The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 25, 1985
Filed:
Mar. 31, 1982
William L Pringle, Grosse Pointe Shores, MI (US);
United States Steel Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Abstract
A tube construction includes first and second tube members 16, 24, each of the tube members 16, 24 having a flared end portion 96. A joint for connecting the tube member 16, 24 together includes an annular resilient seal 98 having a pair of side faces 100. Each of the side faces 100 includes an outwardly tapering flat portion 101 and integral intermediate portion 103 as viewed in cross section. The joint further includes an annular ferrule 18 having a pair of inwardly sloping annular portions 26, 102 and an annular central portion 104 interconnecting the inwardly sloping annular portions 26, 102. Each of the inwardly sloping annular portions 26, 102 engages the flared end portions 96 so that the flared end portions 96 are clamped between the inwardly sloping annular portions 26, 102 and against the side faces 100 with the intermediate portion 101 of the seal 98 clamped between the open ends of the flared end portions 96 to perfect a seal between the two tube members 16, 24. An apparatus 10 for joining the tube members 16, 24 together includes a first tube support 12 having a pocket 14 for receiving the first tube 16 with the ferrule 18 disposed thereon and a second tube support 20 having a pocket 22 for receiving the second tube support 24. A hydraulic actuator moves the first and second tube supports 12, 20 between an open position for receiving the first and second tubes 16, 24 in the pockets 14, 22 and a closed position to crimp the cylindrical portion 28 of the ferrule 18 over the outside of the flared end 96 of the second tube 24. The apparatus is characterized by at least one of the first and second tube supports 12, 20 including a pair of arms 28, 30, 32, 34 pivotally connected together along the respective lengths for scissor-like movement between a receiving position opening the pockets 14, 22 therein and a retaining position closing the pockets 14, 22 therein.