High pressure rotatable pipe connection

Claim 2

A rotatable pipe connection for rotatably joining together two sections of rigid tubular pipe comprising: a. a cylindrical tubular primary section having an inner annular recessed portion and having port means through the wall communicating said recessed portion with the exterior of said connection; b. a cylindrical tubular secondary section located concentrically within said primary section and having an external annular shoulder projecting into the annular recessed portion of said primary section and having an internal bore passage and port means communicating said bore passage with said annular recessed portion of primary section; said secondary section arranged within said primary section so that telescopic movement of the two sections is possible; c. first bearing means between said annular shoulder and said recessed portion for absorbing and distributing compressive longitudinal forces on said connection; d. second bearing means between said shoulder and said recessed portion for absorbing and distributing longitudinal tension forces on said connection; e. third bearing means between said secondary section and said primary section for absorbing lateral forces transverse to the longitudinal axis of said connection; f. seal means between said port means in said primary section and said port means in said secondary section for preventing high pressure fluid loss from said rotatable connection, wherein said seal means further comprises chevron type packing material and said third bearing means comprises three circular bearing ring pairs with each pair of bearing rings having said chevron packing located between the rings, each of said bearing rings in said bearing ring pairs being a circular ring made of non-galling material; g. first means for connecting said primary section to a pipe end; h. second means for connecting said secondary section to a different pipe end; and i. said annular shoulder arranged to receive fluidic pressure from said secondary section port means which fluidic pressure tends to counter normal high pressure forces within the connection which normal forces would otherwise tend to drive said secondary section out of said primary section.

Claim 3

The rotatable connection of claim 1 wherein said first and second connecting means comprises two 90* ells attached one each to said primary and secondary sections.

Claim 4

The rotatable connection of claim 2 wherein said primary section comprises: a. a cylindrical base connector; b. a cylindrical center section attached axially to said base connector; said center section having an internal annular recess; and c. an external cylindrical mandrel extension attached to said center section and having an annular interior recess portion and an annular end cap, said end cap having an annular recessed portion also; said mandrel extension having port means through the wall for communicating said internal annular recess in said extension to the exterior of said extension.

Claim 5

The rotatable connection of claim 3 wherein said secondary section comprises a tubular cylindrical interior mandrel having an annular shoulder extending radially outward arranged to fit within said internal annular recess in said cylindrical center section; said mandrel having an internal bore passage and port means through the wall communicating said bore passage with said internal annular recess in said center section; and said annular shoulder having a recessed portion in its outer circumference.

Claim 6

The rotatable connection of claim 4 wherein said first and second bearing means comprise circular bearings having substantially rectangular cross-section and made of non-galling material.

Claim 7

The rotatable connection of claim 5 wherein said third bearing means further comprises three circular bearing ring pairs and wherein the first of said ring pairs is located in said annular end cap adjacent to and touching said end cap and said interior mandrel, said second of said ring pairs is located in said recess in said annular shoulder adjacent to and touching said annular shoulder and the wall of said recess in said external mandrel extension; and said third of said bearing ring pairs is located within said annular recess in said cylindrical center section adjacent to and touching said center section and said interior mandrel.

Claim 8

The rotatable connection of claim 6 wherein said third bearing means further comprises in addition to said three bearing ring pairs, radial ball bearing means adapted to receive and transmit forces normal to the longitudinal axis of said rotatable connection and further adapted to withstand unlimited rotation of said primary section with respect to said secondary section and vice versa.

Claim 9

The rotatable connection of claim 6 wherein said third bearing means further comprises in addition to said three bearing ring pairs, radial roller bearing means adapted to receive and transmit forces normal to the longitudinal axis of said rotatable connection and further adapted to withstand unlimited rotation between said primary section and said secondary section.

