MXPA96005120A - A tube repair or union collarin - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a repair collar or pipe joint, comprising: a plurality of arcuate segments with fixing means for pulling the segments together in order to form the collar around a pipe or around a plurality of ends of the pipe. pipe, with the interposition of corresponding deformable sealing means, each arc-shaped segment having an associated sealing member, each sealing member comprising a pair of arcuate sealing strips longitudinally spaced apart, between the respective ends of which a pair extends. longitudinal sealing strips: rigid wedge-like members that are provided within the segments, in the regions of the fastening means and adapted to advance generally inward with respect to the segments, as the latter are attracted together for This way force the sealing members radially inward in the regions; bristled in that the wedge-like members are embedded in a non-removable manner within the sealing members, and in that they are integrally formed projections with the sealing members, with means in the projections coupling a part of a respective arcuate segment, during the assembled collar

Description

"A COLLAR OF REPAIR OR PIPE UNION" This invention relates to split collars for repair and joining of pipes such as gas pipes and water pipes. These collars can serve to repair a single damaged pipe to form a joint between two aligned pipe ends or to serve as a T-piece to join one pipe to another or others that extend at an angle thereof. Repair or union collars for. This object takes many different forms. Usually, they must be designed to correspond very closely to the external diameter of the pipes in order to ensure a watertight or gas-tight seal. Since the collars are designed to fit the existing underground main conduits, some of which may be many years old, it is very difficult to ensure that they will always provide a frame seal. Due to the material technical standards of manufacture and corrosion are changed, the pipes of the same nominal diameter can vary widely in current diameter. Therefore, it is desirable that this collar be able to accommodate the wide variations and differences in the diameter of the pipe.

