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:
Apr. 11, 1995
Filed:
Jul. 09, 1993
Brian Hart, Wakefield, GB;
Cooper Industries, Inc., Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
A connector for connecting two tubular members (1,2) having annular flanges (3,4) at their ends. The connector comprising an actuating ring (13) movable in the axial direction of the tubular members (1,2), a plurality of upper dogs (15) for engaging the flange (3) of the upper tubular member (1) and a corresponding plurality of lower dogs (17) for engaging the flange (4) of the lower tubular member (2). Each pair of upper (15) and lower (17) dogs are connected by a stud (24) and are axially separable providing a sealed cavity (22) between the dogs which is supplied, in use, with hydraulic fluid. In use, the supply of hydraulic fluid to the cavity (22) forces the upper (15) and lower (17) dogs apart to tension the stud, so that, when the dogs are moved adjacent to the upper and lower flanges (3,4) and the pressure in the cavities (22) is released, the tension in the stud will be released allowing the upper (15) and lower (17) dogs to slide back together and clamp the upper (3) and lower (4) flanges together.