JP2008095877A - Water meter pressure welding joint - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pressure welding joint for allowing easy and reliable work with no variation in construction in a small working space. <P>SOLUTION: A joint body connectable to the primary side pipe of a water meter has a feed handle which slides in the axial direction with screw joint, and a pressure welded pipe which is slidable in the axial direction in conjunction with the feed handle. The spring pressure of a compression spring mounted between the feed handle and the pressure welded pipe and internal water pressure energize the pressure welded pipe toward the end of the meter at all times. The compression spring is set to be compressed to a maximum when the pressure welded pipe is pressure-welded to the end of the meter. An indicator for visibly checking the fastening amount of the feed handle is constructed by a spacer ring or the like which can be wound on a sleeve. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a press-fit joint capable of sandwiching a water meter with a fixed joint, and relates to a structure with light torque and no variation in construction by spring pressure and internal water pressure.

  Conventionally, a so-called water meter unit is known in which a pair of joints are held in series at a fixed distance to form a unit, and a water meter (water meter) is attached between the joints. In other words, water works are completed after a water flow test is performed after the pipe is completed, and then a water meter is installed and finished. According to the water meter unit, first, a straight pipe is installed between the joints to perform the water flow test. After that, the straight pipe can be replaced with a water meter. At this time, both ends of straight pipes and water meters may be connected to each joint by cap nuts (union nut connection method), but in this case, it is always necessary to tighten the cap nuts at the two ends, and replace them. Is troublesome. This is a common problem for regular replacement work of water meters.

  Then, the water meter unit which employ | adopted the pressure welding joint as one means as a means which simplifies replacement | exchange and replacement | exchange work for water meters is provided (for example, refer patent documents 1-3). The press-fit joint shown here has a configuration in which a movable receiving portion is provided on the joint body so that the protrusion amount can be adjusted. More specifically, with the movable receiving portion partially protruding, the nut is inserted into the main body while restricting rotation, and the nut is screwed into the protruding portion of the movable receiving portion while restricting movement in the axial direction. It consists of composition, and the rotation motion of a nut is converted into the expansion-contraction motion of the axial direction of a movable receiving part by the composition concerned. That is, if the other joint position is fixed, the protruding amount of the movable receiving portion is adjusted only by turning the nut on the pressure welding joint side, and as a result, the distance between both joints is adjusted. And, if the protruding amount of the movable receiving part is reduced, the distance between the joints is increased, and a straight pipe or a water meter can be installed or removed. Conversely, if the protruding amount of the movable receiving part is increased, the distance between the joints is reduced, A water meter or the like can be clamped and fixed in a state of being pressed between the joints.

JP 2003-74091 A JP 2004-245268 A JP 2006-98341 A

  However, the pressure-welded joint disclosed in the above-mentioned patent document is difficult to work in a narrow space called a meter box when a dedicated tool is required. In addition, since the tightening amount is determined by the operator's feeling when connecting, there is a possibility that the construction is likely to vary and water leakage or the like may occur due to insufficient tightening. On the other hand, even with hand tightening, it is not possible to turn many at once, so it is necessary to pick it up a little and pick it up a few times and repeat this several times, which is not only bad for workability but also for working in a small space There are also difficulties. Further, when tightening by hand, the torque is also small, so that tightening may be loosened over time due to vibration or the like.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a pressure-welded joint capable of easily and reliably proceeding with work even in a narrow work space without variation in construction. It is.

  In order to achieve the above-described object, the present invention provides a press-contact joint that slides the press-contact tube back and forth in the axial direction in conjunction with the movement of the feed handle by screwing with the joint body. It was decided to use means for supporting the pressure contact with the part with both spring pressure and water pressure. That is, a feed handle that moves in the axial direction by rotation of a screw that is screwed into a joint body that can be connected to a primary pipe of a water meter, and a pressure contact pipe that is movable in the axial direction in conjunction with the feed handle And the pressure contact pipe is always urged toward the end of the meter by the spring pressure of the compression spring and the internal water pressure interposed between the feed handle and the pressure contact pipe.

