Zero load pump flange connection

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRING A CRYOGENIC LIQUID FROM LIQUID-SUPPLY EQUIPMENT TO A REMOTE FIXED LOCATION WITHOUT IMPOSING BREAKING STRAINS ON SAID EQUIPMENT, COMPRISING: FIRST AND SECOND DOUBLE-WALLED TRANSFER SECTIONS EACH HAVING A RIGID INNER LIQUID-TRANSFER PIPE AND A RIGID OUTER JACKET, SAID SECTIONS DEFINING VACUUM CHAMBERS, THE FIRST ONE OF SAID SECTIONS BEING FORMED WITH AN EXTENSION HAVING AN ENLARGED INTERIOR BORE AND THE SECOND OF SAID SECTIONS BEING FORMED WITH A COMPLEMENTARY EXTENSION HAVING A REDUCED OUTER DIAMETER, SAID EXTENSIONS TELESCOPING TO FORM A JOINT, FIRST AND SECOND MOUNTING COUPLERS RIGIDLY SECURED TO SAID EQUIPMENT AND TO SAID FIXED LOCATION, RESPECTIVELY, FIRST AND SECOND COMPLEMENTARY COUPLERS SECURED TO THE OUTER JACKET OF THE FIRST TRANSFER SECTION AND GASTIGHTLY BUT SLIDABLY AND NON-RIGIDLY FITTED TO THE FIRST AND SECOND MOUNTING COUPLERS, RESPECTIVELY, SAID FIRST AND SECOND COMPLEMENTARY COUPLERS AND THE INNER PIPE AND OUTER JACKET OF THE FIRST TRANSFER SECTION DEFINING A VACUUM SPACE, THE INNER PIPE OF THE FIRST TRANSFER SECTION BEING RIGIDLY SECURED TO SAID EQUIPMENT AT ONE END AND THE FIRST COMPLEMENTARY COUPLER BEING AXIALLY DISPLACEABLE RELATIVE TO THAT INNER PIPE SO THAT THERMAL CONTRACTION OF SAID EQUIPMENT AND SAID INNER PIPE AND ITS ASSOCIATED EXTENSION AXIALLY DISPLACES THE COMPLEMENTARY COUPLERS RELATIVE TO THEIR RESPECTIVE MOUNTING COUPLERS AND INSERTS THE FIRST COMPLEMENTARY COUPLER FURTHER INTO THE FIRST MOUNTING COUPLER, BUT IMPOSES NO STRAIN ON THE EQUIPMENT, AND A FLANGE MEMBER AT SAID FIXED LOCATION FORMED TO SECURE TOGETHER THE JACKET AND EXTENSION OF THE SECOND TRANSFER SECTION AND TO ABUT AGAINST THE SECOND MOUNTING COUPLER, SAID SECOND MOUNTING AND SECOND COMPLEMENTARY COUPLERS BEING FORMED WITH SURFACES WHICH ENGAGE TO PREVENT FURTHER DISPLACEMENT OF THE SECOND COMPLEMENTARY COUPLER AFTER A PREDETERMINED AMOUNT OF CONTRACTION OF THE PIPE OF THE FIRST TRANSFER SECTION HAS OCCURRED, WHEREBY AXIAL FORCES CAUSED BY PRESSURES AND DIRECTED TOWARD SAID EQUIPMENT ARE NEUTRALIZED BY PICKUP AT SAID SURFACES AND DISSIPATION AT SAID FIXED LOCATION.