GB2478135A

GB2478135A - Improvements in and relating to gas meter connections

Info

Publication number: GB2478135A
Application number: GB1003193A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Anthony Davidson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-02-25
Filing date: 2010-02-25
Publication date: 2011-08-31
Also published as: GB201003193D0

Abstract

Disclosed is a flexible coupling element for joining first and second elements in a fluid-supply system, such as from a gas stopcock to a regulator for a domestic gas meter installation. The flexible coupling element 200 comprises a unitary pipe section having first and second ends terminated in captive fastenings. The device comprises a length of castellated, or corrugated, piping 230, a bolt component 210 and a captive nut 220. The pipe section is of unitary construction formed from a single length of pipe requiring no welding or other joining operation. first end 232 of pipe 230, comprises bolt element 210 with captive 0-ring 212 to provide a gas tight seal and end 232 is flared. At opposite end, a captive nut 220 is placed over pipe 230 and then circumferential ridge 222 is created.

Description

Improvements in and relating to gas meter connections Domestic gas meters are provided to monitor and measure the volume of gas consumed by a particular household over a period of time. Gas meters are often installed in inconvenient and cramped locations meaning that fitting and maintaining them can be awkward and inconvenient.

In a typical installation, as shown in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, a gas stopcock 4 is provided to which the meter 1 must first be attached. A second connection 3 from the meter 1 feeds the gas powered appliances (e.g. boiler, cooker) in the household. The position of the meter in relation to the stopcock is not standardised and so it is normal to provide a form of flexible coupling 100 between the gas stopcock 4 and the gas meter 1 or, in most cases, the regulator 5 which is fitted immediately prior to the meter 1 itself.

The prior art flexible coupling 100 shown in Figure 1 comprises a length of bellows type tubing, formed from steel, stainless steel or any other suitable material. In order to couple each end of the connecting pipe to the stopcock 4 and regulator 5 or meter 1 respectively, coupling devices are fitted to each end of the tube. At the end connected to the stopcock, a captive nut 108 is provided on a short section of pipe 106 which is welded to the flexible section 120 of tubing.

At the other end of coupling 100, there is provided a fixed bolt portion (not shown) which is also provided on a short section of pipe 104 which is welded to the flexible section 102.

In order to fit such a prior art flexible connector 100 to connect the meter ito the stopcock 4, it is necessary first to insert the fixed bolt end into the regulator 5 or meter 1. Doing this involves rotating the entire length of flexible coupling pipe 102 about its longitudinal axis until a tight fit is created with the meter 1 or regulator 5. Then, it is necessary to attach the other end of the flexible coupling 100 to the stopcock 4 by means of the captive nut 108. The captive nut 108 is able to rotate freely with respect to the short section of pipe 106 welded to the flexible coupling pipe 102 and so the flexible pipe 102 does not rotate or otherwise affect the opposite end which is coupled to the regulatorS or meter 1. The flexible portion 102 of the coupling is able to be shaped so as to fit the available space and ensure that the meter is properly connected to the stopcock.

However, the problem with these prior art connectors is that the step of attaching the two short pipe sections 104, 106 to the flexible pipe element 102 requires two separate welding operations, which are time consuming costly and error-prone. This means that the resulting flexible connector is unnecessarily expensive. It is an aim, therefore, of embodiments of the present invention to address problems in the manufacture of such flexible gas meter couplings, and other shortcomings not mentioned specifically herein.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a flexible coupling element for joining first and second elements in a fluid-supply system, wherein the flexible coupling element comprises a unitary pipe section having first and second ends terminated in captive fastenings.

Preferably, the captive fastenings are freely rotatable with respect to the unitary pipe section.

Preferably, the unitary pipe section is castellated along part of its length to render it flexible.

Preferably, the castellated portion is located at the centre of the unitary pipe section.

Preferably, the unitary pipe section is formed from steel or stainless steel.

Preferably, a uniform (i.e. non castellated) section of pipe is retained at each end of the flexible coupling element.

