GB2325502A

GB2325502A - A pipe fitting

Info

Publication number: GB2325502A
Application number: GB9810963A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Cassidy
Original assignee: CRANLAWN HOLDINGS Ltd
Current assignee: CRANLAWN HOLDINGS Ltd
Priority date: 1997-05-23
Filing date: 1998-05-22
Publication date: 1998-11-25
Also published as: GB9810963D0

Abstract

The fitting for joining to a pipe for accommodating a cable therethrough from the pipe comprises a body, which may be of elbow form, defining a cable accommodating bore 7, connecting means on the body for attaching the fitting to a pipe, a cable entrance in the body, a cable exit in the body, an opening in the body between the cable entrance and cable exit and a closing panel 11, through which cable may be passed, engageable in the opening between the cable entrance and cable exit. The body has two connecting means, with sealing rings, to couple to pipes. The panel 11, has a sealing ring in a groove 15 and is held by screws on the body. The panel 11 is closed, with knockout sections 26,27 for cable passage, or is funnel-shaped and open (Fig 11, not shown).

Description

"A pipe fitting" The present invention relates to a pipe fitting, and in particular, to a pipe fitting for use in connection with conduit for electrical cables.

Stainless steel dairy quality piping is widely used in the food and pharmaceutical industries as conduit for electrical cables. The reason for the use of such stainless steel piping as conduit is to permit sterilisation of the piping. However, in general, it is not practical to use standard stainless steel pipe fittings for joining lengths of such stainless steel piping together, or as cable entries, since in general, the fittings have to be secured to the pipe or pipes before the cable is pulled through the pipes, and it is not practical to pull cables through a run of stainless steel piping which has been joined by standard fittings, such as elbows, bends and the like.

Additionally, it is not possible to replace a cable or pull additional cables through an existing stainless steel pipe run where the stainless steel pipes are joined by standard pipe fittings. Accordingly, in many installations pipe fittings are not used for joining or linking lengths of such stainless steel piping, and the cables are merely fed from one length of pipe to the other and hence are exposed between the respective pipes.

A need exists for a pipe fitting for use in connection with piping as a conduit for cabling which overcomes problems of the prior art.

An object of the invention is to provide a pipe fitting for use with other pipes and conduit which permits the easy pulling of cables through the pipe runs and the introduction of additional cables in the pipe runs after the pipes of the pipe run have been connected together.

According to the invention there is provided a pipe fitting for joining to a pipe for accommodating a cable therethrough from the pipe comprising a pipe fitting body defining a cable accommodating bore, connecting means on the pipe fitting body for attaching the pipe fitting to a pipe, a cable entrance in the pipe fitting body, a cable exit in the pipe fitting body, an opening being defined in the pipe fitting body between the cable entrance and cable exit and a closing panel, through which cable may be passed engageable in the opening between the cable entrance and cable exit.

Preferably, the closing panel is reversibly sealable in the opening. Suitably, the closing panel defines at least one opening through which cable may be passed.

Advantageously, the at least one opening is formable by removing a removable portion of the closing panel.

Preferably, the removable portion is defined by at least one weakened segment defined in the closing panel.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the closing panel comprises a sleeve open at both ends communicable with the bore. Suitably, the sleeve is funnel shaped. More preferably, the sleeve is adapted to receive a pipe.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the connecting means comprise a socket.

Suitably, sealing means are disposed within the socket for sealably joining the pipe fitting to the pipe.

Advantageously, the sealing means comprises an O-ring.

In one embodiment of the invention, the pipe fitting is provided with two connecting means for connecting to respective pipes and a main cable accommodating bore extends through the pipe fitting between the respective bores of the connecting means.

In one aspect of the invention the pipe fitting is for cable conduit. In another aspect of the invention the pipe fitting is for connecting to a stainless steel pipe, and in a further aspect of the invention the pipe fitting is for connecting to a stainless steel pipe of dairy quality.

In a further aspect of the invention the pipe fitting is of plastics material, and preferably, is of shatter proof plastics material.

By virtue of the fact that the pipe fitting sealably engages the stainless steel pipe or pipes the entire run of stainless steel pipes is completely airtight when the fittings are secured to the pipes.

