Tube expansion joint

• US 20020158464A1
• Filed: 03/25/2002
• Published: 10/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joanne E. Cummins, Judith Marie Cummins
• Original Assignee: Richard D. Cummins
• Inventors: Cummins, Richard D.
• Granted Patent: US 6,752,434 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 285/93
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 27/12 allowing substantial longitudinal adjustment or movement by use of screw-thread F16L15/02

Abstract

A junction for connecting first and second adjacent sections in a guideway carrying pressurized fluid comprises female end portions on a first section, male end portions on a second section partially received within the female end portions, and a vessel. The vessel comprises a plenum bounded at one end by a piston. The plenum is in flow communication with a pressure source.

Claims

1. A junction for joining a pipeline carrying pressurized fluid, said junction comprising:

a female end portion on a first pipe;

a male end portion on a second pipe partially received within said female end portion, said male end portion including a radially enlarged flange not received within said female end portion;

a vessel fixed to said first pipe, said vessel including an axially extending wall fitting around said radially enlarged flange and a closure end fitting around said second pipe to form a plenum chamber about a segment of said second pipe; and

a source of pressurized fluid communicating with said plenum chamber.

2. The junction according to claim 1, wherein said source of pressurized fluid is said pipeline.

3. The junction according to claim 1, wherein said source of pressurized fluid includes an external source, and said junction further comprises a pressure sensor arranged to sense fluid pressure in said pipeline and a pressure regulator connected to said external source and said pressure sensor for controlling delivery of said pressurized fluid to said plenum chamber based on pipeline pressure sensed by said pressure sensor.

4. The junction according to claim 3, wherein said pressurized fluid from said external source is different from said pressurized fluid carried by said pipeline.

5. The junction according to claim 1, further comprising a sealing member between said flange and said wall for providing a fluid-tight seal while permitting axially directed relative movement between said flange and said wall.

6. The junction according to claim 1, further comprising a sealing member between said closure end and said second pipe for providing a fluid-tight seal while permitting axially directed relative movement between said closure end and said second pipe.

7. A junction for joining a pipeline carrying pressurized fluid, said junction comprising:

a female end portion on a first pipe including a radially enlarged flange;

a male end portion on a second pipe at least partially received within said female end portion;

a vessel fixed to said second pipe, said vessel including an axially extending wall fitting around said radially enlarged flange and a closure end fitting around said first pipe to form a plenum chamber about a segment of said first pipe; and

a source of pressurized fluid communicating with said plenum chamber.

8. The junction according to claim 7, wherein said source of pressurized fluid is said pipeline.

9. The junction according to claim 7, wherein said source of pressurized fluid includes an external source, and said junction further comprises a pressure sensor arranged to sense fluid pressure in said pipeline and a pressure regulator connected to said external source and said pressure sensor for controlling delivery of said pressurized fluid to said plenum chamber based on pipeline pressure sensed by said pressure sensor.

10. The junction according to claim 9, wherein said pressurized fluid from said external source is different from said pressurized fluid carried by said pipeline.

11. The junction according to claim 7, further comprising a sealing member between said flange and said wall for providing a fluid-tight seal while permitting axially directed relative movement between said flange and said wall.

12. The junction according to claim 7, further comprising a sealing member between said closure end and said first pipe for providing a fluid-tight seal while permitting axially directed relative movement between said closure end and said first pipe.

14. The junction according to claim 13, wherein said source of pressurized fluid is said pipeline.

15. The junction according to claim 13, wherein said source of pressurized fluid includes an external source, and said junction further comprises a pressure sensor arranged to sense fluid pressure in said pipeline and a pressure regulator connected to said external source and said pressure sensor for controlling delivery of said pressurized fluid to said plenum chamber based on pipeline pressure sensed by said pressure sensor.

16. The junction according to claim 15, wherein said pressurized fluid from said external source is different from said pressurized fluid carried by said pipeline.

17. The junction according to claim 13, further comprising a sealing member between said female end portion and said male end portion for providing a fluid-tight seal while permitting axially directed relative movement between said female end portion and said male end portion.

