Pipe joints or couplings – With indicator – alarm or inspection means
Patent
1994-12-02
1998-05-12
Nicholson, Eric K.
Pipe joints or couplings
With indicator, alarm or inspection means
285363, 285368, 285910, 277180, 277 11, 277207A, F16J 1500
Patent
active
057496072
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to flanged pipe joint assemblies, and particularly to gaskets for sealing the joint between two pipes of a flanged pipe assembly, assemblies employing such gaskets, and assemblies which permit monitoring and control of the quality of the seal provided by such gaskets.
In the construction of industrial facilities, such as pulp and paper mills and chemical plants, there is usually a need to employ pipe to convey fluids and fluid-like mixtures throughout the facility. Since these materials are typically reactive, modern practice favors the use of polyvinylchloride ("PVC"), chlorinated polyvinylchloride ("CPVC"), fiberglass-reinforced plastic ("FRP") pipe or other essentially chemically inert pipe.
The pipe used in such facilities includes flanges at the ends of the pipe sections for assembling sections of pipe together at a joint, as is commonly understood in the art. Typically, a gasket is placed between the flanges, and the flanges are forcibly held together by bolts inserted through apertures disposed in the flanges and gasket. When the flanges are forcibly drawn together by bolts disposed therethrough, uneven stress distributions around the flange tend to weaken, and ultimately break, the flanges. While PVC, CPVC and FRP pipe used in such installations have the advantage of durability in the caustic and acidic environments of the reactive materials which flow through the pipes, their flanges are particularly susceptible to breakage due to uneven stress distributions.
The gasket provides a seal between the flanges of the pipe sections to contain within the pipe the reactive materials conveyed therethrough. However, gaskets generally allow some fugitive emissions of the reactive materials from the pipe. Moreover, gaskets tend to degrade over time, and ultimately fail, which can lead to substantial fugitive emissions. To minimize fugitive emissions, joint assemblies are typically monitored regularly on an assembly-by-assembly basis. In addition, laws and regulations increasingly limit the release into the environment of fugitive emissions of a wide variety of materials and require the monitoring of such emissions. Such laws and regulations typically impose significant fines and other sanctions for failure to comply therewith.
Accordingly, there is a need for a flanged, plastic pipe joint assembly which employs a gasket that, when the flanges are forcibly drawn together, minimizes the uneven distribution of stress around the flanges so as to minimize the likelihood of damage thereto and which controls fugitive emissions and allows for monitoring the release of fugitive emissions, either on a regular or continuous basis.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention meets the aforementioned need for an improved flanged plastic pipe joint assembly by providing a gasket made of a substantially flat, chemically inert material having an inner ring disposed adjacent the pipe opening in the flange, an outer ring disposed adjacent the outer periphery of the flange and a plurality of spokes joining the inner ring to the outer ring. The flanges are forcibly drawn together by a plurality of bolts disposed around the flanges and in apertures therethrough. A spoke is provided for each of the bolts, the spokes themselves having respective apertures for receiving the bolts. The remainder of the space between the flanges preferably is void; that is, preferably no gasket material exists in that remaining space. However, more than two rings may be used, and a portion of gasket material thinner than the rings and spokes may be disposed in the space between the rings and the spokes.
In another embodiment, at least one flange of the joint assembly has an annular groove disposed in an inside surface of the flange adjacent the gasket, between the gasket's inner ring and the gasket's apertures. The flange also has a channel therethrough in communication with the groove and, by means of a port, with an outside surface of the flange. The port, preferably has predetermined dimensi
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KC Multi-Ring Products, Inc.
Nicholson Eric K.
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