Method for assembling telescopic flexible pipe joint

Abstract

To provide a method for assembling a telescopic flexible pipe joint capable of inserting and connecting pipes together smoothly without causing leakage.SOLUTION: A method for assembling a telescopic flexible pipe joint 1 having at least a sleeve 2 (base tube), a slide pipe 3 (first telescopic cylinder) that is inserted and connected in a sealed state to one end side (left end side) of the sleeve 2, and a case 4 (first flexible cylinder) that is inserted and connected in a sealed state to the slide pipe 3, includes at least a flexible cylinder insertion process of inserting the slide pipe 3 and the case 4 in a substantially vertical direction, and a base cylinder insertion process of inserting the slide pipe 3 and the sleeve 2 in the substantially vertical direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 15

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for assembling an expansion and contractible flexible pipe joint having at least a base tube, a first telescopic tube that is fitted and inserted into one end side of the base tube in a sealed state, and a first flexible tube that is fitted and inserted into the first telescopic tube in a sealed state. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, in fluid pipelines such as water pipes, in order to prevent bending or damage to the fluid pipe due to external forces such as earthquakes, expansion and contraction flexible pipe joints are provided at predetermined locations in the flow path, which are inserted and connected in a sealed state so as to be expandable and flexible.

[0003] An example of this type of telescopic flexible pipe joint includes a connecting sleeve 3 (base tube), an inner joint body 12 (first telescopic tube) and an inner joint body 22 (second telescopic tube) that are telescopically connected to both ends of the connecting sleeve 3, an outer joint body 11 (first flexible tube) that is flexibly connected to the inner joint body 12, and an outer joint body 21 (second flexible tube) that is flexibly connected to the inner joint body 22 (second telescopic tube) (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2023-65993 A (Pages 7-9, Figures 1-3) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Such an expansion flexible pipe joint is assembled by sequentially inserting and connecting a plurality of these tubes together. However, when the tubes are inserted and connected to each other in a substantially horizontal direction, as in the expansion flexible pipe joint described in Patent Document 1, when one tube is inserted into the other tube, the other tube tends to tilt downward around the connection part due to its own weight, making it difficult to insert and connect smoothly. In addition, local elastic deformation occurs in the sealing material interposed between the peripheral surfaces of the tubes, which prevents the intended sealing function from being exerted, and there is a risk of creating locations where leakage is likely to occur.

[0006] The present invention has been made in response to these problems, and aims to provide a method for assembling an expansion and contraction flexible pipe joint that allows tubes to be smoothly inserted and connected together without causing leakage. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, the method for assembling an expansion and contraction flexible pipe joint of the present invention includes: A method for assembling an expansion and contraction flexible pipe joint having at least a base tube, a first expansion and contraction tube that is fitted and connected to one end side of the base tube in a sealed state, and a first flexible tube that is fitted and connected to the first expansion and contraction tube in a sealed state, a flexible tube fitting step of fitting the first telescopic tube and the first flexible tube in a substantially vertical direction; The method is characterized by at least including a base tube fitting step of fitting the first telescopic tube and the base tube in a substantially vertical direction. According to this feature, since the tube axes of the tubes that are inserted and connected to each other are oriented approximately in the vertical direction, one tube is less likely to tilt downward around the connection part due to its own weight relative to the other tube, allowing for smooth insertion and preventing leakage due to the tubes tilting.

[0008] The method is characterized in that the base tube fitting step is performed after the flexible tube fitting step. According to this feature, the first telescopic tube and the first flexible tube, which are relatively difficult to connect, can be fitted and inserted into each other as single tubes.

[0009] In the flexible tube fitting process, one of the first telescopic tube and the first flexible tube is placed on a support surface facing approximately vertically, and the other tube is suspended by a suspension means and fitted into the one tube. According to this feature, with one of the first telescopic tube and the first flexible tube stably placed in an approximately vertical direction, the other tube can be easily inserted into the other tube by simply hanging it down in an approximately vertical direction.

[0010] In the base tube fitting and insertion process, the first flexible tube that has been fitted and inserted into the first telescopic tube through the flexible tube fitting and insertion process is placed on the placement surface, and the base tube is suspended by a suspension means and fitted and inserted into the first telescopic tube. According to this feature, with the first telescopic tube and the first flexible tube stably placed in the approximately vertical direction, the lifted base tube can be easily inserted into the other tube by simply hanging it down in the approximately vertical direction.

[0011] The telescopic flexible pipe joint further includes a second telescopic tube that is fitted and connected to the other end side of the base tube in a sealed state, and a second flexible tube that is fitted and connected to the second telescopic tube in a sealed state, a step of inserting the second telescopic tube and the second flexible tube in a substantially vertical direction; The method further includes a step of inserting an extendable flexible joint unit consisting of the first telescopic tube, the first flexible tube, and the base tube, and a flexible joint unit consisting of the second telescopic tube and the second flexible tube, in a substantially vertical direction. According to this feature, since both ends of the base tube are expandable and flexible, the range of expansion and flexibility can be increased. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing the inside and outside of an expansion and contraction flexible pipe joint according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 2 is a diagram showing the inside and outside of the expansion flexible pipe joint bent from the state shown in FIG. 1. FIG. [Diagram 3]1A is a diagram showing the inside and outside of the case, and FIG. 1B is a right side view showing the case. [Figure 4] 1A is a left side view showing the gland, FIG. 1B is a view showing the inside and outside of the gland, and FIG. 1C is a right side view showing the gland. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1A is a diagram showing the inside of the slide pipe, and FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 4A is a front view showing a stopper ring as a first restricting portion, FIG. 4B is a right side view, and FIG. 4C is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. [Figure 7] 1A is a front view showing a stopper ring as a second restricting portion, FIG. 1B is a right side view, and FIG. 1C is a BB cross-sectional view of FIG. [Figure 8] 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of a stopper ring as a first restricting portion and a stopper ring as a second restricting portion. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 1A is a view showing the inside and outside of the sleeve, and FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a first joint unit in which a slide pipe and a case are connected via a gland. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is a schematic front view showing the main parts of the case and the gland, in which (a) shows the state before the gland is inserted into the case, (b) shows the state after the gland has been inserted into the case, (c) shows the state after the gland has been rotated in the circumferential direction, and (d) shows the state after the movement of the piece has been restricted by the knock pin. [Figure 12] 11(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. 11(a), (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line DD in FIG. 11(c), and (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along line EE in FIG. 11(d). [Figure 13] 1A is a plan view showing an insertion fixing jig, and FIG. 1B is a plan view showing an insertion margin adjusting jig. [Figure 14] 11 is a vertical sectional view showing a state in which a sleeve is inserted into a slide pipe of the first joint unit which has been turned upside down from the state shown in FIG. 10. FIG. [Figure 15]10 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which a stopper ring is attached after a sleeve is inserted into a slide pipe of a first joint unit. FIG. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 15 shown in FIG. [Figure 17] 1A is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a stopper ring serving as a second regulating part is placed in the gap between the sleeve and the slide pipe, FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a stopper ring serving as a first regulating part is placed on top of the stopper ring of FIG. 1A, and FIG. 1C is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the two stopper rings are connected by a screw member. [Figure 18] 17(a) is a GG cross-sectional view of FIG. 17(a), (b) is an HH cross-sectional view of FIG. 17(b), (c) is a II cross-sectional view of FIG. 17(c), and (d) is a JJ cross-sectional view of FIG. 17(c). [Figure 19] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the second joint unit in a state in which the sleeve has been moved downward. [Figure 20] 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a sleeve of a second joint unit is inserted into a slide pipe of a first joint unit configured separately from the first joint unit of FIG. 10 and a stopper ring is attached. FIG. [Figure 21] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the expansion and contraction flexible pipe joint in which the first joint units are connected above and below the sleeve is lifted up. [Figure 22] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the expansion and contraction flexible pipe joint in a horizontal position. [Diagram 23] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a tie rod is attached to the expansion and contraction flexible pipe joint. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A mode for carrying out a method for assembling an expansion and contraction flexible pipe joint according to the present invention will be described below based on an embodiment. EXAMPLES

