VALVED FOR LINES CARRYING EXTREME TEMPERATURE FLUIDS

• US 3,712,583 A
• Filed: 01/25/1971
• Issued: 01/23/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Katema LLC
• Original Assignee: Alan M. Dale, David L. Martindale, Gene R. Rewerts, Richard C. Mursinna
• Inventors: Martindale, David L., Dale, Alan M., Mursinna, Richard C., Rewerts, Gene R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cline, William R.
• Application Number:
  US05/109,373
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 251/149.4,149.5,149.6,149.7,368 285/24,27,47,53,353,354,367,397,174,423
• US Class Current: 251/149.4
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 29/02 with a cut-off device in one of the two pipe ends, the cut-off device being automatically opened when the coupling is applied
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/105 the rotating sleeve having on its inner surface several axially spaced and circumferentially discontinuous threads which engage with the threads on the male part which are also spaced axially and circumferentially discontinuous
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/413 the lift valve being of the sleeve type, i.e. a sleeve being telescoped over an inner cylindrical wall
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 59/141 in which the temperature of the medium is below that of the ambient temperature rigid pipes of wood F16L9/006; vacuum insulation F16L59/065
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 59/181 Joints in which sealing surfaces are pressed together by means of a member, e.g. a swivel nut, screwed on or into one of the joint parts in general F16L19/00

Abstract

A coupling for lines carrying extreme temperature fluids, such as fluids at cryogenic temperatures, that employs an inner and an outer seal separated by thermal insulating material with parallel faces. The parallel faces form a restricted sealed space between the seals in which vapor that may escape through the inner seal is trapped forming a vapor barrier to further leakage through the inner seal and to thermal conductivity of the extreme temperature of the conducted fluid to the outer seal, thus allowing the outer seal to be an ambient temperature seal.

Claims

1. In a coupling for coupling fluid conducting lines for carrying fluids having cryogenic temperatures, coupling means for connecting fluid lines for carrying cryogenic temperature fluids in liquid form having non-metallic body portions of low thermal conductivity with confronting parallel faces extending radially outward from an aligned inner passage through said body portions, resilient sealing means adjacent the outer edge of said parallel faces, securing means for drawing said bodies together forming said outer resilient sealing means and drawing said parallel faces together forming an inner seal of sealing surfaces that prevent the movement of cryogenic liquids between said sealing surfaces to said outer resilient sealing means and forming a vapor trap between the inner edge portion of said sealing surfaces and said resilient sealing means, and whereby vapor is trapped between said inner seal and said outer resilient sealing means between said faces that prevents cryogenic temperature liquid leakage between said faces to said resilient sealing means forming a thermal barrier between said inner and outer sealing means.

2. In a coupling as claimed in claim 1 in which, said inner seal has second sealing means for maintaining a fluid seal upon slight increased spacing between said sealing surfaces.

3. In a coupling as claimed in claim 2 in which, said seconD sealing means comprises sleeve means for extending into the inner passages of each body portion.

4. In a coupling as claimed in claim 2 in which, said second sealing means comprises a sleeve axially slidable in one of said body portions and having resilient means for biasing the sleeve into sealed contact with the other body portions.

5. In a coupling as claimed in claim 2 in which, said second sealing means comprises sleeve means fixed at one end and the inner passage of one of said body portions with the other end capable of projecting into the inner passage of the other of said body portions, and check valve positioned in said inner passage of said other body portion responsive to movement of said other end of said sleeve means into the inner passage of said other of said body portions for opening said check valve for fluid flow.

6. In a coupling as claimed in claim 2 in which, said second sealing means comprises a tubular member fixed in the axial passage of one of said bodies with a protruding nose portion making a cryogenic temperature liquid sealing fit in the axial passage of the other body, and said resilient sealing means comprising an ambient vapor sealing O-ring peripherally inserted in a groove in the end face of one of said bodies for making an ambient vapor seal concentric to said second sealing means.

7. In a coupling as claimed in claim 6 in which, said clamp means comprises a clamp sleeve secured on one of said bodies, a locking sleeve is secured on the other of said bodies, a locking ring rotatably mounted on said clamp sleeve, said locking sleeve and said locking ring having interfitting locking elements, and said hand grip being fixed to said locking ring.

8. In a coupling as claimed in claim 1 including, check valve means positioned in said inner passage for interrupting fluid flow upon separation of said body portions.

9. In a coupling as claimed in claim 1 in which, said securing means includes a locking ring rotatably retained on one of said body portions, and said locking ring and the other of said body portions having corresponding interfitting locking elements.

10. In a coupling as claimed in claim 9 in which, said one of said body portions has a flange engaged by said locking ring, said vapor barrier means includes an O-ring in said flange for sealing against said locking ring, and an O-ring in said other body for sealing against said locking ring.

11. In a coupling as claimed in claim 1 in which, said resilient sealing means includes an elastomeric O-ring with one of said bodies having an O-ring retaining groove concentrically spaced from said passage.

12. In a coupling as claimed in claim 1 including, a tubular member fixed in the axial passage of one of said bodies, and said tubular member having a nose portion protruding from the end face to fit closely into the axial passage of the other body.

13. In a coupling as claimed in claim 1 in which, said securing means includes a sleeve secured to each of said bodies, one of said sleeves has locking elements thereon, and locking device mounted on the other of said sleeves with corresponding interfitting locking elements.

14. In a coupling as claimed in claim 13 in which, said sleeve with interfitting locking elements is fixed to said locking ring.

15. A coupling as claimed in claim 13 in which, said other sleeve has a protruding clamp rim, said locking ring has an internal clamp flange engaging said rim, and said locking elements are rotatably engagable twist-lock means.

16. In a coupling as claimed in claim 12 in which, said sleeve terminates short of the confronting end faces of the respective bodies.

17. In a coupling as claimed in claim 13 in which, each of said bodies has a shoulder thereon, each sleeve has a flange engaging the respective shoulder and limiting the movement of the sleeve toward the respecTive end face, and said sleeves are spaced apart, in the coupled position of said bodies.