GB2169679A - Self cleaning flow-determinable pipe coupling - Google Patents

Abstract

A flow-determinable pipe coupling (1) comprises a see-through tube (3) containing a rotor (28) movable longitudinally inside the tube (3) in accordance with variation of pressure of fluid directed through the tube (3). The rotor (28) is provided with vanes which are engaged by the fluid whereby the rotor (28) is rotated on a longitudinal axis of the tube (3). An outer circumferential wall of the rotor is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced, radially outwardly extending peaks which engage an inner surface of the tube (3) and which sweep the inner surface of the tube (3) during movement relative to the tube (3). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Flow-determinable pipe coupling with fur cleaning means Technical Field This invention relates to improvement on a flow-determinable pipe coupling which may be connected with a cooling water inlet for a mold.

Background Art A mold is generally supplied with cooling water at a plurality of points through distribution conduits tapped from a main supply pipe.

In such application it is required that the flow rate of the cooling water be continuously detected.

A flow-determinable pipe coupling designed to meet such need has been proposed in a Japanese Utility Model Application filed on November 11, 1984 and assigned to the same assignee as the present application.

The pipe coupling disclosed in said prior application provided for detecting the fluid flow rate. However, it has been found that any fur that may have formed on the inner surface of the transparent outer tube of the pipe coupling would prevent the operator from seeing the flow rate indicator through the outer tube unless the adapter was removed from the main body of the pipe coupling and the inner surface of the outer tube was cleaned out. Thus, the removal of fur is one of problems with the pipe coupling.

Summary of the Invention It is an object of this invention to provide an improved flow-determinable pipe coupling in which the inner surface of the transparent outer tube is automatically cleared of any fur that may form thereon by means of a simple device so as to maintain the transparent outer tube in a clear condition.

Briefly, the flow-determinable pipe coupling according to the present invention comprises a main body having a central flow passage extending axially therethrough and communicating at one end in a first pipe fitting such as screw threads, a plug or the like for connection with another pipe and a cock-type valve disposed in said central flow passage for controlling the flow therethrough, said main body having an extension including a base portion and a forwardly tapered rod extending from the main body in a direction opposite from said first pipe fitting said tapered rod having a larger diameter rearward end and a smaller diameter forward end, said base having a connecting flow passage communicating at one end with the other end of said central flow passage and intersecting at the other end with the outer periphery of said base; an adapter having a second pipe fitting such as screw threads, a plug or the like for connection with another pipe, said adapter being coaxially mounted to the forward end of said tapered rod; a see-through transparent outer tube held in a liquid-tight manner between said main body and said adapter; a ring-like indicator disposed within said outer tube and fitted axially movably over the tapered rod and biased toward the larger diameter end of the rod by a compression spring; and a vaned rotor disposed adjacent said indicator within said outer tube in sliding contact with the inner surface of the outer tube and fitted movably over the tapered rod.

Detailed Description of the preferred Embodiment Referring to the drawings, an embodiment of the pipe coupling according to this invention is shown. The pipe coupling comprises a main body 1, an adapter 2 disposed at one end of the body, and a see-through transparent outer tube 3 sandwiched between the body and adapter. The body 1 includes a hexagonal head having a connector portion or pipe fitting 1a (which comprises internal threads in the illustrated embodiment) adjacent an outer end and a tapered extension 1 b threaded thereto adjacent the opposite inner end thereof and extending toward the adapter 2.

The body 1 has a central flow passage 22 in communication with the pipe fitting 1a in which passage is disposed a cock-type flow control valve 4 the opening of which is adjusted by a valve handle 5. The valve 4 comprises a valve member in the form of a ball 9 to which is secured a valve stem 6 which is in turn fixed to the handle 5 by a set screw 8. The stem 6 is held to the body 1 by a valve retainer 7. 10 is an O-ring and 11 is a packing in contact with the valve ball 9. Provided on the exterior surface of the body 1 around the valve handle 5 are graduations 12 for indicating the angular position of the handle 5, that is, the degree of flow adjustment.

The tapered extension 1 b is threadedly connected to the body at 13. Disposed around the threaded connection 13 is a packing 15 urged into sealing contact with the ball 9 by a spring 14.

The adapter 2 is secured to the forward end of the tapered extension 1 b by means of a threaded screw 16. Tightening the screw 16 causes the transparent outer tube 3 to be firmly held between the body 1 and adapter 2. O-rings 17 and 18 are disposed between the outer tube 3 and adapter 2 and between the outer tube 3 and body 1, respectively.

The transparent outer tube 3 is provided around its outer surface with circumferential graduations 19 for indicating the amount of displacement of a ring-like indicator 20 which will be described hereinafter.

The tapered extension 1 b includes a cylindri cal base portion Id and a frusto-conical rod 1 c the forward end of which is formed with internal threads for receiving the screw 16 to secure the adapter 2 in place. The indicator 20 is loosely fitted over the tapered extension 1 b and has an internal diameter corresponding to the maximum diameter of the extension 1 b.

The cylindrical base portion 1d has a connecting flow passage 21 which communicates at one end with the central flow passage 22 and at the other end intersects with the outer periphery of the base portion 1d to communicate with a flow space 23 defined between the outer tube 3 and the frusto-conical rod 1 c. As the valve 4 is throttled down, the flow of fluid to the flow space 23 is reduced.

A compression spring 24 is disposed between the indicator 20 and the inner end of the adapter 2 to bias the indicator toward the maximum diameter portion of the frusto-conical rod 1 c of the tapered extension 1 b.

The adapter 2 is formed with a boss on hub 25 through which the screw 16 is passed into threaded engagement with the tapered extension 1 b and has a plurality of openings 26 for passage of fluid around the boss 25.

