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2,514?59 ,
COUPLING DEVICE
Filed May 18, 1944
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INVENTORS‘
IR. H.108“.
BY
3.629414.
<9. 6. 99mm
GM
' Patented July 4, 1950 -_
2,514,059 -
UNITED STATES ‘PATENT ormca
COUPLING DEVICE
‘James R. Hicks, Waterbury, and Raymond S.
Ellis, Watertown, Conn.,-assignors to ,The Bris
tol Company, Waterbury, Conm, a corporation
'
of Connecticut
’ Application May is, 1944, Serial No. 536,072
4 Claims.‘ (Cl. 285-90)
The invention relates to couplingdevices for
ting are divided upon a plane substantially with
?exible metallic hose, and more especially to a
coupling which may be applied to a section of
in which lies the axis of the hose. By this ex
pedient said ?ttings may ‘be laterally applied, and
afterwards retained in place by suitable con
vsuch hose by purely mechanical means, and
without the necessity of soldering, brazing, weld
ing or other applications of high temperature.
straining means. For the purpose of restricting
?exure to a single plane, provision is madefor
connecting-the clamping ?ttings at opposite ex
tremities of the section of ?exible hose by means
ofdiametrically opposed resilient rods, strips, or
wire of spring material, which also serve to pre
vent longitudinal changes in the dimensions of
the coupling, and also to reduce the tendency
In the interconnection of sections of ?exible,
metallic hose of the bellows type, orin' the pro- _
vision of solid couplings, whereby such hose may
be connected to a rigid piping system or to a
pressure vessel, therearises the problem of pro
viding ready means for establishing such con
nection without the need of highly specialized" ’ toward the development of kinks or sharp bends.
tools or of treatment involving the subjection of
In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation,
portions ‘of the ?exible hose to high tempera 15 I’ partly in section, of a ?exible couplingembody
,
tures.
>
.
ing the principlesoi‘ the invention.
.
It is an object of the present invention to pro- _
vide a coupling, whereby a section of ?exible me
Fig. 2 is an end elevation, partly in section,
taken on the line A-A in Fig. 1-.
'
tallic hose may be quickly and positively con
Figs. 3 and 4 are side and end elevations, re
nected to a rigid structure by purely mechanical 20 spectively, of certain elementsv of the device
means.
shown in Fig. 1.
.
'
It'is a further object to provide a coupling of
Fig. 5 is an end elevation of an element adapt
the above class, which may be repeatedly dis- ‘ I ed to coact with the elements shown in Figs. 3
assembled and re-assembled.
7
and 4 in effecting the purpose of the invention.
It is a further object to provide a coupling of 25 Figs. 6 and 7 are side and end elevations, re
_ the above nature adapted to installation within
a ‘restricted space.
spectively, of a type of element whichmay be
substituted for the elements shown in ‘Figs. 3
'
It is a further object to provide a couplingof‘v
the above nature adapted to installation with a
and
4.
>
'
'
Y
- Fig. 8 is a side elevation partly in section, and
minimum sacri?ce of desired ?exibility in the 30 to a reduced scale, of a differential manometer
portions of metallic hose to which it is applied.
incorporating in its ‘structure-a coupling involv
It is a further object to provide a couplingv of i
ing the invention.
'
the above nature which may be adapted to con '
Referring now to the drawings: In Figs. 1 ‘and ‘
straint of ?exibility of the connected portion‘ to
.2 is shown a ?exible ‘coupling embodying the
a single plane of motion.
I
The numeral Ill .
35. principles of the invention.
It is a ‘further object to provide a coupling of I
designates a portion of ?exible metallic hose of
the above nature which is free from the tendency
the bellows'type, having annular- COIlVOllltiOllSy
to change its longitudinal dimensions under the
to which. it is required to ?t solid portions,
in?uence of tension or compression.
- > '
whereby'there may be constituted a'?exible tu
It is a'further- object to provide a coupling
bular coupling between said portions. ‘Ar ter- _
which, while ?exible, shall have a minimum‘_.
minal ?tting H is provided with 'a‘threadedan-F
tendency to developikinks' and sharp bends.
