Stop assembly for pipe couplings
A stop assembly for limiting motion of a shank of a fastener through an opening in a body is disclosed. The stop assembly has a retention element that is positionable on the shank. The retention element has a first surface that engages the shank for holding it at a predetermined position on the shank. A second surface on the retention element engages the body, and limits the motion of the shank relative to the body. Application of sufficient force to the body or removal of the retention element from the shank will allow the body and the fastener to move relatively to one another.
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This invention relates to stop assemblies usable with pipe coupling segments for maintaining the coupling segments in spaced apart relation during assembly of a pipe joint.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONMechanical couplings for joining pipe elements in end to end relation find widespread use throughout industry for creating piping networks, used for example, in fire suppression sprinkler systems in warehouses, office buildings and the like.
Such couplings comprise two or more interconnectable segments that are positionable circumferentially surrounding the end portions of the co-axially aligned pipe elements. The term “pipe element” is used herein to describe any pipe-like item or component having a pipe like form. Pipe elements include pipe stock, pipe fittings such as elbows, caps and tees as well as fluid control components such as valves, reducers, strainers, restrictors, pressure regulators and the like.
Each mechanical coupling segment comprises a housing having arcuate surfaces which project radially inwardly from the housing and engage plain end pipe elements, pipe elements having radially extending shoulders or circumferential grooves that extend around each of the pipe elements to be joined. Engagement between the arcuate surfaces and the pipe elements provides mechanical restraint to the joint and ensures that the pipe elements remain coupled even under high internal pressure and external forces. The housings define an annular channel that receives a gasket or seal, typically an elastomeric ring which engages the ends of each pipe element and cooperates with the segments to provide a fluid tight seal. The segments have connection members, typically in the form of lugs which project outwardly from the housings. The lugs are adapted to receive fasteners, such as nuts and bolts, which are adjustably tightenable to draw the segments toward one another.
Installation of a coupling to form a pipe joint can be a tedious and time consuming process when mechanical couplings are used. The installation process described below is based upon a coupling that engages pipes having circumferential grooves, it being understood that the description applies substantially to other types of pipes as well. Typically, the coupling is received by the technician with the segments bolted together and the ring seal captured within the segments' channels. The technician first disassembles the coupling by unbolting it, removes the ring seal, lubricates it (if not pre-lubricated) and places it around the ends of the pipe elements to be joined. Installation of the ring seal requires that it be lubricated and stretched to accommodate the pipe elements, an often difficult and messy task, as the ring seal is usually stiff and the lubrication makes manual manipulation of the seal difficult. With the ring seal in place on both pipe elements, the segments are then placed one at a time straddling the ends of the pipe elements and capturing the ring seal against them. During placement, the segments engage the seal, the arcuate surfaces are aligned with the grooves, the bolts are inserted through the lugs, the nuts are threaded onto the bolts and tightened, drawing the coupling segments toward one another, compressing the seal and engaging the arcuate surface within the grooves.
As evident from the previous description, installation of mechanical pipe couplings according to the prior art requires that the technician typically handle at least seven individual piece parts (and more when the coupling has more than two segments), and must totally disassemble and reassemble the coupling. Significant time, effort and expense would be saved if the technician could install a mechanical pipe coupling without first totally disassembling it and then reassembling it, piece by piece.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe invention concerns a stop assembly for limiting the motion of a shank of a fastener extended through an opening in a body, such as a pipe coupling. The stop assembly comprises a retention element positionable on the fastener at a predetermined position along the shank. The retention element has a first surface portion engageable with the shank for holding the retention element at the predetermined position. The retention element further has a second surface portion engageable with the body. Engagement of the second surface portion with the body limits and motion of the shank through the opening.
Preferably, the assembly also includes a second retention element positionable on the fastener at a second predetermined position along the shank. The second retention element has a first surface portion engageable with the shank for holding the second retention element at the second predetermined position. The second retention element further has a second surface portion engageable with a second body, such as a cooperating coupling segment. The second body has a second opening therein. Engagement of the second surface portion with the second body limits motion of the shank through the second opening.
The invention also includes a pipe coupling positionable straddling facing end portions of a pair of pipe elements for securing the pipe elements together in end-to-end relationship. The pipe coupling comprises a plurality of coupling segments engageable with the pipe elements for holding them in the end to end relationship. The coupling segments are positioned in facing relation and have paired aligned openings extending therethrough.
A fastener for joining the coupling segments together has an elongated shank that extends through a pair of the aligned openings. A retention element has a first surface portion engaged with the shank. The retention element also has a second surface portion engaged with one of the coupling segments for limiting motion of the fastener relative to the one coupling segment.