The adapter is also provided with a pipe fitting in the form of internal threads 27 for connection.

A vaned rotor 28 surrounds the tapered extension 1 b with the outer periphery of the rotor in light sliding contact with the inner surface of the transparent outer tube 3. When there is no fluid flow through the pipe coupling, the rotor 28 is held stationary between the indicator 20 and an abutment 29 provided on the cylindrical rod id. When there is a fluid flow through the pipe coupling, the indicator 20 is forced to be moved by the fluid to the right as viewed in Fig. 1 while the vaned rotor 28 is rotated under the influence of the kinetic energy of the fluid with the outer periphery of the rotor in light sliding contact with the inner surface of the transparent outer tube 3 to clean the fur from said inner surface.

As is best seen in Figs. 3 to 5, the vaned rotor 28 has a central opening 30 for loosely receiving the frustoconical portion 1c and a plurality of spaced vanes 31 extending generally radially but inclined in one circumferential direction around the opening 30, each vane having a predetermined width and its outer end 32 adapted to slidably contact the inner surface of the transparent outer tube 3. The outer periphery of the web portion 33 extending between each adjacent vanes 31 is concave and cooperates with the inner surface of the outer tube 3 to define a channel for passage of fluid. This configuration of the vaned rotor serves to balance the rotor during the passage of fluid flow therethrough as well as to reduce the frictional resistance between the rotor and the inner surface of the transparent outer tube.The outer periphery of each of the rotor vanes in sliding contact with the inner surface of the outer tube is preferably provided with an arcuate or round shape so as to insure smooth scraping action on the outer tube. The vaned rotor 28 is positioned such that the vanes 31 face toward the body 1.

In operation, as the fluid is passed into the coupling in a direction indicated by an arrow X as shown in Fig. 1, it flows through the valve 4, central flow passage 22, connecting flow passage 21, flow space 23 and openings 26. The indicator 20 is moved to the right as viewed in Fig. 1 against the biasing force of the compression spring 24. The movement of the indicator 20 is seen through the transparent outer tube 3 and the flow rate may be determined with reference to the graduations 19 provided around the transparent outer tube 3. The kinetic energy of the fluid acts on the vaned rotor 28 to rotate it while causing it to follow the indicator 20 moving to the right.

During its movement the rotor 28 removes the fur or the like from the inner wall of the transparent outer tube 3.

Upon termination of the fluid flow, the rotor 28 is forced back into engagement with the abutment 29 of the cylindrical rod 1d and held stationary between the abutment 29 and the indicator 20. When there is a constant flow rate, the rotor 28 will rotate at a fixed position, so that fur may form on the other portions of the outer tube 3. To avoid such condition, the flow rate may be varied at times to move the indicator to and from whereby the fur may be removed from the entire effective inner surface of the tube 3.

It is to be appreciated that the present invention provides an improved pipe coupling wherein the combination of a transparent outer tube and an indicator permits determination of the flow rate of fluid through the pipe coupling and that a vaned rotor is rotated under the influence of the kinetic energy of the fluid passing through the coupling to scrape off the fur from the inner surface of said transparent outer tube around the indicator so that the operator may discern the flow rate correctly.

The configuration of the vaned rotor heretofore described is given merely by way of illustration and is not intended to limit the scope of this invention.

Claims (10)

1. A flow-determinable pipe coupling with fur cleaning means, comprising a main body having a central flow passage extending axially therethrough and communicating at one end in a first pipe fitting such as screw threads, a plug or the like for connection with another pipe and a cock-type valve disposed in said central flow passage for controlling the flow therethrough, said main body having an extension including a base portion and a forwardly tapered rod extending from the main body in a direction opposite from said first pipe fitting said tapered rod having a larger diameter rearward end and a smaller diameter forward end, said base having a connecting flow passage communicating at one end with the other end of said central flow passage and intersecting at the other end with the outer periphery of said base; an adapter having a second pipe fitting such as screw threads, a plug or the like for connection with another pipe, said adapter being coaxially mounted to the forward end of said tapered rod; a see-through transparent outer tube held in a liquid-tight manner between said main body and said adapter; a ring-like indicator disposed within said outer tube and fitted axially movably over the tapered rod and biased toward the larger diameter end of the rod by a compression spring; and a vaned rotor disposed adjacent said indicator within said outer tube in sliding contact with the inner surface of the outer tube and fitted movably over the tapered rod.

2. A flow determinable pipe coupling comprising a cylindrical member and a rotor located in the cylindrical member and movable longitudinally of the cylindrical member in accordance with variation of pressure of fluid directed through the cylindrical member wherein the rotor is rotatable on a longitudinal axis of the cylindrical member and is of dimension such that a surface of the rotor engages an inner surface of the cylindrical member and sweeps the said inner surface during movement relative to the cylindrical member.

3. A coupling as claimed in claim 2 wherein the rotor is provided with a plurality of said surfaces.

4. A coupling as claimed in claim 3 wherein the said surfaces comprise portions of a circumferential outer wall of the rotor.

5. A coupling as claimed in claim 4 wherein portions of the wall between adjacent surfaces are concave.

6. A coupling as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the rotor is provided with a plurality of vanes.

7. A coupling as claimed in claim 6 wherein each vane extends in an axial direction of the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical member.

8. A coupling as claimed in claim 7 wherein each vane comprises a rectilinear surface inclined to an axis extending through the surface and radially of the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical member.

9. A coupling as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the rotor is resiliently biased towards an end of the cylindrical member.

10. A flow determinable pipe coupling substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.