Segmented flange coupler for grooved pipe

Segmented flange coupler is disclosed for connecting the free end of a grooved pipe to a fitting having a flange connector. The segmented flange coupler is formed of end-to-end connected individual coupling segments which are configured to move both circumferentially and radially into concentricity during the tightening of their connecting bolts.

This is achieved by providing complementary surfaces of revolution about their overlapped bolt receiving apertures. These surfaces of revolution are preferably in the form of mating convex and concave conical surfaces.

This application relates to a segmented flange coupler, whereby a pipe having a groove formed in its external circumference adjacent a free end of the pipe, can be connected directly to a fitting having a flanged connection.

It is presently known to form such a segmented flange coupler from a plurality of coupling segments, generally arcuate in shape, which are bolt connected in an end-to-end relationship about the circumference of the pipe. Typically two such coupling segments, of a generally semi-circular shape, are employed. However for large pipe sizes three or more coupling segments may be utilized.

The ends of the coupling segments include bolt receiving apertures for connecting the successive coupling segments together. The coupling segments typically include a key which extends within a circumferential groove of the pipe. Oftentimes the pipe may be somewhat out of round such that the bolt receiving holes of the successive coupling segments will not line up. Accordingly, appreciable force must then be applied to appropriately bring the coupling segments together, as near as possible, to appropriately engage the pipe circumference.

Typically, such prior constructions, for example, the Style 741 segmented pipe coupling available from the Victaulic Company of America, has included radially extending ears at the ends of the coupling segments being bolt connected. The ears must then be engaged with a tool, such as a pliers or channel lock, to bring the ears together such that the bolt can pass through the overlapped apertures for the tight connection of the adjacent coupling segments. Further, it has been experienced that the bolt receiving apertures in such coupling segments must be located with a high degree of accuracy.

Other constructions are also known to bring the adjacent coupling segments into circumferential alignment.

Thiessen, U.S. Pat. No. 3,895,833, provides a flange adapter for use in such a situation. Thiessen's flange adapter includes two or more coupling segments that are connected to each other in end-to-end relationship by means of bolts that are employed to secure the respective coupling segments directly to the flange of the fitting.

Thiessen employs ramp cams on the respective ends of his coupling segments that are interengaged when the coupling segments are assembled onto the grooved pipe. The ramp cams cause circumferential movement of the assembled segmented pipe coupling at the time the bolts are tightened down. This causes the respective flange segments to bottom down on the bottom wall of the groove formed in the pipe, and provide a circumferential alignment between the pipe and the fitting.

However, the provision of such ramp cams carries with it a disadvantage that the flange segments must either be assembled relative to each other prior to the insertion of the traction bolts, with the ramp cams on the respective flange segments interengaged or, the keys of the respective segments must be of lesser width than the width of the pipe groove. If, however, the keys do not engage the side walls of the pipe groove, then, a flexible coupling results, as opposed to a rigid intercoupling of the pipe and the associated fitting.

There is no provision for radial alignment, and hence no guarantee that the flange segments will be truly concentric as related to the longitudinal axis of the assembled coupling, and in turn, as related to the longitudinal axis of the pipe.

Free play of the bolts in the bolting pads of the respective flange segments, will permit the ends of the respective flange segments to be displaced in the radial direction relative to the juxtaposed flange by a distance that is equal to the difference between the diameter of the bolt holes in the respective flange segments and the diameter of the bolts employed for securing the respective segments to each other.

Further, Thiessen's ramp cams, which extend radially of the axis of the coupling, are inoperative to produce any force that acts to move the respective flange segments into concentric relationship relative to the central axis of the coupling.

This can cause problems at the time the flange segments are tightened onto the fitting by means of the bolts if the flange segments at that time are out of concentric alignment. As a consequence they do not bottom down correctly on the bottom wall of the pipe groove, until such time as they are forced into concentric relation by their engagement with the bottom wall of the pipe groove. However, at the time the bolts are being tightened down, to cause the diameter of the flange coupling to decrease, there then exists a considerable frictional restraint against any radial movement of the flange segments relative to each other, with the consequence that the flange segments are not truly concentric with each other. Hence there is no guarantee that the flange segments have in fact bottomed down correctly into full face engagement with the bottom wall of the pipe groove.

If the segments have in fact not bottomed down fully on the bottom wall of the pipe groove, then, the strength of the interconnection is materially affected, as is the probability that a rigid connection has not been effected between the pipe and the fitting by the flange segments. In such a situation, the pressure that the coupling can withstand will be reduced.

