Pipeline system and method of assembly

• US 4,601,495 A
• Filed: 06/07/1985
• Issued: 07/22/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1982
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Victaulic Company of America
• Original Assignee: Victaulic Company of America
• Inventors: Webb, Maurice J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Arola, Dave W.
• Application Number:
  US06/742,719
• Time in Patent Office: 410 Days
• Field of Search: 285/112, 285/373, 285/423, 285/368, 29/428
• US Class Current: 285/112
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A method of assembling a pipeline system and the pipeline system resulting therefrom involves providing pipes and associated conduit members with plural axially spaced key engagement members adjacent the ends thereof, and securing adjacent ends of the pipes and conduit members to each other using segmented couplings having plural axially spaced keys corresponding with the key engagement members, the engagement surfaces of the keys having an inversely pebbled surface produced in the casting of the segments of the coupling and which is intentionally left unfinished, such that pressurization of the pipeline system and the axial loading produced thereby will cause the inversely pebbled surfaces of the respective keys to crush down and cold work the engaged faces of the engagement members to progressively produce substantially uniform stress distribution between the respective keys and engagement members.

Claims

1. In combination:

a conduit member of a conduit system;

said conduit member having plural axially spaced key receiving engagement members adjacent at least one end thereof, each said engagement member being formed of ductile material;

a segmented coupling embracing and secured to said end of said conduit member, said coupling including;

plural arcuate members each providing an internal recess, each said member being comprised of a substantially unfinished high-strength casting of a material having substantial ductility, at least one portion of each said arcuate member extending axially to one side of said internal recess;

a gasket positioned within said recess;

securing means securing said arcuate members in encircling engagement with said conduit member, with said gasket in continuous sealing engagement with said one end of said conduit member; and

,

plural axially spaced continuous arcuate keys integral with and extending inwardly of the inner periphery of said axially extending portion of each said arcuate member;

said keys respectively being spaced axially correspondingly with said engagement members of said conduit member and each being engaged with the engagement face of a said engagement member, said keys resisting relative axial movement between said coupling and said conduit member when under axial loading;

each said key having a substantially unfinished engagement face having an inversely pebbled surface produced in the casting of the associated segment and which faces towards said internal recess, and, which is engaged with a radially extending engagement face of an associated engagement member, said engagement faces of said keys and said engagement members lying substantially radial and perpendicular to the axis of generation of the associated arcuate member, said inversely pebbled surface of said engagement face of each said key being capable of crushing down and cold working the associated engagement member of said conduit member, to provide substantially uniform distribution of the stresses imposed upon said keys when said keys are subjected to axial loading.

2. The combination of claim 1, in which said engagement members are defined by grooves formed in the outer periphery of said conduit member.

3. The combination of claim 1, in which said engagement members are provided by attachments secured to the outer periphery of said conduit member.

4. A piping system, comprising in combination:

plural lengths of pipe arranged in axially aligned relationship, each said pipe having axially spaced key engagement members adjacent the ends thereof;

at least one conduit member providing transitions between respective said pipes, each said conduit member having axially spaced key engagement members adjacent the ends thereof;

said key engagement members each being comprised of a ductile material; and

plural segmented couplings embracing and secured to adjacent ends of said pipes and conduit members, each said coupling including;

plural arcuate members each having an internal recess and each comprised of a substantially unfinished high-strength casting of a material having substantial ductility;

a gasket positioned within said recess;

securing means securing said arcuate members in encircling engagement with said pipes and conduit members, with said gasket in continuous sealing engagement with the ends of said pipes and said conduit members; and

,

plural axially spaced continuous arcuate keys integral with and extending inwardly of the inner periphery of each said arcuate member;

said keys respectively being spaced axially correspondingly with said axially spaced engagement members of said pipes and said conduit members, and each being engaged with an engagement face of a said engagement members of said pipes and coupling members, said keys resisting relative axial movement between said pipes and said coupling members when said piping system is subjected to pressure loading;

each said key having an unfinished engagement face produced in the casting thereof having an inversely pebbled surface which is engaged with a said engagement member;

said engagement faces of said keys and said engagement members lying substantially radial and perpendicular to the axis of generation of the associated arcuate member;

said inversely pebbled surface of each said key being capable of crushing down and cold working the juxtaposed radial face of the associated engagement member, to provide substantially uniform distribution of the stresses imposed upon said keys when said keys are subjected to axial loading.

5. The system of claim 4, in which said engagement members are defined by grooves formed in the outer periphery of said pipes and conduit members.

6. The system of claim 4, in which said engagement members are attachments secured to the outer periphery of said pipes and said conduit members.

7. A method of providing stress equilization in interconnections between conduit members of a conduit system when subjected to internal pressure loading, comprising the steps of:

providing said conduit members with plural axially spaced engagement members adjacent to the ends thereof, and which each provide radially extending engagement faces, each said engagement member being comprised of a material of substantial ductility that is plastically deformable;

arranging said conduit members with ends thereof in axial alignment with ends of adjacent conduit members;

providing segmented couplings clamping adjacent ends of adjacent coupling members to each other;

providing each said coupling with plural keys each having a radially extending engagement face for engagement with a said radially extending engagement face of said engagement members, and positioning said keys with said respective engagement faces of said keys and said engagement members in juxtaposition with each other;

forming the segments of each said segmented coupling and the keys thereof as unitary substantially unfinished high-strength castings of a material having substantial ductility, and in which the radial faces of said keys, at least, have an inversely pebbled surface produced in the casting of said segments; and

subjecting said conduit members and said couplings to oppositely acting axial loading forces to cause the inversely pebbled surface of the radial engagement faces of said keys to crush down and to cold work the juxtaposed radially extending engagement face of the juxtaposed engagement member, and to progressively produce substantially uniform distribution of the stresses imposed on the respective keys by progressive crushing down of said pebbled surfaces of said keys and cold working of the material comprising said engagement members.

8. The method of claim 7, including the steps of providing said engagement members by forming plural grooves adjacent the ends of said conduit members, each providing a radially extending engagement face.

9. The method of claim 7, including the steps of attaching engagement members to the outer circumference of said conduit members, each said engagement member providing a radially extending engagement face.

10. A method of assembling a conduit system including the steps of:

securing adjacent ends of conduit members to each other, each said conduit member having axially spaced radially extending plastically deformable engagement faces adjacent the ends of said conduit members, by applying a segmented coupling to the adjacent ends of said conduit members, each said coupling including plural radially extending keys of high strength material of substantial ductility and with a substantially unfinished inversely pebbled surface thereon produced in the casting of respective segments of said coupling; and

,

pressurizing said conduit system to produce axial stressing of said key engagement faces of said conduit members and crushing down said pebbled surfaces of said keys to cold work the material of said engagement faces, to equalize the compressive loads exerted on the respective keys and engagement faces, and, thus accommodate dimensional variations in the axial positioning of the respective said keys and engagement faces.