FR2844332A1 - Coupling and flanging device for two underwater fluid connector coupling plates comprises stop locking translation of threaded rod and coupling tabs located on mobile element which are engaged by rotationally locked nut - Google Patents

Abstract

The device enables the coupling and flanging of connectors carried by a fixed element (1) with connectors carried by a mobile element (2). The fixed element comprises a stop (36) intended to lock the translation of a threaded rod (13) screwed into a tapped nut (23) and coupling tabs (20) activated by control means (31,34). The threaded rod and coupling tabs are located on the mobile element and are engaged by means of the rotationally locked nut translated by the rotation of the threaded rod.

Description

The invention relates to a clamping device for coupling plates.

  and more particularly for coupling plates of fluid couplings intended for

be submerged.

  In the field of underwater work, it is necessary to be able to connect fluid conduits under high pressure to immersed fixed installations. This connection must often be made under environmental conditions (depth, water temperature, darkness, current, etc.) as it is made by a

unmanned robot.

  For this, two plates are used, each carrying fittings, male for one and female for the other, one of these plates being fixed and, for example, integral with the underwater structure. This fixed plate is generally provided with a nut whereas the other plate, which is mobile, comprises a screw. The robot brings the plates together, rotates the screw which engages in the nut of the fixed plate and thus brings the male and female connectors into contact. When the screw is locked in position in the nut, one obtains, on the one hand, a clamping of the coupling plates and, on the other hand, the coupling of the

  fittings carried by the fixed and mobile plates.

  Such a device nevertheless has a number of drawbacks.

  When the robot presents the movable plate in front of the fixed plate, it often happens that the screw is not exactly aligned with the nut. The engagement of the screw in the nut therefore occurs with deterioration of the threads of these two parts. This deterioration is detrimental to the life and solidity of a

such binding.

  The connection plates must remain submerged for many years without maintenance. So you need a

  reliable and robust connection between the plates.

  A screw and nut connection between the plates is also sensitive to marine pollutants, such as sediments or microorganisms, which can hinder or prevent the coupling and uncoupling of the fittings.

  and / or deteriorate the connection between the plates.

  The environment in which these coupling plates 10 are located implies minimal maintenance while preserving the possibility of

  easy uncoupling of these fittings.

  It is to these drawbacks and constraints that the invention intends to respond more particularly by proposing a reliable coupling and clamping device for fittings, not requiring any particular maintenance, provided with a

  locking device and protected from pollution.

  To this end, the invention relates to a device for coupling and clamping two elements, one being fixed while the other is movable, each element carrying fluid connections of complementary shape, these connections being adapted to be tightly coupled and locked in position by screwing a threaded part, carried by one of the elements, in a corresponding threaded part, characterized in that the device comprises: - a fixed element provided with means forming abutment in translational movement of a threaded part, and provided with means forming abutment in translation for at least 30 a hooking member actuated by control means, and - a movable element supporting the threaded part free in rotation relative to to said mobile element, at least one hooking member, a threaded part blocked in rotation relative to said mobile element and driven in translation by the rotation of the thread part and

  control means of said attachment member.

  Thanks to the invention, there is no longer any risk of deterioration of the threads of the screw and of the nut, these members still being engaged and aligned on the movable plate. Likewise, the fixed plate no longer comprises any moving part liable to deteriorate under the effect of pollutants, resulting in non-existent maintenance and an increased service life for this part. The presence of an organ

  attachment allows to lock the connection between the fixed and movable plates and thus ensure the coupling of the fittings against their internal pressure. This coupling is, moreover, precise and easy to implement, thanks to the means forming a stop.

  According to advantageous but not compulsory aspects of the invention, the coupling and clamping device incorporates one or more of the following characteristics: the fixed element is hollow and adapted to receive at least partially the threaded part, the means of order, the threaded part and at least one

  attachment member carried by the movable element.

  the stop-forming means consist of at least two generally parallel surfaces situated at one end of a central relief formed in a hollow part of the fixed element. The hooking member is an elongated tab, one of the ends of which has the shape of a hook and the opposite end of which is pivotally mounted about an axis of rotation fixed on the movable element. Advantageously, the device comprises three identical hooking lugs

  evenly distributed around the threaded part.

  - at least one of the hooking lugs to its longitudinal axis generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of

the threaded part.

  - the threaded part is rotated by

a remote-controlled robot.

