Hunting Oilfield Services (uk) Ltd.

Hunting Oilfield Services, Inc.

John D McGugan

Norman Lumsden

Norman Buckley

Michael J Mackie

William A Turner

Robert A Hunt

A connector comprises a first coupling assembly comprising a first coupling member associated with an annular body from which extend a plurality of radially flexible fingers provided at their ends with engagement ribs engageable in grooves in a second coupling member to be abutted against the first coupling member. The fingers are held in their radially inner engaged position by a locking ring axially movable relative to the annular body between a locking position and an inoperative position. The locking ring may be associated a disengagement portion which, as the locking ring moves to its inoperative position, engages the ends of the fingers to move them radially outwardly to disengage the ribs from the grooves. The annular body may be axially movable relative to the first coupling member or fixed relative thereto. When fixed, guide vanes may be provided between the fingers to define a guide surface in the region of the ribs which lies between the operative and inoperative positions of the fingers to prevent inadvertent contact of the ribs and grooves when the fingers are in their inoperative positions.

Connectors

A clamping device for clamping on to an elongate member, e.g. for supporting a component on the member or for strengthening the member itself, comprises an annular shell for surrounding the member, the shell being formed by a plurality of generally part annular segments, each segment having generally axially extending edges provided with outwardly projecting ribs, juxtaposed ribs of adjacent segments being engaged by engagement means to hold the segments around the elongate member. The ribs are generally wedge shaped in the axial direction of the shell. The engagement members have grooves for receiving and engaging a pair of juxtaposed ribs, the grooves having an overall shape corresponding to shape of the pair of juxtaposed ribs and are slidable axially along the ribs to draw the ribs and segments together around the elongate member. The inner surface of the shell may have a shape corresponding to that of the elongate member for engagement therewith directly or through a resiliently compressible layer, the clamping force being applied to the shell by engagement of the engagement members with the ribs, or wedge members may be provided between the shell and the elongate member, relative axial movement between the wedge members and the shell producing the required clamping stress in the shell.

Clamping devices for use with elongate members

A pipe connector comprises a tubular pin member having an outer generally frusto-conical peripheral surface provided with annular projections, and a tubular box member having an inner peripheral surface corresponding to the peripheral surface of the pin member, which overlies the peripheral surface of the pin member when the members are fully engaged together, and is provided with annular grooves in which the projections on the pin member are engaged. At the inner end of the peripheral surface of the pin member, the pin member is provided with an annular projection extending in the direction of the free end thereof, overlying the peripheral surface thereof and providing a first radially outer radial surface portion and a second radially inner radially inwardly directed surface portion. The free end of the box member is provided with corresponding radial and radially outwardly directed surface portions. A corresponding projection is provided at the inner end of the peripheral surface of the box member with corresponding radial and radially outwardly directed surface portions, the free end of the pin member being provided with corresponding radial and radially inwardly directed surface portions. The pairs of radially inwardly and outwardly directed surface portions are in contact when the pin and box members are fully engaged together, and one of the pairs of radial surfaces are in contact when the members are fully engaged together.

Pipe connectors

A pipe connector comprises a split annular ring for surrounding and engaging the end portions of two pipes. The ring has a generally U-shaped radial section providing arms having inwardly extending transverse surfaces directed towards each other and which, when the ring is engaged on the pipe ends, engage outwardly extending transverse surfaces on the pipe ends. The ring is permanently engaged with one pipe and is resiliently expandable to permit engagement of the other pipe therewith, corresponding surface portions of the pipe end portion and ring being shaped so that the ring is automatically expanded as the other pipe end portion is engaged therewith. Centering and guiding means comprising a cylindrical extension on the one pipe which is received within the other pipe are provided for maintaining coaxiality between the pipes as they are brought together and the other pipe is engaged with the ring.

A connector for connecting the abutted end portions of two pipes includes a ring having a pair of radially inwardly extending surfaces directed towards each other and each for engagement with a radially outwardly extending surface on a respective pipe end. The surfaces on the pipe ends are directed away from the respective pipe ends and the connector includes operating means for causing radial expansion of the ring to disengage the ring from one of the pipes, the ring remaining engaged with the other pipe. To this end the corresponding surfaces on the ring and the other pipe have a greater radial extent than the surfaces on the ring and the one pipe, so that the former surfaces remain engaged for all conditions of use of the connector. The connector is particularly suited for connecting the pipe sections of a pipe string for use in the drilling and/or completion of offshore oil or gas wells, particularly where the pipe string is to be subject to high axial load for example in pile driving.

A pipe connector comprises a tubular pin member and a tubular box member which are telescopically engageable, the pin and box members having corresponding frusto-conical inner and outer peripheral surfaces respectively which peripheral surfaces are in contact when the members are engaged, the surfaces being provided with annular projection and groove means which are interengaged when the members are engaged to axially lock the members together.

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Aberdeen, United Kingdom

John D McGugan