Coupling for flex pipe, rigid pipe and flexible hose

• US 6,331,020 B1
• Filed: 08/18/2000
• Issued: 12/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pacific Flo-Rite, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pacific Flo-Rite, Inc.
• Inventors: Brunella, Alfred J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nicholson, Eric K.
• Application Number:
  US09/640,756
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• Field of Search: 285/414, 285/415, 285/305, 285/321, 285/179
• US Class Current: 285/179
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 23/032 characterised by the shape or composition of the flanges
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 23/18 the sealing means being rings
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 27/0828 having radial bearings connections of quick-acting couplings maintained by balls or rollers under radial pressure F16L37/22

Abstract

The invention provides a one-piece flex pipe connection that has a bend, and any angle to a termination of a thread, groove or a 360° swivel flange. Additionally the invention provides a flex pipe coupling with a bend and with one end having a groove clamp connection and the other having a thread, groove or the 360° flange swivel. The last piece is a 360° bend swivel to a thread, groove or a 360° flange swivel. A preferred flex pipe coupling apparatus has a connector body with angularly related ends and with a central portion between the ends. At least one of the ends has a cylindrical recess. A shoulder at an axial end of the recess near the central portion cooperates with an end of a flex pipe inserted in the recess. An annular seal receiver in the cylindrical recess near the shoulder holds a resilient seal for sealing the end of the flex pipe. An annular groove in the recess cooperates with an annular groove in the flex pipe to receive and hold connecting elements for connecting the flex pipe to the connector.

Claims

1. A flexible pipe coupling system comprising a tubular elbow having a turnback rolled and upset at one end for mounting within a recess within a bolt-on flange, and having at the second end an annular groove around an exterior wall portion, the annular groove being spaced inward from the distal end for connecting to a flexible pipe, further comprising a flexible hose coupling and having a flexible pipe with an enlarged end overlying the end of the elbow which has an exterior annular groove, the enlarged end of the coupling having a cylindrical recess for receiving the end of the elbow, and having an annular groove in the recess for aligning with the annular groove in the elbow exterior wall, a shoulder at the end of the interior recess for receiving the end of the elbow, an annular seal disposed between an interior wall of the recess and the end of the elbow within the recess, and a connector disposed in the annular grooves.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a flange placed over the elbow and having a central opening with an annular recess for receiving the turnback, and having holes extending to the flange around the central opening for bolting the flange to a face of a pump outlet flange.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the recess extends approximately one-fifth to halfway through the flange around the central opening, wherein a base surface of the recess is flat, and wherein a wall of the recess is angled at about 45°

to the base surface of the flange and forms a truncated conical surface.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein an annular intersection between the recess and the central opening is radiused and toroidal.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the central opening has a cylindrical portion adjacent the radius.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the flange is generally rectangular, and wherein the bolt-receiving holes comprise four equally spaced arcuate-shaped through-hole openings near corners of the rectangular flange.

7. A flexible pipe coupling system comprising a tubular elbow having a turnback rolled and upset at one end for mounting within a recess within a bolt-on flange, and having at the second end an annular groove around an exterior wall portion, the annular groove being spaced inward from the distal end for connecting to a flexible pipe, further comprising a flange place over the elbow and having a central opening with an annular recess for receiving the turnback, and having holes extending to the flange around the central opening for bolting the flange to a face of a pump outlet flange, wherein the recess extends approximately one-fifth to halfway through the flange around the central opening, wherein a base surface of the recess is flat, and wherein a wall of the recess is angled at about 45°

to the base surface of the flange and forms a truncated conical surface, wherein an annular intersection between the recess and the central opening is radiused and toroidal, wherein the central opening has a cylindrical portion adjacent the radius, wherein the recess is about 20% to 25% of thickness of the flange.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein an annular intersection between the base of the recess and the side walls of the recess is a sharp 90°

angle.