Preferably, the captive fastenings are complementary.

Preferably, the captive fastenings comprise a captive bolt element and a captive nut.

Preferably, the captive bolt element comprises an internal 0-ring to provide a fluid-tight seal once it has been fastened in place.

Preferably, the bolt element is retained in-situ by flaring the end of the pipe section proximal to it.

Preferably, the nut is retained by provision of a circumferential ridge in the end of the pipe section proximal to it.

Alternatively, the captive fastenings may be identical and may comprise two bolt elements or two nuts.

Preferably, the fluid supply system is a domestic gas supply system.

Preferably, the first element in the fluid supply system is a stopcock.

Preferably, the second element in the fluid supply system is a regulator or meter.

According to a second aspect, there is provided a method of manufacturing a flexible coupling element according to the first aspect, comprising the steps of: providing a unitary pipe section, being partially castellated along its length; placing over a first end of the pipe section a captive bolt element; flaring the end of the pipe section proximal to the bolt element to prevent the bolt element from leaving the pipe section; placing over a second end of the pipe section, a captive nut; and providing a circumferential ridge adjacent the end of the pipe section proximal to the nut to prevent the nut from leaving the pipe section.

Other features of the invention will be apparent from the description which follows.

For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how embodiments of the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a prior art gas meter installation;

Figure 2 shows a view of a first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 shows a cross sectional view through the first embodiment of the present invention shown in Figure 2; and Figure 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention in cross section; and Figure 5 shows a third embodiment of the present invention in cross section.

Figure 2 shows a view of a first embodiment of the present invention which is provided to couple a gas meter 1 or regulator 5 to a gas stopcock 4 in the same manner as the prior art flexible coupling device referred to previously. However, the embodiment 200 of the invention shown in Figure 2 differs in at least one key respect from the prior art device referred to previously. The device 200 shown in Figure 2 comprises a length of bellows or castellated piping 230, which is castellated along the majority of its length, excluding a short section at each end. It further comprises a bolt component 210 and a captive nut 220. The castellated portion of the pipe 230 is flexible in the same manner as the prior art device 100 referred to previously. The pipe section 230 is of unitary construction i.e. formed from a single length of pipe, requiring no welding or other joining operations.

Figure 3 shows a cross sectional view of the pipe 200 shown in Figure 2. Here can be seen the means by which the bolts elements 210 and captive nuts 220 are able to be attached to the castellated pipe section 230 without requiring the need for any expensive or time-consuming welding operations.

In order to understand the construction of the embodiment of the flexible coupling 200 shown here, it is instructive to consider the manufacturing process stage by stage. Firstly, a length of pipe 230 is provided which is of a uniform cross sectional area. The central section of the pipe 230 is castellated using a known technique such as crimping, rolling or other suitable process.

A short length of uniform (i.e un-castellated) pipe is retained at each end.

Added to a first end 232 of the pipe 230 is bolt element is 210. Bolt element 210 is arranged to fit relatively tightly around the pipe 230 but to move freely back and forth upon it. Located within the neck of the bolt is a captive 0-ring 212 which, in use, provides a gas tight seal when the bolt elements 210 is tightened into the regulator 5 or meter 1.

In order to retain the bolt element 210 in situ on the coupling 200, the open end of 232 of the pipe 230 is flared so that the bolt element 210 is held captive and cannot slide off the open end of the coupling 200. The flaring can be achieved by means of a shaped insert which can be controllably driven into the open end 232 of the pipe 230.

At the opposite end, a captive nut 220 is first placed over the pipe 230 and then a circumferential ridge 222 is created towards the open end of the pipe 230. This ridge 222 may be created by compression or other suitable process. By providing this ridge 222, the nut 220 is held captive on the coupling 200.

The end result of these operations is the coupling 200 as shown in Figure 2. In use, the coupling 200 performs almost identically with the prior art coupling referred to and described in relation to Figure 1. The exception is that the captive bolt element 210 rotates freely with respect to the pipe 230 which can assist in fitting the coupling 200 in some awkward situations.

