Patent Application
20190186668
The current disclosure is directed to a connecting tee, or tee connector with grooved ends for connecting to other components. Connecting tees are commonly used in a number of industries for splitting and/or combining fluid flow. A connecting tee can comprise a reducing tee, in which one of the three end connections of the tee is of a different size than the two other ends, or the three end connections of the connecting tee can be the same size such that all of the flow connections have the same size openings. Connecting tees are utilized commercially for a number of different applications, including but not limited to oil and gas, plumbing and other industrial applications. As a result, connecting tees are exposed to a number of different pressures and must be designed to withstand certain high pressures to prevent failures.
The current disclosure in one embodiment provides a connecting tee. The connecting tee has a rise and a run and an inner surface defining a flow path therethrough. The connecting tee has at least one raised portion on the inner surface thereof that extends radially inwardly into the flow path. In one embodiment the at least one raised portion may comprise three bumps or raised portions on the inner surface of the connecting tee that extend radially inwardly into the flow path of fluid flowing in the connecting tee.
An embodiment of the current disclosure may also include a plurality of grooves. The plurality of grooves may include first and second grooves in an outer surface defined on the run of the connecting tee and a third groove defined in the outer surface on the rise of the connecting tee. The first, second and third raised portions are located proximate first, second and third grooves such that the raised portions are aligned with the grooves. The raised portions on the inner surface are thus next to, or adjacent a groove on the outer surface of the tee connector. First, second and third raised portions have first, second and third lengths which span the first, second and third groove lengths of first, second and third grooves respectively.
In an additional embodiment, a connecting tee has a rise and a run. An inner surface of the connecting tee defines a flow path therethrough. An outer surface defines a periphery at a transition between the rise and run. The transition between the rise and the run is arcuate in a longitudinal direction and in a vertical direction such that there are no flat portions around the entire periphery of the transition between the rise and the run. The outer surface has a plurality of grooves and in one embodiment has three grooves thereon configured to connect the connecting tee to a pipe component at the ends of the rise and run. In one embodiment the connecting tee has first and second grooves on the run and a third groove on the rise, each configured to connect to a pipe component. Openings at the first and second ends of the run and at the end of the rise may in one embodiment be configured to have the same size openings thereon and configured to connect to pipe components of the same size.
The connecting tee of the current disclosure is an advance over prior art tees in that it will achieve a higher burst or failure pressure than a prior art tee that utilizes the same material and has the same or very nearly the same dimensions.
A connecting tee 10 has a run 15 and a rise 20. Rise 20 is connected to run 15. Run 15 has first end 22 and second end 24. A first opening 26 is defined at first end 22 and a second opening 28 is defined at second end 24. An end 30 of rise 20, which may be referred to as the rise end 30 defines a third opening 32. Connecting tee 10 is configured at each of the first, second and third ends 22, 24 and 30 to be connected to a pipe component. For example, each end may be connected to a straight piece of pipe, a coupling, elbow or any other fitting used to communicate fluid flow thereto.
An inner surface 34 defines a flow path 36 through the tee 10. Flow path 34 extends longitudinally through run 15 and vertically through the rise 20 as shown in
An outer surface 46 defines a periphery 47 of connecting tee 10. Connecting tee 10 includes a transition 48 between the rise 15 and run 20. Transition 48 is arcuate around the entire periphery thereof. In other words, there are no flat portions thereon. Transition 48 includes a longitudinal transition 50, which is the transition in a longitudinal direction between the rise 15 and the run 20. Transition 48 likewise includes a transition portion 52, which is the vertical transition in the direction between the rise and the run. There is no flat spot at transition portions 50 or 52 or anywhere on the periphery 47 of transition 48. As explained in detail below, prior art connecting tees with the same size ends on the rise and run have flat spots in the transition that affect the strength and integrity of the tees.
Outer surface 46 includes a plurality of grooves which may comprise first, second and third grooves 54, 56 and 58. First and second grooves 54 and 56 are positioned on run 15 at or near first and second ends 22 and 24 and third groove 58 is positioned on rise 20 at or near rise end 30. First groove 54 has length 60, second groove 56 has length 62 and third groove 58 has length 64.
Grooves 54, 56 and 58 defined in outer surface 46 are defined in radially outwardly extending portions of the outer surface which may be referred to first, second and third shoulders 66, 68 and 70. Grooves 54, 56 and 58 are positioned at first, second and third ends 22, 24 and 30 respectively.
Each of raised portions 40, 42 and 44 extend radially inwardly to a maximum height which may be, for example, heights 72, 74 and 76 respectively. As non-limiting example, the raised parts may have a height that is for example, about 0.03 to about 0.10 inches. Raised portions 42, 44 and 46 are positioned adjacent grooves 54, 56 and 58 respectively and thus are aligned therewith. Raised portions 42, 44 and 46 span the length of the corresponding groove with which it is aligned such that the overall length 41 of raised portion 40 spans length 60 of first groove 54. Length 43 of second raised portion 38 is such that it will span length 62 of second groove 56. Finally, length 45 of third raised portion 44 will span the length 64 of third groove 58. The length of the raised portions may be, for example three to four times the length of the corresponding groove, but in any case will at least span the length of the corresponding groove. The raised portions associated with the grooves are intended to lower material stresses in the groove area—thus increasing the pressure to fail over connecting tees without this feature. The raised portions structurally reinforce the groove area to better and more safely resist external loads on the tee assembly and reduce the likelihood that external forces applied to the tee assembly might damage the tee structurally. Since the connecting tee 10 would include three separate “connections”, the structural enhancement herein described would create a safer product less likely to fail due to the combined stresses imparted due to alignment issues and loads applied to all three connections.
The combination of features set forth herein provides for more efficient use of material and provides additional strength over prior art connecting tees. Connecting tee 10 will thus have a higher burst pressure than prior art. For example, a prior art casting made of ASTM A536 Grade 65 45 12 Ductile Iron with a 4 inch diameter at each of the first, second and third ends, might have a burst pressure of a approximately 3200 psi. In contrast, a connecting tee 10 of the current disclosure made from the same material can have as high as a burst pressure of 3900 psi. The connecting tee 10 of the current disclosure essentially moves the failure point of current prior art tees and as a result adds additional strength. For example, as shown in
Thus, it is seen that the apparatus and methods of the present invention readily achieve the ends and advantages mentioned as well as those inherent therein. While certain preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described for purposes of the present disclosure, numerous changes in the arrangement and construction of parts and steps may be made by those skilled in the art, which changes are encompassed within the scope and spirit of the present invention.
