GB2204930A

GB2204930A - Pipe couplings

Info

Publication number: GB2204930A
Application number: GB08712017A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christopher Bradbury; Stephen Fullard
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-05-21
Filing date: 1987-05-21
Publication date: 1988-11-23
Also published as: GB8712017D0

Abstract

A collar 16 is passed over the end of an outlet 12 to the required distance and a disc 22 loosely mounted on the outlet is brought towards a flange 18 on the end of the collar. A series of boils 24 are passed through aligned openings in the disc and flange around the outlet and a nut 28 on each bolt is tightened to bring the flange 18 and the disc 22 together. As the flange and disc approach each other a flexible annular seal 30 is compressed by angled surfaces 32 and 34 on the flange and disc respectively to deform the normally circular seal 30 into the configuration shown and hold the seal tight against the outlet 12. The nuts 28 continue to be tightened until the flange and disc abut each other and the collar 16 is held securely on, and sealed with the outlet. <IMAGE>

Description

CLAMPS The present invent Ion relates to a clamp for locating and sealing two members together and to a method of using such a clamp. The Invention Is particularly, although not exclusively applicable to the clamping of a flexible tube to the tubular outlet of a hopper containing powdered material.

Hoppers for fine powdered material exist In whIch the tubular outlet of the hopper Is to be connected to a flexible tube housing a rotatable spiral conveyor. The end of the flexible tube is inserted Into the end of the outlet to the required degree. The end of the outlet includes a plurality of slots extending in an axial direction and opening onto the end of the outlet. A clamp is then tightened around the slotted outlet to squeeze the outlet onto the flexible tube and thereby hold the tubes together. Such a construction to connect the tubes Is complicated and time consuming to make and fit. Furthermore, the fine powder tends to leak from the Joint and the leakage Is made worse by the variation In diameter of the flexible tube which exists in practice.

According to one aspect of the present InventIon, a clamp arranged to locate and seal a first member relative to a second member comprises a first and second connector movable relative to each other In a first direction and a sealIng member arranged to surround at least one of the members, relative movement of the first and second members In the first directIon being arranged to bias a sealing member in a direction transverse to the first direction against a member which It surrounds to locate and seal the members.

Either or both of the connectors may be fixed on, or Integral with a member.

The clamp may be arranged to connect two members In which one of the members extends within the other.

The clamp may be capable of connecting two such members at different extents of the one member wIthin the other.

The clamp may be arranged to connect first and second members which comprise conduits, and the crosssect ion of the outwardly facing surface of at least one of the condults may be round.

The sealing member may be flexible, resilIent or deformable. The sealing member may be arranged to have a compressive force exerted thereon when the first and second members are moved relative to each other In the first direction.

The connectors may Include surfaces arranged to co-operate with the sealing member. At least one of those co-operating surfaces may be at an angle with respect to the first direction and the direction In which the sealing member Is arranged to be biased upon relative movement of the connectors In the first direction.

The connectors may be arranged to abut one another when the clamp locates and seals two members.

According to another aspect of the present invent Ion, a method of clamping a first member to a second member comprises moving first and second connectors in a first direction relative to each other to bias a sealing member In a direction transverse to the fIrst direction against a member which it surrounds to locate and seal the members. The method may comprise also Inserting one of the members into the other member prior to moving the connectors In the first direction.

The inventIon may be carried Into practice in varlous ways but one embodiment will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawing which Is a partial cross-sectlon through the bottom of a hopper 10 and Its outlet 12 showing the connection to a flexible pipe 14.

The outlet 12 and the pipe 14 are circular In cross-section and are of the same diameter. The outlet and pipe are connected together by a cIrcular collar 16 having outwardly extending flanges 18 and 20 at either end.

In use the collar 16 Is passed over the end of the outlet 12 to the required distance and a disc 22 loosely mounted on the outlet is brought towards the flange 18. A serles of bolts 24 are passed through aligned openings In the disc and flange around the outlet and a nut 28 on each bolt Is tightened to bring the flange 18 and disc 22 together.

As the flange 18 and disc 22 approach, a flexible annular seal 30 Is compressed by angled surfaces 32 and 34 on the flange and disc respectively to deform the normally circular seal 30 into the configuration shown and hold the seal tight against the outlet 12. The nuts 28 continue to be tightened until the flange and disc abut each other and the collar 16 is held securely on, and sealed with the outlet.

The pipe 14 Is then slid Into the other end of the collar 16 to the required extent, and the flange 20 co-operates with a disc 36, surrounding the pipe 14, and a further seal 38 in a similar manner to that previously described In relation to the corresponding components on the outlet and collar to hold the pipe on, and seal It with the collar.

It will be appreciated that varlous modifIcatIons could be made to the Illustrated embodiments, Including securing the discs 22 and 36 to the outlet 12 and pipe 14 respectively or, alternatively or additIonally, loosely mounting the flanges 18 and 20 on the collar 16.

Claims

1. A clamp arranged to locate and seal a first member relative to a second member comprising a first and second connector movable relative to each other In a first direction and a sealing member arranged to surround at least one of the members, relative movement of the first and second connectors In the first direction In use being arranged to bias the sealing member In a direction transverse to the first direction against a member which It surrounds to locate and seal the members.

2. A clamp as claimed In Claim 1 In which one of the connectors Is arranged to be fixed on a first or second member.

3. A clamp as claimed in Claim 1 In which both of the connectors are arranged to be fixed on different members.

4. A clamp as claimed In Claim 2 or Claim 3 In which the or each connector Is or are Integral with a member.

5. A clamp as claimed in any preceding claim arranged to connect two members In which a first member extends within the second member.

6. A clamp as claimed in Claim 5 in which the clamp is capable of connecting two members at different extents of the first member within the second member.

7. A clamp as claimed In any preceding claim arranged to connect first and second members which cmprlse condults.

8. A clamp as claimed In any preceding claim In which the outwardly facing surface of at least one of the first or second members which the clamp Is arranged to locate and seal relative to the other member Is round.

9. A clamp as claimed In any preceding claim in which the sealing member Is flexible.

10. A clamp as claimed In any preceding claim In which the sealing member Is resilient.

11. A clamp as claimed In any preceding claim in which the sealing member Is deformable.

12. A clamp as claimed In any preceding claim In which the sealing member Is arranged to have a compressive force exerted thereon when the first and second connectors are moved relative to each other In the first direction.

13. A clamp as claimed In any preceding claim in which the connectors Include surfaces arranged to cooperate with the sealing member.

14. A clamp as claimed In Claim 13 In which at least one of the surfaces are arranged to co-operate with the sealing member is at an angle with respect both to the first direction and to the direction In which the sealing member Is arranged to be biased upon relative movement of the connectors In the first direction.

15. A clamp as claimed in any preceding claim In which the connectors are arranged to abut one another when the clamp locates and seals two members.

16. A clamp substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown In the accompanying drawing.

17. An assembly Including a first member which is located and sealed to a second member by a clamp as claimed in any preceding claim.

18. A method of clamping a first member to a second member comprising moving first and second connectors In a first direction relative to each other to bias a sealing member in a direction transverse to the first direction against a member which It surrounds to locate and seal those members.

19. A method as claimed In Claim 18 comprising inserting one of the members Into the other member prior to moving the connectors In the first direction.

20. A method of clamping a first member to a second member by moving first and second connectors substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown In the accompanying drawings.

21. A method as claimed In any of Claims 18 to 20 when using a clamp as claimed In any of Claims 1 to 16, or when resulting In an arrangement as claimed In Claim 17.