A device for maintaining the distance between a thrust ring and a pipe socket in a pipe joint, and a method for maintaining the distance between a thrust ring and a pipe socket in a pipe joint.
The spacing holder with an annular retaining ring and L-shaped arms simplifies the positioning of thrust rings in pipe joints, enhancing workability and safety by maintaining and easily removing the required distance between the thrust ring and socket.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- KUBOTA CORP
- Filing Date
- 2024-12-17
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-29
AI Technical Summary
Existing methods for positioning a thrust ring in a pipe joint are cumbersome, lack workability, and pose safety risks due to the difficulty in accurately maintaining the required distance between the thrust ring and the socket, often in confined spaces and with heavy objects.
A spacing holder with an annular retaining ring and L-shaped arms is used to maintain the required distance between the thrust ring and the socket, allowing easy attachment and removal by rotating the main body between two positions, ensuring the arms remain within the spaced distance.
Improves workability and safety by simplifying the operation of maintaining the required distance between the thrust ring and socket, preventing accidental detachment and hand injuries.
Smart Images
Figure 2026105875000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to a spacer between a pressing ring and a receiving port of a pipe joint and a method for maintaining a distance between the pressing ring and the receiving port of a pipe joint.
Background Art
[0002] Conventionally, as this type of pipe joint, for example, there is a pipe joint in which an insertion port formed at an end of a first pipe is inserted into a receiving port formed at an end of a second pipe. An annular seal ring is pushed from the opening end face of the receiving port and compressed in the pipe diameter direction between the inner surface of the receiving port and the outer surface of the insertion port. Thereby, the inner surface of the receiving port and the outer surface of the insertion port are sealed. The pushing of the seal ring is performed using an annular pressing ring externally fitted to the insertion port. A seal ring is disposed between the pressing ring and the opening end face of the receiving port, and the pressing ring is attached to the receiving port using bolts and nuts. In the process, the end of the seal ring is pressed against the end face of the pressing ring and pushed between the inner surface of the receiving port and the outer surface of the insertion port.
[0003] The attachment of the pressing ring to the receiving port is performed by screwing using bolts and nuts. In order for the pressing ring to be properly screwed to the receiving port, it is necessary to previously position the pressing ring appropriately with respect to the position of the opening end face of the receiving port. Specifically, it is necessary to previously move the pressing ring in the pipe axis direction to a predetermined position with respect to the position of the opening end face, and to maintain a required distance between the end face of the pressing ring and the opening end face. The moving operation of the pressing ring externally fitted to the insertion port is performed, for example, by the method described in Patent Document 1. In the method described in Patent Document 1, the operation is performed with, for example, a rod-shaped tool inserted into the bolt insertion holes provided in the pressing ring and the opening end face approaching each other. The required distance is appropriately confirmed using, for example, a scale.
[0004] In this case, since the thrust ring is a heavy object, it is difficult to accurately move and position the thrust ring to the predetermined location during the movement operation. In particular, there is often insufficient space for work within the pipeline laying trench, and the movement of the thrust ring is often performed by one person. In that case, it becomes even more difficult to accurately position the thrust ring while appropriately grasping the required interval. In other words, the method described in Patent Document 1 has problems in terms of the workability of the positioning operation. Furthermore, with this method, there is a possibility that the worker may pinch their hand between the end face of the thrust ring and the open end face of the receiving port during the operation, so there is room for improvement in terms of safety. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]
[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-109986 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]
[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and aims to provide a spacing holder that can improve workability and safety in the process of maintaining the required spacing between a thrust ring and a socket when attaching a thrust ring to a socket during the joining of pipe joints. [Means for solving the problem]
[0007] According to the present invention, the spacing holder is such that an insertion opening formed at the end of the first pipe is inserted into a receiving opening formed at the end of the second pipe. An annular retaining ring fitted onto the outer surface of the insertion opening, It includes an annular sealing member that seals the space between the outer surface of the insertion opening and the inner surface of the receiving opening, The opening end face of the socket is provided with multiple socket insertion holes that penetrate in the direction of the pipe axis. In a pipe fitting in which a thrust ring is attached to the socket, thereby pressing the sealing member between the outer surface of the insertion opening and the inner surface of the socket, A spacing holder for maintaining the required spacing in the axial direction of the pipe between the end face and the open end face of a thrust ring when the thrust ring is attached to the socket, A main body that can be positioned between the two aforementioned surfaces, An arm portion extending from the main body, the end of which is inserted into the receiving port insertion hole, Equipped with, When the main body is placed between the two aforementioned surfaces, The length of the main body in the direction of the tube axis is equal to the required interval, and The length in the axial direction of the tube in the arm portion is shorter than the required interval. With the end of the arm inserted into the socket insertion hole, the arm inserted into the socket insertion hole is the center, A first posture in which the main body is positioned between the two aforementioned surfaces, It is rotatable between a second position in which the main body is detached from the two aforementioned surfaces.