9. A flexible pipe coupling system comprising a tubular elbow having a turnback rolled and upset at one end for mounting within a recess within a bolt-on flange, and having at the second end an annular groove around an exterior wall portion, the annular groove being spaced inward from the distal end for connecting to a flexible pipe, further comprising a flange placed over the elbow and having a central opening with an annular recess for receiving the turnback, and having holes extending to the flange around the central opening for bolting the flange to a face of a pump outlet flange, wherein the flange is generally rectangular, and wherein the bolt-receiving holes comprise four equally spaced arcuate-shaped through-hole openings near corners of the rectangular flange, wherein the connector comprises toroidal elements positioned in the grooves, and further comprising an access opening extending between the groove in the recess of the coupling and an outer wall of the coupling for inserting connectors in the grooves.

10. Flex pipe coupling apparatus, comprising a connector body having angularly related ends and having a central portion between the ends, at least one of the ends having a cylindrical recess, a shoulder at an axial end of the recess near the central portion for cooperating with an end of a flex pipe inserted in the recess, an annular seal receiver in the cylindrical recess near the shoulder for holding a resilient seal for sealing the end of the flex pipe, and an annular groove in the recess for cooperating with an annular groove in the flex pipe to receive and hold connecting elements for connecting the flex pipe to the connector, further comprising a second cylindrical recess in the second end of the pipe, a second shoulder at an axial end of the second recess near the central portion for cooperating with an end of a second flex pipe, a second annular seal receiver in the second cylindrical recess near the second shoulder for holding a second resilient seal for sealing the end of the second flex pipe, and a second annular groove in the second recess for cooperating with an annular groove in an exterior wall of the second flex pipe to receive and hold connecting elements for connecting the second flex pipe to the second cylindrical recess in the connector, wherein the first end of the connector is generally cylindrical, and further comprising a generally rectangular flange integrally formed at the second end of the connector, the flange having arcuate bolt-receiving through-holes near corners of the rectangular flange for mounting the flange.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising opposite bosses extending from the flange along the cylindrical section, and threaded openings extending radially through the bosses and the cylindrical sections.

12. Flex pipe coupling apparatus, comprising a connector body having angularly related ends and having a central portion between the ends, at least one of the ends having a cylindrical recess, a shoulder at an axial end of the recess near the central portion for cooperating with an end of a flex pipe inserted in the recess, an annular seal receiver in the cylindrical recess near the shoulder for holding a resilient seal for sealing the end of the flex pipe, and an annular groove in the recess for cooperating with an annular groove in the flex pipe to receive and hold connecting elements for connecting the flex pipe to the connector, further comprising a second cylindrical end angularly related to the first cylindrical end, and wherein the second cylindrical end has a groove in its outer wall, wherein the first end has three annular grooves extending into the recess.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the second end extends at about 135°

to the first end.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first cylindrical end section and the second cylindrical end section are oriented at 90°

, and further comprising a central, partially cylindrical section joining the first and second end sections.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the second end section has a cylindrical outer wall with an annular groove in the cylindrical outer wall.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first and second ends are substantially similar.

17. Flex pipe coupling apparatus, comprising a connector body having angularly related ends and having a central portion between the ends, at least one of the ends having a cylindrical recess, a shoulder at an axial end of the recess near the central portion for cooperating with an end of a flex pipe inserted in the recess, an annular seal receiver in the cylindrical recess near the shoulder for holding a resilient seal for sealing the end of the flex pipe, and an annular groove in the recess for cooperating with an annular groove in the flex pipe to receive and hold connecting elements for connecting the flex pipe to the connector, further comprising a second cylindrical end angularly related to the first cylindrical end, and wherein the second cylindrical end has a groove in its outer wall, wherein the first cylindrical end section and the second cylindrical end section are oriented at 90°

, and further comprising a central, partially cylindrical section joining the first and second end sections, wherein the second end section has a necked down section and a terminal portion with external threads.

18. A flexible hose coupling comprising a flexible inner pipe having an end with an exterior annular groove, a flexible outer pipe with an enlarged end overlying the end of the inner pipe, the enlarged end having a cylindrical recess for receiving the end of the inner pipe, an annular groove in the recess for aligning with the annular groove in the inner pipe, a shoulder at the end of the recess for receiving the end of the inner pipe, an annular seal disposed between an interior wall of the recess and the end of the inner pipe within the recess, and a connector disposed in the annular groove.

19. The coupling of claim 18, wherein the connector comprises toroidal elements positioned in the groove, and further comprising an access opening extending between the groove in the recess of the coupling and an outer wall of the coupling for inserting connectors in the grooves.