GB2175661A - Pipe coupling with self-aligning flange - Google Patents

Abstract

The coupling includes a self-aligning flange body having an internal bore and having an inclined sealing face adapted to engage against a correspondingly inclined sealing face on a gasket member which is insertable between such self-aligning flange face and the flange face of another flange such that the inclined faces form a seal upon makeup of the flanges. The flange body may be in the form of another gasket (Fig. 4, not shown), or a tubular body with either a separate (Fig. 1, not shown) or integral flange ring. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Self-aligning flange apparatus Specification Technical Field of the Invention This invention relates to flange connections including the making of flange connections under adverse circumstances such as under water.

Background of the Invention The making of flange connections under water is particularly difficult. However, in order to connect two flowlines together under water, it is essential that divers be able to join the flowlines through connections such as flange connections. One type of flange connection which can be made up under water as well as on the surface is the connection of two standard "RTJ" (Ring Type Joint) flanges.

Typically, these standard RTJ flanges include flange members which are welded to the ends of the flowlines so that each flowline terminates in a flange face having an annular groove. Each RTJ flange includes a flange ring having a plurality of bolt holes so that the divers can join the flowlines by extending bolts through aligned bolt holes in the flange rings and bring the flange faces together. As the RTJ flange faces are pulled together utilizing bolts, it is necessary to align a gasket internally so that a sealed connection is formed between the two flange faces.It is also known for one of the flanges to have in its end face a circular ridge or rim which extends into a corresponding groove in the other flange face such that a metal-to-metal seal connection is made between the flange faces as the flanges are made up, that is, as nuts on the bolts extending through the aligned bolt holes of the flange rings are tightened.

Even in this type of flange connection, however, it is often necessary to place an internal gasket between the flange faces as the flanges are made up and thus it is necessary to hold that gasket in position during makeup. Making up of such flange connections under water is particularly difficult because diver movement is limited by equipment, visibility and a generally adverse environment.

Another problem with underwater make up of flange connections is misalignment between the flowlines and thus between the flanges being joined. There are a number of patents directed to pivotal flange connections wherein one flange includes a ball member which is insertable into a cup member in the other flange so that a flange connection can be made up even when the flowlines are misaligned. Due to the expense of such pivotal ball connections, the tendency in the industry is to utilize standard types of RTJ flanges for make up whenever there is substantial alignment between the two flowlines being joined. However, flanges such as RTJ flanges must be exactly aligned such that the faces are parallel in order to effect a good seal.

Summary of the Invention It is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved flange-type connection as a substitute for at least one standard flange such as an RTJ type of flange for the make up of flange connections under adverse conditions such as under water. It is further an object of this invention to utilize such new and improved flange-type connection of this invention in situations where there is slight misalignment between the flowlines or pipelines being joined. It is further an object of this invention to provide a flange-type connection wherein a metal-to-metal seal can be formed between an intermediate gasket and the flange faces being joined together. It is further an object of this invention to provide such gasket with certain alignment enhancing characteristics so that the gasket can be aligned as the flange-type connection is made up.These objects and other objects of this invention are met by the new and improved self-aligning flange apparatus of the preferred embodiment of this invention.

Such self-aligning flange apparatus includes a first flange adapted to be attached to a first flowline, the first flange including a flange body with a flange ring having a plurality of circumferentially spaced holes for receiving connecting bolts. The first flange further includes an internal bore therethrough and the first flange body terminates in an annular end face, the internal bore and the first flange body having a common axis. A self-aligning flange body having an internal bore therethrough is adapted to be attached to a second flowline which is to be joined to the first flowline. The self-aligning flange body and the internal bore therethrough have a common axis. The self-aligning flange body may have a flange ring formed integrally with the body or may have a rotatable ring mounted over the self-aligning flange body for rotation with respect thereto.The integrally formed flange ring or the rotatable flange ring has a plurality of bolt holes which are alignable with the bolt holes of the flange ring of the first flange body to receive connecting bolts. The selfaligning flange body has an aligning end face inclined with respect to the axis of its body.

An annular gasket is positioned between the annular end face of the first flange and the inclined aligning end face of the self-aligning flange body. The annular gasket includes a first side facing the first flange, the first side having a sealing means for engaging the annular end face of the first flange. The annular gasket further has a second face facing toward the self-aligning flange. The second face is an inclined face which is substantially parallel to the inclined aligning end face of the self aligning flange body such that the inclined aligning end face of said gasket and the inclined aligning end face of said self-aligning flange body are in sealing engagement with said flange connecting bolts tightened between said flange rings even with the axis of the first flange body and the axis of the selfaligning flange body being slightly out of alignment.