[0008] According to this design, the spacing holder is easily attached to the open end face of the socket by passing its arm through the socket insertion hole, and the main body is sandwiched between the two surfaces to set the distance between the two surfaces to the required distance. Then, while the distance between the two surfaces is maintained at the required distance, the position of the main body is switched, which detaches the main body from between the two surfaces, and it can be easily removed from the open end face. In other words, in the operation of maintaining the distance between the two surfaces, the distance between the two surfaces can be maintained at the required distance with simple operation, and after the operation, the spacing holder can be removed with simple operation. Thus, the work efficiency of the operation is improved. In addition, since the spacing holder is always interposed between the thrust ring and the socket throughout the operation, situations such as the worker getting their hand caught between the thrust ring and the socket can be avoided, thus improving work safety.
[0009] The spacing holder according to the second invention, when the main body is positioned between the two surfaces, The arms are, A first arm extending from the main body in the circumferential direction of the tube, A second arm extends from the end of the first arm in the direction of the tube axis and is inserted into the receiving port insertion hole. It has, The length of the second arm is shorter than the required interval.
[0010] According to this, the spacing retainer has an L-shaped arm, with a second arm extending in the direction of the pipe axis being inserted into the socket insertion hole. Since the length of the second arm is shorter than the required spacing, the second arm inserted into the socket insertion hole is completely withdrawn within the space between the two surfaces that has been spaced at the required distance. As a result, the arm is inserted into the socket insertion hole and the main body is stably positioned between the two surfaces, and the spacing retainer is reliably removed within the space between the two surfaces that has been spaced at the required distance.
[0011] The arm portion of the spacing holder according to this third invention is It further has a third arm which is bent and provided from the end of the second arm, The lengths of the second and third arms in the axial direction of the third arm are shorter than the required interval.
[0012] According to this design, when the spacing retainer is attached to the open end, the third arm is bent at the back of the open end face from the end of the second arm that passes through the receiving hole. This means that even if the arm moves towards the thrust ring and attempts to pull the second arm out of the receiving hole, the third arm catches on the back surface of the open end face from the back, making it difficult for the second arm to come out of the receiving hole. This prevents the spacing retainer from accidentally detaching from the open end face and falling to the ground during the process of adjusting the distance between the two surfaces. Furthermore, since the lengths of the second and third arms in the axial direction of the third arm are shorter than the required distance, the second and third arms that are inserted through the receiving hole are completely withdrawn within the required distance between the two surfaces. This ensures that the spacing retainer is reliably removed within the required distance between the two surfaces.
[0013] The spacing maintenance method according to the fourth invention involves an insertion opening formed at the end of the first pipe, A socket formed at the end of the second pipe, An annular thrust ring attached to the open end face of the socket, It comprises an annular sealing member provided between the outer surface of the insertion opening and the inner surface of the receiving opening, In a pipe joint provided with a plurality of receiving port insertion holes penetrating in the direction of the pipe axis at the opening end face of the receiving port, A spacing holding method for holding the spacing in the pipe axis direction between the end face of the pressing ring and the opening end face at a required spacing using a spacing holder, The spacing holder Has a main body that can be arranged between the two faces, An arm portion extending from the main body and having an end portion inserted into the receiving port insertion hole And When the main body is arranged between the two faces, The length of the main body in the pipe axis direction is equal to the required spacing, and A spacing holder is used in which the length of the arm portion in the pipe axis direction is shorter than the required spacing, The pressing ring and the sealing member are externally fitted to the outer surface of the insertion port, The insertion port is inserted into the receiving port, The end portion of the arm portion of the spacing holder is inserted into the receiving port insertion hole, The spacing holder is set in a first posture in which the main body is arranged between the two faces, The pressing ring is moved to the insertion direction side of the insertion port, The main body of the spacing holder is sandwiched between the two faces, and the spacing in the pipe axis direction between the two faces is set to the required spacing, The main body of the spacing holder is rotated about the arm portion inserted into the receiving port insertion hole, The spacing holder is set in a second posture in which the main body is disengaged from between the two faces, The end portion of the arm portion of the spacing holder is withdrawn from the receiving port insertion hole.
[0014] According to this, the spacing holding method can achieve the same operational effects as those of the first invention.