  - the tapped part is a nut screwed onto the threaded part, and locked in rotation by a pin 5 penetrating into a housing formed in the fixed element or by latching lugs passing through openings

made in the nut.

  - The control means are carried by a skirt extending the nut in the direction of the fixed element and 10 surrounding the threaded part and the lugs. These

  control means are formed by support ramps located on the inner wall of the skirt as well as on the inner wall of the openings made in the nut and adapted to cooperate with complementary surfaces 15 located on the lugs.

  - certain fluid connections are carried by the nut and the additional connections are carried by

  the fixed element in the vicinity of its open end.

  - the nut, the lugs and the threaded part are protected in the coupled position by a

  envelope integral with the displacements of the nut.

  The invention will be better understood and other advantages

  from this will appear more clearly in the light of the following description of a clamping and coupling device, given solely by way of example, and

  made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: - Figure 1 is a side view of a device according to the invention, before coupling of the fixed element and the movable element, protection against the 30 pollution not shown for clarity of the drawing; Figure 2 is a section, on a larger scale, along the plane II-II in Figure 1, the fluid connections and the pollution protection device not being shown; and - Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6 are views similar to Figure 2, on a smaller scale, with the fixed member and the movable member at different stages of clamping and coupling, the device protection

  against pollution being shown in Figure 6.

  The device represented in FIG. 1 comprises a fixed element 1 and a mobile element 2. These two elements 10 carry an identical number of fluid connections 3 and 4 of complementary shapes. Similarly, the elements

  1 and 2 are generally of complementary shape.

  The fixed element 1 has a main body in the form of a hollow cylinder 5 narrowing by an oblique shoulder 15 51 towards one of its ends. The extremity

  the narrower of the cylinder 5 is closed, while the wider end is open and constitutes the outlet of the housing 6 formed by the interior of the cylinder 5.

  The housing 6 also has the shape of a cylinder narrowing by an oblique shoulder 7, generally parallel to the shoulder 51, in the direction of the closed end. The housing 6 thus has a shoulder 7

  generally located at the level of half of its length.

  A relief situated inside the housing 6 extends, from the closed end, in the direction of the outlet of the

  housing 6. This relief is generally in the form of a solid rod 8, the free end of which is in the form of a mushroom 9.

  The longitudinal axis of this rod 8 is generally coincident with the longitudinal axis A-A 'of the housing 6. The mushroom 9 30 has, on its upper face, a hollow forming a housing 10. This mushroom 9 is slightly in

  removing the housing opening 6.

  In the vicinity of this outlet, and on the outer wall of the cylinder 5, the element 1 supports a plate il on which the fittings are fixed 3. This plate 11 is fixed perpendicular to the axis AA 'and has a central recess with dimensions sufficient to allow mounting of the open end of the cylinder 5. The 5 fittings 3 are regularly spaced on the plate 11 and thus form a crown around the open end of the

housing 6.

  The element 2 is organized around a support plate 12. The latter comprises a central orifice allowing the passage and the free rotation of a rod 13, at least part of which is threaded. Part 12 supports on one of its faces, a cylindrical and hollow interface, constituting a housing 14 for receiving a robot not shown. The latter locks in position in the housing 14 by insertion of retractable fingers in notches 15. The housing 14 is provided, at its end connected to the plate 12, with a central opening allowing the passage and the free rotation of the square end 16 of the threaded rod 13. The robot also comprises a member 20 not shown of complementary shape at the end 16 itself

  allowing the threaded rod 13 to rotate.

  The support plate 12 also comprises, on the periphery of its central orifice, two shoulders adapted to serve as abutment support for a ring 17, formed on the threaded rod 13 so as to block it in

  translation while leaving it free to rotate.

  The plate 12 also has, on the face opposite that supporting the housing 14, reliefs 18 distributed around the periphery of the plate 12 and extending in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis BB 'of the threaded rod 13. These reliefs 18 are provided, at their free end, with axes of rotation 19 arranged in directions

  generally orthogonal to the axis B-B '.

  These axes 19 each allow the pivoting mounting of a fastening member. The latter generally has the shape of a full tab 20 ending at one end with a rim forming a hook 21. At its other end, the 5 tab 20 is provided with an orifice allowing it to cover an axis 19. The tabs 20 have, between their two ends, a thinner zone. At its end intended to be engaged with the axis 19, the tab

has a bulge 22.

  These tabs 20 are arranged around the orifice of the

  plate 12, with the hooks 21 directed inwards.

  In this arrangement, the legs 20 surround the part of

  the threaded rod 13 extending beyond the plate 12.

