Outward direction pipe fitting swage machine systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11065670-B1
Application number	US-202016886525-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	May 28, 2020
Priority date	May 28, 2020
Publication date	Jul 20, 2021
Grant date	Jul 20, 2021

Abstract

Techniques for implementing and/or operating a system that includes a pipe fitting to be secured to a pipe segment, in which the pipe fitting includes a grab ring having a grab notch and a fitting jacket to be conformally deformed around tubing of the pipe segment to facilitate securing the pipe fitting to the pipe segment. The system includes a swage machine, which includes a grab plate having a grab tab that matingly interlocks with the grab notch to facilitate securing the pipe fitting to the swage machine, a die plate including a die that opens away from the grab plate, and a swaging actuator secured to the die plate. The swage machine operates the swaging actuator to move the die plate over the fitting jacket in an outwardly axial direction away from the grab plate to facilitate conformally deforming the fitting jacket around the tubing of the pipe segment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a pipe fitting configured to be secured to a pipe segment, wherein the pipe fitting comprises:
a grab ring having a grab notch;
a fitting jacket configured to be conformally deformed around tubing of the pipe segment that defines a pipe bore and a fluid conduit implemented in a tubing annulus of the tubing to facilitate securing the pipe fitting to the pipe segment; and
another a fitting jacket configured to be conformally deformed around other tubing of another pipe segment to facilitate securing the pipe fitting to the other pipe segment; and

a swage machine, wherein the swage machine comprises:
a grab plate having a grab tab configured to matingly interlocked with the grab notch on the grab ring of the pipe fitting to facilitate securing the pipe fitting to the swage machine;
a die plate comprising a die that opens away from the grab plate;
a swaging actuator secured to the die plate, wherein the swage machine is configured to operate the swaging actuator to move the die plate over the fitting jacket of the pipe fitting in an outwardly axial direction away from the grab plate of the swage machine to facilitate conformally deforming the fitting jacket around the tubing of the pipe segment;
another die plate comprising another die that opens away from the grab plate of the swage machine;
another swaging actuator secured to the other die plate, wherein the swage machine is configured to operate the other swaging actuator to move the other die plate over the other fitting jacket of the pipe fitting in another outwardly axial direction away from the grab plate to facilitate conformally deforming the other fitting jacket around the other tubing of the other pipe segment;
a first support plate, wherein the swaging actuator of the swage machine is secured between the first support plate and the die plate of the swage machine;
a first support rod secured to the grab plate and the first support plate of the swage machine such that the first support rod extends through the die plate of the swage machine to enable the die plate to slide between the grab plate and the first support plate;
a second support plate, wherein the other swaging actuator of the swage machine is secured between the second support plate and the other die plate of the swage machine; and
a second support rod secured to the grab plate and the second support plate of the swage machine such that the second support rod extends through the other die plate of the swage machine to enable the other die plate to slide between the grab plate and the second support plate.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the swage machine is configured to:
operate the swaging actuator of the swage machine to move the die plate over the fitting jacket of the pipe fitting in the outwardly axial direction away from the grab plate of the swage machine via one or more retracting strokes to facilitate conformally deforming the fitting jacket around the tubing of the pipe segment; and
operate the other swaging actuator of the swage machine to move the other die plate over the other fitting jacket of the pipe fitting in the other outwardly axial direction away from the grab plate of the swage machine via one or more retracting strokes to facilitate conformally deforming the other fitting jacket around the other tubing of the other pipe segment.

3. A method of operating a swage machine, comprising:
loading a die to be used to conformally deform a fitting jacket of a pipe fitting around tubing of a pipe segment in a die plate of the swage machine such that the die opens away from a grab plate of the swage machine;
loading a portion of a pipeline system comprising the pipe fitting into the swage machine such that a grab tab on the grab plate of the swage machine matingly interlocks with a grab notch on a grab ring of the pipe fitting to facilitate securing the swage machine to the pipe fitting;
engaging the die loaded in the die plate of the swage machine with the portion of the pipeline system loaded in the swage machine at least in part by operating a die actuator secured between a plate rim of the die plate and the die to extend the die in an inwardly radial direction; and
operating a swaging actuator secured to the die plate of the swage machine to move the die plate over the fitting jacket of the pipe fitting in an outwardly axial direction away from the grab plate of the swage machine such that the die loaded in the die plate conformally deforms the fitting jacket around the tubing of the pipe segment to facilitate securing the pipe fitting to the pipe segment.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein:
the swaging actuator of the swage machine comprises an actuator cylinder secured to the grab plate of the swage machine and an actuator piston that extends through the grab plate and is secured to the die plate of the swage machine; and
operating the swaging actuator to move the die plate of the swage machine over the fitting jacket of the pipe fitting comprises operating the swaging actuator to move the die plate over the fitting jacket in the outwardly axial direction away from the grab plate via one or more forward strokes.

5. The method of claim 3 , comprising:
loading another die to be used to conformally deform another fitting jacket of the pipe fitting around other tubing of another pipe segment in another die plate of the swage machine such that the other die opens away from the grab plate of the swage machine;
engaging the other die loaded in the other die plate of the swage machine with the portion of the pipeline system loaded in the swage machine; and
operating another swaging actuator secured to the other die plate of the swage machine to move the other die plate of the swage machine over the other fitting jacket of the pipe fitting in another outwardly axial direction away from the grab plate of the swage machine such that the other die loaded in the die plate conformally deforms the other fitting jacket around the other tubing of the other pipe segment to facilitate securing the pipe fitting to the other pipe segment.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein:
loading the die in the die plate of the swage machine comprises transitioning the swage machine from a closed state in which a housing lid of the swage machine is closed onto a housing body of the swage machine to an opened state in which the housing lid is opened from the housing body; and
engaging the die loaded in the die plate with the portion of the pipeline system loaded in the swage machine comprises transitioning the swage machine from the opened state in which the housing lid is opened from the housing body to the closed state in which the housing lid is closed onto the housing body.

Assignees

• Trinity Bay Equipment Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Gregory David Michael
• Lawrence Richard Charles
• Leger John Paul
• Lewis Mikel Lee

Classifications

• B21D39/046 Primary

  Connecting tubes to tube-like fittings · CPC title