[0014] A method of assembling an expansion flexible pipe joint according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 23. In the following description, the near side of Figure 1 will be referred to as the front side (front surface side) of the pipe joint, and the far side will be referred to as the rear side (rear surface side).

[0015] [Structure of expansion and contraction flexible pipe joint] As shown in Fig. 1, an expansion flexible pipe joint 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention mainly comprises a cylindrical sleeve 2, a pair of cylindrical slide pipes 3, 3 connected in a sealed and expandable manner to both ends of the sleeve 2, cylindrical cases 4, 4 connected in a sealed and flexible manner to the slide pipes 3, 3, respectively, and annular glands 5, 5 (press rings) connected to each of the cases 4, 4. Even if an unexpected external force such as an earthquake occurs and the relative positions of the fluid pipes change after a fluid pipe (not shown) is connected via this expansion flexible pipe joint 1, the expansion flexible pipe joint 1 expands and contracts or flexes, thereby maintaining the connection state of the fluid pipes (see Fig. 2).

[0016] The sleeve 2 as the base tube, the slide pipe 3, 3 as the telescopic tube (hereinafter referred to as the slide pipe 3), the case 4, 4, and the gland 5, 5 are all made of cast iron, but may be made of metal such as steel, concrete, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, polyolefin, etc. Also, since the slide pipe 3, 3, the case 4, 4, and the gland 5, 5 are configured in the same way on both the left and right sides, in the following, only one will be described and the other will be omitted.

[0017] 3(a) and (b), the case 4 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and a circular flange portion 11 is formed on the outer periphery of the left end opening in Fig. 3(a) so as to protrude in the outward radial direction, and a fluid pipe (not shown) can be connected and fixed to this flange portion 11 via fastening members such as bolts and nuts (not shown). Note that the fluid in the fluid pipe and the expansion flexible pipe joint 1 is clean water in this embodiment, but is not limited to this and may be, for example, industrial water, agricultural water, sewage, gas, or a gas-liquid mixture of gas and liquid.

[0018] A part of the case 4 is formed with a spherical bulge 12 whose inner and outer circumferential surfaces bulge outwardly, and the receiving end 4a on the spherical bulge 12 side can be flexibly fitted onto the slide pipe 3. On the inner circumferential surface of the right end of the case 4 in FIG. 3(a), a plurality of inner circumferential locking portions 13 that protrude inwardly are formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. In addition, a protruding wall 14 that protrudes inwardly is formed in the circumferential direction at a position away from the inner inner side of the plurality of inner circumferential locking portions 13. Furthermore, a recessed groove portion 15 into which an annular packing 16 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) can be fitted is formed in the circumferential direction near the inner inner side of the protruding wall 14.

[0019] At positions corresponding to the recessed groove portion 15 on the outer peripheral surface of the case 4, a plurality of support pieces 20 projecting in the outer diameter direction are formed at four positions at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. Each support piece 20 is formed with a plurality of insertion holes 20a (two in this example) through which a tie rod 17 (see Figs. 1 and 2) that connects the left and right cases 4, 4 can be inserted. A hanging seat 18 having a through hole 18a formed therein for engaging a lifting wire W (see Fig. 22) is protruded from the upper portion of the outer peripheral surface of the case 4. Two insertion holes 19a, 19a (see Figs. 11(a) and 12(a)) through which a knock pin 19 (see Figs. 11(d) and 12(c)) described later can be inserted are formed between the inner peripheral engaging portions 13, 13 adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction at a predetermined position near the outside of the protruding wall 14 on the outer peripheral surface of the case 4.

[0020] Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the gland 5 is formed in an annular shape, and a plurality of outer peripheral locking portions 23 protruding in the outer diameter direction are formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface of the left end opening in FIG. 4(b). The circumferential dimension of the outer peripheral locking portions 23 is slightly shorter than the circumferential dimension between the adjacent inner peripheral locking portions 13, 13 of the case 4, and the circumferential dimension between the adjacent outer peripheral locking portions 23, 23 is formed to be slightly longer than the circumferential dimension of the inner peripheral locking portions 13 of the case 4. As a result, each outer peripheral locking portion 23 is inserted between the adjacent inner peripheral locking portions 13, 13, and each inner peripheral locking portion 13 is inserted between the adjacent outer peripheral locking portions 23, 23. In addition, hook pieces 24 for locking a lifting wire W (see FIG. 10) are protruding from the outer peripheral surface of the gland 5 at four equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

[0021] 5(a) and (b), the slide pipe 3 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and on the left side in Fig. 5(a) is formed a spherical bulging portion 32 whose inner and outer circumferential surfaces bulge outwardly, and the insertion end portion 3a on the spherical bulging portion 32 side can be fitted into the receiving end portion 4a on the spherical bulging portion 12 side of the case 4. The outer circumferential surface 32a of the spherical bulging portion 32 slides against the inner circumferential surface 12a of the spherical bulging portion 12 of the case 4 (see Fig. 3(a)), so that the slide pipe 3 is flexible with respect to the case 4, that is, the axis of the slide pipe 3 is connected to the axis of the case 4 so as to be inclined (swingable) in multiple directions (see Fig. 2).