  As a specific structure for realizing such technical idea, in the present invention, a joint body in which a sleeve with a male screw is integrally provided at a connection portion with a primary pipe of a water meter, and one of the meters An inward flange and a retaining piece are provided in the opening facing the end portion of the first end to form a spring accommodating portion, and a female screw tube connected to the spring accommodating portion via the flange is screwed with the male screw. A feed handle that is movable in the axial direction along the sleeve by combining, and a rear end of a guide tube that is slidably and slidably inserted into the sleeve as a water passage therethrough is used as an internal water pressure receiving surface, An expansion step portion that can be engaged with the flange in the spring accommodating portion is provided in front of the guide tube, and an outward spring receiver that can be engaged with the retaining piece is provided on the outer periphery of the expansion step portion. The projecting step and the expanding step A pressure contact pipe formed at a front end from a front end opening of the feed handle to form a seal portion that can be pressure-contacted with the meter end in a watertight manner, and interposed between the flange and the spring receiver in the spring accommodating portion; A pressure welding joint of a water meter is constituted by a compression spring that urges the pressure welding pipe toward the meter end.

  In such means, it is preferable that the compression spring is compressed to the maximum when the pressure contact tube is pressed against the meter end. This is because the spring pressure at the time of pressure contact becomes maximum, and even if the meter shifts to the secondary side, the pressure contact tube follows this and water flow does not break.

  On the other hand, since there is a risk of water leakage due to insufficient tightening, it is preferable to provide an indicator that allows visual confirmation of the tightening amount of the feed handle in order to always maintain a constant tightening amount. The indicator can be composed of a ring-shaped spacer or a colored member that can be wound around the sleeve of the joint body. If the spacer is a spacer, the sleeve can be protected from mud.

  According to the present invention described above, the pressure contact work is performed only by turning and tightening the feed handle in one direction as in the conventional case. However, the tightening with a light torque is possible by the spring pressure of the built-in compression spring and the internal water pressure. It becomes. Therefore, construction is possible even by hand tightening, and a pressure-welded joint capable of working without tools can be obtained. In addition, the pressure contact tube is always urged by the spring pressure and water pressure so as to come into pressure contact with the meter end, so that the pressure contact with the meter end can be ensured in a watertight state only by turning the feed handle by a fixed amount. To maintain. Furthermore, even if the meter shifts in the axial direction due to vibration or the like after the pressure welding operation, the pressure contact portion follows and presses against the meter end due to the spring pressure and the water pressure, so that water leakage or the like can be avoided. . In addition, since the indicator for visually confirming the tightening amount of the feed handle is provided, insufficient tightening can be avoided, and the pressure welding operation can always be performed stably. Further, by using the ring-shaped spacer as an indicator, the portion exposed from the feed handle of the sleeve can be covered and protected from water, mud and dirt, and the screw mechanism can be prevented from being damaged.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a unit type meter box. That is, a primary side pipe and a secondary side pipe are provided in a resin box 1 having a certain depth. In this embodiment, the primary side pipe is formed by connecting a connecting pipe 2 and a stop cock 3. On the other hand, the secondary side pipe is constructed by using the check cylinder 5 of the check valve 4 as a connecting pipe. The pressure-joint joint 6 of the present invention is connected to the primary side pipe, the fixed joint 7 is connected to the secondary side pipe, and the water meter M is sandwiched between the joints 6 and 7. The fixed joint 7 connected to the secondary side pipe is provided with an O-ring 8 on an opening surface to constitute a seal portion, and a jaw portion 9 is horizontally provided below the seal portion. On the other hand, the press-fit joint 6 according to the present invention includes a joint body 10 connected to the primary side pipe, a feed handle 20 provided with a plurality of blades projecting radially on the fingers, and a pressure-welded built in communication with the joint body 10. Tube 30.

  The detailed structure of the press-fit joint 6 will be described with reference to FIG. 2, and the usage and operation thereof will be clarified by using FIGS. 3 and 4 together. As described above, the main pressure welding joint 6 has a three-member configuration including the main body 10, the feed handle 20, and the pressure welding pipe 30. The details of each member will be described. The sleeve 12 is extended on the secondary side of the connecting portion 11 that can be connected to the side pipe, and a male screw 13 is engraved on the outer periphery of the sleeve 12. In addition, a donut-shaped partition rib 15 having a water passage hole 14 is formed between the connection portion 11 and the sleeve 12 inside. In addition, the structure of the connection part 11 is determined according to a structure and a kind in primary side piping.