In carrying out the purposes of the'invention, .
it is proposed to provide‘ a clamping ?tting
adapted to coactlon with'a ‘section of ?exible
' nular portion i2, having a ?attened end adapted '
to be juxtaposed to a severed and-‘trimmed endv of the metallic hose In. The portion of ‘the ?t- ' I
metallic hose of the so-called "annular convo
lution" type (as contrasted to that type ‘in which
ting H remote from the threaded'part 12‘ may
beprovided with a conventional “pipe thread as5 '
shown, or may be otherwise adapted‘t'o rigid con- -
’ the convolution forms a continuous helix) and to
engage one or more-‘convolutions at the extrem-é ;
nection to a tubular or hollow structure toIwhich *
it is required that external connection'be‘ made.
ity of said section, and longitudinally to compress 50 It is desirable that the ?tting’ “be provided
and maintain the same in ?uid-tight engage
with an ‘enlarged portion‘ I3 ofthexagonal sec
ment with a solid ?tting to which said hose is to
tion, or the ‘equivalent, for engagement by a~.-_
be connected. * In view of the circumferential ’
suitable wrench- or s'pannertoqiacilitate assem--.-
nature of ‘the grooves characterizing this class’
of metallic hose, the portions of the coacting ?t-' 35
bly of the coupling. ‘
1
>
Two identical elements ‘It ‘and I1, each'oi sub- I
2,514,059
3.
stantially semicircularv conformation,
have,
formed upon the interior surfaces, complemen
tary portions of an internal thread, adapted,
when said elements are juxtaposed with their
v?at faces l6’, l1’ together,-to provide a split nut
adapted for engagement with the threaded por
and secured therein, as by soldering or brazing.
are resilient metallic strips 32 and 33 of spring
steel or the like, adapted for bending through a
limitedrangle in a sense parallel to the planes of
said surfaces, and at the same time to inhibit
substantial bending in planes transverse to the
‘Also formed upon the
planes of said surfaces, as well as to maintain a
interior curved faces of the elements It and ll
?xed degree of longitudinal separation between
- tion I! of _ the ?tting ll.
' are portions I8 and M respectively of an inter~
the elements tofwhich they are respectively at
nally directed ?ange having rounded edges and 10 tached,‘thus constituting a pair of clamping‘
members adapted to cooperate with a suitable
adapted to enter the space between two convolu
length of metallic hose in carrying out the pur
tions of the ?exible hose portion it, after the
poses of the invention.
same have been separated by a suitable spread
The selected portion of hose, being suitably
ing tool. The portions of the elements i6 and i1
exterior to the threaded parts are formed to a 15 trimmed at its extremities, and at a distance
smooth surface of cylindrical curvature such that
when said elements are placed in engagement to
apart determined by the spacing of_ the internal
form a ‘nut, said surfaces will have a truly circular
?ange members on the spaced-apart semicircular
half-nuts, the interstices between adjacent con
the threaded portion of the ?tting II. .The ele4
thread for engagement by the threaded portions
volutions are opened by means of a suitable
conformation. ‘A solid ring 20, bored on the in
terior to have a curvature corresponding to the 20 spreading tool, and the ?anges placed in said in-'
terstices, the ?at surfaces l6’, ll’ of elements
exterior surface of the elements l5 and I1, is
being brought into engagement, providing com
adapted to be forced over said surface when said
plete encirclement of the ends of the ?exible
elements are in engagement, whereby to coordi
metallic hose portion, and the internally threaded '
nate them into an integral element having a
portions of said elements combining to form a
continuousthread adapted toi'engagement with
terior surfaces ?attened portions 2|, adaptable
of the ?ttings I l and 25. The rings 20 and 24
are forced over the cylindrical surfaces of the
the same may be e?ectively tightened upon
, screwed into place, engaging the convolutions of
ments l6 and I‘! may have formed upon their ex
corresponding nut-elements, incorporating each
to engagement by a wrench, whereby when said
elements are coordinated into an integral nut 30 into a complete unit, after which the ?ttings are
the ?exible hose portion which lie between the
ends of the ?ttings and the corresponding in;
ternal ?anges, and compressing said convolutions
between a rigid structure, such as a standard
piping system, and a section of ?exible hose of 35 between said ?attened faces and said ?anges. If
desired, there may be placed between the end of
indeterminate length, the combination as‘ thus
the threaded portion [2 of the ?tting H.
