By Separate Deformable Element Patents (Class 285/382.7)
  • Patent number: 6702258
    Abstract: A ball valve assembly having a single valve body having a female inlet opening which can be coupled to a selected one of a range of commercially available conduit sizes and materials. A series of adapter fittings are used, each corresponding to a different conduit size. The adapter ring is seated against the valve inlet opening. A compression ring mounted on the conduit is inserted in the valve opening to abut the adapter ring. A compression nut is mounted on the valve body to compress the compression ring to frictionally engage the conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: F. Pettinaroli, S.p.A.
    Inventor: Giulio Pettinaroli
  • Publication number: 20030209906
    Abstract: A fluid line connector assembly for connecting between two fluid transmission lines or between a transmission line and an appliance or other apparatus, such as a commercial fryer. The assembly includes a length of thin-walled, flexible tubing having helical corrugations extending therealong and opposing non-corrugated and generally cylindrical ends. A braided sheath extends along the exterior of the tubing and is secured at the tubing ends. A base ring is received on a tubing end and includes a first groove. An end fitting, including an interior passage having a second groove, is retained on and cooperable with the tubing end due to a retaining ring captured within a portion of each groove, allowing the end fitting to remain rotatable relative to the tubing. One or more o-rings are compressively positioned between the end fitting and the tubing end to form a fluid-tight seal therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2002
    Publication date: November 13, 2003
    Applicant: Dormont Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Todd R. McCurdy, Alfred Daniel Novak, Jerome J. Segal, Michael Lyon
  • Patent number: 6641180
    Abstract: A screw connection including a sealing ring, a connecting piece, and a union nut for assembling a tube connector. The sealing ring has a nut side portion with an annular reinforcement on its outer face, a narrow ring portion, a ring surface with transfer elements arranged on its annular face located at the transition between the narrow ring portion and the nut side portion, and at least one cutting edge on its interior surface. The annular face having an inclination between 45° and 90° relative to the longitudinal axis of the tube connection. The connecting piece has an end face located at a first axial end and a conical bore disposed within. When fully assembled, the narrow ring portion is positioned with said conical bore, contacts the connecting piece, and transfers a negative image of the transfer elements on the ring surface onto the connecting piece end face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Parker-Hannifin Corporation
    Inventor: Andreas Udhoefer
  • Patent number: 6629708
    Abstract: High localized loading, galling, and high torque forces have been generally eliminated or greatly reduced in a two ferrule tube fitting assembly through suitable modification of the rear ferrule so as to redirect the reaction forces acting between the front ferrule and the drive nut. The rear ferrule has a cylindrical interior wall that closely surrounds the tube end and is provided on the interior cylindrical wall with a circumferentially continuous radial recess that is located between the nose and rear wall of the rear ferrule. The rear ferrule also has a radially external wall that is substantially conical and additionally shaped to extend radially outward toward the enlarged diameter portion or flange of the rear ferrule. The rear ferrule further includes a contoured face on the rear driven surface of the ferrule that engages the drive surface of the drive nut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: Swagelok Company
    Inventors: Peter C. Williams, Howard C. B. Kuhns
  • Publication number: 20030178848
    Abstract: High localized loading, galling, and high torque forces have been generally eliminated or greatly reduced in a two ferrule tube fitting assembly through suitable modification of the rear ferrule so as to redirect the reaction forces acting between the front ferrule and the drive nut. The rear ferrule has a cylindrical interior wall that closely surrounds the tube end and is provided on the interior cylindrical wall with a circumferentially continuous radial recess that is located between the nose and rear wall of the rear ferrule. The rear ferrule also has a radially external wall that is substantially conical and additionally shaped to extend radially outward toward the enlarged diameter portion or flange of the rear ferrule. The rear ferrule further includes a contoured face on the rear driven surface of the ferrule that engages the drive surface of the drive nut.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2003
    Publication date: September 25, 2003
    Inventors: Peter C. Williams, Howard C. B. Kuhns
  • Publication number: 20030107216
    Abstract: A fitting for the connection of a tubing end. The fitting includes a body having a bore with an internally-threaded opening which extends to a seating surface, and a front ferrule which is receivable coaxially over the tubing end. An externally-threaded nut is receivable coaxially over the outer diameter of the tubing end to be positionable thereon rearwardly of the front ferrule such that, with the tubing end and front ferrule being inserted through the bore opening, the nut is threadably engageable with the body urging an outer surface of the ferrule into a canning engagement against the body seating surface. The axial length of the seating surface is provided to extend substantially the entire length of the ferrule outer surface so as to constrain the radial outward expansion of the ferrule rearward end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Publication date: June 12, 2003
    Inventor: James David Gibson
  • Publication number: 20030085575
