Swivel conduit coupling assembly

• US 4,060,264 A
• Filed: 06/16/1976
• Issued: 11/29/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: I-T-E Imperial Corporation Efcor Division
• Original Assignee: I-T-E Imperial Corporation Efcor Division
• Inventors: Gajajiva, Padej
• Primary Examiner(s): Callaghan, Thomas F.
• Application Number:
  US05/696,545
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 285/175, 285/390, 285/391, 285/32, 285/417, 285/12, 285/369, 285/355, 285/333, 285/334, 285/354, 285/272, 285/281
• US Class Current: 285/148.19
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 15/008 with sealing rings

Abstract

The present invention provides a coupling member for joining two generally coaxial, tubular members such as an electrical conduit. The coupling member includes internal left hand threads at one end and internal right hand threads at the other end with an annular groove therebetween. One end of a first conduit is provided with two sets of axially spaced apart external left hand threads. The coupling member is rotated so that the left hand threads thereof matingly engage the first set of left hand threads on the conduit and then is temporarily locked by engagement of the second set of left hand threads. The first set of left hand threads on the conduit will then be in the annular groove defined between the left and right hand threads of the coupling member. A standard length of a second conduit having external right hand threads thereon may then be matingly engaged with the right hand threads of the coupling member. After a few threads of the second conduit are engaged, the coupling member is disengaged from the second set of left hand threads of the first conduit so that the coupling member is free to rotate relative to the first conduit, whereby the coupling member can be rotated to fully engage the second conduit thereto. If desired, a sealing ring may be placed in the annular groove in the coupling member so that the end faces of the two conduits may bear against the opposed transverse faces of the sealing ring.

Claims

1. A swivel conduit coupling assembly comprising:

a. a first conduit having;

1. a first set of threads formed proximate a first end thereof, said first set of threads on said first conduit being arranged to advance in a first axial direction;

2. a second set of threads formed adjacent and axially inward of said first set of threads, said second set of threads on said first conduit being arranged to advance in said first axial direction; and

3. a first annular, axially elongated groove formed intermediate said first and second sets of threads on said first conduit; and

b. a coupling member having;

1. a third set of threads arranged to advance in a second axial direction that is opposite to said first axial direction to thereby matingly engage said first and second sets of threads on said first conduit;

2. a fourth set of threads arranged to advance in said first axial direction, said fourth set of threads of said coupling member being adapted to mate with threads on a second conduit that is to be coupled to said first conduit; and

3. a second annular, axially elongated groove intermediate said third and fourth sets of threads on said coupling member; and

c. said third set of threads of said coupling member being movable from a temporarily locked position, with respect to said first conduit, to an unlocked position when said coupling member is free to rotate relative to said first conduit, said third set of threads of said coupling member being engaged in said second set of threads of said first conduit in said temporarily locked position.

2. A coupling assembly according to claim 1, wherein said first and second sets of threads and said first annular groove on said conduit are formed externally thereof and wherein said third and fourth sets of threads and said second annular groove of said coupling member are formed internally thereof.

3. A coupling assembly according to claim 2, further including means for providing a seal between said first conduit and the second conduit.

4. A coupling assembly according to claim 3, wherein said seal means comprises a ring positioned at an end of said second groove in said coupling member that is adjacent to said fourth set of threads thereof.

5. A coupling assembly according to claim 4, wherein said ring is resilient.

6. A coupling assembly according to claim 1, wherein said first and second sets of threads on said first conduit and said third set of threads on said coupling member are left handed threads and wherein said fourth set of threads on said coupling member is right handed threads.

7. A coupling assembly according to claim 1, wherein there are from about 1 1/2 to 2 threads in said second set of threads on said first conduit.

8. A coupling assembly according to claim 1, wherein the axial length of said second groove on said coupling member is greater than the axial extent of said first set of threads on said first conduit, the axial length of said first groove on said first conduit being greater than the axial extent of said third set of threads on said coupling member, said first set of threads on said first conduit being positioned in said second groove on said coupling member and said third set of threads on said coupling member being positioned in said first groove on said first conduit to permit said coupling member and said first conduit to be relatively rotatable about their longitudinal axes with respect to each other to define said unlocked position.