Where it is required only to provide a coupling
. far described constitutes the onlynecessary' ap
paratus; and a ?uid-tight joint may be made ac
cording to the method presently to be described.
each ?tting and the compressed convolutions of
the ?exible metallic hose’ a washer or gasket, as
shown at 26 in Fig. 1, whereby in some instances
Where it is desired that there be provided be 40 to improve the joint so formed. There may also '
if desired be provided a resilient washer as shown
tween two rigid bodies a coupling of- limited in
at 21 in Fig. 1, interposed between the retaining
variable length, ?exible for de?ection through a
ring and the enlarged portion of the solid ?tting,
small angle in one plane, and substantially in
whereby to exert an axial constraint between said
?exible in all other directions,ther_e is selected a
portion ill of ?exible metallic hose suited tothe 45. ?tting and ring, effectively preventing any tend
ency of the latter to shift out of complete re- v‘
dimensions of the ?tting II and associated parts
taining engagement with the semicircular
as hereinabove described, and of .a length suited
elements.
7
to the distance to be maintained between said
In Figs. 6 and 7 is shown a form of clamping
bodies. One end of said hose portion being
adapted to connection to the cooperating ele 50 member which may be used alternatively with
those shown in Figs. 3 and 4 for the purpose of
ments described, the remote end is provided with
providing a ?exible connection of ?xed length
an assembly similar in ‘all respects to that set
forth, whereby to form a further rigid connec
between two solid fittings in the same manner
tion. This comprises semicircular portions ‘22
as said last-named members are used.
portions 22 and 23 in de?nite engagement-to .
resilient material secured in a slot for the pure
pose of establishing connection to the similar
element at the remote end of the coupling, there
is provided a wire 36 of spring steel, or equiv-
A semi- -
and 23 identical in all respects with the portions, '55. circular element 35 is formed similar in all re
it and I1, together with a solid ring 24 identical '‘ spects to either of the elements, i6-y-i1, with
the exception that instead of a flat strap of
with the ring 20‘ and adapted for maintaining the >
form a split nut. A solid ?tting 25 similar to the
. ?tting Ii is provided with an" internally project
ing threaded portion, not shown in the drawings, ._
but identical to the portion‘ I! of the ?tting ll,
adapted to engage the internal thread formed by
~ the coacting elements 22, and 23. The fitting 25
‘ may be provided with any convenient means'for
external connection; and, while this may be an
internal thread'similar to-that in the ?tting ll,
' ‘it is here shown as an external threaded portion
v2'! adapted for ‘engagement by 'a suitable nut. ' >
,
alent material having circular cross section, said
' wire being secured in a hole lldrilled in the ma
terial of the ?tting 35. A further ‘feature
wherein the member shownin Figs. 6 and '7 dif
fers from those shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is found
in the omission of the ?attened surfaces 2|
shown in Fig. 4, and the provision of a radial
opening II formed in the outer periphery of the
The elements It and vi‘! are providediwith di-' - 70 fitting and adapted to engagement by a suitable
spanner for the purpose of rotating the element,
ametrically opposed slots” and “formed, as
when combined with similar part to form .a
' by milling, at points 90 degrees'fremoved fromthe
complete nut- for coacting .with the externally‘
plane surfaces I6’, i'lf of said elements; and aim
threaded portion of the solid ?tting. It is un
ilarslots are formed in they corresponding parts
‘or the elements‘ :2 and a. Placed in said slots, 75 derstood that the replacement of the ?at sur
’
i
'
9,814,059 '
faces 2| by the opening 38 is not necessarily re
stricted to that form of ‘element which is pro
vided with the wire 36 instead of a ?at strip of
spring material, but is adapted to any form of
interconnection within the spirit of the inven
through said strips or wires 49, said perpendicrh
lar plane either passing through or extending
substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of
' tion, and that said elements may be‘ provided
ture 50, extending into the main body of the
housing 40, and terminating in an enlarged head
portion 5|, said structure and head portion, to
gether with the ?exible coupling, forming an
with any super?cial conformation adapted to
' engagement by a suitable wrench or spanner.
There has thus been provided for ?exible me
the bellows 42.
