Stabilized tap mounting assembly

• US 20050151372A1
• Filed: 12/22/2004
• Published: 07/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Peter B. Hutton
• Original Assignee: Peter B. Hutton
• Inventors: Hutton, Peter B.
• Granted Patent: US 7,562,907 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 285/219
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 19/0007 Fluidic connecting means
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 19/0015 using switching means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/612 Tapping a pipe, keg, or apertured tank under pressure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53987 Tube, sleeve or ferrule

Abstract

A method and apparatus are directed to reduce the load from the threads on taps on an orifice plate or orifice fitting. The apparatus includes a tap (3) having an NPT threaded end (1) and a flanged end (12) and an intermediate flange (13) which engages with a stabilizing tube (2) placed around the tap (3). In use, a stabilizing nut (1), previously threaded on the stabilizing tube (2), is unthreaded thereby forcing the stabilizing tube (2) against the intermediate flange (13) and transferring at least some of the weight off the threads (1) of the tap (3).

Claims

1. A tap assembly that attaches at least one of a manifold and pressure transmitter to an orifice, the tap assembly comprising:

(a) a tap comprising a male NPT threaded end that connects with the orifice and a flanged end that connects with the at least one of the manifold and pressure transmitter;

(b) a separate stabilizing tube disposed between the threaded end and flanged end, the stabilizing tube having an external thread; and

(c) a stabilizing nut threaded on the stabilizing tube.

2. The tap assembly of claim 1, wherein the tap is further provided with a stabilizing flange.

3. The tap assembly of claim 2, wherein the stabilizing flange is provided intermediate the threaded end and flanged end.

4. The tap assembly of claim 2, wherein the stabilizing tube has at least one projection interfitting with a recess in the stabilizing flange.

5. The tap assembly of claim 4, wherein the at least one projection comprises two projections interfitting with two mating recesses in the stabilizing flange.

6. The tap assembly of claim 1, further comprising a manifold connected to the flanged end of the tap.

7. The tap assembly of claim 1, further comprising a pressure transmitter connected to the flanged end of the tap.

8. The tap assembly of claim 6, further comprising a pressure transmitter connected to the manifold.

9. The tap assembly of claim 1, further comprising a flange shoe.

10. The tap assembly of claim 1, wherein the tap comprises an elongated member having an internal bore extending along an axis through the elongated member from the threaded end to the flanged end to define a passage that permits fluid communication between the orifice and the at least one of a manifold and pressure transmitter.

11. The tap assembly of claim 10, wherein the internal bore comprises a straight passage.

12. The tap assembly of claim 10, wherein the flanged end comprises at least one aperture that connects the tap assembly to the manifold via a threaded fastener.

13. The tap assembly of claim 12, wherein the flanged end comprises a generally rectangular member having the at least one aperture extending generally orthogonally the axis of the internal bore of the tap.

14. The tap assembly of claim 13, wherein the at least one aperture comprises a slot having a closed end proximate the passage and an opened end distal thereto.

15. The tap assembly of claim 4, wherein the stabilizing flange circumscribes the elongated member and has at least one recess disposed proximate an outer perimeter of the stabilizing flange.

16. The tap assembly of claim 15, wherein the separate stabilizing tube comprises a generally tubular member having a bore extending from a first end to a second end to define a passageway, and an outer surface that consists of a first portion with a flat surface that engages the stabilizing flange, the first surface having a first diameter, and a second portion with a second diameter, the first diameter being greater than the second diameter.

17. The tap assembly of claim 16, wherein the separate stabilizing tube further comprises at least one projection that extends away from the flat surface, the at least one projection being configured to mate with the at least one recess of the flanged portion of the tap.

18. The tap assembly of claim 17, wherein the orifice is selected from a group consisting of an orifice plate and orifice flange.

19. A tap assembly that attaches at least one of a manifold and pressure transmitter to an orifice, the tap assembly comprising:

(a) a tap defining a bore along an axis, a first end proximate the bore having a male NPT threaded end that engages the orifice, and a second end proximate the bore having a flanged end that engages the at least one of a manifold and pressure transmitter;

(b) a first separate tubular member surrounding a portion of the bore and being disposed between the first end and the second end of the tap; and

(c) a second separate tubular member surrounding a portion of the first tubular member and being disposed between the first end and the second end of the tap, the second tubular member defining a continuous gap between an inner surface of the second tubular member and an outer surface of the tap.

20. The tap assembly of claim 19, wherein the tap comprises a male NPT threaded end and a flanged end.

21. The tap assembly of claim 20, wherein the first separate tubular member is disposed on the tap between the male NPT threaded end and flanged end.

22. The tap assembly of claim 21, wherein the second separate tubular member comprises a nut with an inner surface that defines the continuous gap.

23. The tap assembly of claim 22, wherein the bore of the tap defines a straight passage that permits fluid communication between the orifice and the at least one of a manifold and pressure transmitter.

24. The tap assembly of claim 23, wherein the flanged end comprises at least one aperture that attaches the tap assembly to at least one of the manifold and pressure transmitter via a threaded fastener.

