GB2195725A

GB2195725A - Pipe coupling

Info

Publication number: GB2195725A
Application number: GB08623672A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Reginald Andrew Phillips
Original assignee: Gullick Dobson Ltd
Current assignee: Gullick Dobson Ltd
Priority date: 1986-10-02
Filing date: 1986-10-02
Publication date: 1988-04-13
Also published as: DE3733027A1; GB8623672D0; FR2604770A1

Description

GB2195725A 1 SPECIFICATION vice may be driven into engagement with the

complementary part.

Connection devices The said portion formed for engagement with drive means may be formed as an inter The invention relates to connection devices. 70 nal hexagonal or square crosssection.

In hydraulic fluid control systems it is com- The distance across the flats of said hexa- mon practice to group together a number of gon or square may be smaller than the width connections, such as hose connections, on a of the remaining portion of the fluid passage.

single distribution block. For example, each Alternatively the said distance across the hose may be connected by using a double- 75 flats may be larger than the width of the re ended screwed nipple, one end of which is maining portion of said fluid passage.

screwed into the distribution block and the At the end of the connection device oppo- other end being screwed into the hose. A]- site to the screw threaded portion there may though it is possible to screw a hose directly be provided a plain cylindrical element having into a block, the continued coupling and un- 80 at least one hole at right angles to the axis coupling which is often required causes wear thereof for receiving a retaining device for a and damage to the internal threads in the further complementary part.

block, resulting in an expensive replacement of The plain cylindrical element of the connec- the block. Thus nipple type connections are tion device may be rotatable relative to the preferred. 85 said fluid passage in which case a further plain Nowadays there is in fact even a tendency cylindrical element may be provided for sealing to replace double-ended screwed nipples by engagement with the further complementary so-called staple lock fittings. The fitting has a part.

screwed portion for engagement with a distri- The further complementary part may corn- bution block but the other end of the fitting is 90 prise a hose fitting.

locked to a hose by passing a staple through In order to provide a fluid tight seal be- apertures in the fitting and into a groove on tween the screw threaded portion and the the end of the hose assembly. first mentioned complementary part, a sealing In both the double-ended screwed nipple compound such as---Loctite-may be used be- fittings and the staple lock fittings, means has 95 tween the mating threaded portions.

to be provided to tighten the screwed portion Alternatively or in addition a recess may be of the fittings into leakproof engagement with provided to receive an -0- ring on an en the distribution block. This means usually gagement face between the connection device takes the form of a hexagonal portion on the and the first mentioned complementary part.

fitting for engagement with a spanner. 100 The invention includes a distribution block To enable a spanner to gain access to the and a plurality of hose assemblies attached hexagonal portion, it is necessary to space the thereto utilising a plurality of connection de fittings at a distance such that the outer parts vices as defined above, the connection de of the spanner jaws do not foul any adjacent vices being substantially adjacent to one fittings or other parts of the assembly and the 105 another.

result of this spacing provision for spanner By way of example, a specific embodiment access is often a larger distribution block than of the invention will now be described, with is strictly necessary to interconnect the hy- reference to the accompanying drawings, in draulic hoses leading thereto. In confined which:- spaces and where access to a distribution 110 Figure 1 is a side cross- sectional view of an block is limited, such as in mine roof sup- embodiment of connection device according to ports, the provision of a large distribution the invention; block is both costly and also restricts the exe- Figure 2 is a view in the direction of arrow cution of any work which involves the cou- 11 of Fig. 1; pling and uncoupling of connections by means 115 Figure 3 is a view in the direction of arrow z of a spanner. Ill of Fig. 1; It is an object of the invention to mitigate Figure 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but the above problems relating to the use of showing the connection device connected to a spanners, and to reduce the cost of distribu- distribution block and hose assembly; and tion blocks, which may have to be manufac120 Figure 5 is a view in the direction of arrow tured in non-ferrous or stainless steels where V of Fig. 4 showing retaining means for the fire-resistant fluids such as water or other cor- connection device.

rosive fluids are involved. Referring firstly to Figs. 1 to 3, the connecAccordingly the invention provides a fluid tion device comprises a first portion 10 having pressure connection device having a screw 125 external screw threads 11 and a second plain threaded, portion for engagement with a com- cylindrical element 12 which is rotatable with plementary part and a fluid passage through respect to the portion 10, the two parts being the coupling device, at least a portion of said interconnected by a flange 13 which is fluid passage being formed for engagement crimped or pressed to loosely mate in a with drive means, whereby the coupling de- 130 groove 14.

2 GB2195725A 2 The part 10 has a plain internal bore 15, a is required, the screw threads will normally be formed hexagonal socket 16, a sealing end coated with a sealant andlor adhesive such as face 17 and an -0- ring recess 18. ---Loctite- (Registered Trade Mark).