Accordingly, sterilisation of the outer surfaces of the pipe or fittings is possible without danger of sterilising fluid, which may be gas or water, penetrating the interior of the pipe run and additionally permits sterilisation of the interior of the pipe run without any danger of the sterilised fluid escaping the pipe run. Additionally, ingress of water or other liquid or fluids from the environment within which the pipe runs mounted into the pipe run is prevented.

The pipe fitting in accordance with the invention also has application in joining pipes other than dairy quality stainless steel pipes e.g. for joining gun barrel or other cable conduit.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of some embodiments thereof which are given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a plan view of stainless steel dairy quality piping illustrated carrying electrical cables in a prior art arrangement; Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of another prior art arrangement of stainless steel dairy quality piping carrying electrical cables; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a pipe fitting in accordance with the invention with the pipe fitting front panel shown in exploded view; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view through the pipe fitting of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is an end elevation of a pipe inserted in the pipe fitting of Figs. 3 and 4; Fig. 6 is a front perspective view of a second embodiment of a pipe fitting in accordance with the invention with the pipe fitting front panel again shown in exploded view; Fig. 7 is a longitudinal cross-sectional through the fitting of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a front plan view of the pipe fitting of Figs. 6 and 7; Fig. 9 is an end elevation of the pipe fitting of the invention; Fig. 10 is a front perspective view of a third embodiment of a pipe fitting in accordance with the invention with the pipe fitting front panel shown in exploded view for clarity; Fig. 11 is a longitudinal cross-sectional through the pipe fitting of Fig. 10 showing a third pipe feeding off from the pipe fitting, and Fig. 12 is an end elevation of the pipe fitting of Fig. 11.

A prior art arrangement for carrying cables in stainless steel dairy quality piping is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. As shown in the drawings, electrical cabling 37 is run through or housed in pipes 2. No pipe fittings are provided to link the pipes 2 so that the electrical cabling 37 is exposed between pipes 2 and at a cable entry 36 defined in the wall of a pipe 2. Having the cables exposed between the lengths of stainless steel piping in such prior art arrangements is clearly undesirable and does not lend itself to a sterile or sterilisable environment.

Figs. 3 to 5 show a first embodiment of a pipe fitting in accordance with the invention.

More particularly, Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a pipe fitting in accordance with the invention generally indicated by the reference numeral 1 while Fig. 4 shows a longitudinal crosssection through the pipe fitting 1 and Fig. 5 shows an end elevation of the pipe fitting 1.

As shown in Figs. 3 to 5, the pipe fitting 1 is for joining a pair of stainless steel dairy quality pipes 2 together for permitting electrical cable (not shown) to be readily and easily pulled through the pipes 2 and for facilitating easy introduction of additional cables subsequently. The pipe fitting 1 is an elbow fitting and in accordance with the invention forms a pair of connecting means, namely, connecting sockets 3 for securing the pipe fitting 1 to the respective pipes 2.

The connecting sockets 3 define cable accommodating bores 4 which in turn define a longitudinal axis 5 which coincides with the longitudinal axis 10 of the pipes 2 adjacent the ends of the pipes 2 to which the pipe fitting 1 is connected.

The cable accommodating bores 4 of the respective sockets 3 of the pipe fitting 1 are of circular crosssection and terminate in a socket shoulder 6 against which the corresponding pipe 2 abuts when engaged in the corresponding socket 3.

A main cable accommodating bore 7 extends between the bores 4 of the sockets 3 for accommodating the cables through the pipe fitting 1. The cross-section of the main cable accommodating bore 7 may be of any suitable cross-sectional shape, but typically, will be of circular cross-section having a diameter just less than the cable accommodating bore 4 in the sockets 3 for forming the corresponding shoulders 6.

The connecting socket 3 is provided with an annular groove 8 which extends around the socket 3 for accommodating an O-ring seal 9 for sealably securing the pipe fitting 1 to the corresponding pipe 2.

The pipe fitting 1 is provided with a detachable front panel 11 over an opening 12 into the main cable accommodating bore 7. The pipe fitting 1 is formed to define a skirt like wall 13 which in turn defines the opening 12. Internally, the skirt like wall 13 is provided with an annular groove 14 which extends around the wall 13 adjacent the base of the skirt like wall 13. The annular groove 14 is adapted to receive an Oring seal 15 to define a sealing relationship between the front panel 11 and the opening 12 as shall be explained more fully below.