  The feed handle 20 with respect to such a joint body 10 has a two-stage structure in which a female threaded tube 21 screwed into the sleeve 12 and a diameter-enlarged opening 22 facing one end of the meter are connected to each other. On the outer periphery of the enlarged diameter opening portion 22, a plurality of blades 23 that are hooked by fingers or the like are radially projected. Such a feed handle 20 is screwed into the female screw tube 21 and the male screw 13 and moves on the sleeve 12 in the axial direction by rotating the screw. Further, with respect to the inside of the feed handle 20, a flange 25 having a through hole 24 having the same diameter as the inner diameter of the sleeve 12 is projected inwardly between the female screw tube 21 and the enlarged diameter opening 22. Yes. Further, a washer (a retaining piece) 26 is detachably attached to the inside of the enlarged diameter opening portion 22 by a retaining ring 27 in the vicinity of the opening, and a space between the flange 25 and the washer 26 serves as a spring accommodating portion.

  On the other hand, the press-contact pipe 30 has a two-stage structure in which an expanded step 32 is continuously provided in front of a guide pipe 31 having a diameter that is slidably inserted into the sleeve 12 of the joint body 10. A water passage hole 33 having substantially the same diameter as the water passage hole 14 of the joint body 10 is formed in the interior thereof, and the water is communicated with the primary side pipe via the joint body 10. Further, an O-ring 34 is provided on a part of the outer periphery of the guide tube 31 so that the sleeve 12 is inserted in a watertight manner to prevent water leakage from the insertion portion of the guide tube 31. On the other hand, a spring receiver 35 is provided on the outer periphery of the expanding step 32 so as to protrude outward so that the inner diameter of the spring accommodating portion of the feed handle 20, that is, the inner diameter of the enlarged diameter opening portion 22 is substantially the same. The compression spring 40 is built in the spring accommodating portion by interposing the compression spring 40 between the spring receiver 35 and the flange 25 of the feed handle 20. Furthermore, an O-ring 36 is provided on the distal end surface of the expanded step portion 32 to constitute a seal portion 37 that is in watertight contact with the meter end portion. The compression spring 40 is a spring compressed against its elastic force, and exhibits an elastic force in the extension direction.

  FIG. 2 shows a state before the pressure welding in the pressure welding joint 6 having the above-described configuration. At this time, the flange 25 comes into contact with the tip of the sleeve 12 to restrict the backward movement of the feed handle 20, and in this state, the meter is attached and detached. In this state before pressure contact, a slight gap is secured between the rear end of the pressure contact tube 30 and the partition rib 15 of the joint body 10. In addition, a predetermined clearance is secured between the expanded step 32 and the flange 25 of the feed handle 20, and the compression spring 40 is accommodated in a slightly extended state.

  Next, FIG. 3 shows a state in which the feed handle 20 is rotated in the forward screw direction and moved slightly forward toward the meter end. The advance amount is the same as the clearance between the above-described expanded step portion 32 and the flange 25. With this operation, the feed handle 20 moves forward, and the flange 25 compresses the compression spring 40. The compression amount reaches the maximum compression amount of the compression spring 40. However, depending on the spring pressure of the compression spring 40 in the maximum compression state, the pressure contact tube 30 does not slide toward the end of the meter and remains in the same position as in FIG. This is because, in this embodiment, the frictional engagement force with the sleeve 12 by the O-ring 34 provided in the guide tube 31 is set to exceed the spring pressure. In other words, the compression spring 40 having a spring constant commensurate with the setting is employed.