  A nut 23, provided with a thread suitable for that of the rod 13, is screwed onto the latter.

  This nut 23 has a series of holes 24 allowing the passage of the tabs 20. These holes 24 are oriented in directions generally parallel to

the axis B-B 'of the rod 13.

  The nut 23 carries a skirt 25 of generally cylindrical shape and fixed to the nut 23 by known means, such as screws or rivets. It extends in a direction generally parallel to the axis BB 'from the periphery of the face of the nut opposite the face located near the support 12. The length of this skirt 25 is greater than the length of the part of the legs 20 projecting from the holes 24 of the nut 23. Thus, the skirt 25 defines a housing 250 for the legs 20 and for the rod

  threaded 13 surrounded by these same tabs 20.

  The skirt 25 has, on its outer wall, a shoulder 26 and on its inner wall, a bulge 27. The external shape and diameter of this skirt 25 are adapted so that it can penetrate into sliding contact in the housing 6 of the element 1. The shoulder 7 of the

  housing 6 has a shape, a dimension and a generally complementary orientation of the shoulder 26 situated on the skirt 25 at the end of the coupling of the fittings 3 and 4.

  The nut 23 also includes an area provided with fittings 5 4 arranged thereon in a manner analogous to the arrangement of the fittings 3 carried by the plate il

item 1.

  The element 2 thus has, on one side of a support plate 12, a housing 14 of a robot and, on the other side 10 of this same plate 12, a nut 23 provided with a housing 250. These two parts, the housing 250 and the housing 14, are connected by the threaded rod 13 which is free to rotate, the latter having a threaded part 13a, located in the housing 250 and surrounded by articulated lugs 20. The nut 23 and the skirt 25 are movable in

translation along the axis B-B '.

  A pin 28, visible in Figure 1, allows, by

  engagement in a corresponding orifice 29, formed on the element 11, to lock the nut 23, and therefore the skirt 25, in rotation about the axes AA 'and B-B'.

  In the rest position, the legs 20 surround the part 13a of the threaded rod 13 and are pressed, by their surfaces opposite the surface located opposite the rod 13, against the internal wall of the skirt 25. The legs 25 20 are held in this position by pressing an area of the surface of the bulge 22 on an area 31 located on the internal wall of the orifice 24 of the nut 23. In this position, the tabs 20 constitute jaws

as far apart as possible.

  When it is desired to couple the connections 3 and 4, we first present the element 1 and the element 2, as shown in FIG. 2, with the opening of the housing 6 of the element 1 generally opposite the opening of the skirt 25 of the element 2. In this position, the housing 10, located at the end 9 of the rod 8 of the element 1, is generally opposite the free end 32 of the threaded rod 13, the latter

being surrounded by the legs 20.

  The robot, inserted in the housing 14 and in engagement with the notches 15, performs a translational movement from the element 2 to the element 1. Means of angular orientation, not shown, have the pin 28 generally opposite the orifice 29. This movement causes the free end of the skirt 25 to penetrate into the housing

  6. The shoulder 7 of the housing 6 guides and centers the end of the skirt 25 in the housing 6.

  As shown in Figure 3, the skirt 25, and therefore the element 2, enter the housing 6 until the rod 8 of the element 1, after having passed between the hooks 21 apart, is found in abutment against the end 32 of the rod 13. The latter is blocked in translation by pressing its end 32 in the housing 10 located on the

  free upper side of the fungus 9.

  In this configuration, the element 2 is perfectly centered in the element 1, the connections 3 and 4 being located opposite one another. The centering having been carried out only by sliding between surfaces, there has not been, as in the existing technique, possible deterioration of the threads of the screw

and / or the nut.

  The robot, while holding the element 2, causes the part 16 of the rod 13 to rotate in an anticlockwise direction, as indicated by the arrow R in FIG. 4. This movement unscrewing causes, due to the immobilization of the rod 13 on the stop 10, a displacement of the nut 23, and therefore of the skirt 25, towards the bottom of the housing 6 of the element 1, the nut 23 and the skirt 25 being locked in

  rotation by the spindle 28 entering the orifice 29.

  The legs 20 being integral in translation with the

  rod 13, they are also blocked in translation 5. Only the rod 13 is in rotation, the lugs 20 remaining stationary in rotation relative to the nut 23.