Claim 10

A rotatable pipe connection for rotatably joining together two sections of rigid tubular pipe comprising: a. a cylindrical tubular primary section having an inner annular recessed portion and having port means through the wall communicating said recessed portion with the exterior of said connection; b. a cylindrical tubular secondary section located concentrically within said primary section and having an external annular shoulder projecting into the annular recessed portion of said primary section and having an internal bore passage and port means communicating said bore passage with said annular recessed portion of primary section; said secondary section arranged within said primary section so that telescopic movement of the two sections is possible; c. first bearing means between said annular shoulder and said recessed portion for absorbing and distributing compressive longitudinal forces on said connection; d. second bearing means between said shoulder and said recessed portion for absorbing and distributing longitudinal tension forces on said connection; e. third bearing means between said secondary section and said primary section for absorbing lateral forces transverse to the longitudinal axis of said connection; wherein said third bearing means comprises three annular rings having substantially rectangular cross-section area, each said ring being of a non-galling material and having one or more annular recesses in the top and bottom surfaces thereof, with elastomeric seal means located in said recesses arranged to substantially fill up the interior area of said recesses and extend outward into sealing engagement with the surfaces next adjacent to said third bearing means; f. seal means between said port means in said primary section and said port means in said secondary section for preventing high pressure fluid loss from said rotatable connection; g. first means for connecting said primary section to a pipe end; h. second means for Connecting said secondary section to a different pipe end; and i. said annular shoulder arranged to receive fluidic pressure from said secondary section port means which fluidic pressure tends to counter normal high pressure forces within the connection which normal forces would otherwise tend to drive said secondary section out of said primary section.

Claim 11

A rotatable pipe connection for rotatably joining together two sections of rigid tubular pipe comprising: a. a cylindrical tubular primary section having an inner annular recessed portion and having port means through the wall communicating said recessed portion with the exterior of said connection; b. a cylindrical tubular secondary section located concentrically within said primary section and having an external annular shoulder projecting into the annular recessed portion of said primary section and having an internal bore passage and port means communicating said bore passage with said annular recessed portion of primary section; said secondary section arranged within said primary section so that telescopic movement of the two sections is possible; c. first bearing means between said annular shoulder and said recessed portion for absorbing and distributing compressive longitudinal forces on said connection; d. second bearing means between said shoulder and said recessed portion for absorbing and distributing longitudinal tension forces on said connection; e. third bearing means between said secondary section and said primary section for absorbing lateral forces transverse to the longitudinal axis of said connection; wherein said third bearing means comprises three annular rings having substantially rectangular cross-section area, each said ring being of a non-galling material and having one or more annular recesses in the top and bottom surfaces thereof, with elastomeric seal means located in said recesses arranged to substantially fill up the interior area of said recesses and extend outward into sealing engagement with the surfaces next adjacent to said third bearing means; f. seal means between said port means in said primary section and said port means in said secondary section for preventing high pressure fluid loss from said rotatable connection; g. first means for connecting said primary section to a pipe end; h. second means for Connecting said secondary section to a different pipe end; and i. said annular shoulder arranged to receive fluidic pressure from said secondary section port means which fluidic pressure tends to counter normal high pressure forces within the connection which normal forces would otherwise tend to drive said secondary section out of said primary section.

Claim 12

The rotatable connection of claim 4 wherein said first and second bearing means comprise axial ball bearings with load-bearing races mounted parallel circumferentially on said interior mandrel section between said annular shoulder and said annular recess in said external mandrel extension and adapted to receive and transmit longitudinal axial forces on said rotatable connection while allowing unlimited rotational movement between said primary section and said secondary section.

Claim 13

The rotatable connection of claim 2 wherein said annular shoulder has a high pressure face exposed to said ports in said secondary section, and a low pressure face exposed to said ports in said primary section and said high pressure face is arranged to allow high pressure fluid in said bore portion of said secondary section to counter high pressure fluid forces tending to drive said secondary section out of said primary section, and said high pressure face comprises an annular area substantially equivalent to the cross-sectional area of said inner mandrel.

