screwed together, with the disc 23 lying against the flange 21 of the associated sheath 3 or 4. The discs 23 have the same external diameter as their associated flanges 21.The disc 23 and the flange 21 of each coupling device 5 or 6 are held, so as to permit a limited degree of axial play, within the respective casing 25 or 26, between a respective internal shoulder 27 and a respective locking ring 28. The casing 26 is provided with an internal screw thread 29 for engagement with a complementary screw thread (not shown) formed on the male hydraulic coupling device 8. The coupling device 6 is, therefore, a female coupling device. Similarly, the casing 25 carries an external screw thread 32 on an extension piece 31, so that the coupling device 5 constitutes a male coupling device. A female coupling device of a multi-line hose, or the coupling device 6 of a further connector 1, could be attached to the male coupling device 5.

The extension piece 31 of the casing 25 is provided with a plurality of bores 33, each of which is aligned with a respective plug pin 22 of the coupling device 5. The plug pins 22 engage within the interior ends of the bores 33, and the plug pins (not shown) of a complementary female coupling device are engageable within the exterior ends of the bores. The plug pins (such as the plug pins 22) are sealed with respect to the internal walls 38 of their bores 33 by means of gaskets 37 seated in widened bore portions 36 formed at the mouths of the bores 33.

In order to secure the gaskets 37 in position in their widened bore portions 36, retention members 41 and 39 are provided respectively at the internal and external ends 34 and 35 of the extension piece 31. The retention members 39 and 41 are provided with bores 42 which are aligned with the bores 33. The plug pins (such as the plug pins 22) pass through these bores 42 with a predetermined degree of play. The retention members 39 and 41 are formed with respective cylindrical projections 43 and 44 which engage with internal cylindrical walls 45 and 46 respectively of the extension piece 31. An alignment pin 47, which passes through appropriately positioned bores in the retention members 39 and 41 and in a transverse wall 48 of the extension piece 31, is provided to align the bores 42 with the bores 33.The transverse wall 48 passes between, and is spaced slightly away from, the adjacent end faces of the projections 43 and 44.

Each of the coupling devices 5 and 6 is provided with an alignment pin 49 for ensuring alignment of the plug pins 22 with the plug pins of the complementary coupling device. Each alignment pin 49 is secured to the associated retaining discs 23 and 24 in the same manner as the plug pins 22. The alignment pin 49 associated with the coupling device 5 cooperates with a bore 51 which passes through the extension piece 31 and the retention members 39 and 41. The bore 51 also accommodates, in use, a similar alignment pin of the attached female coupling device.

The retention members 39 and 41 are held in place by means of a screw-threaded member 52, which passes through the retention member 39 and the transverse wall 48 and engages with a threaded bore 53 in the retention member 41.

Fig. 3 shows a second form of connector 57, which is similar to that of Figs. 1 and 2 in that it has a rotatable telescopic connection 61 formed between two interconnected protective sheaths 58 and 59 which house a plurality of hydraulic conduits 71. In this embodiment, however, the axis of the sheath 59 is coincident with the axis 64 of the rotatable telescopic connection (compare the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2 where the axes of both sheets 3 and 4 are at right-angles to the axis 19 of the rotatable telescopic connection 11). Thus, the connector 57 can be attached to a hydraulic coupling device 54 which extends at right-angles to a longwall face (not shown, but the longitudinal direction of the longwall working is indicated by the double-headed arrow 56). As with the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2, this coupling device 54 is attached to a valve block 55.

A male hydraulic coupling device 67 is provided at the free end of the sheath 58, and a female hydraulic coupling device 68 is provided at the free end of the sheath 59, the coupling device 68 being attached to the male coupling device 54. Because of the configuration of the sheaths 58 and 59, the axes of the coupling devices 67 and 68 are always at right-angles to one another. Moreover, only the axis 69 of the coupling devide 67 is parallel to the plane E of rotation of the rotatable telescopic connection 61.

in both forms of connector, however, it will be appreciated that it is possible to rotate the coupling device 5 or 67 in a plane parallel to the floor of the working, without altering the positions of the hydraulic conduits 2 or 71, that is to say the conduit 2 or 71 which was uppermost before the rotational movement is uppermost after the rotational movement.

It is also possible to connect the coupling device 6 of the connector 1 of Figs. 1 and 2 to the coupling device 54 of the embodiment of Fig. 3, or to connect the coupling device 68 of the connector 57 of Fig. 3 to the coupling device 8 of the embodiment of Figs.

1 and 2. In such cases, however, the coupling devices 5 and 67 would be rotatable in a plane perpendicular to the longwall face, so that the relative positions of the conduits 2 and 71 would change during rotation.

It will be apparent that the connectors described above could also be used to connect two lengths of multi-line electric cable, two lengths of multi-line pneumatic hose, or indeed two lengths of single-line electric cable or hydraulic or pneumatic hose.

Claims

1. A connector for connecting two lengths of single-line or multi-line hose or cable, the connector comprising first and second sheaths, each having first and second end portions, the first end portions of the sheaths being joined together to form a rotatable telescopic connection, and at least one line being housed in the protective casing formed by the sheaths.