  Next, FIG. 4 shows a state in which the pressure contact operation is completed by rotating the feed handle 20 to bring the pressure contact tube 30 into pressure contact with the meter end. That is, if the feed handle 20 is further rotated in the forward screw direction from the state shown in FIG. 3, the flange 25 moving forward is engaged with the expanded step portion 32 of the press contact tube 30. Slides the same amount in conjunction with the feed handle 20. During this operation, the compression spring 40 remains in a state of maximum compression, and therefore, the tightening of the feed handle 20 is restricted at the stage where the tip seal portion 37 of the press contact tube 30 abuts against the meter end, and the press contact is performed. The work is complete. After this pressure welding, a clearance is generated between the rear end of the guide tube 31 of the pressure welding tube 30 and the partition rib 15 of the joint body 10, and water enters the clearance. Due to the internal water pressure acting as the pressure receiving surface and the spring pressure of the compression spring 40, the pressure contact tube 30 is always urged so as to be in pressure contact with the meter end. Therefore, even if the meter is phase-shifted to the secondary side due to vibration or the like, the pressure contact tube 30 does not slide and is not disconnected from the meter end portion.

  Further, this urging operation appears when the feed handle 20 is moved forward from the state shown in FIG. 3, so that the feed handle 20 can be turned and tightened with a light torque by the internal water pressure and the spring pressure. Further, since the compression spring 40 is disposed outside the pressure contact tube 30 in a state where it does not come into contact with water, there is no fear of rusting, and water passage through the water passage hole 33 is not hindered. Further, since the press-contact tube 30 and the compression spring 40 can be disassembled simply by removing the retaining ring 27, maintenance can be easily performed.

  On the other hand, reference numeral 50 in FIG. 4 denotes a spacer ring that can be wound around a portion exposed from the feed handle 20 of the sleeve 12 when the press contact is completed. By using the spacer ring 50 as an indicator, the operator recognizes that the press-contact has been completed by turning the feed handle 20 to a position where the spacer ring 50 can be wound around the sleeve 12 and tightening it. Therefore, the optimum pressure welding work can be performed by always performing a fixed tightening. As such an indicator, in addition to winding the spacer ring 50 around the sleeve 12, a colored portion may be formed on the sleeve 12 directly or by a seal or the like.

  If the feed handle 20 is turned in the opposite direction to the pressure welding operation, the feed handle 20 moves backward, and its washer (prevention piece) 26 engages with the spring receiver 35 of the pressure weld tube 30. It can be spaced from the meter end.

Explanatory drawing of embodiment which applied the pressure welding joint of this invention to the unit type meter box Explanatory drawing showing the pressure welded joint before pressure welding Explanatory drawing showing the pressure welding operation of the pressure welding joint Explanatory drawing showing after completion of pressure welding of pressure welded joint

Explanation of symbols

6 Pressure welding joint 10 Joint body 20 Feed handle 30 Pressure welding pipe 50 Spacer ring

Claims (6)

A fitting body that can be connected to the primary pipe of a water meter is provided with a feed handle that moves in the axial direction by the rotation of the screw to be screwed, and a pressure-welded pipe that can move in the axial direction in conjunction with this feed handle. The water meter is configured to constantly urge the pressure contact pipe toward the end of the meter by the spring pressure of the compression spring and the internal water pressure interposed between the feed handle and the pressure contact pipe. . A joint body in which a male threaded sleeve is integrally provided at the connection with the primary pipe of the water meter, an inward flange and a retaining piece in the opening facing one end of the meter. A feed handle that is provided around the sleeve so as to be movable in the axial direction along the sleeve by screwing a female screw pipe connected to the spring accommodating portion via the flange with the male screw. And the rear end of the guide tube that is slidably and slidably inserted into the sleeve as a water passage is used as a pressure receiving surface for the internal water pressure, and can be engaged with the flange in the spring accommodating portion in front of the guide tube. An expansion step portion is continuously provided, and an outward spring receiver that can be engaged with the retaining piece is projected on the outer periphery of the expansion step portion, and the front end of the feed handle is provided at the front end of the expansion step portion. Meter end and water exposed from opening And a compression spring which is interposed between the flange and the spring receiver in the spring accommodating portion and urges the pressure contact tube toward the meter end. A pressure-welding joint for water meters characterized by The pressure spring joint of a water meter according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the compression spring is compressed to the maximum when the pressure welding pipe is in pressure contact with the meter end. The press-fit joint of the water meter of Claim 1, 2 or 3 provided with the indicator which can visually recognize the amount of tightening of a feed handle. The pressure joint according to claim 4, wherein the indicator is a ring-shaped spacer that can be wound around a sleeve of the joint body. The pressure joint according to claim 4, wherein the indicator is a colored member provided on a sleeve of the joint body.

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