This Summary of the Invention is intended to generally described only some of the features of some embodiments of this invention which are considered patentable, the features and embodiments of this invention are more fully outlined in the specification and claims.

Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a sectional view of the selfaligning flange apparatus of a preferred embodiment of this invention with the upper half of the structure illustrated being in a position of slight misalignment; Figure 1A is an exploded view of the selfaligning sealing engagement between the inclined surface of the gasket and self-aligning flange body face of the apparatus in Fig. 1; Figure 1B is an exploded view similar to Fig.

1A but of another version of the first embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a sectional view of another preferred embodiment of the self-aligning flange apparatus of this invention wherein the selfaligning flange body includes an integrally formed flange ring; Figure 3 is a sectional view of another preferred embodiment of the self-aligning flange apparatus of this invention; and Figure 4 is a sectional view of another preferred embodiment of this invention wherein a gasket of this invention is combined with two standard RTJ flanges.

Description of the Preferred Embodiment Referring to the drawing, the letter S designated in Fig. 1 generally designates the selfaligning flange apparatus of a first preferred embodiment of this invention. The apparatus 5-1 of this invention includes a first flange 10 and a second, self-aligning flange 11. The first flange 10 is adapted to be welded or otherwise connected to a first flowline F-1 and the second flange 11 is adapted to be connected to a second flowline F-2. Such flowlines F-1 and F-2, which may be pipelines or pipe sections, may be located on land or on the ocean floor or otherwise under water.The apparatus S-1 of a first preferred embodiment of this invention is to provide a flange-type connection for connecting together in a sealed relationship the first and second flowline members F-1 and F-2 so that fluids, gases or liquids, can flow between such flowlines.

The first flange 10 is in the first preferred embodiment a standard RTJ (Ring Type Joint) flange which includes a flange body 10a which is generally cylindrical in configuration and has an axis 12. The flange body 10a has an internal bore 10b defined by a cylindrical wall and having a center or axis which is common to the axis 12 for the flange body 10a. The generally cylindrical body 10a includes a flange ring section 10c integrally machined with the flange body. The flange ring 10c includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced bolt holes 10d which are adapted to receive a plurality of bolts 14 having nuts 14a threadedly mounted thereon.

The flange body 10a terminates in an annular raised end face 10e having an annular groove 10f machined therein. Referring to Fig.

1A, the annular groove 10f includes first and second opposing tapered surfaces 10g and 10h, respectively, which terminate in an annular flat groove bottom 10i. The flange just described is known as an RTJ flange and is well-known in the industry.

The self-aligning flange 11 includes a generally cylindrical flange body 11 a having a central axis 15. The generally cylindrical body 1 Ia terminates in a cylindrical pipe section 11 b having a tapered end 11 c which is adapted to be welded to the flowline F-2. The flange body 1 lea further includes outside tapered surface 11 d which joins outer cylindrical surface 11 e which terminates in an outer radius shoulder 1 1f and a second, outer cylindrical surface 1 lg. The outer cylindrical surface llg terminates at the substantially inclined end face generally designated as 16 of the self-aligning flange body.The self-aligning flange body 11 has an internal cylindrical bore defined as 1 1h which is formed by an internal cylindrical wall having a central axis which is co-terminus with and thus common with the central axis 15 of the self-aligning flange body 11.

A rotatable flange ring 17 is an annular flange member mounted over the self-aligning flange body 11 a for rotation with respect thereto. The rotatable flange ring 17 includes a plurality of bolt holes 17a of the same size and number as the bolt holes 10d on the first flange ring 10c. The rotatable flange ring 17 includes an internal cylindrical surface 17b (Fig. 1A) of a diameter substantially the same as but slightly larger than the diameter of the outer flange body surface 119. The flange ring 17 further includes a radial shoulder 17c adapted to mate against the radial shoulder 1 1f of the flange body. The flange ring 17 further includes an internal cylindrical surface 17d of substantially the same diameter but slightly larger than the diameter of the outer cylindrical surface of 1 lie of the flange body such that the flange 17 mounts over the flange body 11 a for rotation with respect thereto.A retaining ring or band 18 is mounted in a slight annular groove in the outer flange body cylindrical surface 1 1e and is welded to itself to become fixed in position in order to hold the rotatable flange 11 in position for rotation with respect to the flange body 11 a. The rotatable flange ring 17 is thus capable of being rotatingly manipulated by a diver or other assembly person such that the bolt holes 17a in the rotatable flange 17 ring are alignable with the bolt holes 10d in the flange 10 in order to receive the bolts 14.

