Piping connections and connection sockets

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10823316-B2
Application number	US-201715670239-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 7, 2017
Priority date	Apr 28, 2017
Publication date	Nov 3, 2020
Grant date	Nov 3, 2020

Abstract

A connection socket for a tubular connection includes a socket cup having a metal alloy composition and a sealing portion. A primary seal is positioned within the sealing portion. The primary seal includes an elastomeric material having a service temperature. One or more spacer rings are positioned within the sealing portion. A secondary seal is positioned within the sealing portion. The secondary seal includes a metal composition, wherein the secondary seal has a melting temperature at or above the service temperature of the primary seal. One or more locking rings are positioned within the sealing portion, wherein each of the one or more locking rings comprises a biting feature defined along an internal circumference of the locking ring.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A connection socket for a tubular connection, comprising:
a socket cup comprising a metal alloy composition and a sealing portion;
a primary seal positioned within the sealing portion, the primary seal comprising an elastomeric material having a service temperature;
one or more spacer rings positioned within the sealing portion;
a secondary seal positioned within the sealing portion, the secondary seal comprising a metal composition,
wherein the secondary seal has a melting temperature at or above the service temperature of the primary seal and below a service temperature of the metal alloy composition of the socket cup; and
one or more locking rings positioned within the sealing portion,
wherein each of the one or more locking rings comprises a biting feature defined along an internal circumference of the locking ring, and
further wherein the secondary seal is configured to melt and flow in the sealing portion after failure of the primary seal.

2. The connection socket of claim 1 , wherein the one or more spacer rings is integrally defined by the connection socket.

3. The connection socket of claim 1 , wherein the one or more locking rings is a plurality of locking rings positioned within the sealing portion.

4. The connection socket of claim 1 , wherein the secondary seal is positioned upstream of the primary seal.

5. The connection socket of claim 4 , wherein the primary seal is positioned upstream of the one or more of the locking rings.

6. The connection socket of claim 1 , wherein the secondary seal is positioned upstream of the one or more locking rings.

7. The connection socket of claim 1 , wherein the primary seal comprises an elastomeric material selected from the group consisting of a silicone rubber, a nitrile rubber, an ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber, a fluorocarbon-based rubber, a fluorosilicone rubber, and a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) material.

8. A connection socket for a tubular connection, comprising:
a socket cup comprising a metal alloy composition and a sealing portion;
a primary seal positioned within the sealing portion, the primary seal comprising an elastomeric material having a service temperature;
one or more spacer rings positioned within the sealing portion; and
first and second locking rings positioned within the sealing portion,
wherein each of the first and second locking rings comprises a metal alloy having a coefficient of thermal expansion greater than a coefficient of thermal expansion of the metal alloy composition of the socket cup, and
further wherein the first locking ring comprises a different material than the second locking ring.

9. The connection socket of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the first and second locking rings comprises a material having a higher elastic modulus than the metal alloy composition of the socket cup.

10. The connection socket of claim 8 , further comprising:
a secondary seal positioned within the sealing portion, the secondary seal comprising a metal composition,
wherein the secondary seal has a melting temperature at or above the service temperature of the primary seal and below a service temperature of the metal alloy composition of the socket cup, and
further wherein the secondary seal is configured to melt and flow in the sealing portion after failure of the primary seal.

11. The connection socket of claim 10 , wherein the secondary seal comprises a brazing alloy or a solder alloy composition.

12. A connection socket for a tubular connection, comprising:
a socket cup comprising a metal alloy composition and a sealing portion;
a primary seal positioned within the sealing portion, the primary seal comprising an elastomeric material having a service temperature;
a spacer ring positioned within the sealing portion; and
a locking ring positioned within the sealing portion,
wherein the locking ring comprises a biting feature,
wherein the locking ring comprises a first material having a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than the metal alloy composition of the socket cup, and
further wherein the first material has a coefficient of thermal expansion that is 7.0*10 −6 /° F. or greater; and
a secondary seal positioned within the sealing portion, the secondary seal comprising a metal composition,
wherein the secondary seal has a melting temperature at or above the service temperature of the primary seal and below a service temperature of the metal alloy composition of the socket cup, and
further wherein the secondary seal is configured to melt and flow in the sealing portion after failure of the primary seal.

13. The connection socket of claim 12 , wherein the biting feature defines at least one point configured to engage a pipe.

14. The connection socket of claim 13 , wherein the at least one point of the biting feature extends around an internal circumference of the locking ring.

15. The connection socket of claim 12 , wherein the spacer ring comprises a material having a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than the metal alloy composition of the socket cup.

Assignees

• Nibco

Inventors

• Lawrence Benjamin L
• Bobo David A
• Mason Christopher W
• Paige Ronald Dale
• Latham Richard D

Classifications

• F16L13/142 Primary

  with a sealing element inserted into the female part before crimping or rolling · CPC title

• F16L37/0925

  with rings which bite into the wall of the pipe · CPC title

• F16L21/03

  placed in the socket before connection ({F16L21/022,} F16L21/025 take precedence) · CPC title