Rebuildable slurry conduit elbow

• US 5,188,396 A
• Filed: 02/26/1992
• Issued: 02/23/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vaughn Calvin
• Original Assignee: Vaughn Calvin
• Inventors: Calvin, Vaughn
• Primary Examiner(s): Arola, Dave W.
• Application Number:
  US07/841,847
• Time in Patent Office: 363 Days
• Field of Search: 285/16, 285/17, 285/55, 285/179, 285/124, 285/157, 285/93, 285/177, 285/367
• US Class Current: 285/16
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 53/523 Wear protection
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 43/00 Bends; Siphons with cleaning apertures F16L45/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 57/06 against wear F16L57/04 takes precedence

Abstract

A conduit elbow assembly has a radially split outer housing and a replaceable liner. The liner fits loosely within the housing so that material flowing in the elbow accumulates in the void formed in the housing. The hardened liner is thus reinforced, rendering both inner and outer liner hardened surfaces usable in resisting abrasive attack prior to liner failure. A removable housing member exposes the liner for cutting during replacement. Holes in the outer housing permit leakage of fluent material upon liner failure, thus indicating the need for repair prior to conduit rupture. The assembly is adaptable to accommodate varying pipe dimensions within a particular nominal pipe size.

Claims

1. A rebuildable conduit elbow assembly comprising:

an inner replaceable element, hereinafter referred to as a liner, having a wear surface, said liner comprising an integral member forming a monolithic arcuate tube defining conduit means therein, said arcuate tube extending throughout substantially most of a bend being traversed by said conduit elbow assembly, said liner further comprising at least two mating replaceable members, whereby a loose fit and a plurality of said mating replaceable members combine to enable adjustment of at least one of said mating replaceable members, thus allowing said conduit elbow assembly to be adjustably connected to piping, and

an outer housing comprising at least two mating sections having juxtaposed faces, each of said mating sections having a flange projecting radially therefrom, and both said flanges being located at said juxtaposed faces such that said flanges are juxtaposed one another and means for maintaining said flanges wherein fluent material is conducted through said liner within said conduit elbow assembly.

2. The conduit elbow assembly as claimed in claim 1, further including at least one orifice extending from an interior of at least one of said housing mating sections to an exterior thereof, whereby material flowing in said conduit elbow assembly is enabled to leak to an exterior of said conduit elbow assembly and be visible, thus providing indication of failure of said liner.

3. The conduit elbow assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for maintaining said flanges juxtaposed comprises a clamp

said outer housing being divided to define said juxtaposed faces along a plane normal to a longitudinal axis of said conduit elbow assembly, said plane being located in a bend defined by said conduit elbow assembly,

said outer housing further comprising at least two members located between said juxtaposed faces and in abutment therewith and at least one of said members being removable circumferential member, whereby said liner is partially exposed along a circumferential area upon removal of said clamp and housing removable member, thus enabling partial dismantling of said liner, as by cutting with a torch, while maintaining structural integrity of said conduit elbow assembly.

4. A rebuildable conduit elbow assembly comprising:

an inner replaceable element, hereinafter referred to as a liner, having a wear surface, said liner comprising an integral member forming a monolithic arcuate tube defining conduit means therein, said arcuate tube extending throughout substantially most of a bend being traversed by said conduit elbow assembly,

an outer housing comprising at least two mating sections having juxtaposed faces, each of said mating sections having a flange projecting radially therefrom, and both said flanges being located at said juxtaposed faces such that said flanges are juxtaposed one another, wherein fluent material is conducted through said liner within said conduit elbow assembly,

a clamp circumferentially surrounding said housing mating section juxtaposed flanges, thereby maintaining said housing mating sections juxtaposed, and

at least one circumferential annular spacing means mounted selectively on and to a side of a smaller juxtaposed flange of a smaller one of said housing mating sections, said smaller housing flange and said at least one circumferential annular spacing means thereby being retained juxtaposed by said clamp, whereby housing mating sections of differing flange diameters may be assembled, compatibility thus being provided between said smaller housing mating section and a corresponding relatively larger one of said housing mating sections, whereby said conduit elbow assembly is enabled to include said housing mating sections being of differing dimensions.

5. The conduit elbow assembly as claimed in claim 4, said liner having heat treated inner and outer surfaces, and further being loose fitting within said housing, whereby a void is defined between said liner and said housing, cementitious material flowing in said conduit elbow assembly lodging in, filling and hardening within said void between said liner and said housing,

whereby said cementitious material, when hardened, provides support to said liner;

such that possible structural failure of said liner upon progressive erosion thereof by abrasive action of the cementitious material flowing in said conduit elbow assembly is prevented, prior to wear occurring in said outer hardened surface, whereby both said inner and outer hardened surfaces serve as wear surfaces, thus extending the useful life of said liner.

6. The conduit elbow assembly as claimed in claim 4, each one of said housing mating sections having a proximal end and a distal end, means defining a passage extending from said proximal end to said distal end, said means defining a passage having a larger interior diameter at said proximal end and having a smaller interior diameter at said distal end,

said proximal end being defined at said juxtaposed face, whereby a void defined between said liner and said housing has a relatively greater cross sectional area at said proximal end of said housing mating section than at said distal end thereof.

7. The conduit elbow assembly as claimed in claim 6, each one of said housing mating sections further including a flange projecting from said means defining a passage into the passage defined thereby, said flange defining a shoulder, and

said liner comprising at least two mating replaceable members, at least two of said at least two mating replaceable members having a cooperating shoulder such that abutment and interference fit are assured between each one of said housing mating section shoulders and a corresponding said mating replaceable member cooperating shoulder, whereby egress of a said mating replaceable member from said outer housing through said distal end is prevented.

8. The conduit elbow assembly as claimed in claim 7, said at least two mating replaceable members having cooperating beveling, whereby said at least two mating replaceable members are constrained to remain concentric and also a flow path extending between said conduit means of said two mating replaceable members and said void is partially sealed against penetration therethrough by fine particulate material flowing through said conduit elbow assembly.