DE29512635U1 - Pipe connection unit for consumption meters, in particular two-pipe gas meters - Google Patents

Description

BUSE · MENTZEL · LUDEWfG ^: ... ^: ' ^: .. ^::

Authorized representative before the European Patent Office Dipl.-Phys. Buse

PO Box 201462 Unterdörnen 114 Dipl.-Phys. Mentzel

D-42214 Wuppertal D-42283 Wuppertal Dipl.-Ing. Ludewig

^' Wuppertal,

Password: "Voltage-free gas meter"

Metallwerke Otto Dingerkus GmbH, Auf dem Schilde, D-57439 Attendorn

Pipe connection unit for consumption meters, especially two-pipe gas meters

The invention relates to a pipe connection unit for consumption meters, in particular two-pipe gas meters with a gas connection pipe to which a nozzle for supplying gas to the meter and a mounting plate with a pipe nozzle are attached on the one hand and on the other. The mounting plate can be mounted on a wall using a mounting bracket. The pipe nozzle is used to connect the gas discharge from the meter on the consumer side.

When connecting gas meters, a number of conditions must be observed to prevent hazards, which are bindingly laid down in standards and technical rules. For example, the installation location of the gas meter must not be too warm and must be easily accessible, dry and frost-free. The quality of the materials used and the wall thicknesses must be selected when designing gas meters in such a way that the durability and effectiveness of the nozzle connections is ensured both during installation and during mechanical, chemical and thermal stresses that occur during operation, whereby meter connectors and

TELEPHONE (0202) 55 70 22 COMMERZBANK'AG **! (*&Egr;&udigr;5&Tgr;- li.Voi-KäßANK Et &Idigr; POSTGIROAMT VAT-No.

TELEX 8 591606 wpatd WUPPERTAL 4129*£o*5 ** "VuPT^TAlTloi^OOM ** *** COLOGNE 726 34-506 DE 121015988

FAX (0202) 5715 01 Bank code 330 40001 Bank code 33060098 Bank code 37010050

Certain materials must be used for existing union nuts. Gas meters must be installed in such a way that they can be easily replaced and are protected against mechanical damage. They must be connected without tension and without coming into contact with the surrounding building components, e.g. the wall. In addition, a shut-off device must be installed in front of each gas meter and must be arranged in an easily accessible manner.

In the known pipe connection units of the type described above, the consumption meters are attached using a pipe connection unit that can be permanently mounted in the building with a connecting pipe to which a nozzle for the gas supply to the meter and a mounting plate with a pipe nozzle are attached, the latter being used to connect the gas discharge from the meter. The pipe nozzle is usually welded into the mounting plate.

Practice has shown that the requirements mentioned are often only met with difficulty or in an unsatisfactory manner. This applies in particular to the requirement for stress-free installation of the consumption meters. The reasons for this are as follows: The meter installation takes place in two stages and includes the preparation of the gas line for the meter connection and the actual installation of the meter. These installation stages are carried out by different parties and usually at different times. The preparation of the gas line for the meter connection is usually carried out by installers from private companies and includes the installation of the pipe connection unit, while the installation of the meter is carried out by the gas-supplying institution, usually a public institution, e.g. the municipal utility company. Manufacturing and installation tolerances occur both in the manufacture and installation of the pipe connection units and in the consumption meters, which can hardly be taken into account when installing the meters.

can still be corrected and inevitably lead to mechanical stresses during installation.

The invention is based on the object of creating a pipe connection unit for consumption meters, in particular two-pipe gas meters, of the type described at the beginning, in which all the conditions that are bindingly stipulated by standards and technical rules, in particular the requirement for tension-free installation of the consumption meters, can be complied with without difficulty and which facilitates meter installation.

The object is achieved according to the invention in that the pipe socket has an external thread and is held in a freely selectable level position within a hole in the mounting plate by means of threaded nuts that can be screwed on to the top and bottom of the mounting plate. The hole has a lateral play compared to the pipe socket. At the same time, the pipe socket can also be fixed in the hole in the mounting plate in a freely selectable position of its height relative to the mounting plate by means of the threaded nuts that can be screwed on to the top and bottom of the mounting plate.

