Joints and connections – Member ends joined by inserted section – Expansible section
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-07
2003-11-25
Binda, Greg (Department: 3679)
Joints and connections
Member ends joined by inserted section
Expansible section
C285S127100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06652181
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention pertains to a universal connection system for connecting pipes joined together, pipe ends provided with a straight cut and/or with a miter cut for straight, crossed, T-shaped as well as acute-angled and obtuse-angled pipe connections as well as for connecting pipes with elbow, pipe bends, sections, hollow sections and plates, as shaping elements, such as handrails, exhibition and display elements, for pipe systems for ducting cables as well as for all types of gaseous and liquid media.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Systems for connecting pipes have been known, in which the locations of the joints are connected to one another by connecting sleeves or union nuts. Standardized connection elements such as T-pieces, elbows and pipe bends, which must be provided with internal threads at the end and into which pipe ends provided with external threads are screwed, are used to connect pipes in angular areas of rooms. These systems have the drawback that the pipe connection is visible and unattractive from the outside and the manufacture and mounting is complicated and expensive. Welded pipe connections are known as well, and even though they guarantee relatively flat transitions at the connection points, they must be destroyed if repair becomes necessary or if the course of the pipeline must be changed, and deformation and above all destruction of the surface protection, which cannot be repaired, usually occur.
A pipe connection system has been known from DE 297 09 986 U1, which provides for the connection of a pipe section especially of stair handrails and the like with a spherical corner part, which has at least one threaded hole with a hole axis extending through the center of the sphere, where the connection pin has, on the sphere side, a recess with a support surface adapted in some areas to the spherical surface and a hole opening in the area of the recess for a fastening screw which can be screwed into the threaded hole and whose screw head is supported on a curved abutment surface of the connection pin, whose radius originates from the center of the sphere with the connection pin brought into contact with the sphere, wherein a special abutment is designed, which is introduced into the interior of a pipe and is screwed by the front-side opening of the pipe to the spherical corner part. The drawback of this system is that the abutment requires a specially shaped pipe end which is used as an abutment within the pipe. The manufacture of such a pipe connection is complicated and expensive.
DE 195 25 334 A1 discloses the design of a kit comprising various round rods for building a round rod system bent at right angles. To make do with the smallest possible number of round rods of a compact design, it is proposed that the round rod be provided at least at one end of the rod with a hemispherical closure, which has the same radius as the round rod in order to recess circular cylindrical recesses in this closure. The cylinder radius of the recess is equal to the radius of the circular section of the round rod and intersects the axis of the cylinder in the axis of the rod. A sickle-shaped segment is thus formed in the inner angle area between the intersecting axes of the rod and the cylinder. This solution is an elegant connection for round sections, which can be assembled with one another by means of threaded bolts. However, they are not suitable for pipes due to their designed central screw connection and their manufacture is complicated and expensive.
DE 298 11 026 U1 discloses a connection system for pipes, which is characterized by a spreadable sleeve, which is arranged in at least one pipe end, where the said pipes are connected to one another by conical washers arranged on both sides and a spacing washer by means of a centrally arranged setscrew and in which system the spreadable sleeve is axially clamped in the pipe by a mounting pin that can be screwed radially into the spacing washer. The spacing washer with the opening for the mounting pin can be seen between two pipe joints in the assembled state. Additional spacers and split fittings with different angles are needed for a T-shaped pipe connection or a connection with pipe bends. This pipe connection is based on a central connection of the clamped parts, which closes the pipe system at the connection points. These pipe connections are not suitable for pipe systems in which gaseous or liquid media are to be carried or cables are to be ducted. In addition, each pipe connection is characterized by the spacing washer, which is visible from the outside and is arranged between pipe ends, which is optically disturbing and questionable in terms of safety engineering because the connection point is recognizable and accessible to anyone.
SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
The basic object of the present invention is therefore to provide a universal connection system with invisible connection elements for pipes joined together with straight cut and/or with miter cut as well for pipe ends provided with a miter cut with radii made in one piece for straight, T-shaped, crossed as well as acute-angled and obtuse-angled pipe connections as well as for connection pipes to elbows, pipe bends, sections, hollow sections and plates, which is also suitable for pipe systems for ducting cables as well as for carrying all types of gaseous and liquid media.
According to the invention, the connection system comprises clamping systems and/or clamping systems coupled with straight and/or hinge-shaped connection elements with axially and radially movable tie-in points which can be provided and which are to be connected to one another in a great variety of manners by threaded bolts which can be arranged centrally. A simple design of the individual parts and their connection is provided. It makes possible an extremely inexpensive manufacture of the individual parts and simple assembly. The variable usability of the clamping systems alone as well as in conjunction with additional clamping systems and/or with various connection elements with axially and radially movable tie-in points arranged as needed guarantees, due to the arrangement of threaded bolts, a straight, T-shaped and crosswise as well as acute-angled and obtuse-angled connection of pipe sections with one another or of pipe sections with solid sections, elbows, pipe bends, plates and the like, which said connection can be assembled in a simple manner. The clamping systems and connection elements, which are designed as permeable, and pipe connections provided with sealing elements make possible the use of the universal connection system not only for shaping elements such as handrails and display elements, but also for pipe systems for ducting cables as well as for carrying gaseous and liquid media.
A special advantage of the universal connection system according to the present invention is that it can be locked from the open front sides of the pipes and completely disappears in the pipes, as a result of which a pipe connection point meeting any optical requirements and all safety engineering requirements concerning unauthorized tampering with such a connection are met.
The design of the clamping systems, in particular, makes possible the preassembly of the clamping system before use in the pipe, as a result of which the mounting of the pipe connections is simplified and thus it can be carried out at a low cost. Due to an axial three-screw tension distributed on the circular areas of the connection, the connection of the clamping system ensures an absolutely stable and adaptable radial tension in the pipe, which tension equalizes especially unevennesses in the inner pipe. The passage openings arranged in the clamping system and distributed over the circular areas form channels, which ensure the permeability for gaseous and liquid media or for ducting cables. The clamping systems can be used only as a straight connection element and, in a second embodiment of the ring washer with radially arranged through threaded hole, the clamping systems may also be used
Binda Greg
McGlew and Tuttle , P.C.
Robert Piersch Edelstahltechnik GmbH
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