EP0146316A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Mehtod of joining pipe
Assignee: Cooper Industries LLC
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Filing: 1984-12-06
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2004-12-06
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for joining two tubular members B and P together at a subsea location wherein one of the tubular members has internal grooves 90, 92, 94 and the second tubular member is sufficiently small to slide into the first tubular member and the first tubular member has an external flange suitable for connection to a flowline, which apparatus includes a tubular mandrel 10 having means for connecting to said first tubular member B, a resilient sleeve 60a surrounding said mandrel and adapted to be positioned within said second tubular member P, volume compensating means 98 positioned within each of said grooves and testing means 70 carried by said mandrel to allow testing of the joint while the mandrel is still in position after forming. A method of joining tubular members at a subsea location including the steps of inserting the second tubular member within the first tubular member after the volume compensators have been inserted in the internal grooves in the first member, exerting fluid pressure on the interior of the second tubular to form the second tubular member against the internal grooves of the first tubular member and testing the formed joint while the mandrel is still in position within said second tubular member. A second form of the invention includes the use of microspheres in an epoxy matrix positioned in internal grooves of the bell which are designed to collapse at pressures above the water pressure at the depth of the installation of the joint and at a pressure below the pressures which develop in trapped sea water in the groove during forming.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas R. Schmitz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 13:22
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16L; F16L13/00; F16L13/14; F16L13/147; B; B21; B21D; B21D39/00; B21D39/04; F16L1/00; F16L1/26; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S285/00; Y10S285/91; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49826; Y10T29/49908; Y10T29/49938; Y10T29/4994
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
140 words
An apparatus for securing one tubular member to another tubular member wherein the first tubular member has an internal diameter sufficiently large to receive the other tubular member therein and has an internal groove and a means for being connected into a pipeline, said apparatus including: a tubular mandrel having external means for remotely connecting to and disconnecting from the first tubular member, a resilient sleeve surrounding said mandrel between shoulder means on said mandrel and having a diameter to slide into the other of said tubular members, means for delivering fluid under pressure to the interior of said sleeve to cause said sleeve to exert a pressure on the interior of said other tubular member to force it in the outward direction, and characterized by volume compensating means in said groove on the interior of said first tubular member.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
140 words
An apparatus for securing one tubular member to another tubular member wherein the first tubular member has an internal diameter sufficiently large to receive the other tubular member therein and has an internal groove and a means for being connected into a pipeline, said apparatus including: a tubular mandrel having external means for remotely connecting to and disconnecting from the first tubular member, a resilient sleeve surrounding said mandrel between shoulder means on said mandrel and having a diameter to slide into the other of said tubular members, means for delivering fluid under pressure to the interior of said sleeve to cause said sleeve to exert a pressure on the interior of said other tubular member to force it in the outward direction, and characterized by volume compensating means in said groove on the interior of said first tubular member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 including means for pressure testing between said tubular members after the other member has been forced into engagement with the groove of the first member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said first member is a bell having a connecting flange.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said volume compensating means includes a collapsible gas filled tube positioned in grooves on the interior of said first tubular member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said volume compensating means includes collapsible microspheres in a matrix positioned in grooves on the interior of said first tubular member.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
129 words
The method of joining a first tubular member having an internal groove and an external flange to a second tubular member having a diameter allowing it to be received within the first tubular member including the steps of: inserting the second tubular member within the first tubular member with a resilient sleeve of a joining apparatus positioned within the second tubular member, exerting fluid pressure within said resilient sleeve to cause said second tubular member to be formed outward into said groove in said first tubular member to form a sealed joint between said tubular members, and characterized by testing the joint between said first and second tubular members to verify that it is fluid tight while said resilient sleeve is still in position within said second tubular member.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
129 words
The method of joining a first tubular member having an internal groove and an external flange to a second tubular member having a diameter allowing it to be received within the first tubular member including the steps of: inserting the second tubular member within the first tubular member with a resilient sleeve of a joining apparatus positioned within the second tubular member, exerting fluid pressure within said resilient sleeve to cause said second tubular member to be formed outward into said groove in said first tubular member to form a sealed joint between said tubular members, and characterized by testing the joint between said first and second tubular members to verify that it is fluid tight while said resilient sleeve is still in position within said second tubular member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method according to claim 6 including the step of introducing a volume compensation means into said groove in said first tubular member prior to said step of exerting fluid pressure.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
116 words
The method of joining a first tubular member having an internal groove and an external flange to a second tubular member having a diameter allowing it to be received within the first tubular member including the steps of: inserting the second tubular member within the first tubular member with a resilient sleeve of a joining apparatus positioned within the second tubular member, exerting fluid pressure within said resilient sleeve to cause said second tubular member to be formed outward into said groove in said first tubular member to seal said members together, and characterized by compensating for volume change in the groove of said first tubular member without venting such groove through the first tubular member.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
116 words
The method of joining a first tubular member having an internal groove and an external flange to a second tubular member having a diameter allowing it to be received within the first tubular member including the steps of: inserting the second tubular member within the first tubular member with a resilient sleeve of a joining apparatus positioned within the second tubular member, exerting fluid pressure within said resilient sleeve to cause said second tubular member to be formed outward into said groove in said first tubular member to seal said members together, and characterized by compensating for volume change in the groove of said first tubular member without venting such groove through the first tubular member.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method according to claim 8 wherein such volume compensating step includes positioning a collapsible gas filled tube in the groove prior to the step of inserting the second tubular member within said first tubular member.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method according to claim 9 wherein such volume compensating step includes positioning collapsible microspheres in a matrix in the groove prior to the step of inserting the second tubular member within said first tubular member.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
73 words
A tubular member to be joined with a second tubular member having a tubular body having an internal diameter sufficiently large to receive the other tubular member therein, at least one internal groove in said tubular body, and characterized by volume compensating means positioned within said groove whereby fluid trapped between the tubular members when the second tubular member is deformed radially outwardly to form a connection remains below a preselected pressure level.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
73 words
A tubular member to be joined with a second tubular member having a tubular body having an internal diameter sufficiently large to receive the other tubular member therein, at least one internal groove in said tubular body, and characterized by volume compensating means positioned within said groove whereby fluid trapped between the tubular members when the second tubular member is deformed radially outwardly to form a connection remains below a preselected pressure level.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
A tubular member according to claim 11 including a flange.- surrounding the exterior end of said tubular body opposite from said end containing said groove.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
A tubular member according to claim 11 or 12 wherein said volume compensating means includes a collapsible gas filled tube positioned within said groove.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
33 words
A tubular member according to claim 11 wherein said tubular body includes a plurality of internal grooves in close spaced relationship to. each other, and volume compensating means in each of said grooves.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
DE3144385A1
Cited
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