GB2024973A
Expired / Lapsed
GB
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tube Fitting Assembly With Deformable Seal
Assignee: RIDENOUR RALPH
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Filing: 1979-06-18
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Granted: —
•
Expires: 1999-06-18
Abstract
Abstract A tube fitting assembly is disclosed wherein a ductile metal tube 17 is forced into first and second orifices 23 and 24 within a fitting 16. The tube 17 is closely received within the first orifice 23 and the second orifice 24 is larger so that the axial force on the tube axially contracts the tube to form a radially expanded bead on the tube substantially filling the second orifice. This establishes a fluid tight seal between the tube and the fitting and also retains the tube in the fitting. An annular deformable seal member 28 is also provided between an outer surface of the tube and an inner surface of the fitting and this seal may be a rubber-like O-ring or a composition material which is more yieldable than the material of the tube and fitting, may be set up from a liquid or plastic sealant material, or may be a deformable wall of the fitting. The force used to axially contract and radially expand portions of the tube is also utilised to compress the deformable seal between an outer surface of the tube and an inner surface of the fitting to make doubly sure of a good fluid-tight seal. The tube fitting assembly is thus able to withstand higher pressures, suddenly applied pressures, corrosive fluids, and extreme and rapid changes in temperature, with only a negligible number of failure of the assemblies. <IMAGE>
Inventors
No inventors recorded.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
GB
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 14:04
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16L; F16L13/00; F16L13/14; F16L13/16; F16L13/165; B; B21; B21D; B21D39/00; B21D39/04; F16L13/10; F16L13/103; F16L13/166; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49826; Y10T29/49908; Y10T29/49938; Y10T29/4994
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 49
Claim 1
Independent Claim
178 words
A tube fitting assembly comprising, in combination:
a fitting having a first wall defining a first orifice through at least a portion of said fitting,
said fitting having a second wall defining a second orifice substantially coaxial with and extending along at least a portion of said first orifice,
said second orifice having a greater cross-sectional area than said first orifice,
a tube having an inner and an outer tube wall with a first portion of said outer tube wall having an outer cross-sectional area substantially equal to said first orifice and being disposed in said first orifice,
retention means longitudinally retaining said tube within said fitting and including a second portion of said tube longitudinally compressed to have two annular parts of said inner tube wall in mutual engagement to establish a radially expanded bead portion of the outer tube wall acting against and being radially restrained by said second wall of said fitting,
and an annular deformable seal member in sealing engagement between an outer surface of said tube and an inner surface of said fitting.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
178 words
A tube fitting assembly comprising, in combination:
a fitting having a first wall defining a first orifice through at least a portion of said fitting,
said fitting having a second wall defining a second orifice substantially coaxial with and extending along at least a portion of said first orifice,
said second orifice having a greater cross-sectional area than said first orifice,
a tube having an inner and an outer tube wall with a first portion of said outer tube wall having an outer cross-sectional area substantially equal to said first orifice and being disposed in said first orifice,
retention means longitudinally retaining said tube within said fitting and including a second portion of said tube longitudinally compressed to have two annular parts of said inner tube wall in mutual engagement to establish a radially expanded bead portion of the outer tube wall acting against and being radially restrained by said second wall of said fitting,
and an annular deformable seal member in sealing engagement between an outer surface of said tube and an inner surface of said fitting.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
A tube fitting assembly as set forth in Claim 1, wherein said annular seal member is established adjacent a longitudinal shoulder of said fitting.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
A tube fitting assembly as set forth in Claim 1, wherein said annular deformable seal member acts between a longitudinal shoulder on said fitting and a longitudinal shoulder on said tube.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
A tube fitting assembly as set forth in Claim 1, wherein said annular seal member is an axially thin washer shaped member longitudinally pressed between a longitudinal shoulder on said fitting and a longitudinal shoulder on said tube.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
A tube fitting assembly as set forth in Claim 1, wherein said fitting has an outer surface surrounding said first orifice,
and said second orifice is spaced from said outer surface.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
A tube fitting assembly as set forth in Claim 5, wherein said annular deformable seal member is an O-ring.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
A tube fitting assembly as set forth in Claim 5, wherein said annular deformable seal member is a flat washer shaped element.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
