GB2272265A

GB2272265A - Guide device for hose ends

Info

Publication number: GB2272265A
Application number: GB9322561A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Soltau
Original assignee: FMC Corp
Current assignee: FMC Corp
Priority date: 1992-11-04
Filing date: 1993-11-02
Publication date: 1994-05-11
Anticipated expiration: 2013-11-02
Also published as: ITMI932354A0; NO933951D0; ITMI932354A1; CA2102281A1; BR9304467A; FR2697610B1; IT1266768B1; FR2697610A1; GB9322561D0; NO933951L; NL9301890A; GB2272265B

Abstract

The guide device for offshore hose ends comprises a conical shaped guide shoe 10 that is fixed to the end of a flexible hose for guiding the securing nut 5 over a cylindrical end adapter 9 fixed to the end of another hose end for connection. Adapter 9 and nut 5 are adapted to fit together to form a high pressure, sealed connection. <IMAGE>

Description

GUIDE DEVICE FOR HOSE ENDS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to hose connectors, for example high pressure flexible hoses used on an offshore rig having metal-to-metal seal flange and clamp hub connectors.

High pressure hoses used in offshore oil rig operations often require metal-to-metal sealing and strong connectors that can quickly and easily be made up. Hoses that typically weigh as much as 6,000 lbs. are connected to offshore rigs.

Because of the large weight of such hoses, connectors are often damaged when the hoses are being moved into alignment for connection. Present connectors often lack a guide device to aid in aligning hoses for connection. When damage to a connector of such a hose occurs, repair of the connector usually involves cutting the damaged connector from the hose, machining a bevel on the hose end, and welding a new or repaired connector to the prepared hose end. In such repair operations and in general handling, loose parts are easily lost and dropped parts represent a safety hazard.

Examples of prior art devices for connecting pipe elements are disclosed in U.S. Patents 4,927,192 and 4,867,483, which are incorporated by reference herein.

Neither of these devices provides guide means to aid in aligning hoses for connection.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a guide device for a hose end connector comprising: a guide shoe having a first end adapted to receive a hose end connector; a second end of said guide shoe comprising a flared opening increasing in cross-section in a direction extending away from said first end.

The guide device may be used in connecting high pressure hoses to offshore rigs to solve the problems mentioned above.

In a preferred form, the connector includes a guide shoe that is fixed to the end of a flexible high pressure hose. The member to which the hose is to be connected has a cylindrical adapter assembly. The guide shoe has a portion that is conical in shape and has a large diameter that is substantially greater than the diameter of the adapter assembly. The conical portion has a small diameter that is slightly greater than the adapter assembly. The guide shoe has an additional cylindrical section that extends from the small diameter conical portion. The cylindrical section is fixed to the end of the hose.

The cylindrical section of the guide shoe is fixed to the end of the hose using set screws to fix the guide shoe to a securing nut such as a single DYNETOR nut as disclosed in U.S.

Patents 4,867,483 (equivalent to GB 2 233 416) and 4,927,192.

Such securing nuts comprise an axial bore for receiving a hose end connector hub. The bore and the hub are provided with coooperating circumferential grooves into which load transmitting elements can be fed, for locking the two components together, the arrangement permitting relative rotational motion and optionally limited relative axial motion therebetween. The load transmitting elements are fed into the circumferential grooves via a radial access hole in the nut. The hole can then be closed by a plug. The hub and securing nut are welded to the end of the hose.

The end of the hose to which the guide shoe is fixed is lowered into position with the member to which it is to be connected. As the guide shoe and hose are moved toward the member for connection, the large diameter end of the conical portion receives the cylindrical adapter assembly. As the guide shoe is moved closer toward the member for connection, the adapter assembly is engaged by the increasingly smaller diameter of the conical portion until the hose is properly aligned with the member for connection. Then the guide shoe is rotated to screw the securing nut onto a threaded portion of the adapter assembly to complete the connection.

The invention also provides a hose end connection system comprising a guide device as defined above.

Other preferred features of the invention are in the dependent claims. An illustrative embodiment of the invention is described below with reference to the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a hose connection guide device which is a preferred embodiment of the present invention shown prior to completion of the connection.

FIG.2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the hose connection of FIG.1 shown after completion of the connection.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG.1 discloses a connection of a hose end to a cylindrical member prior to completion. A hub 2 is welded to a flexible hose (not shown) at the end of the hose to be connected. Hub 2 has a groove 3 for receiving load element segments 4. A first securing nut 5 is secured to hub 2 through load element segments 4. First securing nut 5 has a grooved portion 6 for receiving load element segments 4.

First securing nut 5 has internal threads 7 for threaded engagement with external threads 8 of adapter assembly 9.

A guide shoe 10 is attached to and around first securing nut 5 by set screws 11. Guide shoe 10 has an internal shoulder 12 for engaging an end of the first securing nut 5.

When set screws 11 are in place, guide shoe 10 and first securing nut 5 are rotationally fixed.

Guide shoe 10 has a conical portion at one end having a small diameter section 13 and a large diameter section 14.