Nuts 14b are threadedly mounted over the bolts 14 and may be turned into engagement against flange ring 17. The nuts 14b may include an extended annular surface section 14c to insure that the bolts 14b engage against the surface of the flange ring 17 even if the rotatable flange ring 17 and flange body 11 are slightly out of alignment with respect to the first flange 10.

An annular gasket 20 is positioned between the inclined face 16 of the self-aligning flange body 1 lea and the raised face 10e of the flange 10 in order to provide a metal-to-metal seal between the flange faces as the bolts 14a and 14b are made up tightly between the flange ring 10c of flange 10 and rotatable flange ring 17 of the flange 11.

Referring to Fig. 1A, a section of the annular gasket 20 is illustrated in a sealed engagement between flange faces 10e and 16. The self-aligning internal flange face 16 of the selfaligning flange 11 includes an inclined face 16a which is inclined with respect to flange body axis 15. The inclined surface 16a includes a raised surface portion 16b which is an annular spherical segment or concave portion generated on a radius R from a center point C located on the axis 12 of the flange body 10a illustrated in Fig. 1. The raised surface 16b may include an annular groove 21 machined therein in order to receive an O-ring type seal 21a. The raised surface 16b is lapped to a fine machine finish to enhance metal-to-metal sealing against the gasket 20.

The raised surface 16b may have one or more lands 24 to be further described with respect to the embodiment of Fig. 1B.

The radius R of the spherically segmented surface 16a is at least twice the radius of the internal bores 10b and 1 1h of the flange bodies 10a and 11 a, respectively.

The gasket 20 is a metal gasket which is provided for metal-to-metal sealing engagement against the raised metal surface 10e of the flange 10 and the inclined, segmented spherical surface portion 16b of the selfaligning flange 11. The gasket 20 is an annular gasket which includes a first, radial face 20a having an annular radial sealing ring or ridge 20b machined therein. The sealing ring 20b is thus integrally formed with the metal gasket 20 and is sized and shaped to be inserted into the corresponding groove 10f in the raised flange face 10e. The gasket 20 further includes for its second, right hand surface an inclined, annular surface 20b.The annular surface 20b is formed in a segmented, spherical or convex shape generated of a radius R from the center point C which is substantially co-terminus with a center point of the spherically generated surface 16b on inclined flange body surface 16. Thus the spherical surface 20b of the gasket 20 is parallel to the spherical surface 16b on the flange body inclined surface 16.

The gasket 20 further includes an outer annular rim portion 20d which is integrally formed with the gasket and has an outer diameter at its outer surface 20e which substantially equals the inner diameter of the innermost surface area of the flange bolt holes such as 10d. In this manner, the gasket 20 may be rested upon one or more bolts 14 which extend through the flange rings 10c and 17 and in such position the gasket is in a general alignment so that the gasket is in position of sealingly engage against the sealing surfaces on the flange faces as just described.

Further, the gasket 20 includes a tapped hole to receive a T-handle 22 extending radially outwardly beyond the flange rings which an operator can use to hold the gasket in position as the bolts 14 are made up.

In operation and use, the self-aligning flange 11 of the first preferred embodiment of this invention when used in conjunction with a flange such as RTJ flange 10 may provide sealing engagement between such flange members even if there is a slight misalignment between the flowlines F-1 and F-2 which the flange members are connected together. Referring to Fig. 1, it is noted that in the upper half of the figure that the self-aligning flange 11 is illustrated in a position of slight misalignment as defined by its axis 15'. Such slight misalignment is allowable since the sealingly engaging surfaces of the gasket at 20b and of the self-aligning flange internally inclined surface 16b may engage even if there is slight relative rotation therebetween.In this manner, flowline members such as F-1 and F-2 can be joined together if though they are in a position of slight misalignment of an order of magnitude of one or several degrees.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 and 1A, the mating surface of the gasket face 20b and face 16b of the flange body 1 lea are both spherical having a segmented spherical surface generated from substantially the same center point C. In the embodiment illustrated in Fig.

1B, only one of such surfaces is spherical.

Referring to Fig. 1B, all elements and features are virtually the same except the inner engaging surfaces between the gasket 20 and inclined surface 16' of the flange body 1 1a'. In Fig. 1B, the internal inclined surface 16' of flange body 1 lea' is not spherical but is a flat inclined or conical surface as illustrated by the straight, dashed line 23, which for purposes of illustration is an extension of the annular, flat inclined face 16'. Further, such annular inclined face 16' may include one or more lands or annular raised portions 24 for sealing en gagement against spherical segmented surface 20b of the gasket 20.In Fig. 1B, the gasket 20 is identical to the gasket of Figs. 1 and 1A and thus is a spherical segment generated from a center point C on radius R, which radius is at least twice the radius of the internal bore of the flange members such as 10a. The difference in the embodiment illustrated in Fig.