[0022] On the right side in FIG. 5(a), a cylindrical portion 33 is formed, and on the left side of the outer peripheral surface 33a of the cylindrical portion 33, an inner regulating portion 34 protruding in the outer diameter direction is formed in an annular shape in the circumferential direction. On the other hand, on the right side of the outer peripheral surface 33a of the cylindrical portion 33, an outer regulating portion 35 protruding in the outer diameter direction is provided in an annular shape in the circumferential direction. In addition, the insertion end 3b on the right side of the cylindrical portion 33 can be inserted into the receiving end 2b of the sleeve 2 without the stopper rings 41, 42 constituting the outer regulating portion 35, which will be described later, being attached. In addition, the inner regulating portion 34 and the outer regulating portion 35, which serve as insertion side regulating portions for regulating the relative movement of the slide pipe 3 and the sleeve 2 in the tube axis direction, are disposed apart in the tube axis direction, and the receiving port of the sleeve 2, which will be described later, is externally fitted between them so as to be slidable in the tube axis direction, thereby regulating the relative movement range of the slide pipe 3 and the sleeve 2 in the tube axis direction within a predetermined range, and preventing separation.

[0023] In addition, the inner regulating portion 34 is formed integrally by the outer circumferential surface of the slide pipe 3 protruding in the outward diameter direction, whereas the outer regulating portion 35 is composed of a stopper ring 41 as a first regulating portion extending in the circumferential direction, a stopper ring 42 as a second regulating portion arranged in parallel to the stopper ring 41 in the tube axis direction and extending in the circumferential direction, and a screw member 43 as a connecting member connecting the stopper ring 41 and the stopper ring 42 in the tube axis direction.

[0024] Further, a ring-shaped recessed groove 36 is formed in the circumferential direction at the right end of the outer circumferential surface 33a of the cylindrical portion 33, and the inner diameter portions of the stopper rings 41, 42 are housed in the recessed groove 36. A vertical surface 36a on the right side (the opening side of the insertion end 3b) of the recessed groove 36 is substantially perpendicular to the tube axis, and a left inclined surface 36b is inclined leftward so as to open toward the outer diameter direction. When the stopper ring 41 abuts against the vertical surface 36a of the recessed groove 36, the sliding movement of the stopper ring 41 to the right in the tube axis direction is restricted, and the stopper ring 41 is prevented from deviating from the slide pipe 3.

[0025] 6(a) and (b), the stopper ring 41 as the first restricting portion is composed of a plurality of (four in this example) stainless steel divided members 41a-41d divided in the circumferential direction. Each divided member 41a-41d is formed in the same shape of a substantially circular arc, and is formed in an annular shape having an inner diameter substantially the same as the bottom surface of the recessed groove portion 36 when the divided members 41a-41d are arranged so that their circumferential ends are close to or in contact with each other.

[0026] Each of the divided members 41a to 41d has screw insertion holes 44, 44 facing the pipe axis direction formed at two locations on both sides in the longitudinal direction, spaced apart from each other, so that a screw member 43 can be inserted therethrough. As shown in Fig. 6(c), on the right side of the screw insertion holes 44, 44, an accommodating portion 44a capable of accommodating a head 43a (see Fig. 5(a)) of the screw member 43 is formed so that the head 43a of the screw member 43 does not protrude from the right side surface of the divided members 41a to 41d when fastened.

[0027] 6(b), a circular indicator portion 45 is displayed on the right side surface of each of the divided members 41a to 41d at approximately the center in the longitudinal direction. The indicator portion 45 is formed by applying paint of a predetermined color (e.g., white) and functions as an indicator portion that indicates the split position of the stopper rings 42 adjacent in the tube axial direction. The shape, color, size, etc. of the indicator portion 45 are arbitrary and can be changed in various ways. Also, the indicator portion 45 may be formed by attaching a sticker or by engraving. Furthermore, the indicator portion 45 may be displayed not only on the right side surface of each of the divided members 41a to 41d but also on the left side surface.

[0028] 7(a) and (b), the stopper ring 42 as the second restricting portion is composed of a plurality of (four in this example) stainless steel divided members 42a-42d divided in the circumferential direction. The divided members 42a-42d are all formed in the same shape of a substantially circular arc, and are formed in an annular shape with an inner diameter substantially the same as the bottom surface of the recessed groove portion 36 when the divided members 42a-42d are arranged so that their circumferential ends are close to or in contact with each other.

[0029] Each of the divided members 42a to 42d has two screw holes 54, 54 on both sides in the longitudinal direction, which are spaced apart from each other, so that the screw member 43 can be screwed in (see FIG. 7(c)). In addition, a circular indicator portion 55 is displayed on the right side of each of the divided members 42a to 42d in FIG. 7(b) at a substantially central position in the longitudinal direction. The indicator portion 55 is formed by applying paint of a predetermined color (for example, white) and functions as an indicator portion that indicates the split position of the stopper rings 41 adjacent in the axial direction. The shape, color, size, etc. of the indicator portion 55 are arbitrary and can be changed in various ways. Also, the indicator portion 55 may be formed by sticking a sticker or by engraving. Furthermore, the indicator portion 55 may be substantially the same as the indicator portion 45 of the stopper ring 41, or may be different. Furthermore, the indicator portion 55 may be displayed not only on the right side of each of the divided members 42a to 42d but also on the left side.

[0030] In this way, the stopper rings 41 and 42 are configured in substantially the same manner using common members, except for the screw insertion holes 44 and 44 of the stopper ring 41 and the screw holes 54 and 54 of the stopper ring 42. As shown in Fig. 8, the divided members 41a to 41d of the stopper ring 41 and the divided members 42a to 42d of the stopper ring 42 are arranged in a substantially annular shape with their ends close to or in contact with each other, and are arranged side by side in the axial direction so that their split positions P1 and P2 are shifted by approximately 45 degrees in the circumferential direction. At this time, the index portion 45 of the stopper ring 41 is matched with the split position P2 of the stopper ring 42, and the index portion 55 of the stopper ring 42 is matched with the split position P1 of the stopper ring 41, so that the split positions P1 and P2 can be arranged to be shifted by approximately 45 degrees in the circumferential direction.

[0031] In addition, by shifting the split positions P1, P2 from each other in the circumferential direction, the screw insertion holes 44, 44 of the stopper ring 41 and the screw holes 54, 54 of the stopper ring 42 match in the axial direction, so that by attaching the screw members 43 to the screw insertion holes 44, 44 and screwing them into the screw holes 54, 54, the stopper rings 41, 42 are connected in the pipe axial direction and are also connected in an annular shape in the circumferential direction and attached to the recessed groove portion 36 of the cylindrical portion 33. As a result, an outer regulating portion 35 is formed on the outer circumferential surface 33a of the cylindrical portion 33.

[0032] In detail, for example, one of the screw members 43, 43 attached to the screw insertion holes 44, 44 of the divided member 41a is screwed into the screw hole 54 of the divided member 42a, and the other is screwed into the screw hole 54 of the divided member 42d circumferentially adjacent to the divided member 42a. In other words, by connecting the two divided members 42a, 42d of the stopper ring 42 to one divided member 41a of the stopper ring 41 in the tube axis direction, the divided members 41a and 42a, 42d adjacent in the tube axis direction are connected by the screw member 43, and the divided members 42a, 42d adjacent in the tube axis direction are connected in the circumferential direction via the divided members 41a of the stopper ring 41 adjacent in the tube axis direction.

[0033] Furthermore, two divided members 42a, 42b are connected to one divided member 41b in the tube axis direction by a screw member 43, two divided members 42b, 42c are connected to one divided member 41c in the tube axis direction by a screw member 43, and two divided members 42c, 42d are connected to one divided member 41d in the tube axis direction by a screw member 43, so that each of the divided members 41a to 41d and the divided members 42a to 42d is connected in a circular ring shape in the circumferential direction via the other divided member, and the two integrated stopper rings 41, 42 form the outer regulating portion 35. In this way, the outer regulating portion 35 is formed of a plurality of stopper rings 41, 42 connected in the tube axis direction with the split positions P1, P2 of each of the stopper rings 41, 42 shifted from each other in the circumferential direction, so that the outer regulating portion 35 as a whole does not have any cracked portions in the circumferential direction, and at least one of the stopper rings 41, 42 is extended in the circumferential direction, so that the structural strength of the outer regulating portion 35 is high all around.

[0034] In this embodiment, the stopper rings 41, 42 are configured by divided members 41a-41d, 42a-42d divided into four in the circumferential direction, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the number of divisions is not limited as long as the stopper rings are divided into at least two in the circumferential direction, and the stopper rings may be divided into three, five or more. Also, the stopper rings 41, 42 do not have to be divided into the same number (four in this example), and the stopper rings 41 and 42 may have different numbers of divisions.

[0035] 9(a) and (b), the sleeve 2 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the left and right end openings are formed with socket side restricting portions 60, 60 protruding in the inner diameter direction, and the socket end portion 2b, 2b having the socket side restricting portions 60, 60 can be fitted onto the insertion end portion 3b of the slide pipe 3. The socket side restricting portions 60, 60 have a groove portion 61 formed in the inner peripheral surface thereof in the circumferential direction into which a packing 62 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) can be fitted. The sleeve 2 has a plurality of (four in this example) hanging seats 63 formed with through holes 63a for engaging a lifting wire W (see FIG. 19) formed on the left and right sides of the outer peripheral surface thereof, which are formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

[0036] [Assembly method of expansion and contraction flexible pipe joint] Next, a method for assembling the expansion flexible pipe joint 1 will be described with reference to Figures 10 to 23. Note that the following assembly will be described assuming that it is performed in a factory of a manufacturer of the expansion flexible pipe joint 1, but it may be performed outside the factory, such as at an installation site.

[0037] First, a flexible tube fitting step is performed in which the case 4 and the slide pipe 3 are fitted in a substantially vertical direction. More specifically, as shown by the two-dot chain line in Fig. 10, the gland 5 is placed on a substantially horizontal gland line GL (mounting surface) with the outer circumferential locking portion 23 facing upward. Next, the slide pipe 3 is oriented substantially vertically with the spherical bulge portion 32 facing upward and the cylindrical portion 33 facing downward, and is placed on the gland line GL so that the insertion end portion 3b on the cylindrical portion 33 side is inserted into the opening of the gland 5. At this stage, the stopper rings 41, 42 are not attached to the recessed groove portion 36 of the slide pipe 3.

[0038] Next, the case 4 is oriented in a substantially vertical direction with the receiving end 4a on the spherical bulge 12 side facing downward, and a wire W suspended by a crane (not shown) as a suspending means is engaged with the eyebolt 46 attached to the flange 11, and the packing 16 is fitted into the concave groove 15 of the case 4. Then, the case 4 is hung down, and the receiving end 4a of the case 4 is fitted onto the insertion end 3a on the spherical bulge 32 side of the slide pipe 3, and a heavy object (not shown) is placed on the case 4 as necessary and inserted into a predetermined position of the slide pipe 3. In this way, by connecting the slide pipe 3 and the case 4 in a substantially vertical direction in a sealed state via the packing 16, the case 4 fitted onto the top of the slide pipe 3 is stably held in a position in which the tube axis faces substantially vertically, that is, in a substantially vertical direction perpendicular to the substantially horizontal ground line GL, which is the placement surface, due to its own weight, even if it is not firmly fixed, and therefore the upper case 4 is prevented from being flexible and tilted relative to the slide pipe 3. Furthermore, by connecting the slide pipe 3 and the case 4 in a substantially vertical direction without tilting them, high sealing performance can be achieved all around without causing localized elastic deformation of the packing 16.

[0039] Next, the wire W suspended by a crane (not shown) is engaged with the hook piece 24 to lift up the ground 5, and then inserted between the inner surface 12a of the spherical bulge portion 12 of the case 4 and the outer surface 32a of the spherical bulge portion 32 of the slide pipe 3.

[0040] Next, a process of assembling the gland 5 and the case 4 will be described. For ease of explanation, some of the multiple outer circumferential locking portions 23 are designated by the reference numerals 23a and 23b, and some of the multiple inner circumferential locking portions 13 are designated by the reference numerals 13a and 13b. In addition, in FIG. 11, the outer circumferential locking portions 23, the inner circumferential locking portions 13, and the pieces 65 and 66 are indicated by dots to facilitate distinction.

[0041] As shown in Fig. 11(a) and Fig. 12(a), a piece 65 that is gently curved in the circumferential direction is arranged below the outer circumferential locking portion 23a on the outer circumferential surface of the gland 5, and a piece 66 having a different shape from the piece 65 is arranged above the inner circumferential locking portion 13b near the insertion holes 19a, 19a on the inner circumferential surface of the case 4. Then, the gland 5 is moved upward and inserted into the case 4 in the direction of the black arrow. At this time, the relative positions of the case 4 and the gland 5 are adjusted so that the outer circumferential locking portion 23a with the piece 65 arranged below it is located between the inner circumferential locking portion 13b with the piece 66 arranged above it on the case 4 and the adjacent inner circumferential locking portion 13a. As a result, the outer circumferential locking portions 23, 23a, 23b are arranged between the inner circumferential locking portions 13, 13a, 13b adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction.

[0042] Next, as shown in FIG. 11(b), the outer peripheral locking portions 23, 23a, 23b are inserted between the inner peripheral locking portions 13, 13a, 13b, and the gland 5 is inserted axially into the case 4. In this state, the piece 65 is located between the adjacent inner peripheral locking portions 13a, 13b of the case 4, and the piece 66 is located between the adjacent outer peripheral locking portions 23a, 23b of the gland 5. Thereafter, the gland 5 is rotated relative to the case 4 in one circumferential direction (the direction of the black arrow in FIG. 11(b)), so that the outer peripheral locking portions 23a, 23b of the gland 5 move relative to the case 4 together with the gland 5. At this time, the piece 66 arranged between the outer peripheral locking portions 23a, 23b also moves together with the gland 5.

[0043] 11(c) and 12(b), when the outer circumferential locking portions 23a, 23b of the gland 5 are disposed above the inner circumferential locking portions 13a, 13b of the case 4, the piece 66 that was disposed between the outer circumferential locking portions 23a, 23b moves between the inner circumferential locking portions 13a, 13b, and then falls by its own weight to be positioned above the piece 65. Here, since the piece 66 is disposed between both the inner circumferential locking portions 13a, 13b and the outer circumferential locking portions 23a, 23b, circumferential rotation of the gland 5 relative to the case 4 is restricted.

[0044] Next, as shown in FIG. 11(d) and FIG. 12(c), the knock pins 19, 19 are inserted into the two insertion holes 19a, 19a from the outer diameter side, thereby restricting the upward movement of the piece 66. As a result, the piece 66 is held between both the inner peripheral locking parts 13a, 13b and the outer peripheral locking parts 23a, 23b, so that the circumferential rotation of the gland 5 relative to the case 4 is restricted. Then, the gland 5 is prevented from coming off the case 4, so that the slide pipe 3 is prevented from coming off the case 4, and the slide pipe 3 and the case 4 are connected in a flexibly sealed state. In this way, the first joint unit Y1 consisting of the case 4, the slide pipe 3, and the gland 5 is formed (see FIG. 10). After the gland 5 is fitted into the case 4, the hook piece 24 of the gland 5 is removed.

[0045] Next, a base tube fitting step is performed in which the slide pipe 3 and the sleeve 2 of the first joint unit Y1 are fitted and inserted in a substantially vertical direction. More specifically, as shown in Fig. 14, two stacked H-shaped steels 70, 70 are arranged apart from each other on the ground line GL, and the slide pipe 3 and the case 4 connected via the ground 5 are placed upside down on a substantially horizontal placement surface 70a on the H-shaped steels 70, 70 so that the case 4 is located at the bottom and the slide pipe 3 is located at the top. The H-shaped steels 70, 70 position the opening of the flange portion 11 side of the case 4 at a predetermined height from the ground line GL, so that a worker (not shown) can enter below the case 4 between the H-shaped steels 70, 70 and enter the inside of the case 4 from the opening on the flange portion 11 side using a stepladder 50 or the like.

[0046] Next, the packing 62 is fitted into the recessed groove portion 61 on the lower end side of the sleeve 2 in Fig. 14, and the dust cover 21 (see Figs. 1 and 2) that covers the gap between the gland 5 and the sleeve 2 from the outside is attached to its outer periphery with a steel band or the like (not shown). Also, an insertion fixing jig 71 is attached to the outer periphery of the sleeve 2 closer to the center in the pipe axial direction than the dust cover 21, and an insertion adjustment jig 81 is attached to the outer periphery 33a of the cylindrical portion 33 of the slide pipe 3 (see Fig. 15).

[0047] As shown in Fig. 13(a), the insertion fixture 71 is mainly composed of mounting members 71a to 71d divided into four in the circumferential direction and having an arc shape in a plan view, fixing pieces 72 fixed to each of the mounting members 71a to 71d, insertion holes 73a formed through the fixing pieces 72 and facing the vertical direction, connection pieces 75, 75 provided on both ends of each of the mounting members 71a to 71d, and bolts and nuts 76 for fastening the connection pieces 75, 75 together. A bolt 73 is inserted through the insertion hole 73a of each of the fixing pieces 72, and the bolt 73 is held by nuts 74, 74 screwed into the top and bottom of the fixing pieces 72. Furthermore, the through hole (not shown) of the connection piece 75 is aligned with the through hole 63a of the sleeve 2, and the connection piece 75 sandwiches the hanging seat 63 and the bolt and nut 76 are inserted and fixed, so that the sleeve 2 and the insertion fixture 71 are integrated.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 13(b), the insertion adjustment jig 81 is mainly composed of mounting members 81a-81d which are divided into four parts in the circumferential direction and have an arc shape in a plan view, a standing plate 87 (see FIG. 19) which is erected along the inner circumference of the mounting members 81a-81d, fixing pieces 82 fixed to each of the mounting members 81a-81d, insertion holes 83a, 83b which are formed through the fixing pieces 82 and face in the vertical direction, connecting pieces 85, 85 provided on both ends of each of the mounting members 71a-71d, and bolts and nuts 86 which fasten the connecting pieces 85, 85 together. In addition, a bolt 83 (see Figure 15) is inserted into the insertion hole 83b of each fixed piece 82 and held in place by nuts 84, 84 (see Figure 15) screwed into the top and bottom of the fixed piece 82, and the lower part of the bolt 83 is inserted into the insertion hole 20a of the support piece 20 and held in place by nuts 86, 86 screwed into the top and bottom of the support piece 20, thereby fixing the slide pipe 3 and the case 4 in an inflexible manner.

[0049] Next, a wire W is passed through the through hole 63a of the hanging seats 63, 63 on the upper end side of the sleeve 2 in FIG. 14, and the sleeve 2 is lifted up by a crane (not shown) in a position facing substantially vertically.

[0050] 15, the sleeve 2 is hung down, and the lower parts of the bolts 73 are inserted into the insertion holes 83a of the fixing pieces 82 of the insertion adjustment jig 81 attached to the slide pipe 3 for positioning, and then a weight (not shown) is placed on the top of the sleeve 2 as necessary, and the socket end 2b of the sleeve 2 is fitted onto the socket end 3b on the cylindrical part 33 side of the slide pipe 3. Here, the socket side restricting part 60 of the sleeve 2 is positioned below the concave groove part 36 formed in the outer circumferential surface 33a of the slide pipe 3.

[0051] 18(a), the receiving port side restricting portion 60 is disposed so that the inner surface 60a is located near the boundary between the bottom surface of the recessed groove portion 36 and the inclined surface 36b. Next, as shown in FIG. 15, while the sleeve 2 is kept suspended, the nuts 74, 74 screwed onto the top and bottom of the fixed piece 72 and the nuts 76, 76 disposed above and below the fixed piece 82 are tightened to fix the bolt 73 to the fixed pieces 72, 82, whereby the sleeve 2 and the slide pipe 3 are fixed so as not to move relative to each other in the pipe axial direction.

[0052] Furthermore, by connecting the slide pipe 3 and the sleeve 2 in a substantially vertical direction in a sealed state via the packing 62, the sleeve 2 fitted over the slide pipe 3 is stably held in a position in which the tube axis faces substantially vertically due to its own weight without being firmly fixed, thereby preventing the sleeve 2 from being flexible and tilting relative to the slide pipe 3. Furthermore, by connecting the slide pipe 3 and the sleeve 2 in a substantially vertical direction without tilting, that is, in a substantially vertical direction perpendicular to the substantially horizontal mounting surface 70a, high sealing performance can be exhibited all around without causing local elastic deformation in the packing 62.

[0053] [Installation of stopper ring] Next, a method for attaching the stopper rings 41 and 42 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0054] As shown in Fig. 15 and Fig. 16, in a state where the sleeve 2 is fitted to the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion 33 of the slide pipe 3, the outer periphery side of the concave groove portion 36 formed in the outer periphery surface 33a of the cylindrical portion 33 is covered by the sleeve 2. The outer periphery surface 33a of the cylindrical portion 33 and the inner periphery surface 2a of the sleeve 2 are radially separated from each other, and a gap S that opens upward is formed in the circumferential direction between the outer periphery surface 33a and the inner periphery surface 2a. However, since the radial dimension of the gap S is narrow, it is difficult for a worker (not shown) who uses a stepladder 50 to enter the inside of the case 4 from the opening on the flange portion 11 side to visually confirm the concave groove portion 36 from above the gap S. Therefore, by utilizing the inner surface 60a of the receiving port side regulating portion 60 arranged at the lower part of the concave groove portion 36, the stopper rings 41, 42 can be easily attached to the concave groove portion 36.

[0055] Specifically, as shown in Fig. 17(a) and Fig. 18(a), each of the divided members 42a to 42d constituting the stopper ring 42 is hung down from above the gap S by a tool (not shown) and placed on the inner surface 60a of the receiving-side restricting portion 60 arranged substantially horizontally below the gap S. By arranging the inner surface 60a as a placement surface expanding in the outer diameter direction at the bottom of the recessed groove portion 36 in this manner, the divided members 42a to 42d can be placed at the mounting position in the recessed groove portion 36 without dropping downward. Then, each of the divided members 42a to 42d is pushed in the inner diameter direction toward the tube axis to fit the inner diameter portion of each of the divided members 42a to 42d into the recessed groove portion 36, whereby the divided members 42a to 42d are arranged in a ring shape around the recessed groove portion 36.

[0056] 17(b) and 18(b), the divided members 41a to 41d constituting the stopper ring 41 are hung from above the gap S by a tool (not shown) and placed on the divided members 42a to 42d placed on the inner surface 60a. At this time, as described in FIG. 8, the index portion 45 of the stopper ring 41 is aligned with the split position P2 of the stopper ring 42, and the split position P1 of the stopper ring 41 is aligned with the index portion 55 of the stopper ring 42, so that the split positions P1, P2 can be arranged with a circumferential offset of about 45 degrees. Then, each divided member 41a to 41d is pressed inward toward the tube axis, and the inner diameter portion of each divided member 41a to 41d is fitted into the recessed groove portion 36. Here, the inner surface 60a of the receiving side regulating portion 60 is positioned at approximately the same vertical position as the base of the inclined surface 36b of the groove portion 36, so that the divided members 42a to 42d and the divided members 41a to 41d can be accurately fitted into the groove portion 36.

[0057] 17(c) and 18(c) and (d), the screw insertion holes 44, 44 of the stopper ring 41 and the screw holes 54, 54 of the stopper ring 42 are aligned in the axial direction, so that the screw members 43 are attached to the screw insertion holes 44, 44 and screwed into the screw holes 54, 54, whereby the stopper rings 41, 42 are connected in the pipe axial direction and are connected in an annular shape in the circumferential direction and attached to the recessed groove portion 36 of the cylindrical portion 33. As a result, an outer regulating portion 35 is formed on the outer circumferential surface 33a of the cylindrical portion 33, and the sleeve 2 is prevented from coming off the slide pipe 3. Then, the second joint unit Y3 is configured by connecting the sleeve 2 to the first joint unit Y1 consisting of the case 4, the slide pipe 3, and the gland 5 (see FIG. 15).

[0058] After the stopper rings 41, 42 are attached, the nuts 86, 86 of the bolts 83 are loosened and the sleeve 2 is moved further downward so that the face-to-face dimension between the insertion openings on the cylindrical portions 33 of the slide pipes 3 facing each other after installation becomes a predetermined dimension, as shown in Fig. 19. Then, at a position where the outer surface 60b of the socket side restricting portion 60 of the sleeve 2 abuts against the upper end of the vertical plate 87 of the insertion allowance adjusting jig 81 and the mounting members 81a to 81d abut against the inner restricting portion 34 to restrict downward movement, and the dimension from the inner restricting portion 34 to the outer surface 60b of the socket side restricting portion 60 is set to a predetermined gauge dimension L, the nuts 86, 86 are fastened to fix the sleeve 2 and the slide pipe 3 so that they cannot move relative to each other in the pipe axial direction.

[0059] Next, a process is performed in which the sleeve 2 of the second joint unit Y3 and the slide pipe 3 of a new first joint unit Y2 are fitted together in a substantially vertical direction. In detail, a new first joint unit Y2 consisting of a case 4 and a slide pipe 3 is constructed separately from the first joint unit Y1 based on the process described in Fig. 10 to Fig. 12, and as shown in Fig. 20, the first joint unit Y2 is placed on the placement surface 70a on the H-shaped steel 70, 70 in an orientation in which the pipe axis faces the vertical direction so that the case 4 of the first joint unit Y2 is located at the bottom and the slide pipe 3 is located at the top, and an insertion adjustment jig 81 is attached to fix the slide pipe 3 and the case 4 inflexibly. Note that, although the outer regulating portion 35' is shown in Fig. 20, the stopper rings 41, 42 are not attached to the concave groove portion 36 of the slide pipe 3 at this stage.

[0060] Next, the second joint unit Y3 (part surrounded by a dashed line) shown in Fig. 19 is turned upside down so that the sleeve 2 is located below, the slide pipe 3 is located above it, and the case 4 is located above that, and then the second joint unit Y3 is placed in a position facing approximately vertically, and then an insertion fixing jig 71 is attached to the other end side of the sleeve 2. Next, the second joint unit Y3 is lifted up with a crane (not shown), and then, as shown in Fig. 20, the second joint unit Y3 is suspended and the receiving end 2b of the sleeve 2 of the second joint unit Y3 is fitted onto the insertion end 3b of the slide pipe 3 of the first joint unit Y2.

[0061] In this way, by connecting the slide pipe 3 of the first joint unit Y2 and the sleeve 2 of the second joint unit Y3 in a sealed state in the substantially vertical direction via the packing 62, the second joint unit Y3, which is heavy and is composed of the case 4, the slide pipe 3, and the sleeve 2, is stably held in a position in which the pipe axes of the cylinders face in the substantially vertical direction due to its own weight even without being firmly fixed, so that the second joint unit Y3 including the sleeve 2 is prevented from being flexibly tilted relative to the slide pipe 3. In addition, by connecting the slide pipe 3 of the first joint unit Y2 and the sleeve 2 of the second joint unit Y3 in the substantially vertical direction without tilting, high sealing performance can be exhibited over the entire circumference without causing local elastic deformation of the packing 62.

[0062] Then, based on the steps described with reference to Figures 15 to 18, stopper rings 41, 42 are attached to the recessed groove portion 36 of the slide pipe 3 of the first joint unit Y2 to form an outer regulating portion 35', thereby preventing the sleeve 2 from coming off the slide pipe 3.

[0063] Next, based on the process described in Figure 19, the nuts 86, 86 of the bolt 83 of the first joint unit Y2 (see Figure 20) are loosened, and the sleeve 2 is moved further downward. At a position where the dimension from the inner regulating portion 34 to the outer surface 60b of the receiving side regulating portion 60 is set to the predetermined gauge dimension L, the nuts 86, 86 are tightened to fix the sleeve 2 and the slide pipe 3 so that they cannot move relative to each other in the pipe axial direction. After that, the nut 86 on the sleeve 2 side of the nuts 86, 86 of the insertion adjustment jig 81 is loosened in order to dismantle the jig by laying it horizontally in a later process.

[0064] 21, the expansion and contraction flexible pipe joint 1 consisting of the sleeve 2 and the first joint units Y1, Y2 connected to both ends thereof is lifted by a crane (not shown), so that a small gap (not shown) is generated between the mounting members 81a to 81d of the insertion adjustment jig 81 and the inner regulating portion 34. The gap generated between the nut 86 on the slide pipe 3 side is tightened and fixed.

[0065] Next, as shown in Fig. 22, the wire W is engaged with the through hole 18a of the suspension seat 18 of the case 4, 4 connected to both sides of the sleeve 2 via the slide pipe 3, 3, and the expansion flexible pipe joint 1 consisting of the sleeve 2 and the first joint units Y1, Y2 connected to both ends thereof is lifted up by a crane (not shown) in a sideways position so that the pipe axis faces in a substantially horizontal direction. Then, the sleeve 2 is placed on a pedestal 90a installed on the ground line GL, and is lowered so that the flange portion 11 is placed on the pedestals 90b, 90c. Next, with the wire W substantially stretched by the crane (not shown), the insertion fixing jigs 71, 71 and the insertion allowance adjusting jigs 81, 81 are removed.

[0066] After the insertion and fixing jigs 71, 71 and the insertion adjustment jigs 81, 81 have been removed, the dust cover 21 is attached and the tie rods 17, 17 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) are inserted into the insertion holes 20a of each support piece 20 and temporarily fixed.

[0067] 23, the suspension position by the crane (not shown) is changed from the case 4, 4 to the sleeve 2, and the tie rods 17, 17 are fastened and adjusted so that the distance between the insertion openings on the cylindrical portion 33 side of the slide pipes 3, 3 becomes a predetermined distance. In this way, the expansion and contraction flexible pipe joint 1 is constructed.

[0068] [Actions and Effects] As described above, the assembly method of the telescopic flexible pipe joint 1 as an embodiment of the present invention includes at least a sleeve 2 (base tube), a slide pipe 3 (first telescopic tube) that is inserted and connected in a sealed state to one end side (left end side) of the sleeve 2, and a case 4 (first flexible tube) that is inserted and connected in a sealed state to the slide pipe 3, and includes at least a flexible tube insertion process (see Figure 10) of inserting the slide pipe 3 and the case 4 in a substantially vertical direction, and a base tube insertion process (see Figures 14 and 15) of inserting the slide pipe 3 and the sleeve 2 in a substantially vertical direction.

[0069] With this, since the tube axes of the tubes that are inserted and connected to each other are oriented approximately in the vertical direction, one tube is less likely to tilt downward relative to the other tube around the connection part due to its own weight, allowing for smooth insertion and preventing leakage due to the tubes tilting.

[0070] In addition, by performing a base tube insertion process in which the slide pipe 3 and the sleeve 2 are inserted in an approximately vertical direction after the flexible tube insertion process in which the slide pipe 3 and the case 4 are inserted in an approximately vertical direction, the slide pipe 3 and the case 4, which are relatively difficult to connect, can be inserted as single tubes.

[0071] Furthermore, in the flexible tube insertion process (see FIG. 10) in which the slide pipe 3 and the case 4 are inserted in a generally vertical direction, one of the tubes (in this example, the slide pipe 3) of the slide pipe 3 and the case 4 is placed on the ground line GL as a mounting surface in a generally vertical direction, and the other tube (in this example, the case 4) is suspended by a crane (suspension means) in a generally vertical direction and inserted from above the slide pipe 3. With the slide pipe 3 stably placed in a generally vertical direction, the suspended case 4 can be easily inserted into one of the tubes simply by suspending it down in a generally vertical direction.

[0072] Furthermore, in the base tube insertion process (see Figures 14 and 15) in which the slide pipe 3 and the sleeve 2 are inserted in a generally vertical direction, the first joint unit Y1 consisting of the slide pipe 3 and the inserted case 4 after the flexible tube insertion process is placed on the mounting surface 70a, and the sleeve 2 is suspended in a generally vertical direction by a crane (suspension means) and inserted from above the slide pipe 3. With the slide pipe 3 and the case 4 stably placed in a generally vertical direction, the suspended sleeve 2 can be easily inserted into the slide pipe 3 simply by suspending it down in a generally vertical direction.

[0073] In addition, by further including a step of inserting, in a substantially vertical direction, a slide pipe 3 (second telescopic tube) that is inserted and connected in a sealed state to the other end side (right end side) of the sleeve 2 and a case 4 (second flexible tube) that is inserted and connected in a sealed state to the slide pipe 3 to form a first joint unit Y2 (see FIG. 20), and a step of inserting, in a substantially vertical direction, the sleeve 2 of the second joint unit Y3 (telescopic flexible joint unit) consisting of the slide pipe 3, the case 4 and the sleeve 2, and the slide pipe 3 of the first joint unit Y2 (flexible joint unit), both ends of the sleeve 2 can be expanded and contracted and flexed, thereby increasing the range of expansion and contraction and flexibility.

[0074] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and the present invention also includes modifications and additions that do not depart from the gist of the present invention.

[0075] For example, in the above embodiment, as an example of an expandable flexible pipe joint, a form is exemplified in which slide pipes 3,3 are expandably connected to both ends of a sleeve 2, and cases 4,4 are flexibly connected to both slide pipes 3,3. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and as long as the expandable flexible pipe joint has at least a base tube, a first telescopic tube that is inserted and connected in a sealed state to one end of the base tube, and a first flexible tube that is inserted and connected in a sealed state to the first telescopic tube, it is not necessary that the telescopic tube and the flexible tube are inserted and connected to both ends of the base tube.

[0076] In the above embodiment, the insertion end 3b of the slide pipe 3 as the first telescopic tube (second telescopic tube) is inserted into the socket end 2b of the sleeve 2 as the base tube, but the insertion end of the base tube may be inserted into the socket end of the first telescopic tube (second telescopic tube). Also, the insertion end 3a of the slide pipe 3 as the first telescopic tube (second telescopic tube) is inserted into the socket end 4a of the case 4 as the first flexible tube (second flexible tube), but the insertion end of the first flexible tube (second flexible tube) may be inserted into the socket end of the first telescopic tube (second telescopic tube).

[0077] In addition, in the above embodiment, a form is exemplified in which a sleeve 2 is applied as a base tube, a slide pipe 3 is applied as a first telescopic tube (second telescopic tube), and a case 4 is applied as a first flexible tube (second flexible tube), but the present invention is not limited to this, and the shape and size of each tube and the relationship between the receiving port and the insertion port are arbitrary and can be modified in various ways.

[0078] In the above embodiment, in the flexible tube insertion process (see FIG. 10) in which the slide pipe 3 as the first telescopic tube and the case 4 as the first flexible tube are inserted and inserted in a substantially vertical direction, a form in which the slide pipe 3 is installed downward and the case 4 is hung down from above and fitted thereon is exemplified, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the case 4 may be installed downward and the slide pipe 3 may be hung down from above and fitted thereon.

[0079] In the above embodiment, in the base tube insertion process (see Figures 14 and 15) in which the slide pipe 3 as the first telescopic tube and the sleeve 2 as the base tube are inserted in a substantially vertical direction, the slide pipe 3 and the case 4 are inverted upside down and placed below, and the sleeve 2 is hung down from above and fitted over the case. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the sleeve 2 may be placed below and the slide pipe 3 and the case 4 may be hung down from above and fitted over the case.

[0080] In addition, in the above embodiment, a flexible tube fitting and insertion process (see Figure 10) is performed in which the slide pipe 3 as the first telescopic tube and the case 4 as the first flexible tube are fitted and inserted in a substantially vertical direction, and then a process (see Figures 14 and 15) is performed in which the slide pipe 3 as the first telescopic tube and the sleeve 2 as the base tube are fitted and inserted in a substantially vertical direction. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is also possible to perform a base tube fitting and insertion process in which the slide pipe 3 as the first telescopic tube and the sleeve 2 as the base tube are fitted and inserted in a substantially vertical direction, and then a flexible tube fitting and insertion process in which the slide pipe 3 as the first telescopic tube and the case 4 as the first flexible tube are fitted and inserted in a substantially vertical direction.

[0081] Furthermore, the flexible tube fitting step of fitting the first telescopic tube and the first flexible tube in a substantially vertical direction and the base tube fitting step of fitting the first telescopic tube and the base tube in a substantially vertical direction may be performed simultaneously. In other words, the base tube and the first flexible tube may be fitted into the first telescopic tube in a substantially vertical direction all at once.

[0082] In addition, in the above embodiment, in the flexible tube insertion process (see Figure 10) in which the slide pipe 3 as the first telescopic tube and the case 4 as the first flexible tube are inserted in a substantially vertical direction, and in the base tube insertion process (see Figures 14 and 15) in which the slide pipe 3 as the first telescopic tube and the sleeve 2 as the base tube are inserted in a substantially vertical direction, the lower tube is placed on the ground line GL or the mounting surface 70a on the H-shaped steel 70, 70, which are the mounting surface, but it does not necessarily have to be placed on the mounting surface and may be held by, for example, a forklift.

[0083] In the above embodiment, in the flexible tube insertion process (see Figure 10) in which the slide pipe 3 as the first telescopic tube and the case 4 as the first flexible tube are inserted in a substantially vertical direction, and in the base tube insertion process (see Figures 14 and 15) in which the slide pipe 3 as the first telescopic tube and the sleeve 2 as the base tube are inserted in a substantially vertical direction, a form in which the upper tube is lifted by a crane as a lifting support means and then lowered to be inserted into the lower tube is exemplified, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the upper tube may be fixed and the lower tube may be raised and inserted into the upper tube.

[0084] In the above embodiment, the tubes, such as the sleeve 2, slide pipe 3, and case 4, are hoisted or hung by a hoisting means such as a crane to be inserted or fitted; however, the present invention is not limited to this, and the tubes may be raised or lowered by a moving means other than the hoisting means, such as a guide rail, to be moved and fitted. [Explanation of symbols]

[0085] 1. Expandable flexible pipe joint 2 Sleeve (base tube) 2a Inner surface 2b Socket end 3 Slide pipe (1st telescopic tube / 2nd telescopic tube) 3a,3b Socket end 4 Case (1st flexible tube / 2nd flexible tube) 4a Socket end 5 Grand (push ring) 12 Spherical bulge 12a Inner surface 16 Packing 32 Spherical bulge 32a Outer surface 33 Cylindrical section 33a Outer surface 34 Inner regulation part 35,35' Outer regulation part 36 Groove 36a vertical plane 36b Slope 41 Stopper Ring 41a to 41d Divided parts 42 Stopper Ring 42a~42d Partition members 43 Screw material 44 Screw insertion hole 45,55 Index section 60 Receptacle side regulation part 60a Inner surface 60b External surface 62 Packing 70 H-beam 70a Placement surface GL Grand Line (Placement surface) P1, P2 split position S Gap Y1, Y2 First joint unit (flexible joint unit) Y3 2nd joint unit (expandable flexible joint unit)

Claims

1. A method for assembling an expansion and contraction flexible pipe joint having at least a base tube, a first expansion and contraction tube that is fitted and connected to one end side of the base tube in a sealed state, and a first flexible tube that is fitted and connected to the first expansion and contraction tube in a sealed state, a flexible tube fitting step of fitting the first telescopic tube and the first flexible tube in a substantially vertical direction; a base tube fitting step of fitting the first telescopic tube and the base tube in a substantially vertical direction.

2. 2. The method for assembling an expansion and contraction flexible pipe joint according to claim 1, wherein the base tube fitting step is performed after the flexible tube fitting step.

3. The method for assembling an expandable flexible pipe joint according to claim 2, characterized in that in the flexible tube fitting process, one of the first expandable tube and the first flexible tube is placed on a supporting surface facing approximately vertically, and the other tube is suspended by a suspension means and fitted into the one tube.

4. 4. The method for assembling an expandable flexible pipe joint as described in claim 3, characterized in that, in the base tube fitting and insertion process, the first flexible tube that has been fitted and inserted into the first telescopic tube through the flexible tube fitting and insertion process is placed on the placement surface, and the base tube is suspended by a suspension means and fitted and inserted into the first telescopic tube.

5. The telescopic flexible pipe joint further includes a second telescopic tube that is fitted and connected to the other end side of the base tube in a sealed state, and a second flexible tube that is fitted and connected to the second telescopic tube in a sealed state, a step of inserting the second telescopic tube and the second flexible tube in a substantially vertical direction; The method for assembling an expansion and contraction flexible pipe joint according to claim 4, further comprising a step of inserting an expansion and contraction flexible joint unit consisting of the first expansion tube, the first flexible tube, and the base tube, and a flexible joint unit consisting of the second expansion tube and the second flexible tube, in a substantially vertical direction.

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