The present invention is generally directed to fittings, components, and associated tools for use in coupling pipe and tubing.
Pipe and tubing unions have many applications in fluid handling services. Such applications include potable water applications, such as joining copper tubing together, as well as more hazardous and sophisticated applications, such as joining piping together for hazardous service operations at high pressure.
One type of union that has gained popularity is the hammer union. As shown in
Turning now to
Problems can arise, however, from the use of hammer unions. For example, hammer unions are susceptible to fatigue caused by the repeated hitting of the nut part of the fitting with a sledge hammer. In some instances, the fatigue in the fitting can make it more difficult to form the seal between the male and female sub ends. In other instances, the fatigue can also lead to hairline cracks in the fitting. When leaks occur during operation of a system, a user has a tendency to again hit the hammer union nut with a sledge hammer in order to further tighten the union's seal to stop the leak. Under certain known high pressure oil and gas services, the hit to a fatigued hammer union under service conditions has caused an explosion to occur, which has unfortunately resulted in the death of those around the fitting.
Attempts have been made to overcome these and other deficiencies in hammer unions. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,764,109 to Richardson et al. discloses disposition of an o-ring seal between the female and male sub ends of a hammer union, so as to help prevent leakage via compression of the o-ring as the union is tightened.
U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 2015/0226355 to Ungchusri et al. discloses a hammer union that locates a plurality of load segments between a hammer union nut and the male sub end in order to help withstand horizontal loads occurring when the hammer union is assembled, thereby reducing fatigue in the union.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,945,569 to Diaz et al. discloses a hammer union where a segment interfaces with the union's nut and the male sub end flange in a conical arrangement in order to reduce stress in the nut segment so as to prevent deformation of the nut section of the union.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,186,780 to Dumaine et al. and U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 2014/0260817 to Wilson et al. disclose wrenches that can be disposed around the tabs of a hammer union to tighten and loosen the union without imparting the fatigue caused by the use of a sledge hammer.
U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 2008/0136168 to Ungchusri discloses a modified hammer union nut that includes a web having impact holes for receiving a sliding hammer that can be used to tighten and loosen the nut.
U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 2015/0369415 to Bond et al. discloses a restraint system for securing temporary flow lines that contain hammer union fittings. The system includes endless loop slings that are secured to the flow lines in order to arrest movement of the flow lines during a catastrophic failure of the flow line system.
In view of the background in this area, there remain needs for improved and/or alternative fittings, components, and associated tools for use in coupling pipe and tubing. The present invention is addressed to those needs.
In one aspect, the invention relates to a fitting for use in coupling pipe or tubing. The fitting includes a unitary body that has a length, a distal end, a proximal end, an outer surface, and a lumen. The outer surface extends around the length of the unitary body between the proximal and distal ends of the body. The lumen extends within the unitary body in a distal direction from the unitary body's proximal end such that the lumen defines a void within the unitary body. A portion of the lumen is cylindrical and includes threads that are configured to receive a threaded female sub end of a pipe or tube. The unitary body further includes at least one aperture that extends from the outer surface of the unitary body and ends at a location within the unitary body. The at least one aperture is configured to receive a tool for rotating the fitting around an axis extending between the proximal and distal ends of the unitary body so as to permit the tightening and loosening of the fitting to a threaded female sub end of a pipe or tube.
In another aspect, the invention relates to a casting for a fitting for use in coupling pipe or tubing. The casting includes a unitary body having a length, a distal end, a proximal end, an outer surface, and a lumen. The outer surface of the unitary body extends around the unitary body's length between the proximal and distal ends of the unitary body. The lumen extends within the unitary body in a distal direction from the proximal end of the unitary body to form a void within the unitary body. The outer surface includes eight raised portions, each of which extends radially outwardly from the center line of the lumen that extends between the proximal and distal ends of the unitary body so as to raise the outer surface of the unitary body at each raised portion. Each raised portion is also configured for boring so as to create an aperture in each of the raised portions. Additionally, a portion of the lumen is cylindrically shaped such that it is configured to receive threading to permit receipt of a threaded female sub end of a pipe or tube.
