GB2141510A - A gas supply conduit system - Google Patents

Abstract

A bracket 42 has a back plate 44 secured to a wall and a platform 46 from which a gas meter 2 is suspended. The platform has opposed notches 50 and 52 in which couplings 14 and 28 fit and have annular grooves such as 38 in which the platform engages so to support the meter connected by its inlet 6 to coupling 14 and by its outlet 8 to coupling 28. Gas is led to an appliance through a pipe connected to the upper end of coupling 28. Gas from the mains is supplied to a pressure reducer 4 connected to the upper end of coupling 14. An open end of each notch at an edge of the platform may be obstructed after the coupling in the notch to prevent dislodgement of the coupling through that open end. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A gas supply conduit system This invention concerns a gas supply conduit system.

It is known to measure the amount of gas supplied from a source, for example the gas mains, to a gas consuming apparatus, for example a burner, by a gas meter disposed in the gas flow path between the source and the apparatus. Known gas meters have two substantially vertical pipes a fixed distance apart projecting from a top of the meter. One pipe is a gas inlet to the meter, and the other pipe is the gas outlet from the meter.

Gas from the source is conveyed to the meter through a first portion of cpnduit (which may include a pressure regulator) connected to the inlet by a first coupling. Gas from the meter is conveyed to the consuming apparatus via a second portion of conduit connected through a second coupling to the meter outlet.

Each coupling has a tubular part provided with an external collar from which a tab projects.

To support the meter, a meter support bracket is mounted on a vertical wall or other support and comprises a horizontal platform of sheet metal formed with two parallel notches extending into the metal from the same edge of the platform and spaced apart by the same distance as the inlet and outlet pipes of the meter. The couplings are fitted into the two notches through the open ends thereof at the edge of the platform so that the collars overlie and rest on the platform at the margins of both notches so that the meter is supported by the bracket. A number of holes are formed in the platform alongside each notch whereby a bolt or screw engaging the tab of each coupling can engage a said hole to lock the coupling in position on the bracket. This prevents the couplings becoming inadvertently dislodged from the notches so that the meter would fall off the bracket.

A number of drawbacks are associated with the known system. These are: (A) the cost of the bracket is increased by having to form holes alongside the notches; (B) the cost of couplings is increased by having to provide them with collars and tabs plus locking screws or bolts whether the collar be rigidly integral with the coupling using a sweated jointing technique or is screwed thereon using additional screw thread formations; (C) the cost of fitting the system is increased by gas fitters having to spend time locking the tabs of the collars to the bracket by screws or bolts, which time is further increased if the tab of a sweated-on collar is (after the coupling is connected to the meter) out of position with the nearest hole in the bracket and has to be hammered into the correct position using considerable force.

According to the invention a gas supply conduit system comprises a gas meter provided with a gas inlet and a gas outlet respectively, first and second portions of conduit connected to the inlet and outlet respectively, bracket means mounted on a support, and a connection between a said conduit portion and the meter being through a coupling having an external groove fitted in a notch in the bracket means whereby said bracket means engages a wall of the groove and gives the meter support.

With such a system the engagement between the coupling and notch can substantially prevent dislodgement of the coupling axially thereof in each direction from the notch. Therefore the engaged coupling cannot be moved excessively axially to cause fracture or undue disturbance of the conduit part connected to the coupling. For example, the bracket means can comprise a platform in which the said notch is formed and extends into the platform from an edge of the latter, said notch extends through the platform in a vertical direction, and upper and lower surface portions of the platform margining the notch being engaged between upper and lower walls of the notch.

There can be first and second said couplings connected to the first and second conduit portions respectively, the first and second couplings being fitted in the first and second notches respectively and being connected to the meter inlet and outlet. The notches may have open ends or lead-ins which face in different directions, and the notches may be dimensioned and disposed such that neither coupling can be dislodged from its respective notch through the open end of the latter. With such a system the mounting of the meter on the bracket means can be secure without the need to use tabs and locking bolts, and accordingly drawbacks (A), (B) and (C) above are avoided or at least mitigated.

