GB2131112A

GB2131112A - Rotary joint

Info

Publication number: GB2131112A
Application number: GB08330223A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Daniel George Stoker
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-11-22
Filing date: 1983-11-11
Publication date: 1984-06-13
Also published as: GB8330223D0

Abstract

A rotary joint for passing fluid in a high pressure supply system comprises a stationary housing 1 having a fluid inlet 2 to a central bore 4 with screwed end caps 5 which are provided with bearings 7 for a spindle 9. This spindle is provided with fluid passageways 10 and 11 connecting the bore 4 to an outlet 12 at one end for the reception of tools, and the other end 14 is provided with a hexagonal extension for the connection of a drive coupling. A retaining circlip 15 is provided at that end of the spindle to locate it endwise. Sealing members are provided in the bore 4 comprising U shaped sealing rings 16 and abutting O rings 17 housed in bronze rings 18 which are located on each side of the port 11 between circlips 19 and the inner ends of the screwed end caps 5. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION High pressure rotary joint This invention relates to a rotary joint for use in a fluid or gas supply system for passing fluid or gas under high pressure between a stationary part and rotating parts of the joint, for example when supplying water to jets at a pressure of 12,000 Ibs per square inch or more for cutting and/or cleaning pipelines.

Such joints have presented considerable problems in withstanding high pressures by causing bursting to occur between the parts of the joints at 10,000 Ibs per square inch, or less, and the object of the present invention is to provide a rotary joint which will substantially overcome these problems.

It is known to provide a rotary joint for transferring fluid between stationary and rotating parts, in which the rotating part is mounted on ball bearings in the stationary part and passageways are provided between these parts, including a leakage path, so that excess fluid can be fed away to a drain line.

In the case of a joint according to the present invention, the use of ball bearings and a leakage path are eliminated.

According to the present invention there is provided a rotary joint for passing fluid or gas under high pressure between a stationary part and rotatable parts of the joint in which a stationary body portion is provided with a central bore, an inlet port leading to the bore, two end portions attached to the body portion, each having a bearing for a rotatable member provided with a longitudinal passage having at least one transverse outlet to the bore of the body position and an outlet port at the end of said member outside the body portion, retaining means being provided on the rotatable member to prevent its endwise movement in the body portion, and sealing means are provided in the bore of the stationary portion on each side of the transverse outlet in the rotatable member to seal the space around the said inlet port.

By way of example, the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of a high pressure rotary joint according to the invention.

Figure 2 is an end view of the joint shown in Fig. 1 viewed in the direction of arrow A.

Figure 3 is an end view of the joint shown in Fig. 1 viewed in the direction of arrow B, and Figure 4 is a side elevation of two rotary joints according to the invention connected in tandem.

As shown in Fig. 1, the joint comprises a stationary cylindrical housing 1 with an inlet port 2 in one side connected by a passage 3 to a central bore 4. The ends of bore 4 are each closed by bronze end caps 5 provided with reduced screwed portions 6 and central bores 7, the screwed portions engaging threaded recesses 8 in the ends of the housing 1 passing through the bores 7 of the end caps 5 with a close fit is a spindle 9 provided with a central passage 10, transverse ports 11 connecting the passage 10 with the bore 4, in line with the passage 3, and an outlet port 12 provided in the end of an enlarged portion 13 of the spindle 9. The other end 14 of the spindle extends through the end cap 5 at that end of the housing 1 and is retained in position by a circlip 15.This end of the spindle is partly hexagonal in shape for the reception of a drive coupling (not shown) which can be used to rotate the spindle. The outlet port 12 is threaded internally for the reception of various tools which can be fitted to the spindle. These tools may be a pipeline descaler or a cutting tool for removing intruding pipe connections.

Arranged in the bore 4 between the end caps 5 and on each side of the ports 11 are abutting U shaped sealing rings 15 and seals comprising 0 rings 17 housed in bronze rings 18, all of which are retained in position by circlips 19.

In use, fluid under pressure is fed to the inlet port 2 by a hydraulic hose (not shown) and passes through the port 11 and passage 10 to the outlet port 12 which can be fitted with various tools as mentioned above so that the joint can be supported inside a pipe and supplied with a controlled amount of fluid from a remote position.

Fig. 4 shows an arrangement in which two rotary joints 20 and 21 are connected in tandem so that the drive member 22 of joint 21 is arranged at right angles to the tool receiving end 23 of joint 20. The joints are connected by a screwed connector 24 which connects the outlet 25 of joint 21 to the inlet 26 of joint 20, and fluid under pressure is fed to the inlet 27 of joint 21 to drive the tool receiving member 23. By arranging the joints in this matter, a manifold 28 can be fitted to the end 23 and it can work in a vertical plane and be fitted with one, two or more fluid outlets.

