GB2242247A

GB2242247A - A telescopic pipe coupling device

Info

Publication number: GB2242247A
Application number: GB9106088A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard Nolan
Original assignee: Myson Group PLC
Current assignee: Myson Group PLC
Priority date: 1990-03-23
Filing date: 1991-03-22
Publication date: 1991-09-25
Also published as: GB9106088D0; GB9006521D0

Abstract

A coupling device includes a tail (2) slidably mounted in a housing (4), and retained in the housing (4) by a retaining clip (14). Two annular ribs (20) on the tail (2) are dimensioned to make a sliding fit in a passage (10) in the housing (4), and an O-ring (22) maintain a seal to prevent water escaping from the interior or the housing (4) to the exterior of the tail (2). To mount the coupling device into a central heating system, the left hand end of the tail (2) is screwed into the end connection of a replacement radiator, and the tail on an existing radiator control valve is screwed into a nut portion (8) of the housing (4). The permitted relative movement of the tail (2) and the housing (4) enables replacement radiators of different lengths to be inserted into an existing central heating system. <IMAGE>

Description

A Coupling Device The present invention relates to a coupling device for connecting two components of a fluid flow system, such as for example a hot water central heating system. The present invention is particularly concerned with, but not restricted to, a coupling device for connecting together a radiator and a radiator control valve of a central heating system.

In a conventional hot water central heating system means, such as a boiler, are provided to heat water which is circulated around a system of pipes and through a series of radiators which are provided in the regions to be heated. It is customary for each radiator to have its associated control valve to enable the water supply through that particular radiator to be cut-off if desired. If a radiator becomes defective, such as for example by developing a leak, it is desirable to be able to replace the defective radiator and retain the remainder of the central heating system in situ. With existing systems, it is convenient to be able to replace a defective radiator with a new radiator of exactly the same length in order that the radiator end connections can be connected to the existing radiator control valve and system pipework.If the replacement radiator is of a different length from the defective radiator, then the problem arises that it is necessary to carry out a major plumbing operation to the system in order to accommodate the replacement radiator.

It is an aim of the invention to alleviate the above-mentioned problem, and according to the present invention there is provided a coupling device for connecting two components of a fluid flow system, said device comprising two end portions adapted for attachment to said components, and a fluid flow passage extending through said device between said two end portions, in which the device is adjustable to vary the distance between said end portions.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention to be hereinafter described, the coupling device includes two component members in sliding fluid-tight engagement with one another, in which the end portions are located one on each member at the remote ends of the device with the fluid flow passage extending through those members.

Two embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation in section of a coupling device of a first embodiment, Figure 2 is a side elevation in section of a housing member of the coupling device of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a side elevation in section of a tail member of the coupling device of Figure 1, Figure 4 is an end view of the coupling device of Figure 1 from the left-hand end thereof, Figure 5 is a side elevation in section of a coupling device of a second embodiment, and Figure 6 is a side elevation in section of a tail member of the coupling device of Figure 5.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings, a first coupling device of the invention includes a tail 2 slideably mounted in a housing 4. The housing includes a nut portion 6 of hexagonal external cross-section, and a guide portion 8 of circular external cross-section. The housing 4 is of circular internal cross-section to define a fluid flow passage having two portions 10 and 12 of different cross-sections extending therethrough.

A retaining clip 14 is located in a recess in the inner wall of the guide portion 8 so as to project into the fluid flow passage housing 10.

The tail 2 is of circular external cross-section, and has extending therethrough a stepped fluid flow passage having a portion 16 of circular cross-section and a portion 18 of hexagonal cross-section. Two longitudinally spaced annular ribs 20 extend radially outwardly to define therebetween a space housing an O-ring 22 which in its normal condition projects radially outwardly from the ribs 20. The illustrated left-hand portion 24 of the tail 2 is externally screw-threaded, and the fluid flow passage portion 12 of the housing 4 is screw-threaded.

To assemble a coupling device, the O-ring 22 is located between the ribs 20, and the tail 2 is slid into the housing 4 from the illustrated left-hand end of the housing 4. The ribs 20 are dimensioned to make a sliding fit in the passage portion 10, and the O-ring 22 maintains an effective static or dynamic seal to prevent water escaping from the fluid flow passage portions to the exterior of the tail 2. The retaining clip 14 is then located in its recess to prevent the tail 2 from being inadvertently slid out of the housing 4. It will be seen from Figure 1 that the effective length of the coupling device can be varied by sliding the tail 2 within the housing 4 along its range of movement from the retaining clip 14 to the illustrated righthand end of the fluid flow passage portion 10.In the illustrated embodiment, the tail 2 and the housing 4 are manufactured from brass but these components could be made of any suitable metal or plastics material.

To mount the coupling device into a central heating system, the left-hand end of the tail 2 is screwed into the end connection of a replacement radiator with a standard 13 mm Allen key which is located in the portion 18 of the tail fluid flow passage. The replacement radiator is then located in its required position in the central heating system. The nut portion 6 is held with a 27 mm A/F spanner, and the tail on an existing radiator control valve is screwed into this nut portion 6 thereby connecting the replacement radiator into the central heating system.

It will be seen that the permitted relative movement of the tail 2 and housing 4 enables replacement radiators of different lengths to be inserted into an existing central heating system.

In the illustrated embodiment, the effective length of the coupling device can be adjusted over a range of 80 mm.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate a second coupling device which is a modified version of the coupling device of Figures 1 to 4. For clarity, corresponding components of the two coupling devices have the same reference numerals.

The tail 2 has three longitudinally spaced annular ribs 26 extending radially outwardly therefrom to define therebetween two longitudinally spaced annular recesses. Each recess houses a Oring 28.

The other components of this second coupling device are the same as the previously described components of the first coupling device, and the second coupling device is assembled and mounted in the same manner as the first coupling device.

In the illustrated embodiment the tail 2 and the housing 4 of this second coupling device are manufactured from brass, but these components could be made of any suitable metal or plastics material.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A coupling device for connecting two components of a fluid flow system, said device comprising two end portions adapted for attachment to said components, and a fluid flow passage extending through said device between said two end portions, in which the device is adjustable to vary the distance between said end portions.

2. A coupling device as claimed in claim 1, including two component members in sliding fluid-tight engagement with each other, wherein the end portions are located one on each member at the remote ends of the device with the fluid flow passage extending through those members.

3. A coupling device as claimed in claim 2 in which said two component members comprise a tail member slidably located in a housing member.

4. A coupling device as claimed in claim 3 in which the fluid flow passage extending through the housing member has two portions of different cross-section, with the tail member located in the passage portion of greater cross-section.

5. A coupling device as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4, including means to provide a seal to resist the escape of fluid from between the housing member and the tail member.

6. A coupling device as claimed in claim 5, in which the seal comprises an 0-ring retained in position surrounding the exterior of the tail member.

7. A coupling device as claimed in claim 6 in which the O-ring is retained in position by two longitudinally spaced annular ribs extending radially outwardly from the tail member.

8. A coupling device as claimed in claim 5, in which the seal comprises two longitudinally spaced 0-rings retained in position surrounding the tail member.

9. A coupling device as claimed in claim 8 in which the O-rings are retained one in each of two annular spaces defined by three longitudinally-spaced annular ribs extending radially outwardly from the tail member.

10. A coupling device as claimed in claim 1, substantially as herein described and shown in Figures 1 to 4 or 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.