As an alternative or an addition, the bracket means may have locking means for trapping or holding the or each coupling in its notch in a manner which can prevent exit of the coupling from the notch. Therefore the bracket means can be initially supplied from store with the coupling(s) held thereon in the correct position ready for the fitter to attach the coupling(s) to the appropriate conduit part and meter inlet or outlet. In such an arrangement at least drawback (C) above can be avoided.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective and exploded view showing diagrammatically a fragment of a gas supply conduit system formed in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 shows an enlarged fragment of the view in Fig. 1; Figure 3 is a plan view on reduced scale of another support bracket, and Figures 4 and 5 are also plan views on reduced scale of other embodiments of support bracket.

In Figs. 1 and 2 a known gas meter is shown at 2 and a known gas pressure reducer at 4. Projecting from the top of the meter is a vertical inlet pipe 6 and a vertical outlet pipe 8 a fixed distance from the inlet, the pipes being externally screw-threaded at 10 and 1 2 respectively.

Shown at 14 is a coupling for connection to inlet 6. This coupling comprises a tubular part 16 6 of circular section with an integral lower collar 18, engageable by the inturned lip 20 of a freely rotatable nut 22 threaded internally at 24 to engage with thread 10 to connect the coupling to the inlet 6. At its other end, the coupling is externally screw-threaded at 26 to engage an internally threaded outlet bore (not shown) of the pressure reducer 4 having an inlet (not shown) connectable to a feed pipe (not shown) from the gas mains; the feed pipe and reducer 4 forming a feed conduit connectable to a meter inlet 6 by coupling 1 4.

Shown at 28 is another coupling for connection to outlet 8. Coupling 28 has a tubular part 30 with a collar (not shown) similar to collar 1 8 engageable by a nut 32 similar to nut 22. The internal thread on nut 32 is to engage with thread 1 2 to connect coupling 28 with the outlet 8. Tubular part 30 is extended by an integral narrower diameter tube part 34 for connection with a gas distribution conduit which can comprise a pipe (not shown) connected to part 34, for example through a known elbow joint 36.

The tubular parts 16, 32 of both couplings are both surrounded by respective annular grooves 38 and 40, groove 38 being located between the lower end of thread 26 and a nut formation 41 fast with the tube part 16.

A meter mounting bracket 42 is formed from sheet metal bent into two portions 44 and 46 at a right-angle. Portion 44 is for mounting on a support, for example on a vertical wall, using screws in mounting holes of which some are shown at 48. The other portion 46 forms a flat, horizontal platform of rectangular shape. A notch 50 or 52 extends into the platform 46 from each of its shorter edges or sides 54 and 56 respectively. The notches are substantially co-linear, with their open ends facing in opposite directions and having closed radiused ends 58 and 60. The width of notch 50 in the direction parallel to side 54 is slightly greater than the innermost radius of the groove 38, and the vertical distance between the opposite side walls of the groove is slightly greater than the thickness of the sheet metal forming the platform 46.The radius of the curved end 58 of the notch 50 is substantially the same as the innermost radius of groove 38. Therefore the coupling 14 is a fairly close fit in the notch 50 when slipped into the open end of the notch and moved up to the closed end where the platform margin about the notch supports the upper wall of the groove 38 over substantially 180 about the axis of the coupling. The coupling 28 is likewise supported by the platform 46 using the groove 40 and notch 52; except that since the innermost radius of groove 40 is less than that of groove 38 the width of notch 52 is less than that of notch 50 and the radius of closed end 60 is less than that of end 58. Therefore coupling 1 4 will not fit into notch 52, and coupling 28 is a readily observable sloppy fit in notch 50.

The length of both notches may be substantially the same. The centres of curvature of the closed ends 58 and 60 are spaced apart by a distance substantially equal to the distance between the vertical axes of the inlet 6 and outlet 8.

With the bracket 42 mounted on a support so the platform 46 is substantially horizontal, the couplings 1 4 and 28 are located in the notches 50 and 52 respectively and supported by the platform. Then the meter inlet and outlet are connected to the couplings. At this point the meter 2 is supported by the platform 46 and hangs there-below, and cannot be dislodged therefrom since neither coupling 14, 28 can be removed from the respective notch 50, 52 until at least one coupling is disconnected from the meter.