The plain cylindrical element 12 has an in- The invention is not restricted to the details ternal bore 19 and two cross drillings 20, 21 70 of the foregoing embodiment.

which extend tangentially with respect to the

Claims

bore 19 and encroach into the bore. CLAIMS

The connection device is intended for use in 1. A fluid pressure connection device hav- connecting a hose assembly 22 (see Fig. 4) to ing a screw threaded portion for engagement a distribution block 23. The distribution block 75 with a complementary part and a fluid pas has a passage 24 therein terminating in an sage through the connection device, at least a internally screw threaded socket 25 of a size portion of said fluid passage being formed for to mate with the screw threads 11 of the part engagement with drive means, whereby the 10. By arranging an -0- ring 26 in the recess connection device may be driven into engage 18 and screwing the part 10 into the socket 80 merit with the complementary part.

until the sealing end face 17 abuts the
2. A connection device as claimed in Claim bottom of the socket, the part 10 can be 1, in which the said portion formed for en seated to the distribution block 23 with the gagement with drive means is formed as an bore 15 in communication with the passage internal hexagonal or square cross-section.

24. The part 10 can be screwed into position 85
3. A connection device as claimed in Claim as tightly as necessary by using an hexagonal 2, in which the distance across the flats of section wrench or Alien key in the socket 16. said hexagon or square is smaller than the The hose assembly 22 can then simply be width of the remaining portion of the fluid pressed axially into the connection device. The passage.

hose assembly has a first portion 27 which 90
4 A connection device as claimed in Claim makes sealing engagement with the inner part 2, in which the said distance across the flats of the bore 15 by means of a groove accom- is larger than the width of the remaining por modating a further -0- ring 28. The hose tion of said fluid passage.

assembly also has a second part 28 which
5. A connection device as claimed in any fits within the plain cylindrical element 12. The 95 one of the preceding claims in which, at the part 28 has an annular groove 29 which is in end of the connection device opposite to the register with the holes 20 and 2 1. screw threaded portion, there is provided a Once the hose assembly has been pressed plain cylindrical element having at least one into position, a U-shaped staple 30 is moved hole at right angles to the axis thereof for into a position in which the two arms of the 100 receiving a retaining device for a further com staple 30 pass through the holes 20 and 21 plementary part.

thus projecting into the groove 29 and locking
6. A connection device as claimed in Claim the hose assembly in position. 5, in which the plain cylindrical element of the Although only one connection device is connection device is rotatable relative to the shown in Fig. 4, making a connection to a 105 said fluid passage.

single passage 24, in practice a plurality of
7. A connection device as claimed in Claim such connection devices may be grouped 6, in which a further plain cylindrical element closely together on the distribution block 23. is provided for sealing engagement with the Because each part 10 can be screwed tightly further complementary part.

into position without the need to apply a 110
8. A connection device as claimed in Claim spanner to the outside of the part, the con- 7, in which the further complementary part nection devices can be arranged very close comprises a hose fitting.

together, thus making it possible to manufac-
9. A connection device as claimed in any ture the smallest possible connection block for one of the preceding claims, in which a seal accommodating a given number of connection 115 ing compound is provided for providing a fluid devices. The distance between connection de- tight seal between the screw threaded portion vice centres need only be slightly greater than and the first mentioned complementary part.

the maximum- dimension of the connection de-
10. A connection device as claimed in any vice measured transverse to its axis. In the one of the preceding claims, in which an -0 embodiment shown, the spacing between ad120 ring is provided to provide a seal between the jacent connection devices need only be connection device and the first mentioned slightly greater than the maximum diameter of complementary part.

the part 12, providing that the staples 30 are
11. A connection device constructed and inserted along parallel axes on adjacent cou- arranged substantially as herein described with piings. The direction of insertion of the staples 125 reference to the accompanying drawings.

is readily adjustable since the part
12 can be 12. A fluid pressure connection device rotated freely on the part 10. having a screw threaded portion for engage- The connection device shown can be used ment with a complementary part and a fluid to make either a temporary assembly or a passage through the connection device, at permanent assemly. If a permanent assembly 130 least a part of the threaded portion being 3 GB2195725A 3 formed for engagement axially with drive means, whereby the connection device may be driven into engagement with the comple mentary part.
13. A connection device as claimed in Claim 12, in which the said portion formed for engagement with drive means is formed as an internal hexagonal or square cross-section.
14. A connection device as claimed in Claim 13, in which the said drive means is formed as a non-cylindrical or interrupted cylindrical cross-section.
15. A connection device as claimed in Claim 14, in which the minimum distance across the drive means is smaller than the width of the remaining portion of the fluid passage.
16. A connection device as claimed in Claim 12, in which adjacent the threaded por tion of the connection device, there is pro vided an element for the attachment of a rota table complementary part.
17. A connection device as claimed in Claim 16, in which the rotatable complemen tary part is provided having at least one hole extending tangentally thereof for receiving a retaining device for a further complementary part.
18. A connection device as claimed in Claim 16, in which the rotatable complemen tary part is held rotatably captive.
19. A distribution block and a plurality of hose assemblies attached thereto utilising a plurality of connection devices each as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, the con nection devices being substantially adjacent to one another.
20. A mine roof support having a distribu- tion block as claimed in Claim 19.

Published 1988 at The Patent Office, state House, 66/71 High Holborn, London WC 1 R 4TP. Further copies may be obtained from The Patent office, Sales Branch, St Mary Cray, Orpington, Kent BR5 3RD, Printed by Burgess & Son (Abingdon) Ltd. Con. 1/87.