Claim 14

A rotatable connection for joining two tubular sections is rotatable relationship for use in conveying high pressure fluids containing caustic, acidic elements and high pressure fluids containing abrasive solids, said connection adapted for pressure balanced rotatable operation, comprising: a. a cylindrical tubular primary section; b. a cylindrical tubular internal mandrel located telescopically within said primary section and adapted to rotate freely within said primary section; c. pressure balancing means located in said connection and adapted for countering the usual longitudinal forces exerted on said connection arising from high pressures within said connection; d. bearing means to absorb and transmit all forces applied to said connection in addition to high pressure forces, said bearing means being disposed between said primary section and said internal mandrel; e. means for providing lubrication to said bearing means; and f. seal means located between said inner mandrel, said annular shoulder and said primary structure and arranged to prevent high pressure fluid loss out of said mandrel and annular recess and for preventing contamination of said lubricating means.

Claim 15

A rotatable connection for joining two tubular sections is rotatable relationship for use in conveying high pressure fluids containing caustic, acidic elements and high pressure fluids containing abrasive solids, said connection adapted for pressure balanced rotatable operation, comprising: a. a cylindrical tubular primary section; b. a cylindrical tubular internal mandrel located telescopically within said primary section and adapted to rotate freely within said primary section; c. pressure balancing means located in said connection and adapted for countering the usual longitudinal forces exerted on said connection arising from high pressures within said connection; d. bearing means to absorb and transmit all forces applied to said connection in addition to high pressure forces, said bearing means being disposed between said primary section and said internal mandrel; e. means for providing lubrication to said bearing means; and f. seal means located between said inner mandrel, said annular shoulder and said primary structure and arranged to prevent high pressure fluid loss out of said mandrel and annular recess and for preventing contamination of said lubricating means.

Claim 16

The rotatable connection of claim 12 further comprising diaphragm means for communicating fluid pressure forces from said inner mandrel to said pressure balancing means, and substantially incompressible fluid between said diaphragm means and said pressure balancing means.

Claim 17

The rotatable connection of claim 13 wherein said diaphragm means further comprises an elastomeric sealing means placed between said inner mandrel and said primary structure; a lubricant reservoir located at said pressure balancing means and fluidly communicating with said pressure balancing means; lubricant channels providing fluid communication from said elastomeric sealing means to said lubricant reservoir; and sufficient lubricant in said channels to provide fluid communication from said elastomeric sealing means to said reservoir.

Claim 18

The rotatable connection of claim 14 wherein said diaphragm means further comprises externally accessible port means located in said lubricant channels and adapted to allow additional lubricant to be injected into said diaphragm means, with plug means in said externally accessible port means for sealing off said port means when additional lubricant is not be added.

Claim 19

The rotatable connection of claim 15 wherein said plug means comprises threaded cylindrical plugs inserted into said port means to seal off said port means against lubricant leakage, Said cylindrical plugs being adapted for easy removal when desired.

Claim 20

The rotatable connection of claim 15 wherein said plug means comprises threaded check-valve type greast fittings adapted to seal off said port means against lubricant leakage, said fittings also adapted to allow lubricant to be injected therethrough and prevent lubricant from flowing back out.

Claim 21

The rotatable connection of claim 12 wherein said primary section further comprises: a. a cylindrical base connector; b. a cylindrical center section connected to said base connector; and c. an external mandrel extension connected to said center section and having an inner annular recess and an annular cap end, said mandrel extension having lubricant supply means within the wall and having atmospheric vent port means passing through the wall and communicating said pressure balancing means with the atmosphere.

Claim 22

The rotatable connection of claim 17 wherein said pressure balancing means is integrally attached to said mandrel, and said pressure balancing means further comprises: a. an annular shoulder on said inner mandrel extending radially outward from said mandrel into said annular recess in said external mandrel extension; b. seal means between said annular shoulder and said inner recess in said external mandrel extension fluidically sealing one side of said shoulder from the other side of said shoulder; c. port means through said internal mandrel for communicating fluid pressure from said internal mandrel inner bore to one face of said annular shoulder; and d. port means through said external mandrel extension near said annular shoulder for providing communicating of said other side of said shoulder with atmospheric pressure.