IB as compared to that of Figs. 1 and 1A is that the inclined flange body surface 16' is not a segmented spherical portion but is a flat planar surface as illustrated by dashed line 23 extending from such surface 16'.

It is further within the scope of this invention, though not illustrated, to utilize on the gasket 20 an inclined flat surface in place of the spherical segment 20b and to utilize for engagement against such surface a spherical surface 16b such as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 1A. It is thus within the scope of this invention to utilize upon the gasket 20 and inclined surface 16b of flange member 1 lea one or both surfaces which are spherical in configuration. It is considered within the scope of this invention to utilize such mating surfaces as in Fig. 1B wherein only one of such surfaces such as 20b on the gasket 20 is spherical since a metal-to-metal seal is formed therebetween as the bolts 14 are made up tight, so tight that metal deformation occurs to insure a tight seal connection.

Referring now to Fig. 2, a second preferred embodiment S-2 of the self-aligning flange apparatus of the preferred embodiments is illustrated. In this apparatus, once again a standard RTJ flange 10 is illustrated as being the left side flange member. Since the RTJ flange 10 is identical to the previously described RTJ flange 10 of Fig. 1, the same numbers and letters will apply and thus the flange 10 need not be redescribed.

In this second embodiment S-2, a selfaligning flange 50 is provided for attachment to a second flowline member F-2 for alignment with the standard RTJ flange body 10. The self-aligning flange, also designated as 50, includes a generally cylindrical flange body 50a having a central axis 65. The generally cylindrical body 50a terminates in a cylindrical pipe section 50b having a tapered end at 50c for welding to a flowline or pipeline F2. The flange body 50a further includes an outside tapered surface 50d which joins outer cylindrical surface 50e which terminates in flange ring 50f formed integrally with the flange body and forming part of it.The flange ring 50f includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced bolt holes 509 which are the same in number as the circumferentially spaced bolt holes 10c on the RTJ flange body 10 for alignment therewith in order to receive bolts previously identified as 14 and nuts 14a and 14b.

The flange body 50a includes a self-aligning internal flange end face 56 which is inclined with respect to the flange body axis 65. The inclined surface 56 includes a raised surface portion at 56a which is similar to the raised surface portion 16b shown in Fig. 1a of the first embodiment S. The inclined surface 16b is an annular spherical segment generated on a radius from a center point C' along the axis 12 of the standard RTJ flange body 10. The raised surface 56a may include an annular groove 57 having an 0-ring (not separately numbered) fitted therein in order to provide a resilient seal against the gasket to be described. The raised surface 56a is lapped to a fine machine finish to enhance metal-to-metal sealing against the gasket to be described.

The raised surface 56a may have one or more annular lands in the surface 56a similar to the lands 24 illustrated in Fig. 1B of the second version of the first embodiment S.

The gasket 20 previously described in the first preferred embodiment of Figs. 1 and 1A of this invention is utilized in combination with the flange 50 of the second embodiment S-2.

Therefore, the gasket 20 includes as its second surface a spherically segmented sealing surface 20b for engaging in metal-to-metal engagement against the spherical segment 56a of the flange body 50. Further, while both gaskets surface 20b and flange body spherical surface 56a may be spherical segments generated from a substantially common center point C', it is also within the scope of this second embodiment for one of such surfaces to be spherical and the other to be a flat conical surface similar to the metal-to-metal sealing surfaces illustrated in Fig. 1B of the first embodiment S.

Referring to Fig. 3, a third embodiment S-3 of the self-aligning apparatus of this invention is illustrated. The self-aligning apparatus S-3 includes a standard RTJ flange 10 basically identical to the standard RTJ flanges 10 utilized in the embodiments of Figs. 1, 1A, 1B and 2. The standard RTJ flange 10 includes a standard cylindrical body 10a having an internal bore 10b defined by a cylindrical wall. The cylindrical wall 10b and the generally cylindrical body 10a have a common axis 12. The generally cylindrical body 10a includes a flange ring section 10c integrally machined with the flange body. The flange ring 10c includes a plurality of circumferentially bolt holes 10d which are adapted to receive a plurality of bolts 14 having nuts 14a threadedly mounted thereon. The flange body 10a terminates in an annular raised end face 10e having an annular groove 10f machined therein. The annular groove 10f is identical in construction to the similarly designated groove as particularly illustrated in Fig. 1A.