A tube fitting assembly as set forth in Claim 7, wherein said seal member is disposed between said first and second walls.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
A tube fitting assembly as set forth in Claim 7, wherein said seal member is disposed between an end of said tube and said fitting.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
A tube fitting assembly as set forth in Claim 1, wherein said annular deformable seal member is an O-ring disposed in an annular groove in said fitting and engaging said outer wall of said tube.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
A tube fitting assembly as set forth in Claim 10, wherein said tube has a second radially expanded portion in engagement with said O-ring.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
47 words
A tube fitting assembly as set forth in Claim 11, wherein said retention means includes a third coaxial wall in said fitting defining a third orifice smaller in cross-sectional area than said second orifice and disposed between said second wall and an outer surface of the fitting.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
A tube fitting assembly as set forth in Claim 1, wherein said second orifice extends to an outer surface of said fitting,
and said radially expanded bead portion is exposed adjacent said outer surface of said fitting.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
A tube fitting assembly as set forth in Claim 1 3, wherein said seal member includes an Oring.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
A tube fitting assembly as set forth in Claim 13, wherein said seal member is an axially thin washer shaped member.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
A tube fitting assembly as set forth in Claim 1 5, wherein said seal member is disposed between said first and second walls.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
46 words
A tube fitting assembly as set forth in Claim 1, wherein said retention means includes a third wall in said fitting defining a third orifice smaller in cross-sectional area than said second orifice and disposed between said second wall and an outer surface of the fitting.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
33 words
A tube fitting assembly as set forth in Claim 17, wherein said retention means includes an inwardly facing shoulder between said second and third walls and engaging an outer surface on said tube.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
A tube fitting assembly as set forth in Claim 1, wherein said deformable seal member is resilient.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
24 words
A tube fitting assembly as set forth in Claim 1, wherein said deformable seal member is a solid set up from a liquid material.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
20 words
A tube fitting assembly as set forth in Claim 1, wherein said deformable seal member is unitary with said fitting.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
46 words
A tube fitting assembly as set forth in Claim 1, wherein said deformable seal member is an annular extension of said first wall extending into said second orifice and being deformed with a radially inward component to engage a complementary groove in the outer tube wall.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
199 words
A method of forming an assembly of a tube and a fitting wherein the tube has inner and outer walls and the fitting has first and second walls defining first and second orifices, respectively, with the second orifice extending along a portion of the first orifice and being of larger cross-sectional area, comprising, the steps of::
holding the fitting,
holding the tube,
inserting an end of the tube into the first orifice of the fitting,
securing the tube end relative to the fitting to prevent relative axial movement therebetween,
axially contracting the length of the tube between the tube end and the tube holder by relative axial movement between the tube holder and the fitting holder to form an annular enlarged bead within the second orifice from material of the contracted tube length,
continuing the axial contraction of the tube length until two annular parts of the inner tube wall are compressed into mutual engagement to establish a radially expanded bead on the outer tube wall acting against and being radially restrained by said second wall of said fitting,
and establishing an annular deformed seal between an outer surface of said tube and an inner surface of said fitting.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
199 words
A method of forming an assembly of a tube and a fitting wherein the tube has inner and outer walls and the fitting has first and second walls defining first and second orifices, respectively, with the second orifice extending along a portion of the first orifice and being of larger cross-sectional area, comprising, the steps of::
holding the fitting,
holding the tube,
inserting an end of the tube into the first orifice of the fitting,
securing the tube end relative to the fitting to prevent relative axial movement therebetween,
axially contracting the length of the tube between the tube end and the tube holder by relative axial movement between the tube holder and the fitting holder to form an annular enlarged bead within the second orifice from material of the contracted tube length,
continuing the axial contraction of the tube length until two annular parts of the inner tube wall are compressed into mutual engagement to establish a radially expanded bead on the outer tube wall acting against and being radially restrained by said second wall of said fitting,