Effects of the Invention
[0015] According to the present invention, when attaching the pressing ring to the receiving port during the joining of the pipe joint, the workability and safety can be improved in the operation of holding the spacing between the pressing ring and the receiving port at a required spacing.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0016] [Figure 1] This is a cross-sectional view of a pipe joint to which a thrust ring is attached using the spacing holder according to the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view of a pipe joint showing how a thrust ring is attached using a spacing holder according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view of the spacing holder, and the orientation of the spacing holder represents the first orientation. [Figure 4] This is a side view of the same-spacing holder. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view of the spacing holder, and the orientation of the spacing holder indicates the second orientation. [Figure 6A] This is a side view of a pipe joint illustrating the procedure for maintaining the distance between a thrust ring and a socket using the same spacing retainer. [Figure 6B] This is a cross-sectional view along line AA in Figure 6. [Figure 7A] This is a side view of a pipe joint illustrating the procedure for maintaining the same spacing, and shows the next step after the process shown in Figure 6A. [Figure 7B] This is a cross-sectional view along line AA in Figure 7A. [Figure 8] This is a side view of a pipe joint illustrating the procedure for maintaining the same spacing, and shows the next step after the process shown in Figure 7A. [Figure 9] This is a perspective view of a spacing holder according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention, where the orientation of the spacing holder shows the first orientation. [Figure 10] This is a side view of the same-spacing holder. [Figure 11] This is a side view of the spacing holder, illustrating the procedure for maintaining the spacing between the thrust ring and the socket using the spacing holder. [Figure 12] This is a cross-sectional view of a pipe joint illustrating the procedure for maintaining the same spacing, and shows the next step after the process shown in Figure 11. [Figure 13] This is a cross-sectional view of a pipe joint illustrating the procedure for maintaining the same spacing, and shows the next step after the process shown in Figure 12. [Figure 14] This is a side view of a pipe joint illustrating the procedure for maintaining the same spacing, and shows the next step after the process shown in Figure 13. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0017] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention, specifically the spacing holder 4, will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, identical or corresponding parts will be denoted by the same reference numerals to avoid repetition in the description. In the following description, terms such as "up," "down," "horizontal," and "vertical" may be used to indicate position or direction. These terms are used for convenience to facilitate understanding of the embodiment and are not limited to the position or direction in actual implementation.
[0018] <Embodiment 1> [Configuration of pipe fitting 100] Referring to Figure 1, the configuration of a pipe joint 100 in which the spacing holder 4 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention is used will be described. As shown in Figure 1, the pipe joint 100 has a slit 11 formed in the first pipe 1 and a socket 21 formed in the second pipe 2, with the slit 11 being inserted into the socket 21. For example, ductile iron pipes are used for these pipes.
[0019] A lock ring housing groove 24 is formed around the entire circumference of the inner circumferential surface of the socket 21. A lock ring 9 is housed in the lock ring housing groove 24. The lock ring 9 is a one-piece ring (not shown) with a cut in one place along the circumferential direction.
[0020] A projection 12 is formed around the entire circumference of the insertion opening 11. The projection 12 catches on the lock ring 9 from the back of the receiving opening 21 when the insertion opening 11 is released, thereby preventing the insertion opening 11 from detaching from the receiving opening 21.
[0021] A seal ring 7 (an example of a sealing member) is provided at a location closer to the open end face 22 of the socket 21 than the lock ring 9, which is compressed in the radial direction of the pipe to seal the space between the outer circumferential surface of the insertion port 11 and the inner circumferential surface of the socket 21. The seal ring 7 is a rubber ring.
[0022] The end of the seal ring 7 on the side facing the release direction of the insertion opening 11 is fitted into a seal ring fitting portion 36 provided on the end face of the thrust ring 3. The seal ring 7 is pressed between the outer circumferential surface of the insertion opening 11 and the inner circumferential surface of the receiving opening 21 when the thrust ring 3 is attached to the open end face 22 of the receiving opening 21. The thrust ring 3 is provided with a plurality of thrust ring insertion holes 31, and the open end face 22 is provided with receiving opening insertion holes 23 at positions corresponding to the thrust ring insertion holes 31.
[0023] The thrust ring 3 is attached to the open end face 22 by passing a T-head bolt T through the thrust ring insertion hole 31 and the receiving end insertion hole 23, and tightening a nut N. On the outer side of the thrust ring insertion hole 31 in the direction of the diameter of the pipe, there is a contact portion 32 that protrudes in the direction of the pipe axis, and the attachment of the thrust ring 3 to the receiving end 21 is completed when the contact portion 32 contacts the open end face 22.