Guide shoe 10 has an open end 15 at the end of the large diameter section 14. Guide shoe 10 has wing portions 16 for exerting torque to rotate guide shoe 10. Wing portions 16 are provided with holes 17 for inserting a steel bar or similar member to provide additional torque.

An adapter assembly 9 can be attached to a connecting member 18 by a second securing nut 19. Second securing nut 19 has internal threads 20 for mating with external threads 21 of connecting member 18. Second securing nut 19 has a groove 22 which receives load element segments 23 for attaching second securing nut 19 to adapter assembly 9. Adapter assembly 9 has a groove 24 for receiving load element segments 23.

In operation, the hub 2 is attached to the end of a hose by welding or other means. The guide shoe 10 is fixedly attached to the first securing nut 5. Guide shoe 10 and first securing nut 5 are together rotatably attached to hub 2 through the load element segments 4 received in grooves 3 and 6. The guide shoe 10 is attached to the hose so that the open end 15 of guide shoe 10 is positioned away from the hose.

The hose end having guide shoe 10 is lowered into a generally aligned position with the connecting member 18, which may or may not be equipped with an adapter assembly 9, and is gently moved toward the connecting member 18. The adapter assembly 9 or connecting member 18 is first received in the open end 15 at the large diameter section 14 of the guide shoe 10. As the hose end is moved toward the connecting member 18, adapter assembly 9 or connecting member 18 is engaged by increasingly smaller diameter sections of the conical portion of guide shoe 10 until the adapter assembly 9 or connecting member 18 passes through the small diameter section 13 of guide shoe 10.

At this position, either the external threads 8 of the adapter assembly 9 or the external threads 21 of the connecting member 18 will be in position for threaded engagement with internal threads 7 of first securing nut 5.

Guide shoe 10 and securing nut 5 are rotated relative to hub 2 and adapter assembly 9 or connecting member 18 in order to make up the threaded connection. torque can be transmitted to guide shoe 10 through wing portions 16 or through steel bars placed through holes 17 in wing portions 16.

Fig. 2 shows the connection after completion, where the threaded connection between internal threads 7 of securing nut 5 and the external threads 8 of adapter assembly 9 has been completed.

Although the best mode contemplated for carrying out the present invention has been herein shown and described, it will be apparent that modification and variation may be made without departing from what is regarded to be the subject matter of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A guide device for a hose end connector comprising: a guide shoe having a first end adapted to receive a hose end connector; a second end of said guide shoe comprising a flared opening increasing in cross-section in a direction extending away from said first end.

2. A guide device according to claim 1, wherein said first end of said guide shoe is adapted to removably receive said hose end connector.

3. A guide device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said first end of said guide shoe is adapted to rotatably receive at least a portion of said hose end connector.

4. A guide device according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said guide shoe is provided with at least one drive formation for applying torque to said guide shoe.

5. A guide device according to claim 4, wherein said drive formation is provided with at least one hole for inserting a radially extending member for applying additional torque to said guide shoe.

6. A guide device according to any preceding claim, wherein said guide shoe has a central section located axially between said first end and said second end; said central section and said first end being separated by an internal annular shoulder forming a radial surface facing toward said first end for receiving said hose end connector.

7. A hose end connection system for connecting a hose end to a connecting member; comprising: a guide shoe having a first end adapted to receive a hose end connector; a second end of said guide shoe comprising a flared opening increasing in diameter in a direction extending away from said first end; and a hose end connector received in said first end of said guide shoe for connection with said connecting member.

8. A hose end connection system according to claim 7, wherein said hose end connector is removably received in said first end of said guide shoe.

9. A hose end connection system according to claim 7 or 8 wherein at least a portion of said hose end connector is rotatably received in said first end of said guide shoe.

10. A hose end connection system according to claim 7, 8 or 9 wherein said hose end connector has an internally threaded portion for engaging mating threads on said connecting member.

11. A hose end connection system according to any of claims 7-10, wherein said guide shoe is provided with at least one drive formation for applying torque to said guide shoe.

12. A hose end connection system according to claim 11, wherein said drive formation is provided with at least one hole for inserting a radially extending member for applying additional torque to said guide shoe.

13. A hose end connection system according to any of claims 7-12 wherein said guide shoe has a central section located axially between said first end and said second end; said central section and said first end being separated by an internal annular shoulder forming a radial surface facing toward said first end for receiving said hose end connector.

14. A hose end connection system according to any of claims 7-13 wherein said hose end connector comprises: an annular hub adapted to be secured to said hose end; an annular securing nut surrounding said annular hub; said securing nut being fixed to said hub for free relative rotational movement; said securing nut being fixed to said guide shoe.

15. A hose end connection system according to claim 14, wherein said securing nut has an internally threaded portion for engaging mating threads on said connecting member.

16. A hose end connection system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the connecting member comprises a protruding end adapted to be guided into the flared opening of the guide shoe.

17. A guide device for a hose end connector substantially as shown or as described with reference to the drawings.

18. A hose end connection system substantially as shown or as described with reference to the drawings.