A PIPE COUPLING

Abstract

A pipe coupling is described comprising an outer tubular part (1) with threads inside, an inner tubular part (10) with threads outside, and a sleeve (5) where on a first half of the sleeve there are external and inner threads which fit in the threads of the outer and inner tubular parts, respectively, so that the sleeve (5) can be screwed into the outer tubular part (1) while it is simultaneously screwed onto the inner tubular part (10) and the outer and inner tubular parts are firmly connected to each other through the threads on the sleeve (5).

Claims

1-8. (canceled)

9. A pipe coupling comprising an outer tubular part with threads on its inside, an inner tubular part with threads on its outside, wherein the outer tubular part and the inner tubular part have the same inner diameter, the coupling further comprising a sleeve where on a first half of the sleeve there are external and inner threads which fits into the threads of the outer and inner tubular parts, respectively, so that the sleeve can be screwed inwards into the outer tubular part while it is simultaneously screwed outwards onto the inner tubular part so that the inner and outer tubular parts are not displaced relative to each other and the outer and inner tubular parts become connected to each other through the threads of the sleeve, wherein at one end of the inner tubular part there is a sealing ring groove with a sealing ring for sealing against a smooth cylindrical portion on the outer tubular part.

10. A pipe coupling according to claim 9, wherein all said threads are of a cylindrical non-locking type.

11. A pipe coupling according to claim 9, wherein the inner tubular part has a locking ring groove arranged to receive a locking ring for locking the sleeve.

12. A pipe coupling according to claim 9, wherein a number of holes for a hook spanner, a polygon for a spanner or a number of wings or grooves is arranged on a second half of the sleeve.

13. A pipe coupling according to claim 9, wherein the threads on the sleeve are coated with an anti-friction substance.

14. A pipe coupling according to claim 9, wherein the length of the threads on the outside of the inner tubular part is equal to the length of the sleeve.

15. A pipe coupling according to claim 9, further including a number of rotation stop keys adapted to lock the outer tubular part to the inner tubular part.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

[0011] FIG. 1 shows the individual components which are included in a first embodiment of the invention,

[0012] FIG. 2 shows the coupling when assembled, and

[0013] FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the coupling.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] A first embodiment of the new coupling consists of three parts as shown in FIG. 1, namely an outer tubular part 1 and an inner tubular part 10 locked together by a sleeve 5.

[0015] The outer tubular part 1 includes a first internally threaded portion 2, preferably with standard tubular threads, and a smooth cylindrical portion 3 which a sealing ring 4 is adapted to seal against. The sealing ring may be of any type, such as a rubber O-ring or a metal sealing ring able to withstand higher pressures.

[0016] Furthermore, the coupling comprises a sleeve 5 which is arranged to be screwed into the outer tubular part 1. The sleeve 5 has a first half 7 with a second threaded portion 6 with external threads corresponding to the first threaded portion 2 of the outer tubular part 1. The second half 7 of the sleeve 5 has external radial holes 8 or polygons to be able to be screwed on either with a hook spanner, open-end spanner, adjustable spanner or similar tool. The second half of the sleeve may also be provided with wings or grooves allowing the coupling to be tightened by hand. Inside the first half 7 of the sleeve 5 there is a third threaded portion 9 with approximately or the same pitch and length as the first threaded portion 2 in the outer tubular part 1, and with just so much smaller diameter that it forms a cylinder in continuation of the cylindrical portion 3 of the outer tubular part 1. Inside the second half 7 of the sleeve 5, a cylindrical portion with an inner diameter equal to the outer thread diameter of the threads in the second threaded portion 9 has been turned out.

[0017] The coupling also comprises an inner tubular part 10 with a fourth threaded portion 11 with external threads corresponding to the threads of the third threaded portion 9 in the sleeve 5, but with a thread length which is equal to the length of the sleeve 5. The inner tubular part 10 also has a sealing ring groove 12 adapted to receive a sealing ring 4 and a locking ring groove 14 at the rear end of the fourth threaded portion 11 to receive a locking ring 15.

[0018] When mounting, the sleeve 5 is screwed all the way to the end of the fourth threaded portion 11 on the inner tubular part 10. Then the inner tubular part 10 is pushed into the outer tubular part 1 until the end of the inner tubular part 10 closes tightly against the inner tubular part 1. The sealing ring 4 then abuts against the cylindrical portion 3 and ensures that the medium in the pipe neither comes into contact with the threads nor can leak out. Then the sleeve 5 is screwed back on the fourth threaded portion 11 so that the second threaded portion 6 engages and is screwed onto the first threaded portion 2. The sleeve is then simultaneously screwed inwards into outer tubular part 1 and outwards onto inner tubular part 10 so that inner and outer tubular parts are not displaced relative to each other. The locking ring groove 14 is exposed and the locking ring 15 is mounted in the locking ring groove 14. The locking ring 15 will then prevent the sleeve 5 from turning backwards on the inner tubular part 10 and thereby out of the outer tubular part 1 when the two tubular parts do not rotate relative to each other. The finished coupling is shown in FIG. 2.

[0019] Here we have a simple, tight and very strong pipe connection. Often one wants a coupling to withstand a micro-twist without torsional stresses occurring. This is taken care of with this coupling. If it is possible for the inner tubular part 10 to rotate outwards by more than one turn relative to the outer tubular part 1, this rotation can be prevented by mounting the pipe coupling with one or more rotation stop keys 16 in the outer tubular part 1, as shown in FIG. 3. The keys are adapted to engage corresponding bores or recesses in the inner tubular part 10.

[0020] The threads in second 6 and third 9 threaded portions may be coated with an anti-friction substance, for example PFTE to facilitate easier assembly and disassembly of the coupling.

[0021] All threads mentioned above should be of a non-locking type, such as standard cylindrical pipe threads as commonly used in Europe or slightly tapered pipe threads as used in the US. The use of cylindrical or slightly tapered threads means that the coupling will be held together by forces acting in the axial direction and avoiding strong radial forces for obtaining fluid tightness.

[0022] The coupling is dismantled by removing the locking ring 15 from the locking ring groove 14 with, for example, locking ring pliers. Then the sleeve 5 is screwed backwards on the fourth threaded portion 11 until the second threaded portion 6 of the sleeve 5 is free from the first threaded portion of the outer tubular part 1. The coupling can then be taken apart.