[0024] An annular backup ring 8 is provided between the lock ring 9 and the seal ring 7. The backup ring 8 centers the insertion opening 11 relative to the socket 21.
[0025] Next, with reference to Figure 2, an overview of the method for maintaining the distance between the thrust ring 3 and the receiving port 21 using the spacing holder 4 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described (details will be given later). As shown in Figure 2, the thrust ring 3 has a plurality of protrusions 34 that project in the direction of the diameter of the pipe on its outer circumferential surface. The thrust ring insertion hole 31 is provided by penetrating the protrusions 34 in the direction of the pipe axis. To reiterate, the receiving port insertion hole 23 is provided at a position corresponding to the thrust ring insertion hole 31. In particular, among the receiving port insertion holes 23, the receiving port insertion hole 23 located above the pipe axis C will be referred to as the upper receiving port insertion hole 23U.
[0026] As described above, when the thrust ring 3 is attached to the open end face 22 of the socket 21, the thrust ring 3 must be properly positioned in advance with respect to the position of the open end face 22 of the socket 21.
[0027] Specifically, starting from a state in which the seal ring 7 is positioned between the end face 33 and the open end face 22 (hereinafter referred to as "the two faces 33, 22") of the thrust ring 3, as shown in Figure 2, the thrust ring 3 needs to be moved to the vicinity of the open end face 22 so that the distance between the two faces 33, 22 is maintained at the required distance.
[0028] The present invention aims to improve work efficiency and ensure safety in the process of maintaining the distance between the two surfaces 33 and 22 at the required distance by arranging the spacing holder 4 between the two surfaces 33 and 22 as shown in the figure. A predetermined gap is provided between the inner surface of the thrust ring 3 and the outer surface of the insertion opening 11. During the process, a centering member such as a rubber plate (not shown in subsequent figures) is placed in the predetermined gap, and the thrust ring 3 is centered relative to the receiving opening 21 during the process.
[0029] [Configuration of the spacing holder 4] Next, with reference to Figures 3 to 5, the configuration of the spacing holder 4 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described. Hereinafter, the insertion direction of the insertion port 11 in the direction of the pipe axis may be simply referred to as the "insertion direction" or "rear side," and the removal direction of the insertion port 11 in the direction of the pipe axis may be simply referred to as the "removal direction" or "front side."
[0030] As shown in the figure, the spacing holder 4 is positioned and used on the side of the opening end face 22 that is in the direction of separation. As will be described in detail later, the spacing holder 4 is used by switching its position between a first position and a second position. Figures 3 and 4 show the spacing holder 4 in the first position, and Figure 5 shows the spacing holder 4 in the second position. In this embodiment, the spacing holder 4 comprises, for example, a roughly cubic body 40, an L-shaped arm portion 50 extending from the body 40, and a handle portion 47 extending linearly from the body 40. The body 40, arm portion 50, and handle portion 47 of the spacing holder 4 are made of, for example, a resin such as polyethylene.
[0031] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, in the first position, the spacing holder 4 has its main body 40 positioned between the thrust ring 3 shown in Figure 2 and the open end face 22 on the side of the open end face 22 that is in the direction of release. In the first position, the main body 40 has a first surface 41 and a second surface 42 that face each other in the direction of the pipe axis, a third surface 43 and a fourth surface 44 that face each other in the direction of the pipe diameter, and a fifth surface 45 and a sixth surface 46 that face each other in the direction of the pipe circumferential direction. The first surface 41 faces the insertion direction, and the second surface 42 faces the release direction. The third surface 43 faces inward in the direction of the pipe diameter, and the fourth surface 44 faces outward in the direction of the pipe diameter.
[0032] In this embodiment, the handle portion 47 is, for example, a cylindrical member extending from the fourth surface 44. However, the handle portion 47 may be configured to extend from a surface other than the fourth surface 44. In this embodiment, the arm portion 50 has a first arm portion 51 extending in the circumferential direction from the fifth surface 45, and a second arm portion 52 extending in the insertion direction from the end of the first arm portion 51. That is, the arm portion 50 is configured in an L-shape by two orthogonal members. The spacing holder 4 has its main body 40 positioned in front of the opening end 22, and the second arm portion 52 is inserted from its end into the upper receiving port insertion hole 23U of the opening end 22.
[0033] As shown in Figure 4, in the first position, the spacing holder 4 is configured such that the distance L1 between the first surface 41 and the second surface 42, which are opposite each other in the direction of the tube axis, is equal to the required distance. In addition, the length L2 of the second arm portion 52 in the direction of the tube axis is configured to be shorter than the required distance.