A known form of repair collar designed for this object comprises a pair of arcuate segments whose stop end faces are inclined with respect to a diametric plane of the collar so that as the segments come together, the respective inclined faces experience a relative sliding movement thereby tightening the pipe in a plurality of positions around its circumferences. This requires sufficient resilience or flexibility in the material from which the segments are produced so that they can deform inward to define a smaller radius. However, since this kind of arrangement does not ensure a uniform reduction across the circumference, certain zones remain in which an adequate seal can not be ensured. An additionally known form of repair collar designed to overcome the aforementioned difficulty is described and claimed in the specification of Patent Number GB 2189000 in which a collar comprising a pair of arched segments with fixing means is provided to attract together the segments around the pipe, with the interposition of one or more corresponding elastomeric arched sealing means, and which is characterized by wedge-like members positioned between the segments and the sealing means in the region of the fixing means so that wedge-like members are adapted to slide generally inward with respect to the segments, as the latter are attracted together to thereby force the sealing means radially inward in those regions. A disadvantage experienced in the use of collars of this last class that the exact set of the segments, the sealing means and the wedge-like members sometimes present practical difficulties, particularly since these collars must be assembled on site and sometimes in a very hostile environment. In this way, the accuracy of the assembly can not always be guaranteed and the integrity of a seal that is provided by the collar depends mainly on the exact assembly and tightening of the separate parts of the collar. The present invention seeks to avoid these difficulties, at least to a considerable degree. In accordance with the present invention, a repair collar or pipe joint comprises a plurality of arcuate segments with fastening means for pulling together the segments so as to form the collar around a pipe or around a plurality of pipe ends with the interposition of corresponding deformable sealing means, each arcuate segment has an associated sealing member, each sealing member comprises a pair of arcuate sealing strips longitudinally spaced between the respective ends of which a pair of longitudinal sealing strips extends, rigid wedge-like members that are provided within the segments in the middle regions of the seal. fixing and adapted to advance generally inwards with respect to the segements as the latter are attracted together in order to force the sealing members radially inward in the regions mentioned; characterized in that the wedge-like members are formed non-removible with the sealing members. Preferably, the wedge-like members are embedded within the longitudinal sealing strips which are formed integrally with the arcuate sealing strips in order to form a rectangular one-piece sealing means when placed in the flat state. Still further, the longitudinal sealing strips include at their respective ends a pair of integral protrusions each having a means for engaging a portion of a respective arcuate segment, whereby each sealing means can be pre-assembled with its segment respective arc before assembling the collar. In one embodiment, the collar comprises a pair of arched segments and a pair of sealing means each • associated with one of the segments, the longitudinal sealing strips of the pair of sealing means have flat faces that bump each other, the arched sealing strips extending to become coplanar with the flat faces. Also, in a preferred embodiment, at each corner defined by the respective arcuate sealing strip and the longitudinal sealing strip, a generally triangular reinforcing continuous ribbon formed integrally with the arcuate and longitudinal sealing strips is provided. It is further preferred that the internal arcuate faces of the arcuate sealing strips are curved about a transverse axis to the longitudinal sealing strips. A mode of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 illustrates a repair collar or pipe joint of the kind described above in Patent Number GB 2189000; Figure 2 is a vertical cross section through a repair collar or pipe joint that is manufactured in accordance with the invention, as taken on line II-II of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a detailed view of a pair of sealing means forming part of the collar illustrated in Figure 2. Referring now to Figure 1, the collar illustrated therein includes a pair of generally semicylindrical iron segments 10. fused or of a similar rigid material. Each segment 10 has at each end thereof a pair of radially directed bolt receiving projections 11 for engaging the segments together by means of the bolts 12. Each selement 10 receives an elastomeric sealing member indicated generally at 13 consisting of strips 14 of sealed with circumferential ribs and sealing strips 15 and 16 with longitudinal ribs. Each strip 16 serves to join the adjacent ends of the circumferential strips 14, while each strip 15 also extends between the latter but in a circumferential position spaced apart from its ends. Each adjacent pair of radial projections 11 and which is positioned between the segment body in this region and the adjacent portion of the sealing member 13, is a member 17 similar to a separate sliding wedge. As will be seen from the lower part of Figure 1, each wedge 13 is retained in position in its associated segment 10 by means of the arcuate sealing strips 14 and the longitudinal sealing strips 15 and 16, with the strips placed in the channels respective in the wedge. The ribs 18 protruding internally integral with the segments 10 serve to prevent longitudinal movement of the sealing members 13 and the wedges 17. Each wedge 17 abuts against a generally tangential internal face of the associated segment. By this means, as the segments 1 attracted together by the bolts 12, after the initial contact of the adjacent faces of the respective sealing strips, the additional closing of the segments 10 will cause the wedges 17 to slide generally inwardly with a component of circumferential movement with respect to the adjacent segment surfaces in order to force the sealing members radially inward in the regions of the radial projections 11. Therefore, there is an essentially uniform reduction in the diameter of the sealing strips around the pipeline circulation, to ensure a good seal thereon, essentially without deformation of the segments themselves. For example, in a pipe of nominal diameter of 150 millimeters, the actual diameter scale that can be accommodated while providing an effective seal is at least 20 millimeters. Referring now to Figure 2 and in accordance with the present invention, the wedge-like insert parts 18 of cast iron or aluminum are embedded within and thus formed integrally with the longitudinal sealing strips 20 which themselves form integrally with the sealing strips 21 arched in such a way, that the inner sealing surfaces of the arcuate sealing strips 21 extend upwardly to the flat surface 22 coplanar with a flat surface 23 extending along the longitudinal sealing strip 20. It will be seen from Figure 2, that as the segments 10 are pulled together along the axis XX then the wedge-like insert pieces 18 embedded within the longitudinal sealing strips 20 will tend to move along the surfaces adjacent tangentials of the segments in each case towards the axis XX thus forcing the sealing strips arched inwardly along an axis YY in the region of the radial projections 11, ie, where a fixing action is applied in the segments. This inwardly directed sealing effect ensures a uniform circumferential seal without deforming the segments themselves. Referring now to Figure 3, each sealing member can be seen in greater detail as consisting of the longitudinal sealing strips 20 and the arched sealing strips 21. The entire sealing member is integrally formed of a resilient material such as natural or synthetic rubber and, when each member is placed flat, it is rectangular in shape having at each corner a continuous triangular reinforcing tape 24 which integrally reshapes with the arched and longitudinal sealing strips. Extending outwards in a generally radial direction with respect to the assembled collar, there is an integral projection 25 having an opening 26 therein for engaging the stops in such a manner as illustrated in Figure 1 at 27, in segments 10. In this manner, each sealing member can be pre-assembled with its respective segment, no additional separate pieces being required during final assembly when the two segments pre-tested with the sealing means thereon are placed together and fixed by the bolts 12. Unlike the arcuate sealing strips 14 of Figure 1, those produced in accordance with the invention and illustrated at 21 in Figures 2 and 3, have smooth internal sealing surfaces which, however, are slightly curved around of their respective arcuate axes, that is, in the longitudinal direction of the collar. Similarly, the flat surfaces 23 of the longitudinal sealing strips 20 which are coplanar with the similar flat faces 28 at the adjacent ends of the associated arcuate sealing strips 21 are surrounded by slightly inclined surfaces 29 extending inward from the outer edges of each longitudinal strip. By extending the sealing strips arched upwards to the sealing faces of the longitudinal strips, an integrity of the arched sealing strips is ensured. It is not intended to limit the invention to the details described herein. For example, embedded wedge-like inserts can be omitted in certain applications where the configuration of the longitudinal sealing strips and the material thereof is selected such that they serve as wedge-like members to achieve proper seal.