In yet another aspect, the invention includes a tool for use in tightening or loosening a fitting that couples pipe or tubing. The tool includes a bar having an elongate body occupying a cylindrical shape and having a proximal end and a distal end. The tool also includes a bell head that has a proximal end and a distal end, where the proximal end of the bell head includes an aperture that is configured to receive the distal end of the elongate bar. The aperture is configured to affix the distal end of the elongate bar such that the elongate bar can swing back and forth in a bi-directional manner within the aperture. The bell head also includes a distal end that is configured for insertion into an aperture of a fitting for use in coupling pipe or tubing.
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to certain embodiments thereof and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations, further modifications and further applications of the principles of the invention as described herein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.
The fitting F has a lumen LU that extends within the unitary body UB from the proximal end PE to the distal end DE so as to permit the flow of a fluid through the unitary body UB. The lumen LU is cylindrical and occupies a first diameter D1 and a second diameter D2. The first diameter D1 is greater than the second diameter D2, and the first diameter D1 includes threads that are configured to receive a threaded female sub end of a pipe (not shown). The threads start at the proximal end PE of the unitary body UB and extend distally into the first diameter D1 of the lumen LE and end at a proximal location from the distal end DE, at approximately the beginning of the second diameter D2, but the threads may terminate at any suitable location within the lumen LU.
The second diameter D2 can be such a size so as to catch the flange on a male sub end (not shown) in a manner to prevent the fitting F from being able to slide over the flange of the sub end. Alternatively, the second diameter D2 may be of sufficient size to permit the fitting F to slide over the flange of a male sub end, so as to permit the fitting F to be readily replaced or exchanged with another fitting F. In this embodiment, a set of segments (not shown) can be disposed around the male sub end to form a stop that catches the fitting F and prevents it from slipping off the male sub end during installation.
The unitary body UB depicted in
As shown in
Additionally, the apertures AP depicted in
As also shown in
As depicted in
Returning to
Turning to
As discussed herein, the fitting F can be modified to accommodate a variety of different services. For example, the dimensions of the fitting F depicted in
As shown in the above table, the thickness of the aperture's wall AW, the diameter of the aperture AP, and the depth of the aperture AD, do not typically vary across different fitting F sizes. In some embodiments, however, it may be desirable to vary some of these dimensions depending on the overall fitting F design, such as its overall height, etc. As such, any suitable dimensions may be used in illustrative embodiments of the inventions, including but not limited to aperture AP diameters of one-half (½) inch, three-quarters (¾) of an inch, one (1) inch, one and a half (1½) inches, one and three-quarters (1¾) of an inch, or two (2) inches and the like. The depth of the aperture AD can be varied in a similar manner.
The fitting F has a lumen LU that extends within the unitary body UB from the proximal end PE to the distal end DE so as to permit the flow of fluid through the unitary body UB. The lumen LU is cylindrical in shape and occupies a first diameter D1 and a second diameter D2. The first diameter D1 is greater than the second diameter D2, and the first diameter D1 includes threads that are configured to receive threaded pipe. The threads start at the proximal end PE of the unitary body UB and extend distally into the first diameter D1 of the lumen LU.
The second diameter D2 is smaller than the first diameter D1 and uniformly extends to the distal end DE of the unitary body UB, where the unitary body UB is configured to connect to a flange on a piece of equipment (not shown). The distal end DE of the unitary body UB includes threaded recesses TC for receiving bolts to secure the flange of the equipment to the unitary body UB and can also include a raised face RF to help seal the flange connection when made up.
