Nonambient temperature pipeline/joint assembly

Claim 2

A joint assembly for interconnecting pipeline segments of a nonambient temperature pipeline through which cold liquid flows, comprising: inner spool means connected to a first of said segments and outer spool means connected to a second of said segments and at least partially overlying said inner spool means in coaxial relation thereto; said inner spool means having an outer circumferentially disposed sloping surface which increases radially outward of the pipeline axis in the direction of flow, and said outer spool means having an inner sloping surface which is complementary to and overlies said outer sloping surface of said inner spool means; primary seal means operably disposed between said sloping surfaces of said inner and outer spool means; and locking means normally disposed in a first position when said segments are at ambient temperature and movable to a second locked position when said temperature of said pipeline segments goes from ambient to a cold temperature for securing said inner and outer spool means in locked position, said inner and outer spools contracting as said temperature becomes colder for progressively increasing the tightness of said primary seal means.

Claim 3

The joint assembly of claim 1 wherein said inner sloping surface of said outer spool means is circumferentially disposed and decreases radially inward relative to the pipeline axis in the direction opposite to the flow.

Claim 4

The joint assembly of claim 2 wherein said outer sloping surface includes a recess including first primary seal means and said inner sloping surface includes a recess including second primary seal means in sliding contact with said first primary seal means.

Claim 5

The joint assembly of claim 3 wherein said second recess is longer than said first recess in the axial direction.

Claim 6

The joint assembly of claim 4 including secondary seal means in relative sliding contact with said second primary seal means.

Claim 7

The joint assembly of claim 5 wherein said secondary seal means comprises a seal member extending annularly about said outer sloping surface of said inner spool means and disposed in a notch located downstream of said recess in said outer sloping surface.

Claim 8

The joint assembly of claim 1 wherein said outer spool means comprises a first upstream portion and a second downstream portion and means interconnecting said upstream and downstream portions and said upstream portion overlying said sloping surface of said inner spool means.

Claim 9

The joint assembly of claim 1 wherein said locking means comprises key means and including means for biasing said key means into locking engagement in said locked position.

Claim 10

The joint assembly of claim 8 wherein said key means and said bias means are disposed and operably associated with said outer spool means for locking engagement with annular slot means disposed in said outer sloping surface of said inner spool means when said temperature becomes colder whereupon said key means locates in said locked position.

Claim 11

The joint assembly of claim 1 including means for biasing said locking means which comprises key means into locking engagement in said locked position, said key means and said bias means are disposed and operably associated with one of said outer and inner spool means for locking engagement with slot means disposed in the other of said outer and inner spool means when said temperature becomes colder.

Claim 12

A joint assembly for interconnecting pipeline segments of a nonambient temperature pipeline through which cold liquid flows, comprising: inner spool means connected to a first of said segments and outer spool means connected to a second of said segments and at least partially overlying said inner spool means in coaxial relation thereto; said inner spool means having an outer circumferentially disposed sloping surface which increases radially outward of the pipeline axis in the direction of flow, and said outer spool means having an inner sloping surface which is complementary to and overlies said outer sloping surface of said inner spool means; primary seals means operably disposed between said sloping surfaces of said inner and outer spool means and arranged so that the seal provided by said primary seal means progressively increases in tightness as said inner and outer spool means move relative to each other into a locked position as said temperature proceeds from ambient to a colder temperature and means for maintaining said inner and outer spool means in said locked position.

Claim 13

A joint assembly for interconnecting pipeline segments of a nonambient temperature pipeline through which cold liquid flows, comprising: inner spool means connected to a first of said segments and outer spool means connected to a second of said segments and at least partially overlying said inner spool means in coaxial relation thereto; said inner spool means having an outer circumferentially disposed sloping surface which increases radially outward of the pipeline axis in the direction of flow, and said outer spool means having an inner sloping surface which is complementary to and overlies said outer sloping surface of said inner spool means; primary seals means operably disposed between said sloping surfaces of said inner and outer spool means and arranged so that the seal provided by said primary seal means progressively increases in tightness as said inner and outer spool means move relative to each other into a locked position as said temperature proceeds from ambient to a colder temperature and means for maintaining said inner and outer spool means in said locked position.

