Energy Control Systems, Inc.

Coupling Systems, Incorporated

James M Royston

John A Samudovsky

A vented gas riser for use in a system for conducting pressurized gas through a gas carrier pipe from a gas supply source line located below ground level to a delivery point disposed above ground is provided. A fluid tight gas riser protective casing is disposed around said carrier pipe and creates a gas escape passageway in an elongate annular space between the carrier pipe and the casing. Any gas which leaks from the gas carrier pipe is captured in the gas escape passageway. A riser transition head, which includes at least one vent passageway, provides a fluid connection with said gas escape passageway and with the atmosphere such that any gas which leaks in the vicinity of the gas escape passageway can escape through the at least one vent into the atmosphere.

Vented gas riser apparatus

A vented gas riser for use in a system for conducting pressurized gas through a gas carrier pipe from a gas supply source line located below ground level to a delivery point disposed above ground is provided. A fluid tight gas riser protective casing is disposed around said carrier pipe and creates a gas escape passageway in an elongate annular space between the carrier pipe and the casing. A containment chamber is disposed below ground level which creates a confined space which has, as its only egress, a fluid connection to a gas escape passageway. Any gas which leaks into the containment chamber is directed into the gas escape passageway. A riser transition head, which includes at least one vent passageway, provides a fluid connection with said gas escape passageway and with the atmosphere such that any gas which leaks into said containment chamber is directed through the gas escape passageway and through the at least one vent and into the atmosphere.

A pipe coupling is provided having a sleeve with frusto-conical ends, elastomeric gaskets fitting in said frusto-conical ends, a follower at each end of the sleeve, tightening bolts acting on the followers to move them axially together to compress the elastomeric gaskets radially into sealing engagement with the pipe ends, a back up ring having a frusto-conical opening spaced from each follower opposite the sleeve, frusto-conical opening in each said back up ring having its largest opening toward said sleeve, a frusto-conical split jaw in each back up ring and auxiliary tightening means for moving the back up rings towards the adjacent followers to compress said jaws into the pipe ends.

Pipe couplings

A coupling is provided for spaced coaxial pipe ends to be connected having a sleeve or middle ring with frusto-conical enlarged ends receiving the pipe ends to be connected coaxially thereof, elastomeric gaskets having a frusto-conical portion fitting the ends of the middle ring, follower members bearing on the gaskets to urge them into the middle ring ends, tightening members drawing the follower members toward each other, an insulating sleeve surrounding at least one pipe end with a depending radially inward spacer member and an insulating member having the shape of the follower member between the follower member and the pipe and middle ring and having a flange coaxial of the pipe extending through said follower member around the pipe. An electrical connector means may be metallurgically bonded to the middle ring. In cases when the pipe ends are anchored, one or two back-up rings may be added adjacent one or both followers with frusto-conical jaws in a frusto-conical opening in the back-up ring and an insulating member therebetween. An elastomer seal ring may be placed between the back-up rings and adjacent follower.

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Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America

James M Royston