The depicted fitting F also includes a plurality of apertures AP disposed circumferentially around the proximal end PE of the unitary body UB. Each of the apertures AP extends from the outer surface OS of the unitary body UB and terminates at a location within the unitary body UB. Each aperture AP has a depth AD that is sufficient to receive a tool 100 for rotating the fitting F to tighten the threads of the proximal end PE to a pipe. Each aperture AP also includes a threaded bore TB that connects the aperture AP to a portion of the threads that reside beneath the aperture AP. The unitary body UB has a length LE that is sufficient for the service and can illustratively be three (3) inches, four (4) inches, five (5) inches, or the like. The unitary body UB also has a lower topographical region LT that is located distally of the outer surface OS that includes the apertures AP. As is the case for the illustrative embodiment of
In use, the proximal end PE of the fitting F depicted in
As illustrated, the length LE of the
The fittings F of the invention may be made of any suitable materials, such as copper, nickel, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, carbon steel, stainless steel, such as 316 stainless, aluminum, and alloys or mixtures thereof, such as 4118, 4120, 4121, 4130, 4135, 4137, 4140, 4142, 4145, 4147, 4150, 4161 alloy steel and the like.
Certain embodiments of the invention also include a polymeric segment that can be used to cover the apertures AP of the fitting F and protect them from environmental conditions, such as rain followed by freezing conditions. Such segment can include raised areas that fit into each of the apertures AP and can easily be removed from the apertures AP. The segment can also include a portion for connecting the two ends of the segment after installation, such as interlocking pieces located at each end of the segment. Illustratively, the fitting F of the invention can also include drain ports located appropriately in the fittings F, such as at the bottom of each aperture AP, to serve as a drain for each of the apertures AP to avoid any damage from freezing conditions and the like.
Turning now to
The distal end 130 of the depicted bell head 120 is cylindrical and is sized and configured to fit into an aperture AP of a fitting F described above. The distal end 130 of the bell head 120 also includes a “J” channel 145 for receiving a protrusion P of an aperture AP of a fitting F described herein. The “J” channel 145 permits the tool 100 to releasably interlock with the fitting F, such as when a user rotates the tool 100 while placing it into the aperture AP. In other embodiments, the distal end 130 of the bell head 120 can include other structures to releasably connect the tool 100 with the fitting F. In some embodiments, for example, the protrusion P can be spring loaded and the distal end 130 of the bell head 120 can include a small recess for mating with the spring loaded protrusion P so as to releasably connect the fitting F and the tool 100.
A valve tool 150 is depicted in
The elongate body 105 can also include ridges R (not depicted), such as may run the length of the body in a diamond formation, to facilitate gripping of the bar, and the elongate body can also include a bore (not depicted) for use in connecting the bar to a safety lanyard. The tool 100 can be made of any suitable material, including carbon and stainless steel and their alloys.
The fittings F, bell head 120, and valve tool 150 can be formed during any suitable alloy casting process, such as sand casting or investment casting, as are known in the art. Illustrative sand casting processes include forming a mold of the component to be made in sand, followed by pouring molten metal into the casting so as to create a rough form of the component. Illustrative investment casting process include forming a wax pattern of the component to be made. A ceramic material is then coated onto the wax to make a mold for casting, and the wax is melted and removed from the mold. Molten metal is then poured into the ceramic mold and then cast to form the component. Investment casting techniques are suitable to form the fitting F and bell head 120 of the invention because they permit the castings to include the apertures AP discussed herein, thereby eliminated the step of boring the aperture AP into the fitting F and bell head 120 as discussed below, however either casting process can be used to form the components of the invention.
The outer surface OS includes eight raised portions RP that extend radially outward from the center line of the lumen LU so as to raise the outer surface OS of the unitary body UB at each raised portion RP. The outer surface OS is also cast to include lower topographical portions LT that are adjacent to the raised portions RP. Each raised portion RP in the depicted
The lumen LU of the depicted casting C is cylindrical and includes a diameter D and is configured for threading using any suitable machining techniques as are known in the art. After the casting C of the
All publications cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety as if each had been individually incorporated by reference and fully set forth.
While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiments have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/372,925, filed Dec. 8, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,627,026, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/265,656, filed Dec. 10, 2015, each of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 15372925 | Dec 2016 | US |
Child | 16803613 | US |