'
'
Secured to the ?tting 48 is a tubular struc
, tallic hose of the “annular convolution" type a 10 inner shell or housing, movable through a limited
coupling whereby to produce a ?uid tight seal
‘ between said hose and a rigid structure,- with a
angle as permitted by the ?exible hose: portion
41 and constrained by the strips 49. "The in
minimum number of component parts, and one
which, by virtue of the incorporation of the func
tions of an internally directed ?ange and a split
communication with the atmosphere through the
aperture in the end of the projection“, and
terior of said inner shell or housing is in free
nut in a common element, effects the desired
result by means of an assembly having a' mini
mum diameter in excess of that of the hose'ma
is completely sealed from the interior of the‘
housing 40. Rigidly mounted on the end of the
terial, and is hence adapted to use in restricted
spaces. As any example of the special adapt
shell or housing as above constituted is a sup
ability of, a coupling of the type incorporating
ber 53 for free, rotation, and extending through
'" the principles of the invention to use in a re
projection 44 and extending within the inner
port 52 having journalled therein a shaft mem
the mounting in the aperture at the end of the
stricted space, there is shown in Fig. 8 a view,
projection 44, and externally of the meter body
partly in section, of a differential ?uid-pressure
adapted for attachment of an index, pointer, or
meter utilizing such a coupling member as a .
other instrumentality, not shown in the drawing,
?exible seal between internal and atmospheric
pressure. This type of instrument is fully dis
closed and claimed in copending application Se
whereby to measure or otherwise utilize the
angular de?ection of said shaft member. Car
ried by the inner end'of the shaft member 53,
rial No. 483,824, ?led April 20, 1943, by James
within the enlarged portion 5| of the inner mov
R. Hicks, one‘ of the present applicants, now 30 able housing, is a drum or sector member 54, said
Patent No. 2,441,882.
sector member being operatively connected to
I Referring to Fig. 8, the numeral 40 designates
the interior walls of the enlarged portion 5! by
». an extended shell, housing or meter body adapt
link members 55 whereby motion of the inner
1 ed to contain elements of ‘a measuring instru
housing in its plane of freedom will impart angu
mentality presently to be described, and having
lar motion/to said sector member and thereby
I, a removable cover-plate 4|, whereby access may
be had to said elements. Internally attached to
one end of said housing is a closed expansible
bellows member 42 having its interior in com
munication with a conduit 43, and adapted to
vary its linear dimensions in correspondence with
the difference in magnitude between a ?uid
pressure interiorly applied through said conduit
and pressure applied to the outside surface of
said bellows. Laterally extending from the
housing "40 near its extremity remote from the
attachment of the bellows member 42 is a tubu
lar projection 44, having a ?attened outer end
with an‘ aperture therein adapted for mount
ing of certain elements of the mechanism. A
. conduiti'member 45 communicating with the in
" terior of the shell or housing 40 provides for
the external application of ?uid pressure to the
bellows member 42, so that the magnitude of
the di?erence between pressures in the conduits
to the shaft member 53. A ?exible link 51 pro
vides operative connection between the inner
extremity of the bellows member 42 and the outer
surface of the head portion 5|, to cause said
head portion to partake of de?ections of said
bellows member with variations in differential
pressure to which the same is subjected. Thus,
the de?ected position of the inner housing in
the plane of motion permitted by the ?exible
coupling will be representative of the magnitude
of the differential pressure between the conduits
43 and 45, and this, being communicated through
the links 55 and 56 to the sector member 54 and
thereby to the shaft 53, will impart to the latter
a proportional angular de?ection, which will be
a measure of the differential pressure.
'
While no invention is, herein claimed for the
differential pressure gauge, all of which is cov
ered in the hereinbefore mentioned Hicks appli
cation, Serial No. 483,824, it will be apparent that
43 and 45 will be expressed' by a linear deforma- ' the form of ?exible member covered by the pres
tion of said member within the housing 40. Se
ent invention is especially applicable to that
cured to the inner -face of the projecting,_por
form of apparatus. The outstanding advantages
tion 44 is the solid end ?tting 46 of a ?exible
accruing to said member in its designated use
coupling 'member similar to that shown in Fig.
60 both in accordance with the principles of the
'lnand including a section of metallic hose 41,
invention, and as fully demonstrated by experi
sun-‘a further solid ?tting 43, said ?tting/and
ment, may be summarized as follows: (1) The
hose“being coordinated into a ?exible tubular
coupling may be assembled, and disassembled
structure according to the manner hereinbefore
without the use of brazing, soldering, or welding
set forth. Diametrically opposed strips or wires
65 processes. (2) The small over-all diameter of
49 of spring material (only one of which ap
the unit, as compared with other mechanical
pears in the drawing) serve to maintain the solid
types not having integral parts each of which
fittings 45 and 41 at a ?xed distance apart, and
combines the nut and ?ange functions, lends
to limit the ?exure of the coupling element to a
itself to use in the relatively restricted space pro
direction substantially parallel to the line of de
vided within the meter body or housing.