  During the movement of the skirt 25, the bulge 27 located on the internal wall of the latter, is moved towards the end 21 of the tab 20. Likewise, the support zone 31 situated on the internal face of the orifice 24, moves away from the complementary support zone 30 located on

the end 22 of the tab 20.

  In this position, the support zone 31 is in contact with the zone 33 forming the thin body 15 of the tab 20. In this same position, a zone 34 of the wall of the bulge 27 is in contact with a zone 35 situated on an external surface of the tab 20 near the hook 21. The support of the surface 34 on the surface 35, concomitant with the withdrawal of the zone 31 from the support surface 30, causes the pivoting of the lug 20 around the axis 19 towards the interior of the housing 6. This pivoting is limited by the support of the surface 31 on the part 33 of the lug 20 and by the support of

  the end of the hook 21 on the rod 8.

  In this position, the tabs 20 are closed around the rod 8 in the manner of closing.

jaws of a mandrel.

  This movement of the skirt 25 continues until the connections 3 carried by the plate 11 of the element 1 30 and the connections 4 carried by the nut 23, are in contact with each other. In this configuration, the connectors 3 and 4 cannot be coupled with certainty due to the high pressures exerted by the fluids in these connectors and which oppose their coupling. "The effect

  spring "between the connections 3 and 4, as well as this resistance due to the pressure of the fluids, are sufficient to lock the nut 23, and therefore the skirt 25, in translation. This thus achieves a first maximum position 5 for displacement of the skirt 25 inside the housing 6.

  When the robot continues to drive the rod 13 in rotation anticlockwise, the latter performs a "normal" unscrewing movement and 10 is extracted from the nut 23. This extraction of the rod 13 also causes an extraction of the legs 20 which are integral with the translational movements of the rod 13. Due to the support of the zone 34 of the bulge 27 on the zone 35 of the leg 20, the latter moves with its 15 hook 21 in position close to the external wall of the relief 8. The movement of the tab 20 in the direction of the outlet of the housing 6 continues until a stop point where the hook 21 comes to bear against an area 36 of the face of the mushroom 9 opposite the face carrying the housing 20 10. This zone 36 constitutes a relief protruding from the wall

  external of the rod 8 on which the hook 21 slides.

  As shown in FIG. 5, this zone 36 has

  a sufficient area to cooperate with the surface 37 constituting the actual attachment surface of the hook 21.

  The support of the surface 37 on the surface 36 therefore constitutes a means of safety locking of the connection between the element 1 and the element 2. The latter can therefore no longer be completely detached by a simple accidental translational movement. d, for example, to the pressure forces exerted by the fluids inside the fittings 3 and 4 and / or to the corrosion of the

binding by pollutants.

  As shown in Figure 6, we continue the

  rotation movement anticlockwise of the rod 13, the latter, which is no longer supported on the housing 10, continues to transmit a force to the nut 23. This force is sufficient to overcome the resistance exerted by the fittings 3 and 4 against the displacement of the nut 23 in the direction of the element 1.

  Thus, the fittings 3 and 4, of complementary shape, couple in force. At the same time, the skirt 25 10 continues its movement towards the bottom of the housing 6.

  The movement is interrupted and the connection finished when the nut 23 comes to bear on the end edge

housing 6.

  This blocks the rotation of the rod 13, the nut 15 23 in position in the element 1, and, at the same time, ensures a lasting coupling of the fittings 3 and 4 carried

  respectively by the plate 11 and the nut 23.

  The clamping of element 1 and element 2 and

  the coupling of the fittings 3 and 4, are thus locked 20 by the hooking of the hook 21 on the rod 8.

  With such a device, a simple rotation in one direction of a threaded rod 13 alternately generates the translational movement of a nut 23 and this

same rod 13.

  As shown only in FIG. 6, an envelope 38 protects the mobile parts of the element 2, namely the nut 23, the tabs 20 and the threaded rod 13, which are thus protected against any impurities, such as sediments, micro-organisms, foreign bodies, which can damage and / or disturb them

  their operation after locking the fittings.