[0034] Furthermore, the length L3 in the radial direction between the axis C1 of the second arm 52 and the third surface 43 is set to be equal to, or approximately equal to, the length (not shown) between the center of the receiving port insertion hole 23 and the outermost surface of the seal ring 7 fitted onto the insertion port 11. As a result, in the first position, the spacing holder 4 is positioned so that the third surface 43 is approximately opposite the outermost surface of the seal ring 7 in the radial direction.
[0035] As shown in Figure 5 (perspective view of the spacing holder 4 in the second posture), the spacing holder 4 switches from the first posture to the second posture by rotating the main body 40 around the axis C1 of the second arm 52 while the second arm 52 is inserted into the upper receiving hole 23U.
[0036] As shown in the figure, when the spacing holder 4 switches from the first position to the second position, the third surface 43 and the fourth surface 44 change from facing the diameter direction of the pipe to facing the circumferential direction of the pipe, and the fifth surface 45 and the sixth surface 46 change from facing the circumferential direction of the pipe to facing the diameter direction of the pipe. On the other hand, during the process of switching the position from the first position to the second position, the first surface 41 and the second surface 42 remain facing the axis direction of the pipe. That is, the first surface 41 and the second surface 42 are moved within the same plane perpendicular to the axis direction of the pipe, thereby switching the position of the spacing holder 4.
[0037] [Method for maintaining spacing using spacing device 4] Next, referring to Figures 6A to 8, the procedure for maintaining the distance between the thrust ring 3 and the socket 21 in the pipe joint 100 using the spacing holder 4 will be explained.
[0038] First, as shown in Figures 6A and 6B, the main body 40 of the spacing holder 4 is positioned between the opening end face 22 and the thrust ring 3 on the side of the opening end face 22 that is detached from the opening end face 22 when the spacing holder 4 is in the first position. At this time, as described above, the second arm portion 52 is inserted from its end into the upper receiving port insertion hole 23U. The second arm portion 52 extends in the direction of the pipe axis and is inserted into the upper receiving port insertion hole 23U with sufficient length. As a result, the spacing holder 4 is engaged with the opening end face 22 in the direction of the pipe circumference, and the main body 40 is stably positioned between the two surfaces 33 and 22. At this time, as described above, in the first position, the spacing holder 4 is configured such that the third surface 43 is positioned almost opposite the outermost surface of the seal ring 7 in the direction of the pipe diameter, so that the main body 40 is stably placed on the outer surface of the seal ring 7.
[0039] Subsequently, as shown by dashed lines in Figure 6A, the thrust ring 3 is moved on the outer surface of the insertion opening 11 toward the insertion direction. The thrust ring 3 is moved until its end face contacts the second surface 42 of the main body 40 of the spacing holder 4. The main body 40 is then sandwiched between the two surfaces 33 and 22. As a result, the distance L between the two surfaces 33 and 22 becomes equal to the distance L1 (see Figure 4) between the first surface 41 and the second surface 42 of the main body 40 in the pipe axis direction, i.e., the required distance.
[0040] Next, as shown in Figures 7A and 7B, the spacing holder 4 is switched from the first position to the second position. That is, the main body 40 is rotated around the axis C1 of the second arm portion 52, which is inserted through the upper receiving port insertion hole 23U.
[0041] As a result, the main body 40 changes from being positioned and sandwiched between the two surfaces 33 and 22 to being no longer positioned between the two surfaces 33 and 22, that is, to being detached from the two surfaces 33 and 22. During the process of switching the posture from the first posture to the second posture, the first surface 41 and the second surface 42 move within the same plane perpendicular to the direction of the pipe axis, thereby maintaining the distance L between the two surfaces 33 and 22 at the required distance.
[0042] Then, as shown in Figure 8, the spacing retainer 4 is moved toward the detachment direction. At this time, the length of the second arm portion 52 in the direction of the pipe axis is set to be shorter than the required interval, so that the second arm portion 52 is completely withdrawn from the upper receiving insertion hole 23U between the two surfaces 33 and 22 at the required interval. As a result, the spacing retainer 4 is released from engagement with the open end surface 22 and the spacing retainer 4 is removed from the open end surface 22.
[0043] Furthermore, as shown by dashed lines in Figures 7B and 78, depending on how the thrust ring 3 is attached to the open end face 22, the position of the protrusion 34 of the thrust ring 3 may overlap with the arm portion 50 in the direction of the pipe axis. Even in such cases, the second arm portion 52 is still completely withdrawn from the upper receiving port insertion hole 23U within the required distance between the two surfaces 33 and 22.