?ection of the bellows member 42 -_ with changes
Constraint of ?exure to a single plane improves
in di?erential pressure to which said member is
accuracy of measurement, and also inhibits un
subjected. ‘ In other words, the longitudinal ‘axis
desirable vibration in other planes. (4) The
of said-coupling element can ?ex only in a plane
de?nite length established by the resilient rein- ,
substantially perpendicular to the planepassing 75 forcing strips or wire effectually prevents longi
2,514,000
7
tudinal deformation with variation of static pres
sure within the meter body and thus prevents
such misalignment of the interior mechanism as
might take place under extreme pressures in
forms of flow meter not so equipped.
tlally semi-circular formation and means for
integrating said elements into coupled relation
to said tubing, corresponding semi-circular por
tions of said coupling means being integrally in
terconnected by means of diametrically opposed
The terms and expressions which we have em
ployed are used as terms of description and not
of limitation, and we have no intention, in the
use of such terms and expressions, of excluding
resilient members non-deformable in a longi
tudinal sense, whereby to permit limited ?exure
of said tubing in a plane perpendicular to that
containing said members and to inhibit ?exure
in said containing plane, and at the same time
to inhibit deformation of said tubing under lon
gitudinal stress.
anyequivalents of the features shown and de
scribed or portions thereof, but recognize that
various modifications are possible within the
scope of the invention claimed.
4. In a differential-pressure-responsive meas
uring instrument, a casing, an element within
1. A ?exible tubular structure comprising a 15 said casing responsive to a differential pressure,
section' of corrugated metallic tubing provided
a ?exible tubular structure in said casing com
at each of its extremities with fittings comprising
prising a section of ?exible metal tubing pro
split nuts, the separating surfaces of said re
vided at its extremities with rigid ?ttings, one
spective nuts lying substantially in a common
of said ?ttings being secured to a wall of said
plane, and resilient extended members of ?xed 20 casing, means connecting the other of said ?t
We claim:
_
length, each integrally connecting corresponding
parts of said fittings at opposite extremities of
tings to said di?erential-pressure-responsive ele
said tubing and extending between points on the
same side of said plane, whereby to inhibit
deformation of said tubing section under longi
tudinal stress while enabling fiexure of said sec
tion in a given plane.
2. A ?exible tubular structure comprising _a.
prising members extending between said ?ttings
and integrally secured thereto for enabling ?ex
ment for movement therewith, and means com
Ni.
ure of said tubing in a given plane to permit
movement of the last-mentioned ?tting with said
differential-pressure-responsive element while
inhibiting ?exure of said tubing in other planes,
section of corrugated metallic tubing provided
said members also being longitudinally rigid to
at each of its extremities with ?ttings compris 30 inhibit deformation of said tubing under longi
ing split nuts, the separating surfaces of said
tudinal stress.
nuts lying substantially in a common plane, and
JAMES R. HICKS.
resilient extended members, each integrally con
RAYMOND S. ELLIS.
Ul
necting corresponding parts of said ?ttings at
opposite extremities of said tubing and extend 35
REFERENCES CITED
ing between points on the same side of said plane,
The following references are of record in the
said resilient members lying substantially in a
tile of this patent:
plane diametric to said ?ttings and intersecting
UNITED STATES PATENTS
said separating plane, whereby to inhibit ?exure
of said tubing in a sense parallel to the plane 40 Number ~
containing said resilient members while enabling
limited ?exure in a sense normal to the same.
3. A flexible tubular structure comprising a
section of corrugated metallic tubing having at
each of its extremities coupling means compris
ing complemental split nut elements of substan
540,102
932,805
1,038,012
1.191A86
2,014,355
2,335,478
Name
Date
Kirshman ________ __ May 28,
McLaughlin ______ __ Aug. 31,
Sobey __________ __ Sept. 10,
Tyler ____________ __ July 18,
Hussman ________ __ Sept. 10,
Bergman _______ __ Nov. 30,
1895
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1943