Fluid handling – Systems – Flow path with serial valves and/or closures
Patent
1994-03-21
1995-03-14
Schwadron, Martin P.
Fluid handling
Systems
Flow path with serial valves and/or closures
251356, F16L 3728
Patent
active
053969278
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
DESCRIPTION
This invention relates to a coupling for connecting together two fluid passages and through which fluid is to be transferred from one of the passages to the other, the coupling being of the kind which comprises two coupling parts, each of which forms a respective one of the two fluid passages and is provided with an obturating member operable to close the respective fluid passage automatically, in a fluid tight manner, when the respective coupling part is disconnected from a mating coupling part, and actuating means operable to effect decoupling and fluid tight coupling of the two coupling parts and to apply a thrust to said obturating members during coupling so that the obturating members are displaced from their positions in which they close the respective through passages to allow fluid flow around the displaced obturating members from one passage to the other, and to return the obturating members to said positions for decoupling. GB-A-1218941 discloses such a coupling.
An object of the invention is to provide a sealing arrangement for a coupling of the kind referred to above which allows the coupling to be readily decoupled and which enables substantial elimination from the interfaces of the coupling and its sealing arrangement, prior to separation of the coupling parts, of any residual traces of the fluid product that is transferred from one of the fluid passages to the other, so that the coupling is suitable for use for the transfer of light petroleum products or other volatile or noxious fluids.
According to this invention there is provided a coupling of the kind referred to above wherein one of the obturating members has a face which is adjacent to a corresponding face of the other obturating member as those obturating members are displaced from said positions by said actuating means when the coupling parts are coupled together, said face of said one obturating member being formed of an elastomeric material and being profiled in its natural relaxed state such that, when it touches the adjacent face of the other obturating member without deformation of the elastomeric material, a radially extending tapering clearance is formed between those faces, said actuating means being adapted to apply an axial thrust through one of the obturating members to the other whereby the elastomeric material is compressed so that the clearance is taken up and fluid between those faces is squeezed out as the obturating members return to said positions prior to disconnection of the coupling parts, the elastomeric material of said one obturating member being in its natural relaxed state when the coupling parts have been coupled together and the obturating members have been displaced by said actuating means to rest positions which they occupy as fluid is transferred around them from one of the through passages to the other.
In a preferred embodiment, the coupling comprises a pair of ring seals on a peripheral joint of the coupling parts and a pair of disc seals on the adjacent faces of the obturating members. Preferably the profiles of these seals are so arranged that, in the purging sequence of the seal operation during which the profiled elastomeric material of one of the disc seals is deformed to squeeze out fluid from between the adjacent faces of the disc seals, annular clearances between the obturating members and the ring seals are progressivly closed forcing any such residual fluid back past one of the two disc seals and into one of the two through passages before seating of the disc seals is completed prior to disconnection of the coupling.
One embodiment of this invention will be described now by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings which are sectional views through a sealing arrangement of a fluid coupling at various stages of its operation:
FIG. 1 shows the coupling disconnected with obturating members sealing respective coupling parts;
FIG. 2 shows the coupling connected with ring seals compressed prior to compression of obturating member face seals;
FIG. 3 shows the ring sea
REFERENCES:
patent: 2709093 (1955-05-01), Zeeb
patent: 3994317 (1976-11-01), Miyazaki et al.
patent: 4030524 (1977-06-01), McMath et al.
patent: 4089341 (1978-05-01), Okaya
patent: 4373551 (1983-02-01), Shindelar
patent: 5273071 (1993-12-01), Oberrecht
Davis David L.
Flight Refuelling Limited
Lee Kevin L.
Schwadron Martin P.
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