The apparatus S-3 includes a self-aligning flange generally designated as 60 having a central axis 61. The self-aligning flange 60 includes a generally cylindrical body 60a having a cylindrical bore 60b formed by a cylindrical wall. The cylindrical bore 60b and the generally cylindrical body have a substantially central axis 61. The generally cylindrical flange body 60a includes a generally cylindrical pipe section 60c terminating in a beveled face 60d which can be welded to a second flow line or pipeline F-2. The outer cylindrical surface of the pipe section 60c joins a tapered surface portion 60e which joins a generally cylindrical section 60f of an overall greater diameter than the first mentioned pipe section 60c.An annular flange ring 609 is machined as part of the flange body and extends radially outwardly in a flange ring having a plurality of circumferentially spaced bolt holes 60h. The bolt holes 60h are alignable with the bolt holes 10d of the flange ring 10c of the standard RTJ flange 10 and thus can receive the bolts 14 and nuts 14b. Tightening of the bolts 14a and 14b on the bolts 14 makes the flanges up against each other, that is, draws the flanges together. The flange ring 609, though illustrated as being integrally formed with the remainder of the flange body 60a, may also be a rotatable flange ring similar to the rotatable flange ring 17 illustrated in the embodiment 5-1 of Fig. 1. The generally cylindrical self-algning flange body 60a terminates in a convex or ball sealing face 62a.The sealing face 62a is a generally spherical segment which is generated from a radius R-3 from a center point C-3 which is located on the substantially common central axis 61 of the body 60a. The spherical surface portion 62a can include an annular groove 63a mounting an O-ring therein for additional sealing, though the principal sealing in this invention is metal-to-metal seal. A metalto-metal seal is formed between the raised face 10a of the standard RTJ flange 10 and the convex, spherical surface 62a on the selfaligning flange body 60a by an annular gasket generally designated as 70.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 3A for an exploded view, the gasket 70 is a generally annular gasket having a first side 70a including an annular ridge or ring section 70b for sealing insertion into the corresponding annular groove 10f on the raised face 10e of the standard RTJ flange 10. The gasket 70 further includes a second side having a generally concave or spherical segmented surface portion 70c for engaging in a metal-to-metal seal against the spherical segmented surface 62a on the flange body 60a. The spherical segment 70c is a generally raised concave surface that is a spherical segment which is generated along a radius substantially equal to the radius R-3 from a center point C-3.

In this manner, the gasket spherically segmented second side portion 70c acts generally as a socket to receive the generally ballshaped or spherical segment 62a of the selfaligning flange body 60a to allow for slight misalignment between the flange body 10 and the flange 60 during makeup.

The gasket 70 further includes a T-shaped handle 73 which is threadedly set into the gasket 70 so that the gasket may be held in alignment during makeup of the flanges 10 and 60 together. While it is disclosed that both surfaces 62a of the flange body 60a and 70c of the gasket 70 are spherical segments generated from substantially the same center point on the axis 61, it is within the scope of this invention that only one of such surfaces be a spherical segment while the other surface may be a generally flat conical surface bearing similarity to the type of seal illustrated in Fig.

1B.

Referring now to Fig. 4, a fourth embodiment S-4 of the self-aligning apparatus of this invention is illustrated. The fourth embodiment S-4 includes two standard RTJ flanges identified as 10 (left-hand flange) and 10' (righthand flange) which, when bolted together, form metal-to-metal sealing engagement with a gasket 60 to be further described hereinafter. The left-hand flange 10 is once again a standard RTJ flange identical to the RTJ flanges illustrated in the left section of Figs. 1 and 2 and thus need not be further described since the same numbers and letters will be utilized to identify the flange. The right-hand flange shown in the sectional of Fig. 4 is also a standard RTJ flange and thus the same letters and numbers as were utilized to identify the RTJ flange 10 may be once again utilized except that such numbers and letters will include a prime.Therefore, the right side standard RTJ flange 10' illustrated in Fig. 4 includes a flange body 10a' which is generally cylindrical in configuration and has an axis 12'.

The flange body 10a' has an internal bore 10b' defined by a cylindrical wall having a center or axis which is common to the axis 12' for the flange body 10a'. The generally cylindrical body 10a' includes a flange body ring section 10c' integrally formed and machined with the flange body. The flange body 10c' includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced bolt holes 10d' which are adapted to receive a plurality of bolts 14 having nuts 14a and 14b threadedly mounted thereon. Flange body 10a' terminates in an annular raised end face 10e' having an annular groove 10f' machined therein. The annular groove 10f' is identical to the annular groove 10f previously described and illustrated in an enlarged view in Fig. 1A.

