Rotary joint

Claim 1

In combination: inner and outer axially aligned and concentric rotating pipes; a pair of non-concentric, non rotating pipes, and a rotary joint including: a housing having a compressing member, a terminal member and an intermediate member positioned between said compressing and terminal members, said members each having a cylindrical opening and being positioned side by side one another such that said openings are coaxial with one another and with the axis of said rotating pipes, said openings together defining an elongated continuous passage adapted to accommodate said rotating pipes, said outer pipe having an open end positioned within said housing and said inner pipe extending beyond the end of said outer pipe within said housing and terminating at an open end, the opening of said compressing member and a portion of the opening of said intermediate member adapted to receive said outer rotating pipe, one of said non-rotating pipes extending outwardly from the opening formed in said terminal member, said intermediate member having a pair of spaced apart cylindrical surfaces which define, in part, the opening formed therein, the other said non-rotating pipe commencing at the portion of the opening between said spaced apart cylindrical surfaces and extending outwardly of said intermediate member, said non-rotating pipes being in fluid flow communication with the open ends of said inner and outer pipes respectively, said terminal member having a cylindrical surface which, together with one said cylindrical surface of said intermediate member, are in closely spaced relation with the outer surface of said inner pipe and each terminates at a first radially outward extending surface, said first surfaces being opposed to and spaced apart from each other, the compressing member having a cylindrical surface which, together with the other cylindrical surface of said intermediate member, are in closely spaced relation with the outer surface of said outer pipe and each terminates at a second radially outward extending surface, said second surfaces being opposed to and spaced apart from each other, a pair of spaced apart annular packing glands, one said gland disposed between said opposed first surfaces and extending about the outer surface of said inner pipe, the other said annular packing gland disposed between said opposed second surfaces and extending about the outer surface of said outer pipe; and means for selectively varying the distance between said opposed first surfaces and between said opposed second surfaces, at least one of said non-rotating pipes being flexible and of sufficient length to permit movement in a direction parallel to the axis of said rotating pipes of the respective member from which said flexible member extends so that a selectively variable compressive force may be applied to both said glands causing variable radial expansion of said glands into engagement with said housing and the respective pipe about which said gland is mounted and so that the distance between said opposed first surfaces may be increased sufficiently to permit access to the gland disposed therebetween for the purpose of replacement thereof, said compressing member upon variation of the distance between said opposed second surfaces being freely movable in a direction parallel to the axis of said rotating pipes whereby access may be had to the gland disposed between said opposed second surfaces for the purpose of replacement thereof --and whereby the glands may be adjusted and replaced without disconnecting the pipes and while liquid is flowing through the pipes.