Claim 14

A pipeline according to claim 12 including insulation means surrounding said pipeline segments along the length of said pipeline and a plurality of restraint means located between said pipeline segments and the periphery of said pipeline and longitudinally spaced along said pipeline with at least one of said joint assemblies disposed between consecutive ones of said restraint means for compartmentalizing said insulation.

Claim 15

In a pipeline for the transport of low temperature products therethrough, comprising a plurality of interconnected pipeline segments and said pipeline being characterized by ambient temperature conditions, in combination with joint assemblies for interconnecting said pipeline segments, each of said joint assemblies comprising inner spool means connected to said upstream segment and outer spool means connected to said downstream segment, said outer spool means at least partially overlying said inner spool means in coaxial relation thereto, said inner spool means having an outer sloping surface which increases radially outward relative to the axis of said interconnected pipeline segments and said outer spool means having an inner sloping surface which is complementary to said outer sloping surface and adapted to form a liquid tight seal therewith, primary seal means operably disposed between said sloping surfaces of said inner and outer spool means and key means disposed with one of said inner and outer spool means, said key means being disposed in a first position and key slot receiving means disposed with the other of said inner and outer spool means in a second position spaced from said key means in said first position, said key means biased for urging said key means toward said other of said inner and outer spools whereupon said key means lockingly engages said key receiving slot and the seal provided by said primary seal means progressively increases in tightness as said inner and outer spool means move relative to each other when said pipeline is cooled down from ambient temperature to a lower temperature.

Claim 16

In a pipeline for the transport of low temperature products therethrough, comprising a plurality of interconnected pipeline segments and said pipeline being characterized by ambient temperature conditions, in combination with joint assemblies for interconnecting said pipeline segments, each of said joint assemblies comprising inner spool means connected to said upstream segment and outer spool means connected to said downstream segment, said outer spool means at least partially overlying said inner spool means in coaxial relation thereto, said inner spool means having an outer sloping surface which increases radially outward relative to the axis of said interconnected pipeline segments and said outer spool means having an inner sloping surface which is complementary to said outer sloping surface and adapted to form a liquid tight seal therewith, primary seal means operably disposed between said sloping surfaces of said inner and outer spool means and key means disposed with one of said inner and outer spool means, said key means being disposed in a first position and key slot receiving means disposed with the other of said inner and outer spool means in a second position spaced from said key means in said first position, said key means biased for urging said key means toward said other of said inner and outer spools whereupon said key means lockingly engages said key receiving slot and the seal provided by said primary seal means progressively increases in tightness as said inner and outer spool means move relative to each other when said pipeline is cooled down from ambient temperature to a lower temperature.

Claim 17

A pipeline according to claim 14 including insulation means surrounding said pipeline segments along the length of said pipeline and a plurality of restraint means located between said pipeline segments and the periphery of said pipeline and longitudinally spaced along said pipeline with at least one of said joint assemblies disposed between consecutive ones of said restraint means, for compartmentalizing said insulation.

Claim 18

In a pipeline for the transport of low temperature products therethrough, comprising a plurality of interconnected pipeline segments and said pipeline being characterized by ambient temperature conditions, in combination with joint assemblies for interconnecting said pipeline segments, each of said joint assemblies for interconnecting comprising inner spool means connected to a first pipeline segment and outer spool means connected to a second pipeline segment, said outer spool means at least partially overlying said inner spool means in coaxial relation thereto, said inner spool means having an outer sloping surface which increases radially outward relative to the axis of said interconnected pipeline segments and said outer spool means having an inner sloping surface which is complementary to said outer sloping surface and adapted to form a liquid tight seal therewith, primary seal means operably disposed between said sloping surfaces of said inner and outer spool means being constructed and arranged such that said primary seal means becomes tighter as said inner and outer spool means contract as the pipeline temperature is cooled down from ambient temperature to a lower temperature and means for maintaining said inner and outer spool means in their relative positions at said lower temperature.

