Conduit fitting with torque collar

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9851032-B2
Application number	US-201615053197-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 25, 2016
Priority date	Feb 20, 2009
Publication date	Dec 26, 2017
Grant date	Dec 26, 2017

Abstract

A conduit fitting of the type having first and second threaded fitting components and at least one conduit gripping device, further includes a stroke limiting member that allows the fitting to be pulled up by applying a predetermined torque. In one embodiment, the stroke limiting member may be a non-integral torque collar and in another embodiment the stroke limiting member may be two engaging surfaces integrally formed with the fitting components. Alternatively, the fitting may also be pulled up by turns. In still another embodiment, a stroke limiting member is provided that may be used to enable a fitting that is designed to be pulled up by turns to also be pulled up by torque. The stroke limiting member facilitates many remakes of the fitting, including remakes by torque.

First claim

We claim:

1. A fitting for conduits, comprising:
a body, a nut and at least one ferrule, said body and said nut being threaded so that when assembled on a conduit said body and said nut can be tightened together to a first relative axial position, to effect conduit seal and grip by said at least one ferrule at said first relative axial position,
wherein the nut includes a first surface including a portion that contacts a second surface of the fitting to resist further relative axial stroke of said body and said nut, the portion of the first surface that contacts said second surface plastically deforming and radially expanding to allow additional relative axial stroke between said body and said nut to remake the fitting subsequent to said body and said nut having been tightened together to said first relative axial position.

2. The fitting of claim 1 wherein said second surface is included on a member that is engaged by said nut.

3. The fitting of claim 2 wherein said body, said nut, said at least one ferrule and said member each comprises metal.

4. The fitting of claim 3 wherein said metal comprises stainless steel.

5. The fitting of claim 1 wherein said first relative axial position is based on a prescribed number of turns.

6. The fitting of claim 1 wherein said first relative axial position is based on application of a prescribed torque.

7. The fitting of claim 1 wherein a prescribed torque is applied to tighten said body and said nut together for an initial pull-up of the fitting to effect conduit grip and seal.

8. The fitting of claim 7 wherein, during remake, conduit grip and seal are effected at said prescribed torque.

9. The fitting of claim 8 wherein said prescribed torque comprises a range of torque values.

10. The fitting of claim 9 wherein said range of torque values comprises a discrete torque value +/−15% of said discrete torque value.

11. The fitting of claim 9 wherein said prescribed torque value applied for an initial pull up of the fitting is greater than a torque value applied to remake the fitting.

12. The fitting of claim 8 wherein during remake said body and said nut are retightened to said additional controlled relative axial stroke to produce conduit grip and seal at said prescribed torque.

13. The fitting of claim 1 wherein said additional relative axial stroke is in the range of approximately 0.1 thousandths of an inch to approximately 10 thousandths of an inch.

14. The fitting of claim 1 wherein said surface allows at least 5 remakes.

15. The fitting of claim 1 wherein said surface allows at least 15 remakes.

16. The fitting of claim 1 wherein said surface allows at least 25 remakes.

17. The fitting of claim 1 wherein engagement of said surface with said at least one of said body and said nut during pull-up of the fitting causes a torque increase that is substantially greater than a torque increase that would be produced, at said first relative axial position, during pull-up of the fitting if said surface were not present.

18. The fitting of claim 1 wherein the fitting may alternatively be pulled-up by turns with or without said surface being engaged.

19. The fitting of claim 1 wherein the fitting can be pulled-up by turns, and wherein said second surface is disposed on a discrete part assembled with the fitting to convert the fitting to be pulled-up by torque.

20. The fitting of claim 1 wherein said body is male threaded and said nut is female threaded.

21. The fitting of claim 1 wherein said body is female threaded and said nut is male threaded.

22. The fitting of claim 1 wherein said second surface is integral with said body.

23. The fitting of claim 1 wherein said nut comprises a ferrule drive surface and an internal tapered surface that extends from said ferrule drive surface.

24. The fitting of claim 23 wherein said internal tapered surface is angled at approximately thirty degrees to approximately sixty degrees relative to a longitudinal axis of the fitting.

Assignees

• Swagelok Co

Inventors

• Williams Peter C
• Clason Mark A
• Brown Cal R
• Arstein Dale C
• Rayle Jeffrey S
• Karkosiak John D
• Kalata Gregory S

Classifications

• F16L19/10 Primary

  the profile of the ring being altered · CPC title

• F16L19/0218

  comprising only sealing rings · CPC title

• Y10T29/49778

  with aligning, guiding, or instruction · CPC title

• Y10T29/53052

  including position sensor · CPC title

• F16L19/045

  consisting of cutting edges on one of the connecting parts which penetrate into the wall of the pipe · CPC title