Preferably, the coupling includes a second retention element having a first surface portion engaged with the shank. The second retention element has a second surface portion engaged with the other of the coupling segments for limiting motion of the fastener relative to the other coupling segment. The first and second retention elements cooperate to maintain the coupling segments in spaced apart relation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The bolts 18 extend through openings 24 and 26 in the body of the segments, the body often including lugs 28 and 30 designed to receive and engage the nut and bolt. Lugs 28 and 30 are configured so as to align the openings 24 and 26 to receive the shank 20 of the bolt 18.
Coupling 10 includes a stop assembly 32 that limits the motion of the shank 20 through the openings in a body such as 24 and 26. This is useful for efficient assembly of the pipe joint as it allows the coupling 10 to be pre-assembled at the factory with the coupling segments 12 and 14 maintained in spaced apart relation by the stop assembly. The spaced apart relation allows the coupling to receive the pipe elements without disassembly, thereby reducing the number of loose parts which a technician must handle when assembling the joint and decreasing the labor and time required.
Various embodiments of stop assemblies are described below. All of the embodiments include a retention element that is positionable on the fastener shank. The retention element has a surface portion that engages the shank to hold it in a predetermined position on the shank. The retention element further includes another surface portion that is engageable with the body having the openings (in these examples, the bodies being the coupling segments). Engagement between the other surface portion and the body limits the motion of the shank through the opening and supports the body, for example, in spaced apart relation to another body.
The force required to move the O-rings may be augmented by incorporating an undercut 17 on the shank 20 at a point along the shank where the O-ring is to be positioned in order to maintain the segments 12 and 14 in spaced apart relation. Undercut 17 is preferably positioned on a non-threaded section of the shank 20, and provides purchase for the O-ring, increasing the force necessary to dislodge and move it when it is desired to bring the segments toward one another.
Preferably the collars are formed from an elastic material allowing them to be biased into gripping engagement with the fasteners, yet expandable so as to slide over the fasteners when the coupling segments are moved into engagement with the pipe elements. The degree of force required to move the collars 44, or the aforementioned O-rings 36 is largely a function of the degree of interference, the coefficient of friction between the surfaces in contact, and the elastic modulus of the material forming the collars or the O-rings.
The retention element shown in
In
The stop assemblies disclosed herein may be used in conjunction with couplings modified to allow them to be positioned in closer proximity to one another when in spaced apart relation. Such modifications including positioning notches or cut-outs adjacent to the lugs to provide clearance between the coupling and the pipe elements allowing them to be inserted into the couplings. Alternatively, the couplings could be flexible and have arcuate surfaces that do not extend the entire length of the coupling, i.e., they subtend an angle of less than 180°.
Stop assemblies according to the invention allow pipe couplings to be held in spaced relation until force is applied to bring them toward one another for engagement with pipe elements. This allows the couplings to be preassembled at the factory and handled in the field as a single unit, thereby facilitating rapid and convenient assembly of pipe joints by inserting the pipe elements between the coupling segments while they are in spaced apart relation and then forcing the coupling elements into engagement with the pipe elements by, for example, removing the retention elements from the shanks or sliding the retention elements along the shanks to permit relative motion between the coupling segments and the shanks.
Claims
1. A stop assembly for limiting the motion of a shank of a fastener extended through an opening in a body, said stop assembly comprising:
- a retention element positionable on said fastener at a predetermined position along the shank, said retention element having a first surface portion engageable with said shank for holding said retention element at said predetermined position; and
- said retention element further having a second surface portion engageable with said body, engagement of said second surface portion with said body limiting motion of said shank through said opening.
2. A stop assembly according to claim 1, further comprising:
- a second retention element positionable on said fastener at a second predetermined position along said shank, said second retention element having a first surface portion engageable with said shank for holding said second retention element at said second predetermined position;
- said second retention element further having a second surface portion engageable with a second body having a second opening therein, engagement of said second surface portion with said second body limiting motion of said shank through said second opening.
3. A stop assembly according to claim 1, wherein said retention element has an aperture oriented transversely to said shank and permitting removal of said retention element from said shank by movement of said retention element transversely thereto, removal of said retention element allowing relative motion between said shank and said body.
4. A stop assembly according to claim 3, wherein said retention element comprises a clip having first and second legs positioned adjacent to one another defining said aperture, said legs being flexible and resiliently biased to engage said shank, said clip being positionable on said shank by deforming said legs to receive said shank therebetween.
5. A stop assembly according to claim 4, wherein said clip comprises a wire, said wire having a reverse curve defining said legs, said legs having a curvature sized and shaped to receive said shank therebetween.