The gasket 90 is an annular, metal gasket adapted to fit between the raised, end faces 10e and 10e' of the first and second standard RTJ flanges 10 and 10', respectively. The annular gasket 90 is adapted to engage in metal-to-metal seal contact against the raised flange faces 10e and 10e' in order to provide a metal-to-metal seal therebetween. The gasket 90 is annular metal gasket having first and second internally facing surfaces 90a and 90b. The surfaces 90a and 90b are generally inclined with respect to the axis 12 and 12' of the RTJ flanges 10 and 10'.

Thus the gasket 90 is actually formed of two annular members. One annular member 91a terminates in internal annular surface 90a.

The other annular member 91b terminates in internal annular surface 90b. The annular members 91a and 91b are held together by one or more rubber clamps 92a and 92b which fit over the outside of the two gasket body members 91a and 91b to hold them together.

The gasket body member 91b terminates in an outside annular face 92b which has machined therein an annular ring or ridge 93b adapted to seat into the corresponding groove 10f in the end face 10e of the flange body 10. Similarly, the gasket body member 91a terminates in an outside face 92a which has machined therein an annular ridge or ring 93a which fits into the annular groove 1 Of' in the flange face 10e'.

The internal metal-to-metal seal face 90a on gasket member 91a is a spherical segment generated from a center point CC along a radius RR. The internal surface 90a may include one or more annular ridges or lands for enhancing metal-to-metal seal engagement against the internal surface 90b. The internal surface 90b on the gasket body 91b is also a spherical segment generated from the center point CC on axis 12 along the radius RR and is a lapped, highly machined face for engaging in a metal-to-metal sealed engagement against internal surface 90a when the flange bodies 10 and 10' are tightly drawn together by bolts 14 and nuts 14a and 14b. A handle 96 may be mounted in a drilled and tapped hole (not shown) in either body member 91a or 91b so that a user can hold the gasket unit 90 in position as the flange bodies 10 and 10' are made up. It is within the scope of this invention to utilize opposing, parallel spherically segmented surfaces 90a and 90b such as illustrated in Fig. 4 or to utilize only one spherical surface such as 90a to engage against a flat frustro-conical surface in place of the surface 90b, or vice versa. Such versions have already been described with respect to the engagement of the gasket 20 against inclined body face 16' in Fig. 1B and the same principle applies here.

The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention are illustrative and explanatory thereof, and various changes in the size, shape and materials, as well as in the details of the illustrated construction may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Claims (44)

1. Apparatus for connecting together flowlines, including: a first flange adapted to be attached to a first flowline, said first flange including a flange body with a flange ring having a plurality of circumferentially spaced holes for receiving connecting bolts, said first flange body having a bore therethrough such that said bore and said flange body have a substantially common axis and said first flange body having an annular end face; a self-aligning flange body having an internal bore therethrough and being adapted to be attached to a second flowline, said selfaligning flange body and said bore having a substantially common axis; a self-aligning flange ring mounted with said self-aligning flange body, said self-aligning flange ring having a plurality of bolt holes alignable with said bolt holes of said flange ring of said first flange to receive connecting bolts;; said self-aligning flange body having a selfaligning end face inclined with respect to said axis of said self-aligning flange body; an annular gasket positioned between said annular end face of said first flange and said inclined aligning end face of said self-aligning flange; said annular gasket having a first side facing said first flange, said first side having a sealing means for engaging said annular end face of said first flange and said annular gasket having a second face facing said self-aligning flange, said second face being an inclined face substantially parallel to said inclined aligning end face on said self-aligning flange body such that said inclined aligning end face of said gasket and said inclined aligning end face of said self-aligning flanging body are in sealing engagement with said flange connecting bolts tightened between said flange rings even with said axis of said first flange body and said axis of said aligning flange body slightly out of alignment.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1, wherein: said inclined face of said annular gasket is a segment of a sphere.

3. The structure set forth in claim 1, wherein: said inclined aligning end face of said selfaligning flange is a segment of a sphere.

4. The structure set forth in claim 1, wherein: said inclined face of said annular gasket and said inclined face of said self-aligning flange are spherical segments having a substantially common center.

5. The structure set forth in claim 2, wherein: said self-aligning face of said self-aligning flange is inclined in an annular flat face which is sealingly engaged against said segmented spherical face of said inclined face of annular gasket with said flange connecting bolts tightened between said flange rings.