It is an object of this invention to provide a segmented flange coupling that, prior to and during tightening down of the traction bolts will move both circumferentially and radially into truly concentric relationship with each other, and also into truly concentric relationship with the bottom wall of the pipe groove. This movement advantageously provides a segmented flange coupler that is entirely predictable in its securement of the pipe to the fitting, such that true rigidity of the pipe relative to the fitting is accomplished in an entirely automatic self-adjusting manner.

The present invention employs interfitting surfaces of revolution, preferably cones, on the ends of the respective flange segments about the bolt receiving apertures. These interfitting surfaces, which may initially interengage with each other in a random position of concentricity of the flange segments, then act to draw the flange segments into true concentricity as the bolts are tightened down.

Top flange hanger with strengthening embossment

Structural connector for connecting first and second structural members has a substantially planar first flange and an embossment in the first flange, and the embossment in the first flange is formed with first and second sections.

The first section generally extending uniformly to a first level above the top surface of the substantially planar first flange, that is different from a level to which the second section generally uniformly extends, the first and second sections being joined to each other at a distinct transition portion where the embossment sharply descends from the level of the first section to the level of the second section. The structural connector can be made with a bend that forms a first member adjacent the first flange and the embossment can extend through the bend into the first member.

The structural connector of the present invention has particular application in the field of structural hangers where an elongated, generally horizontally disposed structural member is hung from a supporting structure, both being part of thestructural frame of a building.

In light frame construction, it is common to hang the joists supporting the floors of the building from horizontally disposed members often called headers, beams or ledgers. The joists can be supported by hangers which are attached to theheaders, beams or ledgers. One type of hanger used is called a top flange hanger. A top flange hanger has a portion or member that rests on the top surface of the supporting structure, increasing the strength of the connection.

Unfortunately, the presence of the top flange can interfere with the setting of the sub-flooring members on top of the joists and the headers and ledgers. The top flanges create an unevenness in the surface upon which the sub-flooring isinstalled.

Preferably, the flat top surfaces of the joists, headers and ledgers will all be uniformly level and set at the same elevation, once the members are set in place, although deviations are often made to allow for shrinkage of members made from woodor having wood sub-components. Also, preferably, the sub-flooring used is made up of large sheets of relatively thin planar material, such as plywood or oriented strand board, that can be laid down on the level top surfaces of the headers and ledgersresulting in a uniformly flat surface for laying down the flooring.

Thus, it is desirable to minimize the thickness of any members, such as fasteners, fastener heads or hanger components that will project above the level of the top surfaces of the ledges, headers and joists. When such members project above theultimate top level of the structural members of the flooring, they create unevenness in the surface for the subflooring, commonly known as reveal problems.

Thus, when top flange hangers are used, it is desirable to make the material of the top flange as thin as possible. However, the top flange must still be strong enough to carry the desired loads imposed on the hanger. One means of strengtheningthe top flanges of hangers is to create embossments or deformations in the top flange hanger that extend into the back members of the hangers. The problem with typical strengthening deformations or embossments is that too much of the material of the topflange is deformed to too great a height, thus creating reveal problems.

It is a specific object of the present invention to provide a structural hanger for supporting a structural member from a supporting member, where the structural hanger is made with a top flange that rests on the top surface of the supportingmember, and the top flange of the hanger is formed with strengthening deformations that increase the strength of the structural hanger while minimizing the profile of the top flange of the hanger.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide that the level of the first section of the embossment of the structural connector is higher above the top surface of the first flange than the level of the second section of theembossment, and the higher first level is closer to the bend between the first flange and the first member than the second section. The inventors have found embossments which are taller near the edge of the first structural member or supportingstructural member and then decrease in height but continue to extend a substantial distance along the top flange, can provide sufficient strength to structural hangers made from light gauge steel, while providing minimal interference with the laying ofthe subflooring.

Provide a top flange hanger made from galvanized sheet steel or stainless steel that does not need to be welded, and, therefore, does not need to be painted to protect the hanger from corrosion.The top flange hanger with low-profile strengthening deformations in its top flange or flanges that can be formed from sheet steel material on a fully automated die press with no secondary orfinal bend operations being necessary.

Flanged connector for HVAC ducting

Flange rings for the connection end-to-end of thin, double walled circular ducting includes a first generally-circularly shaped ring having an outer insertion flange for connection to the outer wall of the double-walled duct.

The first ring also includes: an exterior mating flange extending transversely from the outer insertion flange to define a first mating face; and an exterior hem that is substantially concentric to the outer flange to extend outwardly from the outer perimeter of the exterior mating flange. The flanged ring also includes: a second ring having an inner insertion flange connectable to the inner wall of the double-walled duct; the interior mating flange transverse from the interior insertion flange to define a second mating face; and an interior connection hem substantially concentric to the inner insertion flange and extending from the outer perimeter of the interior mating flange to overlap and be connected to the outer insertion flange.