The front panel 11 is made up of a front or top wall 16 (hereinafter referred to as the front wall) having a side wall 17 extending rearwardly therefrom. The front wall 16 and hence the side wall 17 are substantially rectangular having rounded ends in shape. The side wall 17 is provided with a side wall annular groove 18 complimentary to the annular groove 14 of the skirt like wall 13 on the main cable accommodating bore 7.

The O-ring seal 15 is adapted to rest in the annular grooves 14 and 18 when the front panel 11 is inserted into the opening 12.

The front wall 16 of the front panel 11 is shaped to define peripheral laterally extending flanges 19 having through holes 20 therein. The front wall 16 is provided with four such flanges and through holes 19,20 arranged around the perimeter of the front wall 16.

The skirt like side wall 13 of the opening 12 is provided with complimentary peripheral wall flanges 21 on the outer surface thereof complimentary to the flanges 19 of the front wall 16. The wall flanges 21 are provided with receiving holes 22 complimentary to the through holes 20 of the flanges 19 of the front wall 16. The receiving holes 22 and the through holes 20 are contiguous when the front panel 11 is inserted in the opening 12. The contiguous through holes 20 and receiving holes 22 are adapted to receive closure means in the form of screws 23 to secure the front panel 11 in position in the opening 12.

The front wall 16 of the front panel 11 is inwardly contoured to define weak spots 24 of reduced thickness so that portions 25 defined between the weak spots 24 can be pushed out from the front wall 16 to define secondary openings 26 in the front wall 16 (not shown) through which cable (not shown) can exit from the fitting 1 if desired.

A first portion 27 of the front wall 16 is inclined inwards from the front wall 16 between weak spots 24 to define an inwardly angled secondary opening 28 through which cable can be passed as defined above. The angled secondary opening 28 allows a larger radius to be used when bending a cable to exit the pipe fitting.

Figs. 6 to 9 show a second embodiment of a pipe fitting 1 in accordance with the invention. The pipe fitting 1 of Figs. 6 to 9 is similar to the pipe fitting of Figs.

3 to 5 but with the exception that the pipe fitting is not elbow-shaped but forms a pipe-like or cylindrical pipe fitting to which pipes 2 can be attached as previously described. The fitting 1 is provided with a front panel 11 also as previously described and similar components are identified by the same reference numeral.

Figs. 10 to 12 show a third embodiment of a pipe fitting 1 in accordance with the invention. More particularly, Fig. 10 shows a front perspective view of the pipe fitting 1 while Fig. 11 shows a top partial cross-sectional view of the pipe fitting 1 of Fig. 10 and Fig. 12 shows an end elevation of the pipe fitting of Fig. 11.

In the present embodiment, the pipe fitting 1 is similar to the pipe fitting described in Fig. 6 in that the main cable accommodating bore 7 of the pipe fitting 1 is cylindrical (i.e. pipe shaped) and not elbow shaped as shown in the embodiment of Figs. 3 to 5.

However, in the present embodiment, the front panel 11 is shaped to define a funnel 29. The funnel 29 is made up of a side wall 17 identical to the side wall previously described in relation to Figs. 3 to 5 and a funnel-shaped wall 30 upstanding from the side wall 17.

The funnel-shaped side wall 30 is open at its convergent end to define a funnel bore 31 which communicates with the cable accommodating bore 7 of the pipe fitting 1. The funnel bore 31 defines a socket 32 at the convergent end adapted to receive a pipe 2 as previously described.

More particularly, the internal face of the funnelshaped side wall 30 is provided with a socket shoulder 33 and an annular groove 34 adapted to receive an Oring type seal 35. Accordingly, the socket 32 is adapted to receive a pipe 2 as previously described in a sealing relationship.

Pipes 2 inserted into the sockets 3 and the socket 32 (see Fig. 11) facilitate the formation of a three way cable junction in the pipe fitting 1.