The couplings can be connected to the feed conduit and to the distribution conduit leading to an appliance, either before or after the couplings are attached to the meter.

The arrangement described above with reference to the drawings avoids the drawbacks (A), (B) and (C) listed above.

As shown in phantom lines in Fig. 2, holes 62 to receive bolts or screws may be formed through the platform 46 alongside each notch 50, 52. These holes in conjuction with screws or bolts may be used to secure locking means extending across the respective notch to trap or hold the respective coupling previously inserted in the notch. The locking means may be a bar, or, for example, a washer or a disc 64 with a central apperture engaged by a screw 66 engaged in a hole 62, the periphery of the disc overlying the adjacent notch. In Fig. 2 the bracket may be supplied to the fitter with the couplings or at least one coupling, for example coupling 28, already engaged in the respective notch and retrained therein by the respective locking means.

In the alternative mounting bracket 42A shown in Fig. 3, notches 50A and 52A are formed in the platform 46A from the same front edges 68 thereof. Holes 62 are formed alongside each notch. When the couplings 14 and 28 are engaged in the notches 50A and 52A respectively, the couplings are Dreferabl retained against inadvertent removal by aforesaid locking means.

In another embodiment of mounting bracket 42B shown in Fig. 4, notches 50B and 52B are formed in the platform 46B from the same front edge 68 but with the notches facing in different directions, i.e. the axes of the notches are transverse. When the couplings in the notches 50B, 52B are also connected to the meter the couplings cannot be inadvertently dislodged from the bracket.

A similar advantage is obtained using the embodiment of mounting bracket 42C in Fig.

5 in which the notches are also faced in different directions. In this case one notch, for example, notch 50C, in the platform 46C extends from the front edge 68 and the other notch extends from a side edge of platform 46C, for example the notch 52C extending from the side edge 56.

In both Figs. 4 and 5 holes similar to 62 can be provided alongside one or more of the notches to engage aforesaid locking means.

Either coupling, for example the coupling 14, may comprise a manually operable cut-off valve to stop the supply of gas when desired.

Claims (11)

1. A gas supply conduit system comprising a gas meter provided with a gas inlet and a gas outlet respectively, first and second portions of conduit connected to the inlet and outlet respectively, bracket means mounted in a support, and a connection between a said conduit portion and the meter being through a coupling having an external groove fitted in a notch in the bracket means whereby said bracket means engages a wall of the groove and gives the meter support.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which the bracket means comprises a platform in which said notch is formed and extends into the platform from an edge of the latter, said notch extends through the platform in a vertical direction, and upper and lower surface portions of the platform margining the notch being engaged between upper and lower walls of the notch.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which said notch extends around the coupling.

4. A system as claimed in claim 3, in which the notch is annular.

5. A system as claimed in any one preceding claim, in which the bracket means has locking means for trapping or holding the coupling in the notch in a manner which can prevent exit of the coupling from the notch through an open end or lead-in to said notch.

6. A system as claimed in claim 5, in which the locking means extends wholly or partially across the notch.

7. A system as claimed in any one preceding claim, in which there are first and second said couplings connected to the first and second conduit portions respectively, and the first and second said couplings are fitted in first and second said notches respectively and are connected to the inlet and outlet.

8. A system as claimed in claim 7, in which each notch has an open end or lead-in, and the two open ends face in substantially the same direction.

9. A system as claimed in claim 7, in which each notch has an open end or lead-in, and said open ends face in different directions.

10. A system as claimed in claim 9, in which the open ends face in opposite directions.

11. A system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, in which there are first and second said couplings connected to the first and second conduit portions respectively, the first and second couplings are fitted in the first and second said notches respectively and connected to the inlet and outlet, each notch having an open end or lead-in which faces in a different direction from the open end or lead-in of the other notch, and said notches being dimensioned and disposed such that neither coupling can be dislodged from its respective notch through the open end of the latter.

1 2. A system as claimed in any one preceding claim, in which the meter is suspended from the bracket means.

1 3. A gas supply conduit system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.