Joint assemblies are well known for the connection of the ends of adjacent rectangular, circular, and oval HVAC duct sections. U.S. Pat. No. 5,129,690, to Meinig, recites prior art relating to such assemblies and discloses an apparatus forconnecting the ends of oval duct sections without disclosure of the method of making the apparatus; the patent does refer to U.S. Pat. No. 4,516,797, to Meinig, which discloses a one-piece flanged ring for connecting the ends of circular duct sections. U.S. Pat. No. 4,516,797 discloses a method for producing the flanged ring by contouring and then bending an elongated sheet-metal strip into an annular shape resulting in a flanged ring having an axial slit and claiming a method for producing a flangedring characterized as an elongated sheet metal strip which is contoured and subsequently bent into annular form.

The machine method used to produce such a flanged ring is known to include roll forming. However, roll forming is limited generally to sheet-metal less than 10 gauge with roll forming causing tearing or breaking of sheet-metal in the productionof flanged rings from thinner sheet-metal of gauge 10 or greater. Circular flanged rings, produced by roll forming, and thin-walled sheet-metal ducting generally do not have an absolutely circular cross section. The predominant means of manufacturingHVAC ducting is in the form of spiral seam tubes made up of helical wound sheet-metal strips with the strips interconnected by means of lock seams. The lock seams stand out from the outer duct face.

Objects of this invention are double wall circular and oval flanged rings from Lock Form Quality steel of gauge 10 to 20, for the connection of the ends of thin-, double-walled circular and oval sheet-metal tubes or ducting and how to make themby spinning, forming, and trimming, with standard machine tools and machining processes. The present invention is capable of making Flanged Rings that comply to the T24 flange profile and other profiles of the Sheet Metal and Air-ConditioningContractors National Association (SMACNA). The method includes LFQ steel strips that may be rolled into flanged ring band stock strips having strip first and second ends which are butt welded together with a tungsten inert gas process with no filler. Aspinning die, which is balanced and which has structural means or supporting structural member means, receives the flanged ring band stock which may be secured within the spinning die by appropriate means, for example by clamp means. The spinning die isrotated by means, for example by a lathe, and machine tools are employed to stretch, form and trim the flanged ring band stock to produce a first circular flanged ring. A second circular flanged ring may be produced by the same method in a secondspinning die and then attached to the first circular flanged ring to form one double-wall circular or oval flanged ring for the connection of circular and oval thin gauged double-wall pipe or ducting sections.

One preferred embodiment of the flanged ring profile described herein constitutes the Sheet Metal and Air-Conditioning Contractors National Association (SMACNA) standard T24 Flange Profile. The profile disclosed is not limited to the SMACNA T24profile. However, the method disclosed produces circular or oval flanged rings while the SMACNA T24 Flange Profile refers solely to flanges for the connection of rectangular ducting sections. This disclosure is the only known method of producing theSMACNA T24 Flange Profile for circular and oval flanged rings from 10 or greater gauge LFQ steel. The SMACNA T24 Flange Profile or cross section produced by the method described has an outer insertion flange portion which is secured within the spinningdie by means including clamp means, an exterior mating flange portion which is stretched and formed and which meets and matches an opposing mating flange portion, an exterior hem portion which is formed, and a return flange, and an inner insertion flangeportion which is secured within the second spinning die by means including clamp means, an interior mating flange portion which is stretched and formed and which meets and matches an opposing mating flange portion, and an interior hem portion which isformed.

The oval double-wall flanged ring is produced by cutting a circular, double-wall flanged ring along a diameter to produce approximately equal sized semi-circular flange ring portions. Equal length SMACNA T24 Linear Segments of the SMACNA T24Flange Profile are produced, for instance by roll forming, and are welded to the semi-circular flanged ring portions to produce the oval flanged ring.

One preferred embodiment of the present disclosed method results in the production of the SMACNA T24 Flange Profile from 10 to 20 gauge Lock Form Quality steel (under 30,000 psi yield/tensile, galvanized G60; however, any metal which can beturned in the following described process and which can be welded may be used for production). The preferred embodiment of the described method requires the preparation of flanged ring band stock from 3.87511 wide 10 to 20 gauge LFQ steel. The materialand material width may be varied as preferred.

Exhaust system having low-stress exhaust manifold flange

Exhaust system in an internal combustion engine has an exhaust manifold, an exhaust flange is connected to the exhaust manifold, and a turbocharger is connected to the exhaust flange. The turbocharger has an exhaust inlet flange connected to the exhaust flange. The exhaust manifold has a first passage and a second passage, and the exhaust flange has a first exhaust port and a second exhaust port. The exhaust ports of the exhaust flange each have a generally triangular cross-sectional configuration.