Claims (12)

R E I V I N D I C A C I O N E S;

1. A repair collar or pipe joint comprising a plurality of arcuate segments with a fastening means for pulling the segements together in order to form the collar around a pipe or around a plurality of pipe ends, with the interposition of means corresponding deformable seals, each arched section has an associated sealing member, each sealing member comprising a pair of arcuate sealing strips longitudinally spaced between the respective ends of which extends a pair of longitudinal sealing strips, wedge-like members rigid ones that are provided within the segments in the regions of the fastening medium and that are adapted to generally advance inwardly with respect to the segments as the latter are pulled together to thereby force the sealing members radially toward in those regions; characterized in that the wedge-like members are formed non-removably with the sealing members.

A repair collar or pipe joint according to claim 1, wherein the wedge-like members are embedded within the longitudinal sealing strips which are formed integrally with the arched sealing strips in order to form a means one-piece rectangular seal when placed in a flat state.

A repair collar or pipe joint according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the longitudinal sealing strips include at their respective ends a pair of integral protrusions having means for coupling with a part of an arched segment. respective.

A repair collar or pipe joint according to claim 1, comprising a pair of arcuate segments and a pair of sealing means, each associated with one of the segments, the longitudinal sealing strips of the middle pair of sealing have flat faces that bump against each other, the arched sealing fibers extending to become coplanar with the flat faces.

A repair collar or pipe joint according to claim 2, wherein at each corner defined by a respective arcuate sealing strip and a longitudinal sealing strip, a generally triangular reinforcing continuous tape formed integrally with the edges is provided. arched and longitudinal sealing strips.

6. A repair collar or pipe joint according to claim 1, wherein the arcuate sealing strips are curved about an axis transverse to the longitudinal sealing strips.

7. A repair collar or pipe joint according to claim 1, wherein the wedge-like members are made of cast iron.

A repair collar or pipe joint according to claim 1, wherein the wedge-like members are aluminum.

A repair collar or pipe joint according to claim 1, wherein each sealing member comprises the arcuate sealing strips and the longitudinal sealing strips which are integrally formed of natural or synthetic rubber.

A repair collar or pipe joint according to claim 1, wherein each arcuate seal strip has a smooth internal sealing surface.

A repair collar or pipe joint according to claim 1, wherein each longitudinal sealing strip is surrounded by slightly inclined surfaces extending inwardly from the outer edges thereof.

12. A repair collar or pipe joint according to claim 1, wherein the shape of each longitudinal sealing strip and the material thereof is selected in such a way that the longitudinal sealing strips themselves serve as wedge-like members.