The technical measures of the invention have the following significance. In a consumption meter, in particular a two-pipe gas meter, and a pipe connection unit of the type described, the characteristic dimensions for which unacceptable tolerances can occur when making the pipe connection are in particular the distance and the height difference between the inlet and outlet nozzles of the meter or between the corresponding connections on the pipe connection unit. By holding the pipe nozzle with limited mobility parallel and vertically with respect to the mounting plate, these tolerances on the pipe connection unit can be completely avoided or even compensated for. If the pipe nozzle is held by at least one fastening means in at least one of these degrees of freedom of movement

can be determined by a detachable connection, the dimension in this spatial direction can be adjusted to fit with the greatest possible precision during the manufacture of the pipe connection unit. Nevertheless, it is still possible to make corrections by subsequently loosening the connection.

It is particularly advantageous if the pipe socket is limited in its movement perpendicular to the mounting plate by the fastening means. Sliding and rotating movements of the pipe socket parallel to the plane of the mounting plate remain unhindered in this way. This can be achieved, for example, by allowing a position in the plane in which the pipe socket can be moved and rotated to remain freely selectable within a hole in the mounting plate and by allowing the hole to have lateral play relative to the pipe socket. A small amount of mobility of the pipe socket perpendicular to the mounting plate in the sense of play is assumed.

The pipe socket can be attached in such a way that it has an external thread and is held in place by means of threaded nuts that can be screwed onto the top and bottom of the mounting plate. As long as the threaded nuts are not fully tightened, i.e. are not firmly pressed against the mounting plate, the pipe socket can be moved and rotated parallel to the mounting plate. Movement perpendicular to the mounting plate is also possible, but is limited by the threaded nuts that act as stops. When manufacturing the pipe connection unit according to the invention or when later attaching the consumption meter, it is thus possible to adjust the pipe socket laterally in a suitable manner. The pipe socket can also be fixed in the hole in the mounting plate in a freely selectable position of its height relative to the mounting plate using the threaded nuts that can be screwed onto the top and bottom of the mounting plate and then fixed using the threaded nuts. Inadmissible tolerances on the pipe connection unit can thus be easily eliminated during production

Any differences in distance or height between the inlet and outlet nozzles of the consumption meter that may become apparent later can also be subsequently compensated by loosening the threaded nuts, although it is desirable to avoid the latter. In any case, it is possible to ensure that the consumption meter is installed without stress, while at the same time making installation easier. If subsequent loosening of the threaded nuts is to be completely ruled out, the threaded nuts tightened on the top and bottom of the mounting plate can be subsequently welded to the pipe nozzle, as stated in claim 6. This can be done as long as the threaded nuts are not firmly tightened.

The installation of the consumption meter is made even easier by the fact that the mounting plate is provided with an elongated hole that extends essentially parallel to the gas connection pipe and the mounting bracket has an elongated hole in addition to the wall mounting hole, which runs essentially at right angles or at an angle to the elongated hole in the mounting plate when the mounting plate is attached. When preparing the gas line for the meter connection, the mounting bracket with its wall mounting hole is attached to the building in a suitable manner. The location of the attachment to the wall does not have to be exact, it can be chosen by eye, for example, since the elongated holes in the mounting plate and mounting bracket allow position corrections for the distance of the pipe assembly according to the invention from the wall and also lateral displacements. Only then are the mounting plate and mounting bracket connected through the elongated holes using suitable fastening elements. In this way, the pipe connection unit can be easily installed as required, even in the case of niches or wall projections, without coming into contact with the surrounding components.

It is particularly advantageous if a shut-off valve, such as a corner tap, is attached to the corner socket of the pipe connection unit in front of the gas supply to the meter, which is provided with a connector for fastening the meter. The pipe socket attached to the mounting plate behind the gas outlet to the meter can also have a connector for fastening the meter with an inspection opening closed by a test screw. If the connectors are provided with union nuts for screwing to the meter, all that is needed to attach the consumption meter is to put the inlet and outlet sockets on the connectors and screw them together using the union nuts. Such a pipe connection unit, which is available ready from the factory, best meets the requirements that the gas meters are easy to replace and that an easily accessible shut-off device is installed in front of each gas meter.