The use of turbochargers in internal combustion engines is well known. Turbochargers increase the mass of air supplied to the engine thereby enabling the increase of the power output of the engine. In addition, the efficiency of the engine is increased by the turbocharger's utilization of the thermal energy contained in the engine's exhaust gases.

However, the connection between a turbocharger and the engine has posed various design challenges. For the engine to operate at optimum efficiency, the engine must transfer as much energy as possible from the exhaust gases of the engine to a turbine of the turbocharger, thereby maximizing the boost provided by the turbocharger. Energy is lost from the flow of exhaust gases in the exhaust manifold due to wall friction, area changes in the manifold, and directional changes in the manifold due to flow separation and the creation of secondary flows. All three of these causes of energy loss are typically present in the area of the exhaust manifold where it joins the turbocharger, i.e. the exhaust manifold flange. Therefore, an optimal exhaust manifold and exhaust manifold flange design is successful in minimizing these energy losses.

When energy is lost from the exhaust gas flow through the exhaust manifold flange and in the area of the exhaust manifold near the flange, the energy is typically transformed via convection into thermal energy in the exhaust manifold and flange. Therefore, if the design of the exhaust system reduces the amount of heat absorption from the exhaust gas flow by the exhaust manifold and the exhaust manifold flange, the energy transferred to the turbine of the turbocharger is increased and the efficiency of the engine is improved. In addition, the exhaust manifold and exhaust manifold flange design that reduces the heat absorption of the manifold and flange increases the operating life of the manifold flange and turbocharger. When the exhaust manifold flange absorbs an excess amount of thermal energy, the flange typically develops stress cracks. Such cracking results in failures and not only requires replacement of the flange and/or a portion of the exhaust manifold with which the flange is integral, but it can also cause damage to the turbine of the turbocharger. For example, debris from the cracked and failed manifold passes into the turbine of the turbocharger. This problem of cracking exhaust manifold flanges has been exacerbated by the recent dramatic increases in internal combustion engine exhaust gas temperatures caused by the industry's drive to increase the power output of engines while reducing unwanted emissions.

An exhaust manifold flange must also have the structural integrity to support a rigid connection with a turbocharger. This rigid connection reduces vibrations between the turbocharger and the flange and ensures that a good seal is maintained between the turbocharger and flange. In addition, the connection between the exhaust manifold flange and the turbocharger is typically the only rigid connection between the turbocharger and the engine. All other connections between the turbocharger and the engine are flexible so that no significant forces will be applied to the turbocharger from thermal expansion of the turbocharger, the engine or the connections. Therefore, an exhaust manifold flange must be capable of supporting the weight of the turbocharger and other forces introduced by the turbocharger to the engine.

One attempt at designing an exhaust manifold flange to reduce the incidence of cracking of the flange is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,406,795 ("the '795 patent") issued to Raub et al. on Apr. 18, 1995. The flange disclosed in the '795 patent has two exhaust ports. The two exhaust ports are generally trapezoidal in shape and are separated by a thin straight center wall. Experimentation has shown the flange is not capable of handling the increased temperature of the exhaust gases produced by today's internal combustion engines. The thermal energy destroys the center wall. Therefore, an exhaust system is needed that combines the exhaust manifold, the exhaust manifold flange and the turbocharger permitting a rigid connection between the flange and the turbocharger and reducing the thermal energy absorbed by the manifold and the flange. Thus, the operating life of both the flange and the turbocharger is increased, the efficiency of the engine is improved, and the power output of the engine is increased.

An exhaust system has an exhaust manifold, an exhaust flange connected to the exhaust manifold, and a turbocharger. The exhaust manifold has a plurality of passages, and the exhaust flange has two exhaust ports in fluid communication with the exhaust manifold passages. The exhaust ports of the exhaust flange have a generally triangular cross-sectional configuration. The turbocharger has an exhaust inlet flange that is connected to the exhaust flange. The exhaust inlet flange has two inlet ports that are in fluid communication with the exhaust ports of the exhaust flange.

In another aspect of the exhaust system, the exhaust flange has a first axis that intersects each of the exhaust ports. The exhaust flange also has a first outer surface, a second outer surface, a third outer surface, and a fourth outer surface. At least one of the third outer surface and the fourth outer surface is substantially parallel with the first axis.

A method of manufacturing an exhaust manifold for use in a high-temperature engine includes forming a first exhaust port and a second exhaust port, each exhaust port having a generally triangular configuration. Each exhaust port is then surrounded by a wall thickness.

A high-temperature engine has a cylinder block, a cylinder head, an exhaust manifold connected to at least one of the cylinder block and the cylinder head, and an exhaust flange connected to the exhaust manifold. The exhaust flange has a first exhaust port and a second exhaust port, each exhaust port having a generally triangular configuration.