6. A stop assembly according to claim 3, wherein said clip comprises a plate having a slot therein defining said aperture, said shank being movable through said slot for removal of said clip from said shank.
7. A stop assembly according to claim 1, wherein said retention element has an aperture therethrough for receiving said shank, said aperture having a diameter less than the diameter of said shank, said body engaging said shank with an interference fit, said retention element being movable lengthwise along said shank for positioning said retention element at said predetermined position.
8. A stop assembly according to claim 7, wherein said retention element comprises an o-ring.
9. A stop assembly according to claim 8, wherein said shank has an undercut that receives said O-ring.
10. A stop assembly according to claim 7, wherein said retention element comprises a collar formed from an elastic material.
11. A stop assembly according to claim 7, wherein said retention element comprises a flexible, elastic plate.
12. A stop assembly according to claim 7, wherein said retention element comprises:
- a washer having an inner diameter defined by a plurality of flexible teeth extending radially inwardly, said teeth being engageable with said shank for holding said washer at said predetermined position, said teeth being flexibly deformable and allowing relative motion between said washer and said shank.
13. A stop assembly according to claim 1, wherein said retention element comprises a frangible material engaging said body and said fastener, said frangible material being separable from one of said retention element and said body upon the application of force to said shank to permit relative motion between said body and said shank.
14. A stop assembly according to claim 13, wherein said frangible material is selected from the group consisting of adhesive, solder, caulk and paint.
15. A pipe coupling positionable straddling facing end portions of a pair of pipe elements for securing said pipe elements together in end-to-end relationship, said pipe coupling comprising:
- a plurality of coupling segments engageable with said pipe elements for holding them in said end to end relationship, said coupling segments being positioned in facing relation and having paired aligned openings extending therethrough;
- a fastener having an elongated shank extending through a pair of said aligned openings for joining said coupling segments together;
- a retention element having a first surface portion engaged with said shank, said retention element having a second surface portion engaged with one of said coupling segments for limiting motion of said fastener relative to said one coupling segment.
16. A pipe coupling according to claim 15, further comprising:
- a second retention element having a first surface portion engaged with said shank, said second retention element having a second surface portion engaged with the other of said coupling segments for limiting motion of said fastener relative to said other coupling segment, said first and second retention elements cooperating to maintain said coupling segments in spaced apart relation.
17. A pipe coupling according to claim 16, wherein one of said retention elements has an aperture oriented transversely to said shank and permitting removal of said one retention element from said shank by movement of said retention element transversely thereto, removal of said one retention element allowing relative motion between said fastener and one of said coupling segments.
18. A pipe coupling according to claim 17, wherein said one retention element comprises a clip having first and second legs positioned adjacent to one another defining said aperture, said legs being flexible and resiliently biased into engagement with said shank, said clip being positioned on said shank by deforming said legs to receive said shank therebetween.
19. A pipe coupling according to claim 18, wherein said clip comprises a wire, said wire having a reverse curve defining said legs, said legs having a curvature sized and shaped to receive said shank therebetween.
20. A pipe coupling according to claim 17, wherein said clip comprises a plate having a slot therein defining said aperture, said shank being movable through said slot for removal of said clip from said shank.
21. A pipe coupling according to claim 16, wherein one of said retention elements has an aperture therethrough for receiving said shank, said aperture having a diameter less than the diameter of said shank, said one retention element engaging said shank with an interference fit, said one retention element being movable along said shank for permitting relative motion between said fastener and one of said coupling segments.
22. A pipe coupling according to claim 21, wherein said one retention element comprises an o-ring.
23. A pipe coupling according to claim 21, wherein said one retention element comprises a collar formed from an elastic material.
24. A pipe coupling according to claim 21, wherein said one retention element comprises a flexible, elastic plate.
25. A pipe coupling according to claim 21, wherein said one retention element comprises:
- a washer having an inner diameter defined by a plurality of flexible teeth extending radially inwardly, said teeth being engageable with said shank, said teeth being flexibly deformable and allowing relative motion between said washer and said fastener.
26. A pipe coupling according to claim 15, wherein said retention element comprises a frangible material engaging said one of said coupling segments and said shank, said frangible material being separable from one of said shank and said one coupling segment upon the application of force to said fastener to permit relative motion between said one coupling segment and said fastener.
27. A pipe coupling according to claim 15, wherein said shank is attached to said one of said coupling segments, said retention element cooperating with said other coupling segment to hold said coupling segments in spaced apart relation.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 24, 2005
Publication Date: Mar 8, 2007
Applicant: Victaulic Company of America (Easton, PA)
Inventor: Douglas Dole (Whitehouse Station, NJ)
Application Number: 11/210,376
International Classification: F16L 25/00 (20060101);