GB2044871A

GB2044871A - A method of jointing inflatable tubes

Info

Publication number: GB2044871A
Application number: GB7904766A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Beaufort Air Sea Equipment Ltd
Current assignee: Beaufort Air Sea Equipment Ltd
Priority date: 1979-02-10
Filing date: 1979-02-10
Publication date: 1980-10-22

Abstract

A method of jointing inflatable tubes intended, for example, as frame members of liferafts comprises the steps of interposing an intermediate member 7 between the tubes and fixing it to both tubes. The member 7 comprises two apertured fabric discs 8 and 9 stitched and adhered together by means of a layer 10 of adhesive and stitches 11. The discs are connected to respective tubes and a transfer valve 15 extending through the aperture in the member 7 and also through corresponding apertures in the two tubes controls air flow between the members. A tube connected at its end is preferably provided with a dome shaped end and this may be moulded integrally with the intermediate member. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A method of jointing inflatable tubes The present invention relates to a method of jointing two inflatable tubes and to tubes jointed by this method.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of jointing two inflatable tubes including the steps of joining two pieces of fabric together to form an intermediate member, interposing the intermediate member between the tubes to be jointed and fastening the two pieces of fabric to the respective tubes.

A preferred embodiment of the invention may comprise any one or more of the following advantageous features.

(a) The inflatable tubes are joined by an air duct through the joint and the two pieces of fabric are sealed to each other and to respective inflatable tubes by means of adhesive, (b) A transfer valve is disposed in the duct of (a), (c) A transfer valve comprises a valve body, a valve seat inside the valve body, a valve closure member seating on the valve seat and means for urging the valve closure member onto the valve seat, (d) The two pieces of fabric are joined together by reinforcing stitches, (e) One tube is closed by an apertured dome shaped closure member and the aperture in the dome is aligned with an aperture formed in the other tube.

(f) The dome shaped closure member is made of fabric and is made of a disc and a strip joined by adhesive.

(g) A stiffening panel bridges the joint and is connected to both tubes.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of joining two inflatable tubes together comprising moulding an end closure for one of the tubes incorporating a piece for attachment to the other tube, fixing the closure to the said one tube and fixing the piece to the other tube.

The invention also comprises tubes jointed by the above methods and any product incorporating such jointed tubes.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, one embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 shows a side elevational view of a joint between two inflatable tubes, Figure 2 shows a sectional view taken along the section line A-A of Fig. 1, Figure 3 shows an exploded view of the joint of Fig. 1, Figure 4 shows a modification of the joint of Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 1, the joint is between two inflatable tubes 1 and 2 at an angular junction. The wall of main tube 2 is apertured at 3 (Fig. 2) and the open end of secondary tube 1 is closed by a dome shaped closure member 4 which is apertured at 5. This closure member 4 is fixed to the tube 1 by a layer of adhesive 6. The other end of the tube 1 is also closed by a dome shaped closure member which is similarly fixed. Each dome shaped closure member is made of a disc and a strip of fabric joined with adhesive.

The dome shaped closure member 4 is fixed to the side wall of the tube 2 by means of an intermediate member 7. This member 7 comprises two apertured fabric discs 8 and 9 between which a layer 10 of adhesive is disposed and which are then stitched together by means of two rows of reinforcing stitches 11. The fabric discs 8 and 9 are of different diameter and are apertured at their centres 1 2. These apertures are aligned. The disc diameters is chosen in dependence upon the tube sizes to which they are to be connected.

The intermediate member is placed between tubes 1 and 2 and the apertures in it are aligned with the apertures 3 and 5 in the respective tubes. A transfer valve 1 5 is placed so that it extends through all the apertures.

This valve 1 5 comprises a main valve body 1 6 which carries an external flange 17, which abuts the inside of the dome shaped closure member 4, and a flange 1 8. The flange 1 8 is internally screw threaded and screws onto an externally screw threaded portion of the valve body 1 6 so that it abuts the inside of the tube 2. The valve body 1 6 is hollow and defines a valve seat 1 9 on which a valve closure member 20 seats. The valve closure member 20 is urged into the closed position by means of a spring 21.

To fasten the two inflatable tubes 1 and 2 together, the fabric discs are separated externally of the outer edge of adhesive to enable them to follow the contours of their respective inflatable tubes and are coated together with the tubes with adhesive and pressed onto the tubes. If desired, a stiffening panel 22 may be added to give extra strength. It bridges the joint between the two inflatable tubes and is secured to them by means of adhesive at 23 and 24. Tubes so jointed would be used, for example, in liferafts to join arches to buoyancy and/or buoyancy to thwart.

The above described method of jointing provides an easier and more satisfactory joint than the methods used hitherto.

It will be appreciated that the above embodiment has been described by way of example only and that many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention claimed. For example, the domed shaped closure member may be moulded and the equivalent of the piece of fabric 9 moulded integrally with it.

Claims

1. Amethod of jointing two inflatable tubes including the steps of joining two pieces of-fabric together to form -an intermediate member, interposing the intermediate member between the tubes to be jointed and fastening the two pieces of fabric to the respective tubes.

2. A method as claimed in Claim 1, in which the inflatable tubes are joined by an air duct through the joint and the two pieces of fabric are sealed to each other and to respective inflatable tubes by means of adhesive.

3. A method as claimed in Claim 2, in which a transfer valve is disposed in the air duct.

4. A method as claimed in Claim 3, in which the transfer valve comprises a valve body, a valve seat inside the valve body, a valve closure-member seating on the valve seat and means for urging the valve closure member onto the valve seat.

5. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the two pieces of fabric are joined together by reinforcing stitches.

6. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which one tube is.closed by an apertured dome shaped closure -member and the aperture in the dome is aligned with an aperture formed in the other tube.

7. A method as claimed in Claim 6, in which the dome shaped .closure member is made of fabric-and is made of a clisc and a strip joined by adhesive.

8. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which a stiffening panel -bridges the oint and is connected to both tubes.

9. A method of joining two inflatable tubes together comprising moulding an end closure for one of the tubes incorporating a piece for attachment to the other tube, fixing the closure to the said one tube and fixing the piece to the other tube.

1 0. A method of jointing two inflatable tubes substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3, or to these Figures with the modification of Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings.

11. Inflatable tubes jointed by the method claimed in any preceding claim.