6. The structure set forth in claim 3, wherein: said inclined face said gasket is inclined in an annular flat face which is in sealing engagement with said segmented spherical face of said self-aligning flange with said flange connecting bolts tightened between said flange rings.

7. The structure set forth in claim 1, including: said annular gasket having an outer rim of sufficient diameter to engage upon the first one or more of said bolts which are made up with said flange rings, said gasket being aligned for sealing engagement with said rim engaging said first one or more bolts made up.

8. The structure set forth in claim 1, including: a tool for manipulating said gasket being attached to said gasket, said tool extending outwardly of said flange ring so that an operator can manipulate said gasket into a position of alignment as said bolts are made up with said flanges.

9. The structure set forth in claim 1, wherein: said inclined self-aligning end face of said self-aligning flange body having one or more annular lands for sealing engagement against said inclined second face of said gasket.

10. The structure set forth in claim 1, including: said first flange having an annular groove in said annular end face and said first gasket face sealing means being an annular ridge for sealing insertion into said annular groove.

11. The structure set forth in claim 1, including: said self-aligning flange ring being formed integrally with said self-aligning flange body.

12. The structure set forth in claim 1, including: said self-aligning flange ring being a rotatable flange ring mounted over said self-aligning flange body for rotation with respect to said self-aligning flange body.

13. The structure set forth in claim 4, wherein: said inclined face of said annular gasket and said inclined face of said self-aligning flange are spherical segments having a substantially common center generated from a radius located on a point on said substantially common axis on said first flange.

14. The structure set forth in claim 4, wherein: said inclined face of said annular gasket and said inclined face of said self-aligning flange are spherical segments generated from a point on said axis of said self-aligning flange.

15. The structure set forth in claim 1, including: said inclined face of said annular gasket is a segment of a sphere and is convex.

16. The structure set forth in in claim 1, including: said inclined face of said annular gasket is a segment of a sphere and is concave.

17. The structure set forth in in claim 1, wherein: said inclined aligning end face of said selfaligning flange is a segment of a sphere and is concave.

18. The structure set forth in in claim 1, wherein: said inclined aligning end face of said selfaligning flange is a segment of a sphere and is convex.

19. A self-aligning flange assembly for utilization in combination with a standard flange, including: a self-aligning flange body having an internal bore therethrough and being adapted to be attached to a flowline member for connection to a standard flange connected to another flowline member; a flange ring mounted with said self-aligning flange body; said flange ring having a plurality of bolt holes alignable with bolt holes of said standard flange for receiving bolts upon make up of said flange rings; said self-aligning flange body having a selfaligning flange end face which is inclined with respect to the axis of said flange body; an annular gasket positioned between said standard flange and said inclined, aligning end face of said self-aligning flange;; said annular gasket having a first side facing said standard flange, said first side have a sealing means for engaging said first flange; said annular gasket further having a second face facing said self-aligning flange end face, said second face being inclined substantially parallel to said inclined aligning end face of said self-aligning flange body such that said inclined aligning end face of said gasket and said inclined aligning end face of said selfaligning flange body are in sealing engagement with said flange connecting bolts tightened between said rotatable flange ring and said standard flange.

20. The structure set forth in claim 19, wherein: said inclined second face of said annular gasket is a segment of a sphere.

21. The structure set forth in claim 19, wherein: said inclined aligning end face of said selfaligning flange is a segment of a sphere.

22. The structure set forth in claim 19, wherein: said inclined face of said annular gasket and said inclined face of said self-aligning flange are spherical segments having a substantially common center.

23. The structure set forth in claim 19, wherein: said self-aligning face of said self-aligning flange is inclined in an annular flat face which is sealingly engaged against said segmented spherical face of said inclined face of annular gasket with said flange connecting bolts tightened between said flange rings.

24. The structure set forth in claim 19, wherein: said inclined face of said gasket is inclined in an annular flat face which is in sealing engagement with said segmented spherical face of said self-aligning flange with said flange connecting bolts tightened between said flange rings.

25. The structure set forth in claim 19, including: said annular gasket having an outer rim of sufficient diameter to engage upon the first one or more of said bolts which are made up with said flange rings, said gasket being aligned for sealing engagement with said rim engaging said first one or more bolts which are made up.

26. The structure set forth in claim 19, including: a tool for manipulating said gasket being attached to said gasket, said tool extending outwardly of said flange ring so that an operator can manipulate said gasket into a position of alignment as said bolts are made up with said flanges.

27. The structure set forth in claim 19, wherein: said inclined self-aligning end face of said self-aligning flange body having one or more annular lands for sealing engagement against said inclined second face of said gasket.