and establishing an annular deformed seal between an outer surface of said tube and an inner surface of said fitting.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as set forth in claim 23, including the step of establishing a longitudinal shoulder on said fitting against which said annular seal has a sealing engagement.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method as set forth in claim 23, including the step of forming an annular groove in said fitting, and placing said annular seal in said annular groove to engage the outer surface of said tube.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method as set forth in claim 25, including the step of axially contracting the length of the tube sufficiently to establish an annular bead extending radially into sealing engagement with said annular seal to deform same.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method as set forth in claim 23, including the step of forming longitudinal shoulders on each of the fitting and the tube with said annular seal positioned in sealing engagement with each of said shoulders.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
58 words
A method as set forth in claim 23, including the steps of forming the second orifice along an intermediate portion of the first orifice to be spaced from an outside surface of the fitting which surrounds the first orifice,
and axially contracting the length of the tube to provide a radially expanded bead trapped within the second orifice.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
55 words
A method as set forth in claim 28, wherein the second orifice has first and second
longitudinal shoulders facing in opposite directions,
and wherein the axial contraction of the length of the tube is continued until the radially expanded
bead trapped within the second orifice is in engagement with each of said oppositely facing shoulders.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method as set forth in claim 29, including the steps of positioning said annular seal in a
groove,
and continuing the axial contraction of the tube to deform the tube radially outwardly into
engagement with said annular seal to deform the same.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as set forth in claim 28, including the step of positioning said annular seal between
the first and second walls.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method as set forth in claim 28, including the step of providing a cylindrical extension on
said tube holder to aid in axially contracting the tube wall for radial expansion thereof against the
second wall.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method as set forth in claim 23, including the steps of forming the second orifice adjacent
an outside surface of the fitting,
and forming said radially expanded bead within the second orifice to be exposed at the outside surface of the fitting.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as set forth in claim 33, including the step of continuing the axial contraction of the tube to deform the tube radially outwardly into engagement with said annular seal.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as set forth in claim 33, including the step of positioning said annular seal between the first and second walls.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method as set forth in claim 23, including the step of cold-working an outside surface of the fitting in areas surrounding the tube to form an inwardly facing shoulder on the fitting acting against said radially expanded bead.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method as set forth in claim 23, including the step of providing an annular tooth on said tube holder to engage an outer surface of the fitting to coid-work the fitting and form an inwardly facing shoulder thereon.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as set forth in claim 23, wherein said annular deformable seal is resilient.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as set forth in claim 23, wherein said annular deformable seal is a deformed wall unitary with said fitting.
Claim 42
Independent Claim
69 words
A method as set forth in claim-23, including the steps of forming said first wall with an annular extension wall extending into said second orifice,
and continuing the axial contraction of the tube length until said radially expanded bead acts with a component of force radially inwardly to deform said extension wall inwardly toward the tube axis to form a complementary groove in the outer wall of said tube.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method as set forth in claim 23, including the steps of applying a settable liquid to the space between the tube and the fitting,
and axially contracting the length of the tube to deform the settable liquid into an annular area to establish said annular deformed seal.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
26 words
A tube fitting assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in any one of Figures 1 to 9 of the accompanying drawings.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
26 words
A tube fitting assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in any one of Figures 1 to 9 of the accompanying drawings.
Claim 46
Independent Claim
23 words
A method of assembling a tube fitting assembly, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 10 to 14 of the accompanying drawings.
Claim 47
Independent Claim
23 words
A method of assembling a tube fitting assembly, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 10 to 14 of the accompanying drawings.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
9 words
Any novel feature or combination of features described herein.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
9 words
Any novel feature or combination of features described herein.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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