The operation and use of the pipe fitting 1 in accordance with the invention will now be described having regard to the drawings. In use, pipes 2 can be inserted in the pipe fitting 1 in the sockets 3 as previously described. The front panel 11 is usually removed so that the opening 12 is open for the insertion of cabling. The O-ring seals 9 are fitted to the ends of the pipe 2 for engaging in the annular grooves 8 in the pipe fitting 1. The electrical cables (not shown) are pulled through the pipes to an exit through the opening 12 of the fitting 1. The cables can therefore be pulled along a pipe 2 to exit through the opening 12 as shown in Fig. 3. A cable is then urged inwards through the opening 12 into a second pipe 2 attached to the fitting 1. The front panel 11 can then be secured over the opening 12 with the screws 23 as previously described. Alternatively, the pipe fitting 1 can be utilized as a connector as shown in Fig. 6 to facilitate the attachment of two pipes 2 to either end of the pipe fitting 1 to form a single continuous pipe.

Subsequently, if it is desired to form a three way cable junction at the pipe fitting 1, the front panel 11 shown in Fig. 6 may be removed and the funnel like front panel 11 shown in Fig. 10 mounted in the opening 12 as previously described. A third pipe 2 can then be secured in the funnel socket 32 as described above.

Alternatively, the front panel 11 shown in Figs. 3 and 6 can be adapted by removing the weakened portions 25 defined by the weak spots 24 to provide a cable takeoff at the front panel 11 of pipe fitting 1.

Accordingly, the pipe fitting 1 in accordance with the invention has many uses and can be adapted for a multiplicity of uses using a minimum number of fittings thereby ensuring maximum flexibility in cabling applications. In addition, the use of the opening 12 facilitates the drawing and urging of cables through pipes 2 without any cable remaining exposed following assembly.

The O-ring seals used in the present invention can be replaced by a sealing adhesive (e.g. an expoxy adhesive) capable of joining and sealing plastics to metal.

The pipe fitting in accordance with the invention may be formed from a shatter proof plastics material or any other suitable material such as plastics or stainless steel.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described which may be varied in construction and detail.

Claims

CTIIAIMS

1. A pipe fitting for joining to a pipe for accommodating a cable therethrough from the pipe comprising a pipe fitting body defining a cable accommodating bore, connecting means on the pipe fitting body for attaching the pipe fitting to a pipe, a cable entrance in the pipe fitting body, a cable exit in the pipe fitting body, an opening in the pipe fitting body between the cable entrance and cable exit and a closing panel, through which cable may be passed, engageable in the opening between the cable entrance and cable exit.

2. A pipe fitting as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the closing panel is reversibly sealable in the opening.

3. A pipe fitting as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the closing panel defines at least one opening through which cable may be passed.

4. A pipe fitting as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the at least one opening is formable by removing a removable portion of the closing panel.

5. A pipe fitting as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the removable portion is defined by at least one weakened segment defined in the closing panel.

6. A pipe fitting as claimed any of Claims 1 to 3 wherein the closing panel comprises a sleeve open at both ends communicable with the bore.

7. A pipe fitting as claimed in Claim 6 wherein the sleeve is funnel shaped.

8. A pipe fitting as claimed in Claim 6 or Claim 7 wherein the sleeve is adapted to receive a pipe.

9. A pipe fitting as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 8 wherein the connecting means comprises a socket for receiving a pipe.

10. A pipe fitting as claimed in Claim 9 wherein sealing means are disposed within the socket for sealably joining the pipe fitting to the pipe.

11. A pipe fitting as claimed in Claim 10 wherein the sealing means comprises an O-ring.

12. A pipe fitting as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 11 wherein the pipe fitting is provided with two connecting means for connecting to respective pipes and a main cable accommodating bore extends through the pipe fitting between the respective bores of the connecting means.

13. A pipe fitting as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 12 wherein the pipe fitting comprises plastics.

14. A pipe fitting as claimed in Claim 13 wherein the plastics comprises shatter proof plastics.

15. A cable conduit comprising a pipe fitting as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 14.

16. A stainless steel pipe comprising a pipe fitting as claimed in Claims 1 to 12.

17. A stainless steel pipe as claimed in Claim 16 wherein the pipe is of dairy quality.

18. A pipe fitting substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and/or as shown in Figs. 3 to 12 of the accompanying drawings.

19. A cable conduit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and/or as shown in Figs. 3 to 12 of the accompanying drawings.

20. A stainless steel pipe substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and/or as shown in Figs. 3 to 12 of the accompanying drawings.