    Abstract: The invention concerns a device for axially retaining a cylindrical element and more particularly a cable (1) comprising a socket (7, 9) with an external thread and extended in the axial direction by clamping plates (9), and an overlapping nut (6) comprising internally a shrunk pressure surface (11) designed to act on the ends of the clamping plates (9) of the socket and radially deform them towards the cylindrical element (1) previously inserted into said socket after passing through said not (6). Said device is in particular characterised in that it further comprises a sleeve (8, 10) likewise provided with clamping plates (10) and whereof the external diameter is not larger than the internal diameter of the socket wherein said sleeve is designed to be inserted starting with said plates (10) with which it is provided, said socket being further internally provided with a shrunk pressure surface (12), designed to act on the sleeve clamping plates (10). In one embodiment, a packing seal is further provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2002
    Publication date: May 8, 2003
    Inventors: Joseph Crestin, Gilles Cordier
  • Publication number: 20030020278
    Abstract: The invention relates to a screw connection comprising a sealing ring, a connecting piece, and a union nut for assembling a tube connector. The sealing ring has a nut side portion with an annular reinforcement on its outer face, a narrow ring portion, a ring surface with transfer elements arranged on its annular face located at the transition between the narrow ring portion and the nut side portion, and at least one cutting edge on its interior surface. The annular face having an inclination between 45° and 90° relative to the longitudinal axis of the tube connection. The connecting piece has an end face located at a first axial end and a conical bore disposed within. When fully assembled, the narrow ring portion is positioned with said conical bore, contacts the connecting piece, and transfers a negative image of the transfer elements on the ring surface onto the connecting piece end face.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2002
    Publication date: January 30, 2003
    Inventor: Andreas Udhoefer
  • Patent number: 6467752
    Abstract: The present invention provides in combination with a ball-valve, an improvement comprising a threadless metallic fitting that incorporates both a male portion and a female portion formed as an integral unitary structure extending from at least one end wall of a housing portion of the ball-valve. The threadless metallic fitting includes a sleeve portion having a female interior surface adapted for receiving one of a tube and a pipe section therein and a male exterior surface having at least two distinct cylindrical sections. There is also a driver member having at least two distinct cylindrical sections for engaging the male exterior surface of the sleeve portion for deforming the sleeve portion and concurrently deforming such one of such tube and pipe section engaged within the sleeve portion when the driver member is forced longitudinally along the male exterior surface of the sleeve portion so as to effect an air tight seal between the pipe section and the female interior surface of the fitting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2002
    Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Terrance J. Woods
  • Patent number: 6438814
    Abstract: A method of forming a connection between a tube and a fitting, in which the fitting including a body with an externally male threaded tube receiving part to receive a tube, and a female threaded member adapted to be engaged with the male thread of the body with a compression means therebetween, the method including the steps of arranging the female threaded member and the compression means around the tube, inserting the tube into the tube receiving part of the body, and tightening the female threaded member onto the tube receiving part so that a generally radially inwardly extending formation of the female threaded member bears upon the compression means and wherein the method includes determining the amount of movement of a part of the fitting which, as the female threaded member is tightened, is caused to move relative to another part of the fitting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Inventors: Michael Douglas Seymour, Musa Mihsein
  • Publication number: 20020101079
    Abstract: The invention relates to a pipe connector for a pressure-resistant, positive-fit, high pressure screwed joint. The connection includes a formed tube; a screw body or connector branch with a cone, which connects to a parallel axis drilling, with a radial end surface; a union nut; a sealing ring; and a retaining ring. The formed tube has a parallel axis end-piece with the same tube diameter and which corresponds to the depth of the tube seat base. The formed tube has a pronounced head which forms a mating face, with a cone surface of the union nut, and which leads to an abutment face at a front face of the retaining ring, essentially aligned with the tube axis. The retaining ring has a radial ring surface, which, in the assembled state, contacts with the front face of the cone of the connector branch or screw body, and thus permits a block assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2002
    Publication date: August 1, 2002
    Inventor: Dieter Ehrke
  • Patent number: 6378915
    Abstract: A pipe coupling includes a body member (10) formed with a bore (11) for receiving one end of a pipe (P) to be coupled; a sealing ring (20) and a compression sleeve (30) receivable within the bore (11); a radially-deformable gripping ring (40) having one end abuttable against the compression sleeve (30), a securing nut (50) threaded on the body member (10) and engageable with the gripping ring (40) to move the gripping ring (40) axially and to effect a sealing action via the compression sleeve (30) and the sealing ring (20), and also to compress the gripping ring (40) radially to effect a gripping action of the pipe (P) received in the bore (11); and an axially-extending limit element (45) between the gripping ring (40) and the body member (10) effective to cause the nut (50), when tightened; (a) in an initial stage, to move the gripping ring (40) and the compression sleeve (30) until the limit element engages (45) prevents further axial movement of the gripping ring (40); and (b) in a final stage, to radially
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: Plasson Ltd.