2. A connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of hydraulic conduits constitute said at least one line.

3. A connector as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the rotatable telescopic connection is such that its plane of rotation is substantially at right-angles to the axes of the first end portions of the sheaths.

4. A connector as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the rotatable telescopic connection is such that its plane of rotation is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the second end portion of at least one of the sheaths.

5 A connector as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the rotatable telescopic connection is such that its plane of rotation is substantially at right-angles to the longitudinal axis of the second end porton of one of the sheaths.

6. A connector as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first sheath is provided with an outwardly-extending flange on its first end portion, the first end portion of the second sheath surrounding said flange.

7. A connector as claimed in claim 6, wherein said flange is secured within the first end portion of the second sheath between a shoulder formed within the first end portion of the second sheath and a locking ring held within a groove formed within the first end portion of the second sheath.

8. A connector as claimed in claim 7, wherein the shoulder and the groove formed within the first end portion of the second sheath are spaced apart sufficiently to permit said flange to have a predetermined degree of play.

9. A connector as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the two end portions of each sheath are substantially mutually perpendicular, and the central region of each sheath is of reduced cross-section when compared with the cross-sections of the end portions of that sheath.

10. A connector as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the second end portion of each sheath is attached to a respective coupling device, the coupling devices being effective to couple the connector to two single-line or multi-line hoses or cables.

11. A connector as claimed in claim 10, wherein one of the coupling devices is a male coupling device, and the other coupling device is female coupling device.

12. A connector as claimed in claim 10 or claim 11, when appendant to claim 2, wherein each coupling device has a casing which houses a plurality of plug pins, each of the plug pins being attached to a respective one of the hydraulic conduits, the plug pins of each coupling device being held fast within the casing of that device by means of at least one retaining member.

13. A connector as claimed in claim 12, wherein the casing of one of the coupling devices is provided with an axial extension piece, the axial extension piece being provided with a plurality of bores each of which is aligned with a respective plug pin, the plug pins of said one coupling device engaging within the internal ends of said bores, the external ends of said bores being engageable around the plug pins of a complementary coupling device to be attached to said one coupling device.

14. A connector as claimed in claim 13, wherein said one coupling device is a male coupling device, and wherein the axial extension piece is provided with an external screw thread for engagement with a complementary internal screw thread of a female coupling device to be connected thereto.

15. A connector as claimed in claim 13 or claim 14, wherein said axial extension piece is formed integrally with the casing of said one coupling device.

16. A connector as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein each of said bores is provided with a widened portion at each end, and wherein gaskets are fitted in said widened portions, the gaskets serving to seal against the associated plug pins.

17. A connector as claimed in claim 16, wherein a respective gasket retention member is provided at each end of the axial extension piece, each gasket retention member being provided with a plurality of apertures aligned with the bores in the axial extension piece, said apertures being of slightly greater diameter than the associated plug pins.

18. A connector as claimed in claim 17, wherein each of the gasket retention members is provided with a central axial projection, the central axial projections extending towards one another and engaging in corresponding recesses formed in the axial extension piece.

19. A connector as claimed in claim 17 or claim 18, wherein the gasket retention members are connected together by a central screw-threaded member, the screw-threaded member extending through the external gasket retention member, through a transverse wall positioned between the two gasket retention members and forming part of the axial extension piece, and engaging with a complementary threaded bore in the internal gasket retention member.

20. A connector as claimed in claim 19, wherein said one coupling device is provided with an alignment pin which is parallel to, and off-set from, the central longitudinal axis of said one coupling device, the alignment pin engaging within apertures in the gasket retention members and said transverse wall.

21. A connector as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 20, wherein each coupling device is provided with an alignment rod which is parallel to, and off-set from, each central longitudinal axis of that coupling device.

22. A connector as claimed in claim 21 when appendant to claim 17, wherein the alignment rod of said one coupling device is aligned with a bore formed in the axial extension piece and in the gasket retention members, the alignment rod engaging within the internal end of said bore, the external end of said bore being engageable with an alignment rod of a complementary coupling device to be connected to said one coupling device.

23. A connector as claimed in claim 22, wherein the alignment rod of the other coupling device is engageable, in use, within an aperture formed within the retaining member of a complementary coupling device to be attached to said other coupling device, whereby the plug pins of said other coupling device are aligned with complementary plug pins of the complementary device.

24. A connector substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated by, the accompanying drawings.

25. A hydraulic coupling device having a casing which houses a plurality of plug pins, each of the plug pins being attachable to a respective hydraulic conduit of a multi-line hose, the plug pins of the coupling device being held fast within the casing by retaining means, wherein the casing of the coupling device is provided with an axial extension piece, the axial extension piece being provided with a plurality of bores each of which is aligned with a respective plug pin, the plug pins engaging within the internal ends of said bores, the external ends of said bores being engageable around the plug pins of a complementary coupling device to the attached to said coupling device.