Further measures and advantages of the invention emerge from the following description, in which several preferred embodiments of the invention are further explained with reference to the drawings. They show:

Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of the pipe connection unit according to the invention in front view,

Fig. 2 the pipe connection unit according to the invention according to Fig. 1 in the
Top view,

Fig. 3 the pipe connection unit according to the invention according to Fig. 1 in the
Side view, partly in section,

Fig. 4-6 the representation of the mounting bracket of the pipe connection unit according to the invention in front view, side view

and top view,

Fig. 7 a second embodiment of the mounting bracket in the
Top view,

Fig. 8 shows a second embodiment of the pipe connection unit according to the invention in front view.

The version of the pipe connection unit 10 according to the invention for a two-pipe gas meter, shown in various views in Figs. 1 to 3, has a vertically running gas connection pipe 11, to which a corner socket 12 for supplying gas to the meter is attached on one side and a mounting plate 13 with pipe socket 14 is attached on the other side. The mounting plate 13 is permanently connected to the gas connection pipe 11 via the welded connections 41 shown in Fig. 3 and can be mounted on a building wall using a mounting bracket 17. The mounting bracket 17 has a wall mounting hole 33 for this purpose, as can be seen from Figs. 5 to 7. The pipe socket 14 is used for the consumer-side connection of the gas discharge from the meter.

The gas flow in the pipe connection unit 10 is illustrated by the direction arrows marked with the reference numerals 28 to 32. The gas flows in the direction of arrow 28 into the pipe connection unit 10. Part of the gas flow passes through the gas meter to a consumer in the direction of arrow 30, while the other part of the gas leaves the gas connection pipe 11 of the pipe connection unit 10 in the direction of arrow 29. At the gas inlet 28 and gas outlet 29, the gas connection pipe is provided for a screw connection to the gas line that is to be equipped with the two-pipe gas meter. The direction of gas flow out of the meter is marked by arrow 31. The gas flows through the pipe socket 14 transversely to the mounting plate 13 and finally passes through a

not shown consumer line, which is screwed into the pipe socket 14, to the consumer. The pipe socket 14 has an internal thread 39 for screwing to the consumer line.

The pipe socket 14 also has an external thread 34 and is held in a freely selectable plane position 35 within a hole 20 of the mounting plate 13 by means of threaded nuts 15 that can be screwed onto the top and bottom of the mounting plate 13. The diameter of the hole 20 is larger than the outside diameter of the pipe socket 14. The hole therefore has a lateral play 21 relative to the pipe socket 14. This allows the pipe socket 14 to be moved laterally within the hole 20 both in the direction of the wall where the pipe connection unit 10 is attached and also transversely to it. The freely selectable plane position 35 is described in the graphic representation by a distance 3 5 between the center axis of the pipe socket 14 and the center axis of the hole 20. In this way, the occurrence of all stresses caused by manufacturing and assembly tolerances in the plane of the mounting plate 13 can be easily avoided.

The pipe socket 14 can also be fixed in the hole 20 of the mounting plate 13 by means of the threaded nuts 15 that can be screwed onto the top and bottom of the mounting plate 13 in a freely selectable position 36 of its height 37 relative to the mounting plate 13. This makes it possible to avoid the occurrence of all stresses caused by manufacturing and assembly tolerances perpendicular to the plane of the mounting plate 13.

In the first version of the pipe connection unit 10, the threaded nuts 15 are connected to the pipe socket 14 by means of the threaded nuts 15 after the pipe socket 15 has been precisely fitted to the inlet and outlet sockets of a two-pipe gas meter to be closed in the selected level position 3 5 and the selected height position 36.

Welded joints 40 have been permanently connected. This means that subsequent loosening of the threaded nuts 15 is no longer possible.