1. A rotary joint for passing fluid or gas under high pressure between a stationary part and rotatable parts of the joint in which a stationary body portion is provided with a central bore, an inlet port leading to the bore, two end portions attached to the body portion, each having a bearing for a rotatable member provided with a longitudinal passage having at least one transverse outlet to the bore of the body portion and an outlet port at the end of said member outside the body portion, retaining means being provided on the rotatable member to prevent its endwise

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION High pressure rotary joint This invention relates to a rotary joint for use in a fluid or gas supply system for passing fluid or gas under high pressure between a stationary part and rotating parts of the joint, for example when supplying water to jets at a pressure of 12,000 Ibs per square inch or more for cutting and/or cleaning pipelines. Such joints have presented considerable problems in withstanding high pressures by causing bursting to occur between the parts of the joints at 10,000 Ibs per square inch, or less, and the object of the present invention is to provide a rotary joint which will substantially overcome these problems. It is known to provide a rotary joint for transferring fluid between stationary and rotating parts, in which the rotating part is mounted on ball bearings in the stationary part and passageways are provided between these parts, including a leakage path, so that excess fluid can be fed away to a drain line. In the case of a joint according to the present invention, the use of ball bearings and a leakage path are eliminated. According to the present invention there is provided a rotary joint for passing fluid or gas under high pressure between a stationary part and rotatable parts of the joint in which a stationary body portion is provided with a central bore, an inlet port leading to the bore, two end portions attached to the body portion, each having a bearing for a rotatable member provided with a longitudinal passage having at least one transverse outlet to the bore of the body position and an outlet port at the end of said member outside the body portion, retaining means being provided on the rotatable member to prevent its endwise movement in the body portion, and sealing means are provided in the bore of the stationary portion on each side of the transverse outlet in the rotatable member to seal the space around the said inlet port. By way of example, the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of a high pressure rotary joint according to the invention. Figure 2 is an end view of the joint shown in Fig. 1 viewed in the direction of arrow A. Figure 3 is an end view of the joint shown in Fig. 1 viewed in the direction of arrow B, and Figure 4 is a side elevation of two rotary joints according to the invention connected in tandem. As shown in Fig. 1, the joint comprises a stationary cylindrical housing 1 with an inlet port 2 in one side connected by a passage 3 to a central bore 4. The ends of bore 4 are each closed by bronze end caps 5 provided with reduced screwed portions 6 and central bores 7, the screwed portions engaging threaded recesses 8 in the ends of the housing 1 passing through the bores 7 of the end caps 5 with a close fit is a spindle 9 provided with a central passage 10, transverse ports 11 connecting the passage 10 with the bore 4, in line with the passage 3, and an outlet port 12 provided in the end of an enlarged portion 13 of the spindle 9. The other end 14 of the spindle extends through the end cap 5 at that end of the housing 1 and is retained in position by a circlip 15.This end of the spindle is partly hexagonal in shape for the reception of a drive coupling (not shown) which can be used to rotate the spindle. The outlet port 12 is threaded internally for the reception of various tools which can be fitted to the spindle. These tools may be a pipeline descaler or a cutting tool for removing intruding pipe connections. Arranged in the bore 4 between the end caps 5 and on each side of the ports 11 are abutting U shaped sealing rings 15 and seals comprising 0 rings 17 housed in bronze rings 18, all of which are retained in position by circlips 19. In use, fluid under pressure is fed to the inlet port 2 by a hydraulic hose (not shown) and passes through the port 11 and passage 10 to the outlet port 12 which can be fitted with various tools as mentioned above so that the joint can be supported inside a pipe and supplied with a controlled amount of fluid from a remote position. Fig. 4 shows an arrangement in which two rotary joints 20 and 21 are connected in tandem so that the drive member 22 of joint 21 is arranged at right angles to the tool receiving end 23 of joint 20. The joints are connected by a screwed connector 24 which connects the outlet 25 of joint 21 to the inlet 26 of joint 20, and fluid under pressure is fed to the inlet 27 of joint 21 to drive the tool receiving member 23. By arranging the joints in this matter, a manifold 28 can be fitted to the end 23 and it can work in a vertical plane and be fitted with one, two or more fluid outlets. CLAIMS

1. A rotary joint for passing fluid or gas under high pressure between a stationary part and rotatable parts of the joint in which a stationary body portion is provided with a central bore, an inlet port leading to the bore, two end portions attached to the body portion, each having a bearing for a rotatable member provided with a longitudinal passage having at least one transverse outlet to the bore of the body portion and an outlet port at the end of said member outside the body portion, retaining means being provided on the rotatable member to prevent its endwise movement in the body portion, and sealing means are provided in the bore of the stationary portion on each side of the transverse outlet in the rotatable member to seal the space around the said inlet port.

2. A rotary joint according to Claim 1 in which the stationary body portion comprises a cylindrical housing, the rotatable member is a spindle, and the end portions comprise two end caps screwed into said housing.

3. A rotary joint according to Claim 2 in which the two end caps each comprise a bronze bearing member.

4. A rotary joint according to any of the preceding claims in which the sealing means provided on each side of the transverse outlet in the rotatable member comprise a pair of abutting sealing rings arranged between a retaining ring and the inner end of the adjacent end portion of the body.

5. A rotary joint according to Claim 4 in which the sealing rings comprise a U section pliable ring abutting a pliable 0 ring housed in a bronze sealing ring, with 125 the U section ring arranged adjacent to the retaining ring and the bronze ring adjacent to the end portion of the body.

6. A combination of two rotary joints each made in accordance with any of Claims 1 to 5, in which the axes of the rotatable members intersect each other with the inlet port of the first joint being connectable to a fluid pressure supply and the outlet port of the rotatable member of this joint is conected by a screwed connector to the inlet port of the stationary member of the second joint.

7. A combination of two rotary joints according to Claim 6, in which a manifold having one or more fluid outlets is fitted to the outlet port of the rotatable member of the second joint.

8. A rotary joint substantially as described herein with reference to Figs. 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.

9. A combination of two rotary joints substantially as described herein with reference to Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings.