TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a working kit comprising a piping component, said kit being of the kind set forth in the preamble of claim 1.

BACKGROUND ART

Until now it has been a problem when e.g. laying drainage pipelines, that the side openings in wells or pipes with large diameter and the end openings in muffs on e.g. muff pipes has necessitated the use of spigots of varying shape and size.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of the present invention to indicate the construction of a working kit of the kind initially referred to, that may be adapted to different openings of the kind mentioned, so that in many cases it is sufficient to use piping components with spigot ends of the same type, and this object is achieved with a working kit, according to the present invention exhibiting the features set forth in the characterizing clause of claim 1. With this arrangement, it is possible to use the step surface as an abutment surface, either for the spacing collar, the side of which facing away from the step surface constituting an abutment surface for a sealing member, or, after removing the spacing collar, directly as an abutment surface for a sealing member placed in an opening of the kind referred to. In this manner the

"effective length" of the spigot end may be adapted to suit the requirement exsisting in each case.

For the sake of good order attention is drawn to the fact, that pipes with spigot ends shaped as indicated in item a in the characterizing clause of claim 1 are known from GB Patent Application No. 2,184,807. This known construction of spigot ends is, however, directed towards a different use than the working kit according to the present invention, and is previously not known in connection with a spacing collar as set forth in item b of the characterizing clause of claim 1.

Advantageous embodiments of the working kit, the effects of which - beyond of what is obvious - are explained in more detail in the following detailed portion of the present specification, are set forth in claims 2-8.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following detailed specification, the present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the exemplary embodiments of a piping component according to the present invention shown in the drawing, in which

Figure 1 in elevation and partly in section shows a working kit consisting of the piping component and a spacing collar inserted on it,

Figure 2 shows the piping component without a spacing collar, ready to be inserted into an opening in a wall,

Figure 3 shows the same as Figure 2, but with the spigot end of the piping component inserted in the opening,

Figure 4 shows a piping component equipped with a spacing collar and a pipe seal, ready to be connected to the muff end of a pipe, and

Figure 5 shows the same as Figure 4, but after the connection has been established.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The exemplary embodiment of a working kit according to the present invention shown in the drawing comprises a connection piece 1, in the following termed a muff component, consisting in a manner known in principle of a short body portion 2, the end of which shown to the left in the drawing constitutes a muff 3, of which further details are not shown, while the end shown to the right in the drawing is constituted by a spigot 4, the latter being the part, to which the present invention is directed. The muff component consists in the usual manner of concrete, but the present invention may with the same effect be used on muff components consisting of other materials.

The surfaces on the spigot 4 of interest to the present invention are a radially outwardly facing surface 5, in the following termed a circumferential surface, extending from the end face 6 on the spigot 4 to a step 7 lying substantially in a radial plane.

As shown in Figure 1, a detachable spacing collar 8 of a material with a hardness and capability of yielding roughly corresponding to semi-stiff rubber or leather is inserted on the circumferential surface 5, so that the collar 8 may be inserted on the circumferential surface 5 with a fit, on the one hand sufficiently tight to prevent the ring from falling off, but on the other hand sufficiently loose to make it possible to remove the collar without effort, when this is required. The assembly shown in figure 1 consisting of the muff component 1 and the spacing collar 8 constitutes the working kit, which is intended to be delivered to the user in the condition shown.

Figures 2 and 3 show an example of how the muff component 1 may be used, when a pipe line, the remaining parts of which are not shown, is to be connected to a drainage well, a large pipe or the like, in the wall 9 of which an opening 10 has been bored for the purpose. In order to achieve a fluid-tight connection, a sealing ring 11 of rubber or rubber-like material is inserted in the opening 10, said ring being shaped with various projections and recesses, e.g. in a manner known from the bore seal produced and marketed by the applicant with the designation "F 910". The present invention is, however, of course not limited to the use of a sealing ring of precisely this shape.

In order to make it possible to utilize the sealing ring 11 in its full axial width, the spacing collar 8 has been removed, so that in the situation shown in Figure 2, the circumferential surface 5 is exposed to the full extent of its length. When the muff component 1 is inserted in the opening 10, i.e. moved

from the position shown in Figure 2 to that shown in Figure 3, the various projections on the sealing ring 11 will engage the circumferential surface 5 in a sealing and holding manner, and finally, the step 7 on the muff component 1 abuts against an oppositely facing projection 12 on the sealing ring 11, so that direct contact between the muff portion 1 and the wall 9 does not take place at any point. At the same time, the spigot 4 is prevented from projecting undesiredly far into the well or pipe bounded by the wall 9.

Figures 4 and 5 show how the muff component 1 may be used when establishing a fluid-tight connection with a muff 13 on one end of a pipe, otherwise not shown in detail.

In this application, the spacing collar 8 is allowed to remain, and on the part of the circumferential surface 5, which is not covered by the spacing collar 8, a "self-lubricating" pipe seal 14 is inserted; this seal may be of the same kind as the one produced and marketed by the applicant under the designation "Forsheda 124", or a similar kind.

Thus, the pipe seal 14 consists of a structural compression portion 15, which at the end facing away from the end face 6 continues in a circumferential gliding sheath 16, whereas a lubricant indicated by 17 is placed in the space between the compression portion 15 and the gliding sheath 16.

When the muff component 1 is inserted in the muff 13 with a view to establishing a liquid-tight connection, i.e. when it is moved from the position shown in

Figure 4 to that shown in Figure 5 relative to the

muff 13, the gliding sheath 16 will engage the inside of the muff 13, thus together with the compression portion 15 constituting a sliding bearing for the relative movement, the lubricant 17 providing the requisite lubrication.

In the connection position shown in Figure 5, the end face 6 will have abutted against the bottom of the muff 13, and the compression portion 15 is suffi- ciently compressed to provide the desired sealing and holding effect, whilst the gliding sheath 16 has been pushed "rearwardly" through a distance, so that part of it is supported by the spacing collar 8.

Thus, in the connecting situation shown in Figure 5, not only is direct contact between the two pipe-line connections avoided in the sealing region, but it is also avoided that the radially inwardly facing side of the double-folded portion of the gliding sheath 16 engages the relatively coarse and hard concrete surface of the muff component 1, engaging instead the smooth and somewhat yielding spacing collar 8, so that the risk of the gliding sheath 16 being torn to pieces in this location is substantially reduced. A further advantage achieved "for free" by using the spacing collar 8 is that its radial thickness may be adapted with a view to achieving a gentle contact with the double-folded gliding sheath 16. It is also possible to use a pipe seal without a gliding sheath, in which case the spacing collar 8 may be made somewhat thicker in order to engage the muff 13.

Whilst the above description only relates to two possible areas of application of the present invention, many others may be contemplated. Thus, the

spacing collar 8 may be shaped with different axial widths with a view to adapting it to other forms for connection, e.g. when placing the spigot in an opening in a wall, which is thinner than the wall 9 shown in Figures 2 and 3, when it is not desired that the spigot is to project in beyond the wall.

In the exemplary embodiment described above and shown in the drawing, the circumferential surface 5 is slightly tapered with a taper of approximately 2°, this being in many cases preferred, inter alia with a view to removing the muff component from the casting mold. The present invention may, however, also be applied to a purely cylindrical circumferential surface.

By comparing the two embodiments shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4, 5 respectively, it will be seen that in the former embodiment, the primary sealing function lies closer to the step 7 than the end face 6, whilst it in the latter case lies closer to the end face 6 than the step 7. This is, of course, due to the shape and location of the sealing means in question, and may in a given case be varied to suit existing requirements.