As already mentioned, Fig. 5 to 7 show two different designs of the mounting bracket 17 of the pipe connection unit 10. When preparing a gas line for the meter connection, the mounting bracket 17 is connected to the mounting plate 13 via suitable fastening elements 38 (Fig. 3), which for this purpose is provided with an elongated hole 16 that extends essentially parallel to the gas connection pipe 11. Instead, the mounting bracket 17 has an elongated hole 18 (Fig. 4 to 6) or an elongated hole (Fig. 7) that, when the connection to the mounting plate 13 is made, in the first case (18) runs essentially at right angles to the elongated hole 16 in the mounting plate 13 or in the second case (19) at an angle to the elongated hole 16 in the mounting plate 13. As already shown, this design of the connection between the mounting bracket 17 and mounting plate 13 provides greater freedom in choosing the location where the mounting bracket 17 is to be attached to the wall. Position corrections for the distance of the pipe assembly 10 from the wall and shifts parallel or diagonally to the wall are possible.

The second embodiment of the pipe connection unit 10 according to the invention in Fig. 8 is characterized in that a corner tap 22 is attached to the corner socket 12 in front of the gas supply 30 to the meter, which is provided with a connector 23 for fastening the meter. On the pipe socket 14 fastened in the mounting plate 13, behind the gas discharge 31 from the meter, there is another connector 24 for fastening the meter. An inspection opening closed by a test screw 25 is provided on the connector 24. The connectors 23, 24 are each provided with union nuts 26, 27 for screwing to the meter. The materials for such connectors 23, 24 and union nuts 26, 27 are certain types of

Malleable cast iron, steel, copper alloy or equivalent materials should be used.

The second embodiment of the invention shown corresponds in many features to the first embodiment. The same reference numerals have therefore been used to designate the same parts. The second embodiment has only been described in detail in terms of its differences or additional features compared to the first embodiment. It appears to be particularly preferred for the stated purpose, since the pipe connection unit 10 can be delivered ready-made from the factory in this form and best meets the requirements placed on it. It enables the gas meters to be installed in an easily replaceable manner, and the required, easily accessible shut-off device 22 is already present in front of each gas meter.

It is understood that the invention is directed to all combinations and new features that can be derived from the claims, if necessary in conjunction with other expedient known measures for advantageous design, even if these are not expressly stated in the above description. In particular, this concerns the manner in which the connections of pipes or connectors are made or the design of connections between individual parts of the pipe connection unit, materials, dimensions or the combination of the pipe connection unit with additional devices, such as pressure reducers or the like, whereby adaptation to standards and technical rules other than those used here can also be carried out in an uncomplicated manner. The mounting plate 13 can also be extended as desired and equipped with several pipe sockets 14 for the simultaneous connection of several two-pipe gas meters.

.io.:.

BUSE MENTZEL LUDEWI«-· ····* Patent Attorneys

Authorized representative before the European Patent Office Dipl.-Phys. Buse

PO Box 201462 Unterdörnen 114 Dipl.-Phys. Mentzel

D-42214 Wuppertal D-42283 Wuppertal Dipl.-Ing. Ludewig

Wuppertal-Wuppertal,

20 Password: "Voltage-free gas meter"

Metallwerke Otto Dingerkus GmbH, Auf dem Schilde, D-57439 Attendorn

Pipe connection unit for consumption meters, especially two-pipe gas meters

Reference symbols

10 Pipe connection unit

11 Gas connection pipe

12 corner supports

13 Mounting plate

14 pipe sockets

15 Threaded nut

16 slot in 13

17 Mounting brackets

18 slot in 17 for

19 oblique slot in 17 for

20 drilling in 13

21 lateral play of

22 Shut-off valve, corner valve

23 Connector to 22

24 connector to 14

25 Test screw

26 union nut on 23

27 union nut on 24

28 Gas inflow direction in

29 Gas outlet direction from

30 Gas flow direction into the consumption meter

31 Gas flow direction from the consumption meter

32 Gas flow direction to the consumer

33 Wall mounting hole

34 external thread to 14

35 Level position of 14 in

36 Height position of 14 relative to

TELEPHONE (0202) 55 70 22 COMMERZBANK.4C. .,' .Cf!tD,lt>UÄQlXiffANK*ee· ..,* POSTAL OFFICE VAT-No.