Claim 19

In a pipeline for the transport of low temperature products therethrough, comprising a plurality of interconnected pipeline segments and said pipeline being characterized by ambient temperature conditions, in combination with joint assemblies for interconnecting said pipeline segments, each of said joint assemblies for interconnecting comprising inner spool means connected to a first pipeline segment and outer spool means connected to a second pipeline segment, said outer spool means at least partially overlying said inner spool means in coaxial relation thereto, said inner spool means having an outer sloping surface which increases radially outward relative to the axis of said interconnected pipeline segments and said outer spool means having an inner sloping surface which is complementary to said outer sloping surface and adapted to form a liquid tight seal therewith, primary seal means operably disposed between said sloping surfaces of said inner and outer spool means being constructed and arranged such that said primary seal means becomes tighter as said inner and outer spool means contract as the pipeline temperature is cooled down from ambient temperature to a lower temperature and means for maintaining said inner and outer spool means in their relative positions at said lower temperature.

Claim 20

A pipeline according to claim 18 including an outer casing surrounding said insulation and wherein said restraint means comprises a truncated conically-shaped annular plate secured at its inner and outer edges circumferentially to said pipeline segment and said outer casing.

Claim 21

A pipeline according to claim 16 including insulation means surrounding said pipeline segments along the length of said pipeline and a plurality of restraint means located between said pipeline segments and the periphery of said pipeline and longitudinally spaced along said pipeline with at least one of said joint assemblies disposed between consecutive ones of said restraint means for compartmentalizing said insulation.

Claim 22

In a pipeline for the transport of low temperature products therethrough, comprising a plurality of interconnected pipeline segments and said pipeline being characterized by ambient temperature conditions, in combination with joint assemblies for interconnecting said pipeline segments, each of said joint assemblies for interconnecting comprising inner spool means connected to a first pipeline segment and outer spool means connected to a second pipeline segment, said outer spool means at least partially overlying said inner spool means in coaxial relation thereto, said inner spool means having an outer sloping surface which increases radially outward relative to the axis of said interconnected pipeline segments and said outer spool means having an inner sloping surface which is complementary to said outer sloping surface and adapted to form a liquid tight seal therewith, primary seal means operably disposed between said sloping surfaces of inner and outer spool means being constructed and arranged such that said primary seal means becomes tighter as said inner and outer spool means contract as the pipeline temperature is cooled down from ambient temperature to a lower temperature and means associated with said inner and outer spool means for maintaining said spool means in locked engagement when said pipeline is at a temperature other than ambient temperature and accommodating any further contraction movement in said pipeline.

Claim 23

In a pipeline for the transport of low temperature products therethrough, comprising a plurality of interconnected pipeline segments and said pipeline being characterized by ambient temperature conditions, in combination with joint assemblies for interconnecting said pipeline segments, each of said joint assemblies for interconnecting comprising inner spool means connected to a first pipeline segment and outer spool means connected to a second pipeline segment, said outer spool means at least partially overlying said inner spool means in coaxial relation thereto, said inner spool means having an outer sloping surface which increases radially outward relative to the axis of said interconnected pipeline segments and said outer spool means having an inner sloping surface which is complementary to said outer sloping surface and adapted to form a liquid tight seal therewith, primary seal means operably disposed between said sloping surfaces of inner and outer spool means being constructed and arranged such that said primary seal means becomes tighter as said inner and outer spool means contract as the pipeline temperature is cooled down from ambient temperature to a lower temperature and means associated with said inner and outer spool means for maintaining said spool means in locked engagement when said pipeline is at a temperature other than ambient temperature and accommodating any further contraction movement in said pipeline.

Claim 24

A pipe line according to claim 18 wherein a single one of said joint assemblies is located between consecutive ones of said restraint means.