  This envelope 38 is generally concentric and coaxial with the housing 14. It is fixed at one end to the nut 23 and it comprises at its other end a member, such as a seal 39, ensuring the tightness when this end of the casing 38 slides on the external wall of the housing 14, simultaneously with the movements of the nut 23. The length of this casing 38 is such that it covers the external surface of the housing 14, when the element 2 is uncoupled from the element 1, and that it completely covers the tabs 20 and the threaded rod 13 when the element 2 is locked in position in the element 1. To decouple the element 2, and therefore the connections 3 and 4, it suffices to 'Introduce the robot into the housing 14 and rotate the rod 13 clockwise. Initially, the nut 23 and the skirt 25 move back, this having the effect of uncoupling the fittings 3 and 4, then the rod 13 comes in

  support on the housing 10, the recoil of the nut 23 and of the skirt 25 continues causing the opening of the legs 20 releasing the mushroom 9 from the grip of the hooks 21. The complete recoil of the nut 23 makes it possible to move the movable element 2 away from the fixed element 1.

  Such a device does not require any maintenance of

  element 1, the latter having no moving part.

  In another embodiment, the legs 20 are articulated not around an axis 19 located at one end, but around an axis located, for example, in the middle of the leg 20. Of course, the surfaces d '' support 35 and 30 are adapted to this new configuration and are

  found on the same face of the tab 20.

  As a variant, the element 2 comprises a number of different legs 30. Likewise, the latter, and in particular their hook 21, may have different dimensions and shapes. As a variant, the shapes of the skirt 25 and of the housing 6, and in particular the shoulder 7 and the shoulder 26, can

to be different.

  The housing 14 also has a geometry adapted to that of the robot used. Obviously, during non-submarine use of such a device, the rod 13 can be rotated by a tool other than a robot, for example

by hand tool.

  During non-underwater use or in non-aggressive conditions of such a device, the casing

protection 38 can be omitted.

  Such connection devices can be used when it is desired to connect one or more conduits 15 carrying fluids, liquids or gases, under pressure or not, in a certain and secure manner, without the need for

perform regular maintenance.

Claims (12)

  1. Device for coupling and clamping two elements, one being fixed (1) while the other is movable 5 (2), each element carrying fluid connections (3, 4) of complementary shape, these fittings being adapted to be tightly coupled and locked in position by screwing a threaded part (13) carried by one of said elements, in a corresponding threaded part (23), characterized in that the device comprises: - a fixed element (1) provided with means (9) forming a stop (10) for a translational movement of a threaded part (13), and provided with means (36) forming a stop 15 in translation for at least one member latching (20) actuated by control means (31, 34), and - a movable element (2) supporting the threaded part (13) which is free to rotate relative to said movable element, at least one latching member ( 20), a threaded portion 20 (23), locked in rotation relative to said movable element and between elder in translation by the rotation of the threaded part (13), and control means (31, 34) of said attachment member.   2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said fixed element (1) is hollow and adapted to receive at least partially said threaded part (13), said control means (31, 34), said threaded part (23 ) and at least one attachment member (20) carried by said movable element (2).   3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said stop means (36, 10) consist of at least two generally parallel surfaces located at one end (9) of a central relief (8) formed in a hollow part (6) of said fixed element (1).   4. Device according to one of claims   previous, characterized in that said hooking member 5 is an elongated tab (20), one of the ends of which has the shape of a hook (21) and the opposite end of which is pivotally mounted about an axis of rotation   (19) fixed on said movable element (2).   5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that said device comprises three identical hooking lugs (20) regularly distributed around said threaded part (13).   6. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that at least one of said attachment tabs (20) has its longitudinal axis generally parallel to the longitudinal axis (BB ') of the threaded part (13).   7. Device according to one of claims   previous, characterized in that said part (13)   threaded is rotated by a remote-controlled robot.   8. Device according to one of claims   previous, characterized in that said threaded part is a nut (23), screwed onto said threaded part (13), and locked in rotation by a pin (28) penetrating into a housing (29) formed in the fixed element (1 ) or by 25 hooking lugs (20) passing through openings (24) formed in the nut (23).   9. Device according to one of claims   above, characterized in that said control means (31, 34) are carried by a skirt (25) extending said nut (23) in the direction of the fixed element (1) and surrounding the threaded part (13) and the hanging tabs (20). 10. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that said control means are formed by support ramps (31, 34) located on the internal wall of said skirt (25) as well as on the internal wall of the openings (24 ) formed in the nut (23) and adapted to cooperate with complementary surfaces (30, 35) located on said attachment tabs (20).   11. Device according to one of claims   previous, characterized in that some fittings (4)   are carried by the nut (23) and the complementary fittings (3) are carried by the fixed element (1) in the vicinity of its open end.   12. Device according to one of claims   previous, characterized in that the nut (23), the tabs (20) and the threaded part (13) are protected in the coupled position by an envelope (38) integral with the movements 15 of the nut (23).