COUPLING WITH EXTENDING PARTING LINE

• US 20140125054A1
• Filed: 11/02/2012
• Published: 05/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASC Engineered Solutions LLC
• Original Assignee: Mueller International LLC (Mueller Water Products Incorporated)
• Inventors: Schell, Ty, McCrea, Patrick M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,168,585 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 285/364
• CPC Class Codes: B22C 9/046 Use of patterns which are eliminated by the liquid metal in the mould
• CPC Class Codes: B22C 9/22 Moulds for peculiarly-shaped castings
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 25/02 by its peculiarity of shape; of works of art cylinders, pistons B22D15/02
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 29/00 Removing castings from moulds, not restricted to casting processes covered by a single main group; Removing cores; Handling ingots B22D13/10, B22D11/124, B22D17/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 17/04 with longitudinally split or divided sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 21/06 with a divided sleeve or ring clamping around the pipe-ends flanged joints F16L23/00; couplings of the quick-acting type F16L37/00

Abstract

A coupling includes at least one coupling segment, each segment including an outer surface, an inner surface, at least two ends, fastener pads protruding proximate to each end, and a parting line extending around each segment, the parting line forming an axially outermost edge along each axial side of each coupling segment, the parting line offset from a top surface of each fastener pad.

Claims

1. A pipe coupling comprising at least one coupling segment, each segment including an outer surface, an inner surface, at least two ends, fastener pads protruding proximate to each end, and a parting line extending around each segment, the parting line forming an axially outermost edge along each axial side of each coupling segment, the parting line offset from a top surface of each fastener pad.

2. The pipe coupling of claim 1, wherein the parting line forms a continuous outermost edge around each segment.

3. The pipe coupling of claim 2, wherein the parting line is offset from the outer surface of each segment.

4. The pipe coupling of claim 1, wherein a surface adjacent the parting line slopes inwardly from the parting line.

5. The pipe coupling of claim 1, wherein each coupling segment includes a tongue at an end of each coupling segment.

6. The pipe coupling of claim 1, wherein portions of the parting line extending around each fastener pad are coplanar with each other when the at least one coupling segment is at rest.

7. The pipe coupling of claim 1, wherein portions of the parting line extending around each fastener pad form an outermost horizontal and axial edge along each fastener pad.

8. The pipe coupling of claim 1, wherein portions of the parting line extending around each fastener pad are not parallel with the top surfaces of each fastener pad.

9. The pipe coupling of claim 1, wherein portions of the parting line extending around each fastener pad are parallel to a horizontal axis when the at least one coupling segment is at rest.

10. The pipe coupling of claim 6, wherein the top surfaces of each fastener pad are not coplanar when the at least one coupling segment is at rest.

11. A coupling segment comprising:

an outer surface;

an inner surface;

at least two ends;

fastener pads protruding proximate to each end, each fastener pad including an axially outermost edge offset from a top surface of each fastener pad; and

a tongue extending from one of the at least two ends.

12. The coupling segment of claim 11, further comprising a parting line forming an outermost edge continuously around the segment and integral with the axially outermost edge of each fastener pad.

13. The coupling segment of claim 11, wherein a surface adjacent the top surface of each fastener pad slopes outwardly from the top surface of each fastener pad.

14. The coupling segment of claim 11, further comprising a groove in a second of the at least two ends of the segment.

15. The coupling segment of claim 11, wherein the axially outermost edges of each fastener pad are coplanar when the segment is at rest.

16. A method of manufacturing a coupling segment comprising:

obtaining a mold having an interior and an exterior, the interior defining an interior surface, the interior surface defining a cavity, the cavity including a border line at an outermost edge of the cavity;

placing a material in liquid form into the cavity in the mold; and

removing a coupling segment from the mold, the coupling segment formed from the material, the coupling segment including an outer surface, an inner surface, at least two ends, fastener pads protruding proximate to each end, and a parting line extending along the border line of the cavity of the mold prior to removal of the coupling segment from the mold, the parting line offset from a top surface of each fastener pad.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the mold includes two halves, the two halves defining the cavity therebetween, the border line of the cavity defined at a border between the two halves.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of removing the coupling segment from the mold includes:

removing one of the two halves of the mold from around the coupling segment; and

removing the coupling segment from a second of the two halves of the mold along a vertical axis of the coupling segment; and

wherein surfaces adjacent the parting line and the second of the two halves slope inwardly.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein portions of the parting line extending around each fastener pad are coplanar and form outermost edges along the fastener pads and wherein the top surfaces of the fastener pads are not coplanar when the coupling segment is at rest.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the coupling segment includes a tongue at a first end and a groove at a second end.