[0044] As described above, according to the spacing holder 4 of the present invention, the spacing holder 4 is easily attached to the open end face 22 of the receiving opening 21 by passing the arm portion 50 through the upper receiving opening insertion hole 23U, and the main body 40 is sandwiched between the two surfaces 33 and 22, thereby setting the distance L between the two surfaces 33 and 22 to the required distance. Then, while the distance L between the two surfaces 33 and 22 is maintained at the required distance, the main body 40 is removed from between the two surfaces 33 and 22 and easily removed from the open end face 22 simply by switching the orientation of the main body 40.
[0045] In other words, in the operation of maintaining the distance between the thrust ring 3 and the receiving opening 21, the distance L between the two surfaces 33 and 22 can be maintained at the required distance with simple operation, and the distance-holding device 4 can be removed with simple operation after the operation is completed. Therefore, the work efficiency of the operation is improved. In addition, since the distance-holding device 4 is always interposed between the thrust ring 3 and the receiving opening 21 throughout the operation, situations such as the worker getting their hand caught between the thrust ring 3 and the receiving opening 21 can be avoided, thus improving the safety of the operation.
[0046] <Embodiment 2> [Configuration of the spacing holder 5] Next, the configuration of the spacing retainer 5 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 9 and 10. Note that for the spacing retainer 5, components similar to those of the spacing retainer 4 according to Embodiment 1 will be given the same reference numerals as those of the spacing retainer 4, and detailed explanations will be omitted.
[0047] As shown in the figure, the spacing holder 5 has a handle portion 57 and an arm portion 55 instead of the handle portion 47 and arm portion 50 of the spacing holder 4. The arm portion 55 has a third arm portion 53 in addition to the first arm portion 51 and the second arm portion 52.
[0048] In the first position spacing holder 5, the third arm portion 53 is provided extending from the end of the second arm portion 52 in a direction inclined outward in the diameter direction of the pipe with respect to the insertion direction. That is, the third arm portion 53 is provided bent from the end of the second arm portion 52. A predetermined gap is provided between the outer surface of the arm portion 55 and the inner surface of the upper receiving port insertion hole 23U.
[0049] As shown in Figure 10, the lengths L4 of the second arm 52 and the third arm 53 in the direction of the axis C2 of the third arm 53 are configured to be shorter than the required distance.
[0050] As shown in Figure 10, the length L3 in the radial direction between the axis C1 of the second arm 52 and the third surface 43, and the length L3 in the radial direction between the axis C1 of the second arm 52 and the fourth surface 44, are both configured to be equal to or approximately equal to the length (not shown) in the radial direction between the center of the receiving port insertion hole 23 and the outermost surface of the seal ring 7. As a result, in the first position, the spacing holder 5 is positioned so that the third surface 43 and the fourth surface 44 are approximately opposite the outermost surface of the seal ring 7 in the radial direction.
[0051] The handle portion 57 is provided extending in the circumferential direction of the pipe from the sixth surface 46, which is opposite to the fifth surface 45 on which the arm portion 55 is provided. In the first position, the main body 40 and the handle portion 57 of the spacing holder 5 are configured to be symmetrical in shape on the inside and outside in the radial direction of the pipe with respect to the axis C1 of the second arm portion 52.
[0052] [Space maintenance method] Next, with reference to Figures 11 to 13, a method for maintaining the spacing between the two surfaces 33 and 22 using the spacing holders 5 will be described. As shown in Figures 12 and 13, in this embodiment, for example, three spacing holders 5 are used for the work. However, the number of spacing holders 5 used for the work is not limited to three; one spacing holder 5 may be used, or multiple spacing holders 5 other than three may be used.
[0053] As shown in Figure 11, when attaching the spacing holder 5 to the open end face 22, the arm portion 55 is inserted into the upper receiving hole 23U within a predetermined gap provided between the outer surface of the arm portion 55 and the inner surface of the upper receiving hole 23U.
[0054] Specifically, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 11, the main body 40 is first tilted so that the axis C2 of the third arm 53 is aligned with the pipe axis, and the tip of the third arm 53 is passed through the upper receiving hole 23U. Then, as shown by the solid line in the same figure, when the second arm 52 reaches the upper receiving hole 23U, the main body 40 is tilted so that the axis C1 of the second arm 52 is aligned with the pipe axis, and the second arm 52 is passed through the upper receiving hole 23U. As a result, the spacing retainer 5 is attached to the open end face 22, as shown in Figure 10. In this way, three spacing retainers 5 are attached to the open end face 22.
