Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
DESCRIPTION
Protective device for the covering of flanges for pipe construction
The invention relates to a protective device for welding flange necks for pipe
construction having a disc for the covering of a partial surface of the
welding
flange neck and having transversely disposed to said disc an insert via which
insert the protective device is releasably connected to the welding flange
neck
wherein the insert is provided with a resilience and is connectable to the
welding
flange neck by means of a clamping connector.
Welding flange necks are used in pipe construction for the connection of
pipes and pipe sections. DE 80 30 103 U1 for instance discloses comparable
flanges. The welding flange necks are connected by means of welding to the
respective pipe or pipe section. In the mechanical processing of flanges
and/or
pipes e.g. by means of glass-, sand- or shot-blasting it is necessary to
protect
partial surfaces of said flange from impurities and particularly from the
penetration
of blasting medium. In order to protect said surfaces, also described as
sealing
surfaces, they are covered during the processing by means of adhesive tape or
film. A substantial disadvantage of the use of said adhesive solutions however
is
that the adhesion is very time consuming and also imprecise. In addition the
adhesive tape and/or film is rapidly destroyed by the blasting medium such
that
the adhesive material must then be time-consumingly removed with solvents or
by
mechanical means. Another possibility for the protection of said sealing
surfaces
resides in wood and/or metal constructions. These are however very time-
consuming and cost-intensive to produce. It has also proven to be particularly
difficult to achieve an effective connection between said constructions and
the
welding flange necks. Also known in the art are commercially available plastic
stoppers. Said stoppers feature discs and are attached with conical clamping
to
the welding flange neck. Said stoppers occasionally however lack the required
2
dimensions to effectively seal the sealing surfaces such that time consuming
retrospective fitting must be carried out. In addition this fitting is then,
frequently
including under construction site conditions, extremely imprecise. The
diameter of
the discs of said stoppers is often undulating which means that the sealing
surface
cannot be positively covered with the result that mechanical damage to the
sealing
surfaces ensues.
The object of the present invention is to create a protective device for
welding flange necks for pipe construction which guarantees reliable covering
of
the sealing surface in conjunction with an effective and permanent connection
to
said welding flange necks.
This object is achieved in that the disc exhibits a centrally extending bead
or
indent on the side facing the flange.
By means of this interaction of a corresponding embodiment of the
protective device with respect to the welding flange neck, or more precisely
to the
internal diameter of the welding flange neck, having the particularly suitable
fixture
in the form of the resilience, an effective, permanent and particularly robust
connection between said parts with a particularly reliable sealing quality of
the
sealing surface is guaranteed. During transport as well as particularly during
the
mechanical processing by means of glass-sand-or shot blasting, a protection of
the sealing surface is provided by the optimum connection of the welding
flange
neck and the protective device in the form of the clamping seating between the
hole and the insert. This is embodied such that a specific partial surface can
be
covered at all times and an optimum fit and grip is guaranteed with the
sealing
surface of the flange. This is the case irrespective of the respectively
concrete
shape and dimensions of the welding flange neck because the resiliently
embodied insert can adjust itself accordingly.
From several respects it is beneficial that the disc exhibits at least one
centrically extending bead or indent on its side facing the flange. By means
of this
reinforcement which extends circumferentially through 3600 on the underside of
3
the disc the danger of the cover buckling is minimised and also an improved
force
absorption of the blasting medium is guaranteed. At the same time it is
possible to
fill the cavities present on the underside of the cover with a medium, e.g.
grease,
such that no colour pigments can deposit onto the sealing surface during
painting.
Along with a stiffening function this bead or indent also performs the
function of
forming a type of isolated space in its interior for the accommodation of a
medium.
Reference has already been made to the fact that it is particularly
conceivable that the disc is embodied corresponding to a sealing surface
provided
on the welding flange neck which sealing surface requires separate protection
against the penetration of impurities during the blasting process. The
transversely
with respect to the insert disposed disc extends on the side facing the
welding
flange neck of the protective arrangement also described as a stopper around
the
hole provided in the flange. Because the disc is embodied and disposed
corresponding to said sealing surface it coincidentally automatically covers
the
seal in conjunction with the measures to be described later when the
resiliently
embodied insert is inserted into the flange hole and secured there by means of
a
clamping seating.