However, this does not have any impact on the performance of the coupling in any way at all.

In use, therefore, a service operative is able to attach captive bolt element 210 to the regulator or gas meter 1 using a spanner in a known way. The 0-ring 212 forms a gas tight seal ensuring that no gas escapes from the coupling. The flexible portion of pipe 230 can be arranged as required to conform to the available space, and captive nut 220 can then be fastened to the stopcock again using a spanner in the usual way.

As can be seen from the figures and the accompanying description, the flexible coupling 200 provided by an embodiment of the present invention requires no complex, costly or time consuming welding operations resulting in a speedier production process and hence a cheaper coupling device which may be used in a known way to replace existing prior art coupling devices. Furthermore, the resulting product is more aesthetically pleasing than the prior art device since there is no visible residue on the coupling device from the welding process, since none is performed.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, Figure 4 shows a flexible coupling device identical to the previously described embodiments except that each end of the coupling device is terminated in a captive bolt element 210 rather than one captive bolt 210 and a captive nut 220. The means of manufacture of each end is as described previously.

Similarly, a third embodiment of the coupling device 400 shown in Figure 5 comprises a captive nut 220 at each end rather than a captive nut 220 and a captive bolt as shown in Figure 3. Again, the means of manufacture of each end is as described previously.

The embodiments of the coupling 300, 400 shown in Figures 4 and 5 are alternative embodiments that may find uses in particular situations having non-standard configurations.

It will be apparent, therefore, that embodiments of the present invention provide an economic alternative to prior art flexible coupling devices and the advantages thereof are apparent. The automated production process used to produce standard embodiments to the invention allow for economies of scale and cost savings to be benefitted from, resulting in a more economic product offering for the consumer.

Attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A flexible coupling element for joining first and second elements in a fluid-supply system, wherein the flexible coupling element comprises a unitary pipe section having first and second ends terminated in captive fastenings.
2. The flexible coupling element of claim 1 wherein the captive fastenings are freely rotatable with respect to the unitary pipe section.
3. The flexible coupling element of claim 1 or 2, wherein the unitary pipe section is castellated along part of its length to render it flexible.
4. The flexible coupling element of claim 3, wherein the castellated portion is located at the centre of the unitary pipe section.
5. The flexible coupling element of any preceding claim, wherein the unitary pipe section is formed from steel or stainless steel.

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6. The flexible coupling element of any preceding claim, wherein a uniform section of pipe Q 20 is provided at each end of the flexible coupling element.

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7. The flexible coupling element of any preceding claim, wherein the captive fastenings are corn plementary.
8. The flexible coupling element of any preceding claim, wherein the captive fastenings comprise a captive bolt element and a captive nut.
9. The flexible coupling element of claim 8, wherein the captive bolt element comprises an internal 0-ring to provide a fluid-tight seal once it has been fastened in place.
10. The flexible coupling element of claim 8 or 9, wherein the bolt element is retained in-situ by flaring the end of the pipe section proximal to it.
11. The flexible coupling element of any of claims 8-10, wherein the nut is retained by provision of a circumferential ridge in the end of the pipe section proximal to it.
12. The flexible coupling element of any preceding claim, wherein the fluid supply system is a domestic gas supply system.
13. The flexible coupling e'ement of any preceding claim, wherein the first element in the fluid supply system is a stopcock.
14. The flexible coupling element of any preceding claim, wherein the second element in the fluid supply system is a regulator or meter.
15. A method of manufacturing a flexible coupling element according to any preceding claim, comprising the steps of: providing a unitary pipe section, being partially castellated along its length; placing over a first end of the pipe section a captive bolt element; flaring the end of the pipe section proximal to the bolt element to prevent the bolt element from leaving the pipe section; placing over a second end of the pipe section, a captive nut; and providing a circumferential ridge adjacent the end of the pipe section proximal to the nut to prevent the nut from leaving the pipe section. (\J (\J