[0055] As shown in Figure 12, the three spacing holders 5 are attached to three locations: for example, a position near the top of the pipe joint 100 (approximately the 12 o'clock position P12), a position approximately 90° clockwise from the approximately 12 o'clock position P12 in the figure (approximately the 3 o'clock position P3), and a position approximately 90° counterclockwise from the approximately 12 o'clock position P12 in the figure (approximately the 9 o'clock position P9). More specifically, the three spacing holders 5 are positioned such that the second arm portion 52 of the arm portion 50 is inserted through the upper receiving port insertion hole 23U, with each body 40 positioned approximately at the 12 o'clock position P12, approximately at the 3 o'clock position P3, and approximately at the 9 o'clock position P9.
[0056] As a result, when the spacing holder 5 is attached to the open end 22 as shown in Figure 10, the third arm portion 53 is bent at the back of the open end face 22 from the end of the second arm portion 52 that passes through the upper receiving hole 23U. Then, even if the arm portion 55 moves in the detachment direction and the second arm portion 52 tries to be pulled out of the upper receiving hole 23U, the third arm portion 53 catches on the back surface of the open end face 22 from the back, making it difficult for the second arm portion 52 to come out of the upper receiving hole 23U. Thus, the spacing holder 5 does not accidentally come off the open end face 22 and fall to the ground during the work of adjusting the distance between the two surfaces 33 and 22, thereby improving work efficiency. The third arm portion 53 may be provided extending from the end of the second arm portion 52 at an angle of any direction with respect to the insertion direction. Even with this configuration, the second arm portion 52 is less likely to slip out of the upper receiving port insertion hole 23U, similar to this embodiment, thereby improving the workability of the aforementioned work.
[0057] As described above, the spacing holder 5 is configured such that the main body 40 and the handle portion 57 are symmetrical on the inner and outer sides in the diameter direction of the pipe with respect to the axis C2 of the second arm portion. This allows the spacing holder 5 to be attached to the open end face 22 regardless of which upper receiving hole 23U the arm portion 50 is inserted into. In other words, with this configuration, when the arm portion 50 is inserted into the upper receiving hole 23U located on the right side in the figure (for example, when the spacing holder 5 is at approximately the 3 o'clock position P3), the fourth surface 44 of the main body 40 faces the outer surface of the seal ring 7. When the arm portion 50 is inserted into the upper receiving hole 23U located on the left side in the figure (for example, when the spacing holder 5 is at approximately the 9 o'clock position P9), the third surface 43 of the main body 40 faces the outer surface of the seal ring 7. In other words, the spacing holder 5 can be attached to the open end face 22 at either position P3 or P9.
[0058] As described above, in this case, the spacing holder 5 in the first position is configured such that the third surface 43 and the fourth surface 44 are positioned substantially opposite the outermost surface of the seal ring 7 in the direction of the pipe diameter, so that the main body 40 is stably placed on the outer surface of the seal ring 7.
[0059] After the three spacing holders 5 are attached to the open end face 22 in this manner, the thrust ring 3 is moved in the insertion direction, as in the first embodiment described above, and the body 40 of the spacing holder 5 is sandwiched between the end face of the thrust ring 3 and the open end face 22 of the receiving opening 21 (not shown). As a result, the distance between the two surfaces 33 and 22 is maintained at the required distance. In this case, since multiple spacing holders 5 are used, the distance between the two surfaces 33 and 22 can be maintained at the required distance at multiple locations between the two surfaces 33 and 22, making it possible to maintain the distance between the thrust ring 3 and the receiving opening 21 more accurately.
[0060] Furthermore, if the arm portion 50 is passed through a receiving hole 23 other than the upper receiving hole 23U, for example, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 12, the third surface 43 of the main body 40 hanging down from the inserted arm portion 50 will not be facing the outer surface of the seal ring 7. Therefore, the spacing holder 5 will not be able to hold the main body 40 between the two surfaces 33 and 22, and the spacing holder 5 will be unable to maintain the distance between the two surfaces 33 and 22 at the required distance.
[0061] Then, as shown by the solid arrows in Figure 13, the spacing holder 5 is rotated around the arm portion 52, and the body 40 is removed from between the two surfaces 33 and 22, resulting in a second position. Subsequently, as in the case of Embodiment 1 described above with reference to Figure 8, the spacing holder 5 is moved in the detachment direction, and as shown by the dashed arrows in Figure 13, the body 40 is twisted around the axis C1 of the second arm portion 52, causing the third arm portion 53 to be pulled out from the upper receiving insertion hole 23U.