18. The junction according to claim 13, wherein there is a plurality of cylinders and pistons for defining a plurality of plenum chambers, and said source of pressurized fluid communicates with each of said plurality of plenum chambers.

19. The junction according to claim 15, wherein there is a plurality of cylinders and pistons for defining a plurality of plenum chambers, and said external source of pressurized fluid communicates with each of said plurality of plenum chambers.

13. A junction for a pipeline carrying pressurized fluid, said junction comprising:

a female end portion on a first pipe of said pipeline;

a male end portion on a second pipe of said pipeline at least partially received within said female end portion;

a cylinder fixed to said first pipe;

a piston cooperating with said cylinder to define a plenum chamber, said piston including a piston rod fixedly connected to said second pipe; and

a source of pressurized fluid communicating with said plenum chamber.

20. A junction for joining a pipeline carrying pressurized fluid, said junction comprising:

a female end portion on a first pipe;

a male end portion on a second pipe at least partially received within said female end portion;

a cylinder fixed to said second pipe;

a piston cooperating with said cylinder to define a plenum chamber, said piston including a piston rod fixedly connected to said first pipe; and

a source of pressurized fluid communicating with said plenum chamber.

21. The junction according to claim 20, wherein said source of pressurized fluid is said pipeline.

22. The junction according to claim 20, wherein said source of pressurized fluid includes an external source, and said junction further comprises a pressure sensor arranged to sense fluid pressure in said pipeline and a pressure regulator connected to said external source and said pressure sensor for controlling delivery of said pressurized fluid to said plenum chamber based on pipeline pressure sensed by said pressure sensor.

23. The junction according to claim 22, wherein said pressurized fluid from said external source is different from said pressurized fluid carried by said pipeline.

24. The junction according to claim 20, further comprising a sealing member between said female end portion and said male end portion for providing a fluid-tight seal while permitting axially directed relative movement between said female end portion and said male end portion.

25. The junction according to claim 20, wherein there is a plurality of said cylinders and said pistons for defining a plurality of said plenum chambers, and said source of pressurized fluid communicates with each of said plurality of plenum chambers.

26. The junction according to claim 22, wherein there is a plurality of said cylinders and said pistons for defining a plurality of said plenum chambers, and said external source communicates with each of said plurality of plenum chambers.

28. The junction according to claim 27, wherein said piston is formed by a radially enlarged flange formed on said other of said first and second pipes, and said vessel includes an axially extending wall fitting around said radially enlarged flange.

29. The junction according to claim 27, wherein said piston includes a piston rod fixedly connected to said other of said first and second pipes, and said vessel is a cylinder fixed to said one of said first and second pipes.

27. A junction for a pipeline carrying pressurized fluid, said junction comprising:

a female end portion on a first pipe;

a male end portion on a second pipe partially received within said female end portion;

a vessel fixed to one of said first and second pipes;

a piston carried by another of said first and second pipes, said piston cooperating with said vessel to define a plenum chamber; and

a source of pressurized fluid communicating with said plenum chamber.

30. A junction for a twin tube guideway carrying pressurized fluid, said junction comprising:

female end portions on a first pipe and a second pipe of a first section;

male end portions on a first pipe and a second pipe of a second section partially received within said female end portions; and

a vessel comprising a plenum bounded at one end by a piston, said plenum in flow communication with one of said pipes, said piston connected to said pipe in flow communication with said plenum.

31. The junction recited in claim 30 wherein said pipe in flow communication with said plenum is said first pipe of said first section.

32. The junction recited in claim 30 wherein said pipe in flow communication with said plenum is said second pipe of said first section.

33. The junction recited in claim 30 wherein said pipe in flow communication with said plenum is said first pipe of said second section.

34. The junction recited in claim 30 wherein said pipe in flow communication with said plenum is said second pipe of said second section.

35. The junction recited in claim 30, further comprising a sealing member between said piston and an internal wall of said vessel for providing a fluid-tight seal while permitting axially directed relative movement between said piston and said internal vessel wall.

36. The junction recited in claim 30, further comprising a sealing member between said male ends and said female ends of said pipes for providing a fluid-tight seal while permitting axially directed relative movement between said first section and said second section.