    Inventor: Oded Katz
  • Patent number: 6361084
    Abstract: A connector sleeve (2) has a structure-attachment flange (9) on a flange end, a seal surface (4, 5, 15, 17) on a seal end and a nut-retainer ring (8, 14, 16) intermediate the structure-attachment flange and the seal end of an outside periphery of the connector sleeve. A connector nut (7) is contained rotatably on the outside periphery of the connector sleeve with the nut-retainer ring buttressing a retainer wall that is intermediate a circumferentially pipe-engagement inside periphery and a larger circumferentially straight-threaded inside periphery of the connector nut. Straight inside threading on the inside periphery of the connector nut is matched to straight outside threading of a fluid-controller sleeve (3). The pipe-engagement inside periphery of the connector nut and an inside periphery of the fluid-controller sleeve have slidable clearance of outside peripheral portions of an intended pipe (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Inventor: Vincent M. Zarbo
  • Patent number: 6345845
    Abstract: A phase controlled sequential gripping tube fitting for gripping a tube therein, the fitting comprising a rear ferrule shaped to receive the tube therein, the rear ferrule having a nose portion and a central body. The tube fitting further comprises a front ferrule having an axially-extending rear portion radially outwardly spaced from the rear ferrule, whereby when the rear ferrule is urged axially in a first direction the rear ferrule grips the tube, and whereby the rear portion of the front ferrule reduces buckling of the rear ferrule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2002
    Assignee: Swagelok Company
    Inventor: Lonnie E. Johnston
  • Publication number: 20010054821
    Abstract: A tube fitting has: a body having a bore for receiving a tube end and includes a tapered mouth at one end of the body; a drive member having a threaded engagement with the body and having a drive surface; a first ferrule having a tapered first end that extends into the tapered mouth of the body and having a second end with a tapered recess that axially extends toward the first end; and a second ferrule having a tapered first end that extends into the tapered recess of the first ferrule, and having a driven surface on a second end thereof that engages the drive member drive surface; the first ferrule having an outer generally conical surface that forms the tapered first end and forms a seal with the tapered mouth when the fitting is assembled and tightened. The fitting includes a vent in the form of a hole, bore or other fluid passageway in the drive member to relieve pressure when the drive member is at least partly loosened from the body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2001
    Publication date: December 27, 2001
    Inventor: Steven J. Volcansek
  • Publication number: 20010015556
    Abstract: A phase controlled sequential gripping tube fitting for gripping a tube therein, the fitting comprising a rear ferrule shaped to receive the tube therein, the rear ferrule having a nose portion and a central body. The tube fitting further comprises a front ferrule having an axially-extending rear portion radially outwardly spaced from the rear ferrule, whereby when the rear ferrule is urged axially in a first direction the rear ferrule grips the tube, and whereby the rear portion of the front ferrule reduces buckling of the rear ferrule.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 1998
    Publication date: August 23, 2001
    Inventor: LONNIE E. JOHNSTON
  • Patent number: 6276728
    Abstract: A fitting for use with corrugated tubing. The fitting includes a first body having a first internal conduit therethrough and a first centerline. The first body has a plurality of fingers integral with the first body. The fingers are positioned radially about a periphery of the first body and each of the fingers is separated from an adjacent finger by a space. A second body which mates with the first body has a second internal conduit therethrough and a second centerline. The second body has a finger deflection surface for contacting the fingers and directing the fingers towards the first centerline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: Omega Flex, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven A. Treichel
  • Patent number: 6264250
    Abstract: The present invention relates to plastic tube joints to transport warm water or tap water for air conditioning use, especially so-called simple-action tube joints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Assignee: Solar Giken Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Reija Teraoka, Kuniomi Kuroda
  • Patent number: 6241290
    Abstract: A pipe coupling with a cylindrical pipe, whose smooth end section can be inserted into a fitting that has at least one sleeve-like area extending in the longitudinal direction. At least one sealing ring is arranged between the pipe outer wall and the fitting inner wall. The fitting and the pipe are connected securely to each other by an externally applied pressing tool that acts in a plastically deforming manner on at least one radial plane of the sleeve-like area of the fitting as well as the pipe section located under this. A metal sleeve, which can be placed over the pipe ends by force, is arranged between the pipe outer wall and the fitting inner wall. The fixed axial extension of the metal sleeve surrounds the pipe starting from the pipe end face, and the length of the metal sleeve is selected so as to correspond to the required overlap between the pipe and the fitting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Mannesmann AG
    Inventors: Herbert Foering, Thomas Gigowski, Michael Berane, Karl-Heinz Hartings, Johannes Schurr