[0062] In this case, as shown in Figure 14, the length L4 (see Figure 10) of the second arm portion 52 and the third arm portion 53 in the direction of the axis C2 of the third arm portion is configured to be shorter than the required distance, so that the arm portion 50 is completely withdrawn from the upper receiving insertion hole 23U between the required distance between the two surfaces 33 and 22. Thus the spacing holder 5 is removed from the open end surface 22.
[0063] Embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be implemented in various forms without departing from the spirit of the invention. The drawings schematically show each component in order to facilitate understanding, and the thickness, length, number, spacing, etc. of each component shown may differ from the actual dimensions due to the convenience of drawing creation. Furthermore, the material, shape, dimensions, etc. of each component shown in the above embodiments are examples and are not particularly limited, and various modifications are possible without substantially departing from the configuration of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]
[0064] 1. First tube 11 Socket 2. The second tube 21 socket 22 Open end face 23 Receptacle insertion hole 3. Pressing ring 40 Main Unit 41 Page 1 42 Side 2 47 Handle section 50 Arm 51 1st arm 52 2nd arm 53 Third arm 7 Seal ring 9 Lock Rings 100 Pipe Fittings
Claims
1. The insertion opening formed at the end of the first pipe is inserted into the receiving opening formed at the end of the second pipe. An annular retaining ring fitted onto the outer surface of the insertion opening, It includes an annular sealing member that seals the space between the outer surface of the insertion opening and the inner surface of the receiving opening, The opening end face of the socket is provided with multiple socket insertion holes that penetrate in the direction of the pipe axis. In a pipe fitting in which a thrust ring is attached to the socket, thereby pressing the sealing member between the outer surface of the insertion opening and the inner surface of the socket, A spacing holder for maintaining the required spacing in the axial direction of the pipe between the end face and the open end face of a thrust ring when the thrust ring is attached to the socket, A main body that can be positioned between the two aforementioned surfaces, An arm portion extending from the main body, the end of which is inserted into the receiving port insertion hole, Equipped with, When the main body is placed between the two aforementioned surfaces, The length of the main body in the direction of the tube axis is equal to the required interval, and The length in the axial direction of the tube in the arm portion is shorter than the required interval. With the end of the arm inserted into the socket insertion hole, the arm inserted into the socket insertion hole is the center, A first posture in which the main body is positioned between the two aforementioned surfaces, It is rotatable between a second position in which the main body is detached from the two aforementioned surfaces. A spacing device characterized by the following features.
2. When the main body is placed between the two aforementioned surfaces, The arms are, A first arm extending from the main body in the circumferential direction of the pipe, A second arm extends from the end of the first arm in the direction of the tube axis and is inserted into the receiving port insertion hole. It has, The length of the second arm is shorter than the required interval. The spacing holder according to feature 1.
3. The arms are, It further has a third arm which is bent and provided from the end of the second arm, The lengths of the second and third arms in the axial direction of the third arm are shorter than the required interval. The spacing holder according to feature 2.
4. An insertion opening formed at the end of the first pipe, A socket formed at the end of the second pipe, An annular thrust ring attached to the open end face of the socket, It comprises an annular sealing member provided between the outer surface of the insertion opening and the inner surface of the receiving opening, In a pipe joint in which a plurality of socket insertion holes are provided on the open end face of the socket, penetrating in the direction of the pipe axis, A spacing maintenance method for maintaining the distance in the axial direction of the pipe between the end face and the open end face of a thrust ring at a required distance using a spacing holder, The spacing retainer is, A main body that can be positioned between the two aforementioned surfaces, An arm portion extending from the main body, the end of which is inserted into the receiving port insertion hole, It has, When the main body is placed between the two aforementioned surfaces, The length of the main body in the direction of the tube axis is equal to the required interval, and A spacing holder is used in the arm portion whose length in the direction of the tube axis is shorter than the required interval. The thrust ring and sealing member are fitted onto the outer surface of the insertion opening. The socket is inserted into the socket. The end of the arm of the spacing holder is inserted into the receiving hole. The spacing holder is positioned in a first orientation in which the main body is placed between the two surfaces. The thrust ring is moved towards the insertion direction side of the insertion opening. The main body of the spacing holder is sandwiched between the two surfaces so that the distance between the two surfaces in the direction of the pipe axis becomes the required distance. The main body of the spacing holder rotates around the arm portion inserted into the receiving hole. The spacing holder is in a second position where the main body is separated from the two surfaces. The end of the arm of the spacing holder is pulled out through the receiving port insertion hole. A method for maintaining spacing characterized by the following features.