TWO-PIECE FLANGE ADAPTER

• US 20100187812A1
• Filed: 07/11/2007
• Published: 07/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tyco Fire Products LP (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Fire Products LP (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Estrella, Mark J., DeFilippo, Mark S., Radzik, Joseph G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,267,438 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 285/148.280
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 23/0286 the shoulder not being formed from the pipe
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 23/032 characterised by the shape or composition of the flanges

Abstract

A two-piece flange adapter including two identical flange parts. Each flange part has two ends, with each end having a planar mating surface disposed at each end of the channel disposed on an inner diameter surface of the flange part. A projection extends from one planar mating surface and is formed to continue the channel for a predetermined distance past the planar mating surface. The other end of the flange and channel define a groove having a depth that accepts the projection of a mating flange part to form a complete channel. A gasket having a cross-sectional area with an internal cavity is compressively disposed in a pocket defined by the channel and the mating pipes. The cross-sectional area of the gasket occupies less than 87% of the pocket and can also occupy approximately 82-84% of the pocket.

Claims

1. A two-piece flange adapter for connecting a flanged pipe to a grooved pipe, comprising:

at least two flange members, each flange member including;

a flange portion configured to engage the flanged pipe;

a tongue portion configured to engage the grooved pipe; and

a flange body with first and second flange body ends and an inner diameter surface defining a longitudinal axis, the flange body having a first planar end surface at the first flange body end and a second planar end surface at the second flange body end, the planar end surfaces each disposed in a plane parallel to and passing through the longitudinal axis, the inner diameter surface defining a channel with first and second channel ends corresponding to the first and second flange body ends of the flange body, the first channel end terminating at a notch abutting the first planar end surface and the second channel end terminating at a projection abutting the second planar end surface.

2. The two-piece flange adapter of claim 1, the flange body having a wall defining a plurality of holes therethrough, each hole being disposed at a predetermined distance from the first and second planar end surfaces.

3. The two-piece flange adapter of claim 1, the projection of at least one of the at least two flange members being configured to be disposed adjacent to the notch of the other of the at least two flange members.

4. The two-piece flange adapter of claim 1, further comprising an extension disposed at each of the first and second flange body ends, each extension having an angled surface abutting at least one of the first and second end surfaces.

5. The two-piece flange adapter of claim 1, wherein the at least two flange members include a first flange member and a second flange member.

6. The two-piece flange adapter of claim 5, the first planar end surface of the first flange member being configured to abut the second planar end surface of the second flange member.

7. The two-piece flange adapter of claim 1, the two-piece flange adapter defining a diameter of more than twelve inches.

8. A two-piece flange adapter for connecting a flanged pipe to a grooved pipe, comprising:

a first flange member having flange ends disposed at opposing ends of an arcuate flange body; and

a second flange member having flange ends disposed at opposing ends of an arcuate flange body, each end of the second flange member mating with a corresponding end of the first flange member, the first and second flange members defining a longitudinal axis of the two-piece flange,

the inner surfaces of the first and second flange members facing the longitudinal axis defining a channel, the inner surface of the first flange member defining a channel end disposed within a notch defined by one of the flange ends of the second flange member.

9. The two-piece flange adapter of claim 8, further comprising:

the inner surface of the second flange member defining a channel end disposed within a notch defined by one of the flange ends of the first flange member.

10. The two-piece flange adapter of claim 8, at least one of the first and second flange members having a wall defining a plurality of holes therethrough, each hole being disposed at a predetermined distance from the longitudinal axis.

11. The two-piece flange adapter of claim 8, each end of the first and second flange members including an extension, each extension having an angled surface abutting mating surfaces of the first and second flange members.

12. The two-piece flange adapter of claim 8, the two-piece flange adapter defining a diameter of more than twelve inches.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

aligning a projection extending from the inner circumferential surface of the second flange member within a notch defined by the inner circumferential surface of the first flange member.

15. The method of claim 12, the disposing including defining a diameter of more than twelve inches with the two-piece flange adapter.

13. A method of assembling a two-piece flange adapter, comprising:

disposing opposing ends of a first flange member adjacent to corresponding opposing ends of a second flange member; and

aligning a projection extending from an inner circumferential surface of the first flange member within a notch defined by an inner circumferential surface of the second flange member.

16. A gasket-adapter assembly, comprising:

a two-piece flange adapter having an inner circumferential surface defining a channel;

a gasket at least in part disposed in the channel, the gasket having a surface defining an internal cavity of the gasket facing a longitudinal axis defined by the two-piece flange adapter, the gasket having a compressed configuration defining a cross-sectional pocket including a cross-sectional area of the gasket and a cross-sectional area of the internal cavity, the cross-sectional area of the gasket being less than 87% of the cross-sectional area of the pocket.

17. A gasket-adapter assembly of claim 16, the cross-sectional area of the gasket being between approximately 82% and 84% of the cross-sectional area of the pocket.

18. A gasket-adapter assembly of claim 16, the cross-sectional area of the gasket being approximately 83.6% of the cross-sectional area of the pocket.

19. A gasket-adapter assembly of claim 18, the gasket-adapter assembly being sized for use with at least one of a 14-inch diameter pipe, a 16-inch diameter pipe, a 18-inch diameter pipe, and a 20-inch diameter pipe.

20. A gasket-adapter assembly of claim 16, the cross-sectional area of the gasket being approximately 83.8% of the cross-sectional area of the pocket.

21. A gasket-adapter assembly of claim 20, the gasket-adapter assembly being sized for use with a 24-inch diameter pipe.