28. The structure set forth in claim 19, wherein: said flange ring is formed integrally with said self-aligning flange body.

29. The structure set forth in claim 19, wherein: said flange ring is a rotatable flange ring mounted over said self-aligning flange body for rotation with respect to said self-aligning flange body.

30. The structure set forth in claim 19, wherein: said inclined second face of said annular gasket is a segment of a sphere and is convex.

31. The structure set forth in claim 19, wherein: said inclined face of said annular gasket is a segment of a sphere and is concave.

32. The structure set forth in claim 19, wherein: said inclined face of said self-aligning flange body is a segment of a sphere and is concave.

33. The structure set forth in claim 19, wherein: said inclined aligning end face of said selfaligning flange is a segment of a sphere and is convex.

34. The structure set forth in claim 22, wherein: said self-aligning flange body having an internal bore therethrough and being generally cylindrical in configuration such that said internal bore and said flange body have a substantially common central axis; said inclined self-aligning end face of said self-aligning flange body and said inclined face of said annular gasket are spherical segments having a substantially common center which is located upon said common central axis.

35. The structure set forth in claim 19, wherein: said standard flange to which said selfaligning flange assembly is to act in combination is a generally cylindrical standard RTJ flange having a central axis; and said inclined second face of said annular gasket and said self-aligning flange end face are spherical segments having a substantially common center which center is located upon said central axis of said standard flange.

36. Apparatus for connecting together flowlines, including: a first flange adapted to be attached to a first flowline, said first flange including a flange body with a flange ring having a plurality of circumferentially spaced holes for receiving connecting bolts, said first flange body having a bore therethrough such that said bore and said flange body have a substantially common axis and said first flange body having an annular end face; said annular end face of said first flange body having a circumferential groove therein;; a second flange adapted to attached to a second flowline, said second flange including a second flange body with a second flange ring having a plurality of circumferentially spaced holes for receiving connecting bolts, said second flange body having a bore therethrough such that said second flange bore and said second flange body have a substantially common axis; said second flange body having an annular end face having a circumferential groove therein; a plurality of connecting nut and bolt assemblies for extending through said circumferentially spaced holes;; said first flange body annular end face and said second flange body annular end face being generally alignable prior to making up of said flange rings together by a plurality of nut and bolt combinations extending through said circumferentially spaced bolt holes on said first flange body flange ring and said second flange body flange ring; a gasket assembly for positioning between said annular end faces of said first and second flange bodies for providing a metal-to-metal seal therebetween with said connecting bolts and nuts being made up; said gasket assembly including first and second bodies;; said first gasket body having a first surface for positioning opposite to said first flange body annular end face, said first surface of said first gasket body including a circumferential ridge formed therein for alignment with and insertion into said annular groove in said first body annular end face; said second gasket body including a first surface for positioning against said annular end face of said second range body, said first surface of said second gasket body including an annular ridge for insertion into said annular groove in said second annular end face on said second flange body;; said first gasket body having a first internal sealing surface and said second gasket body having a second internal sealing surface, said first and second internal sealing surfaces being inclined with respect to the axis of said first and second flange bodies and being generally parallel to each other for metal-to-metal, sealed engagement against each other with said flange bodies being made up with said connecting bolts and nuts.

37. The structure set forth in claim 36, including: said first internal surface of said first gasket body being a generally spherical segment.

38. The structure set forth in claim 36, including: said second internal surface of said second flange body being a generally spherical segment.

39. The structure set forth in claim 37, wherein: said generally spherical segment is generated from a center point on the axis of said first flange body.

40. The structure set forth in claim 38, wherein: said second internal surface of said second gasket body being a generally spherical segment generated from a center point on said axis of said first flange body.

41. The structure set forth in claim 40, wherein: said second internal surface of said second gasket body includes one or more annular lands adapted to engage in metal-to-metal seal engagement against first internal surface of said first gasket body.

42. The structure set forth in claim 39, including: said second internal surface of said second gasket body being inclined and being a flat frustro-conical surface for engaging against said first internal gasket body surface in a metal-to-metal seal engagement.

43. The structure set forth in claim 40, including: said first internal surface of said first gasket body being a frustro-conical, flat surface for engaging in metal-to-metal seal engagement against said generally spherical segmented surface of said second internal surface on said second gasket body.

44. The structure set forth in claim 36, including: a tool for manipulating said gasket being attached to said gasket, said tool extending outwardly of said flange rings of said first and second bodies so that an operator can manipulate said gasket into a position on alignment as said bolts are made up with said flanges.