Abstract: An adjustable drain assembly is provided. The assembly includes a base that has a concave inner pivoting surface and a top surface. An upper member is present and has a bottom surface located above the top surface. The upper member may have a concave inner pivoting surface. A pivot component may be present and have a convex outer pivoting surface that engages the concave inner pivoting surface of the base and upper member. The pivot component may be configured for engagement with a cover member. The base may have a pipe engagement surface for engagement with a pipe that is located completely below the pivot component.

Abstract: A ball and socket coupling is provided. The ball and socket coupling includes a ball body having a passage extending therethrough and a ball portion, and a socket body having a conduit extending therethrough and a ball receiving portion configured to receive the ball portion of the ball body. The ball and socket coupling also includes retaining structure disposed in the passage of the ball body and the conduit of the socket body, where the retaining structure is configured to operatively couple the ball body and the socket body together for permitting relative motion therebetween. The ball and socket coupling further includes motion limiting structure associated with the retaining structure and configured to limit relative motion between the ball body and the socket body to rotation about a single axis that is perpendicular to the direction of fluid flow through the ball and socket coupling.

Abstract: An apparatus for fixing an orientation of a duct in concrete segmental construction has an elongated body, a frame having an inner surface facing the elongated body, and an angle adjusting means connecting the inner surface of the frame to the elongated body. The elongated body is orientable relative to the frame about the ball joint. The angle adjusting means includes a pin extending through the frame, a ball mounted on the pin, and a flange mounted to the ball so as to be in surface-to-surface contact with an end of the elongated body. The pin is operably connected to the ball so as to fix an orientation of the flange.

Abstract: A ball and socket coupling is provided. The ball and socket coupling includes a ball body having a passage extending therethrough and a ball portion, and a socket body having a conduit extending therethrough and a ball receiving portion configured to receive the ball portion of the ball body. The ball and socket coupling also includes retaining structure disposed in the passage of the ball body and the conduit of the socket body, where the retaining structure is configured to operatively couple the ball body and the socket body together for permitting relative motion therebetween. The ball and socket coupling further includes motion limiting structure associated with the retaining structure and configured to limit relative motion between the ball body and the socket body to rotation about a single axis that is perpendicular to the direction of fluid flow through the ball and socket coupling.

Abstract: A connector with an additional tolerance compensation capacity for articulately connecting a first and second pipeline of an engine-powered hot air supply system in an aircraft. One pipe end of the first pipeline is articulately connected by a tie rod with a pipe end of the second pipeline with the formation of a gap. The pipe ends each include a bearing ring incorporating an essentially centrically arranged receptacle for attaching the tie rod. The receptacle is connected with a bearing ring inner surface by at least two braces pointing radially outward. The opposing pipe ends are enveloped by a sealing unit for sealing the gap. A first end of the tie rod includes an adjusting unit in the form of a screw-on ball head for length adjustment while the second end includes a fixed ball head.

Abstract: An exemplary rotatable joint (100) includes a socket (10), a rotatable arm (20), and a connecting device (30) configured for being mounted in the socket. The connecting device includes a sub-socket (31), two elastic sleeves (33), and two pivot shafts (35) fixed to the socket. The sub-socket includes a first half (311) and a second half (312). A pivot hole (315, 316) is defined in each of the first half and the second half for engaging with an outer surface (331) of one of the elastic sleeves. An outer surface (351) of each of the pivot shafts engages with an inner surface (332) of one of the elastic sleeves. A through hole (317) is defined in the sub-socket for rotatably engaging with the rotatable arm. Each of the elastic sleeves abuts the rotatable arm.

Abstract: An articulating ball-and-socket fluid coupling includes a ball body, a socket body, a primary retainer structure, an annular seal assembly and a secondary retainer structure. The primary retainer structure has a shaft extending through the ball and socket bodies to connect the ball body and the socket body together while permitting the ball body and the socket body to articulate relative to each other. The secondary retainer structure includes an annular member disposed in a ball receiving conduit portion of the socket member and connected to the socket body at or adjacent to an opening into the ball receiving conduit portion. The annular member has an inner secondary retainer diameter less than a spherical diameter of a partially spherical exterior surface defining a ball portion of the ball body so that the secondary retainer structure retains the ball body and the socket body connected if the primary retainer structure fails.

Abstract: A universal joint including a first tubular member, a second tubular member, and an intermediate tubular member for connecting the first and second tubular members, the intermediate tubular member having at one end an outer spherical part and at the other end a cylindrical part, the first tubular member having at one end an inner spherical part in which the outer spherical part of the intermediate tubular member is inserted to move universally, and the second tubular member having at one end a hole in which the cylindrical part of the intermediate tubular member is rotatably inserted, the inner spherical part having an axis oblique at an angle to an axis of the outer spherical part of the intermediate tubular member.

Abstract: An adjustable drain apparatus includes a drain base received within a floor. A flange is coupled to the drain base. A ring is disposed in a flange cavity and selectively movable therein. A grate is coupled to the ring. At least one retainer is coupled to the flange to retain the ring in the flange cavity. Preferably, two opposite rings selectively secure the ring in the flange. The flange has two different orientations with respect to the drain base to selectively position the grate at two different elevations with respect to the drain base.

Abstract: An adjustable drain apparatus to be positioned with a floor therearound. The drain has a drain channel, having an upper end to receive fluid, and a lower end to expel the fluid. The drain also has a base, positioned proximate to the drain channel, having a cavity to receive the fluid expelled from the lower end. Additionally, the drain has pivoting means, coupled to the lower end of the drain channel, for enabling pivoting of the drain channel relative to the base. Moreover, there is a securing means for pivotally securing the pivoting means to the base. Uniquely, the securing means comprises a pair of plates, each having an inner concentric substantially spherical surface designed to mate with the pivoting means and be coupled to the base. Also, the pivoting means comprises a ring having an inner surface that is attached to the lower end of the drain channel, and an outer spherical surface designed to smoothly pivot against the spherical surfaces of the pair of plates.

Abstract: Ball and socket members having cooperating fluid flow passages therethrough are connected for universal pivotal movement by a connection located entirely interiorly of the members within the fluid flow passages therein. A brake band interposed between the ball and socket members is selectively operable to releasably secure the ball and socket members against movement relative to one another.

Abstract: A connector 10 for a fluid-flow line comprising a pair of truncated spheres, the inner 14 nesting within the outer 12, with the truncated ends facing in opposite directions. The non-truncated ends of the spheres are each connected to a different circular disc with a grid structure, called an end member 22, 22'. An adjustable tension wire 24 is stretched between the end members 22, 22' and holds the spheres 12, 14 together. A fluid-bearing seal 16 is affixed to the outer surface of the inner sphere 14 and is in contact with the inner surface of the outer sphere 12. A second seal 18 is attached between the spheres 12, 14 but spaced from the fluid-bearing seal 16 to form a seepage space 30 therebetween. The fluid-bearing seal 16 is formed with internal tubes 32 which permit a small leakage flow from the main flow into the seepage space 30 between the upper surface 34 of the seal 16 and the inner surface of the outer sphere 12 so as to reduce friction between these surfaces.

Abstract: The invention relates to an above sea-level platform, for use as, for example, an oil-rig, which is connected to a sea-bed foundation by a ball-joint arrangement. For protection, the ball joint is hollow and partially received in a recess at the lower end of a tubular extension of the platform through which an oil conduit leads from the foundation via the hollow ball joint, the two parts of which are held in sealing abutment by a draw member.