TELEX 8591606 wpatd WUPPERTAL 4129 805 WUPPERTAL 103 490014 COLOGNE 726 34-506 DE !21035988

FAX (0202) 57 1501 BL233040001 BLZ33060098 BLZ37O1OO5O

•2

37 Height of 14

38 fasteners for 13 and 17

39 internal threads of 14

40 Welded joint between 14 and 15

41 Welded joint between 11 and 13

Claims (11)

BUSE · MENTZEL · LUDEWI<>- ^: * ^: ·· ^{: :} ·· ^! Authorized representative before the European Patent Office Dipl.-Phys. Buse PO Box 201462 Unterdörnen 114 Dipl.-Phys. Mentzel D-42214 Wuppertal D-42283 Wuppertal Dipl.-Ing. Ludewig ^&Dgr; ' Wuppertal, Password: "Voltage-free gas meter" Metallwerke Otto Dingerkus GmbH, Auf dem Schilde, D-57439 Attendorn Pipe connection unit for consumption meters, especially two-pipe gas meters Expectations : 1.) Pipe connection unit (10) for consumption meters, in particular two-pipe gas meters, with a gas connection pipe (11), to which a nozzle (12) for supplying gas to the meter (gas inflow direction 30) and a mounting plate (13) with pipe nozzle (14) are attached on the one hand, wherein the mounting plate (13) can be mounted on a wall by means of a mounting bracket (17), and wherein the pipe socket (14) serves as the consumer-side connection (gas flow direction 32 to the consumer) for the gas discharge (gas outflow direction 31) from the meter, characterized , TELEPHONE (0202)55 70 22 COMMERZBAN*c!aG i.* ..tStECäT-^.VdUiSBANKEO..,* POSTGIROAMT VAT-No. TELEX «595 606 wpatd WUPPERTAL 4129 805 WUPPERTAL 103490014 COLOGNE 72634-506 DE12!035988 Bank code 33040001 Bank code 33060098 Bank code 37010050 that the pipe socket (14) is held with limited mobility parallel and vertically with respect to the mounting plate (13) and can be fixed by at least one fastening means (15) in at least one of these degrees of freedom of its movement by means of a detachable connection (15, 34). 2.) Pipe connection unit (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the pipe socket (14) is limited in its movement perpendicular to the mounting plate (13) by at least one fastening means (15). 3.) Pipe connection unit (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a plane position (35) of the pipe socket (14) in the mounting plate (13) remains freely selectable within a bore (20), the bore (20) having a lateral play (21) relative to the pipe socket (14). 4.) Pipe connection unit (10) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the pipe socket (14) has an external thread (34) and is held in a freely selectable plane position (35) within a bore (20) of the mounting plate (13) by means of threaded nuts (15) that can be screwed onto the top and bottom of the mounting plate (13). 5.) Pipe connection unit (10) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the pipe socket (14) can be fixed in a bore (20) of the mounting plate (13) by means of threaded nuts (15) that can be screwed onto the top and bottom of the mounting plate (13) in a freely selectable position (36) of its height (37) relative to the mounting plate (13). 6.) Pipe connection unit (10) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the threaded nuts (15) are permanently connected to the pipe socket (14) fixed in a freely selectable height position (36) via the threaded nuts (15) by additional welded connections (40). 7.) Pipe connection unit (10) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the mounting plate (13) is provided with an elongated hole (16) which extends essentially parallel to the gas connection pipe (11) and the fastening angle (17) has an elongated hole (18) which, when the mounting plate (13) is fastened, runs essentially at right angles to the elongated hole (16) in the mounting plate (13). 8.) Pipe connection unit (10) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the mounting plate (13) is provided with an elongated hole (16) which extends essentially parallel to the gas connection pipe (11) and the fastening angle (17) has an elongated hole (19) which, when the mounting plate (13) is fastened, runs essentially obliquely to the elongated hole (16) in the mounting plate (13). 9.) Pipe connection unit (10) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that a shut-off valve, such as a corner tap (22), is attached to the nozzle (12) in front of the gas supply (30) to the meter, which is provided with a connecting piece (23) for fastening the meter. 10.) Pipe connection unit (10) according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that on the pipe socket (14) fastened in the mounting plate (13) behind the gas discharge (31) from the meter, a Connector (24) for fastening the meter, in which there is an inspection opening closed by a test screw (25). 11.) Pipe connection unit (10) according to claims 9 and 10, characterized in that the connecting pieces (23, 24) are provided with union nuts (26, 27) for screwing to the meter.