25. The tap assembly of claim 24, wherein the flanged end comprises a generally rectangular member having the at least one aperture extending generally orthogonally with respect to the bore of the tap, the aperture having a closed end proximate the passage and an opened end distal thereto.

26. The tap assembly of claim 19, wherein the tap comprises a stabilizing flange portion circumscribing the bore and disposed between the threaded end and the flanged end, the stabilizing flange portion having at least one recess disposed proximate the outer perimeter of the stabilizing flange portion.

27. The tap assembly of claim 26, wherein the first separate tubular member comprises a generally tubular member having a bore extending from a first end to a second end to define a passageway, and an outer surface that engages the stabilizing flange that consists of a first portion with a flat surface having a first diameter and a second portion with a second diameter, the first diameter being greater than the second diameter.

28. The tap assembly of claim 27, wherein the second separate tubular member comprises a stabilizing nut having a surface that engages a surface proximate the orifice.

29. The tap assembly of claim 28, wherein the first separate tubular member comprises at least one projection that extends away from the flat surface toward the flange end of the tap, the at least one projection being configured to mate with the at least one recess of the flanged portion of the tap.

30. The tap assembly of claim 19, further comprising a flange shoe having a first surface contiguous to a surface of the second separate tubular member and a second surface that engages an area proximate the orifice.

31. A tap assembly that attaches at least one of a manifold and pressure transmitter to an orifice, the tap assembly consisting essentially of:

(a) a tap having an exterior surface, a male NPT threaded end, and a flanged end;

(b) a separate stabilizing tube having an internal bore contiguous the exterior surface of the tap and an outer surface with external threads; and

(c) a stabilizing nut threaded on the external threads of the separate stabilizing tube.

32. The tap assembly of claim 31, wherein the tap defines a straight passage that permits fluid communication between the orifice and the at least one of a manifold and pressure transmitter, the flanged end of the tap having at least one aperture that allows the tap assembly to be secured to the at least one of the manifold and pressure transmitter via a threaded fastener and the flanged end having a generally rectangular member having the at least one aperture extending generally orthogonally with respect to the straight passage of the tap, the slot having a closed end proximate the passage and an opened end distal thereto, the tap having a stabilizing flange portion circumscribing the passage and disposed between the threaded end and the flanged end, the stabilizing flange portion having at least one recess disposed proximate the outer perimeter of the stabilizing flange portion.

33. The tap assembly of claim 31, wherein the separate stabilizing tube is a generally tubular member having a bore extending from a first end to a second end to define a passageway, and an outer surface that engages the stabilizing flange and consists of a first portion with a flat surface having a first diameter and a second portion with a second diameter, the first diameter being greater than the second diameter, the flat surface having at least one projection that extends away from the flat surface towards the flanged end of the tap, the at least one projection being configured to mate with the at least one recess of the flanged portion of the tap.

34. The tap assembly of claim 31, wherein the stabilizing nut comprises an inner surface that defines a continuous gap between the inner surface and a bottom flat surface generally orthogonal to the inner surface that engages a surface proximate the orifice.

35. A tap assembly that attaches at least one of a manifold and pressure transmitter to an orifice, the tap assembly comprising:

(a) a tap including a male NPT threaded end, a flanged end, and bore extending between the male NPT threaded end and the flanged end; and

(b) a load transfer member that surrounds the male NPT threaded end of the tap and engages a portion of the tap.

36. The tap assembly of claim 35, wherein the portion of the tap comprises a stabilizing flange.

37. The tap assembly of claim 35, wherein the load transfer member comprises a separate stabilizing tube.

38. The tap assembly of claim 36, wherein the load transfer member further comprises a stabilizing nut having internal threads engaging external threads of the separate stabilizing tube.

39. The tap assembly of claim 35, wherein the load transfer member further comprises a flange shoe that engages a surface proximate the orifice.

40. The tap assembly of claim 35, wherein the tap assembly consists of:

the tap having a male NPT threaded end, a flanged end, and bore extending between the male NPT threaded end and the flanged end, and a stabilizing flange disposed between the male NPT threaded end and the flanged end; and

the load transfer member that surrounds the tap proximate the male NPT threaded end of the tap and engages the stabilizing flange of the tap.

41. A method of attaching a tap to an orifice, the tap including a male NPT threaded end, a flanged end, the tap having a bore extending between the male NPT threaded end and the flanged end, the method comprising:

disposing the threaded end of the tap in the orifice;

surrounding a portion of the tap with a member;

engaging a first end surface of the member with an area proximate the orifice; and

abutting a second end surface of the member with the tap.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the abutting comprises engaging the second end surface with a stabilizing flange of the tap, the stabilizing flange having an outer perimeter greater than a perimeter of the orifice.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the disposing comprises threading the tap.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the abutting comprises translating the tap in the first direction via a separate stabilizing tube.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the translating comprises translating a first surface of the separate stabilizing tube with respect to a second surface of a separate stabilizing nut.

46. The method of claim 45, further comprising securing at least one of a manifold and pressure transmitter to the flanged end of the tap.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the moving comprises moving a portion of a load applied to the tap to an area having a perimeter larger than an outer perimeter of the NPT threaded end of the tap.