In this context it is provided that the insert exhibits at least one
substantially
cylindrical basic form. The form and size of said cylinder shall be
dimensioned in
this case such that when pushing the insert into the hole of the flange the
corresponding clamping seating is guaranteed.
A preferred variant of the invention provides that the protective device is
made of a plastic having a density >_ 1 kg/m3. With this material can be
implemented a dimensionally stable and sufficiently robust beneficially one-
piece
blasting stopper which permits the positively-engaging covering of the sealing
surface in order to prevent its mechanical damage. The blasting stopper made
of a
plastic having a density of >_ 1 kg/m3 can also withstand eventual powder
coating
and the associated heating effect. At the same time the abrasion during
blasting is
minimised and it is possible to process the flange to be blasted automatically
by
means of a blasting system.
4
A substantial component of the invention is the resiliently-formed insert. In
this respect it is conceivable for the insert to exhibit openings to serve as
a
resilience which lead to a specific yielding capability of the insert and
which, in the
event of its insertion into the flange hole, guarantee the clamping seating.
In this regard it is proposed that the resilience is formed by openings
extending parallel with respect to the longitudinal axis of the insert also in
order to
achieve the corresponding yielding capability.
For example it is conceivable that the openings are embodied as notches or
in other words as a kind of removed triangle in the insert whose extends tip
in the
direction of the disc.
One variant provides to this end that the openings are embodied as slits
which extend parallel with respect to the axis of the insert.
A certain malleability is additionally achieved if the openings are embodied
as slits with rounding-offs to avoid breaking or tearing of the plastic. The
rounding-
offs are also positioned in the direction of the disc in the region of the
inserts.
It is additionally proposed that the openings extend to the end of the insert
facing the disc. In other words the insert is then formed by means of several
separately disposed edge clips which extend individually perpendicularly with
respect to the plane of the disc. Thereby the yielding capability at the end
of the
insert facing the disc is particularly great and may decrease in the direction
of the
disc. In this manner the insert can secure itself to a certain extent on
placement of
the blasting stopper on the flange.
It is furthermore provided that the edge clips exhibit curvatures on their
outer sides which additionally serve for better fixture. The edge clips are
embodied
for this purpose with inconstant thickness. Furthermore they preferably
exhibit in
their centre an outwardly-inclined curvature which simplifies the fixing of
the insert
and thereby of the blasting stopper.
5
An alternative to this provides that the edge clips exhibit webs on their
outsides which webs improve the clamping effect. The actual edge clip is
therefore
at least approaching constant thickness in the case of this variant while
however
individual webs are disposed on the outside of the edge clips preferably
parallel
with respect to the disc, which individual webs are intended to improve the
clamping effect.
It is further judicious for the bead to extend to the outer edge of the disc
such that when looking from the outside in there is as much space as possible
to
accommodate such a medium.
Furthermore the disc should also be provided with a plurality of preferably
concentrically-progressing beads, preferably two beads. Eight and more
concentrically-progressing beads are also conceivable. Thereby is firstly
achieved
an even better variant of a reinforcement and secondly several chambers are
coincidentally formed for the accommodation of a medium.
After the mechanical processing of the flange the blasting stopper can also
remain in its position as flange protection until it is finally removed at the
subsequent place of use. Removal in this case can be manually by turning and
extracting and better with pliers or a comparable tool provided the disc
exhibits at
least one pulling arrangement on its side facing away from the flange.
Primarily by
means of this embodiment and arrangement of the disc as well as the insert
makes a residue-free removal of the blasting stopper possible such that the
sealing surface need not be cleaned with solvents or time-consuming mechanical
processes.
A further concrete proposal for the removing of the protective device
provides that the pulling means comprises at least one and preferably two
oppositely disposed lugs. Ultimately however up to 16 lugs serving as a
pulling
means are conceivable.
6
The invention is particularly characterised in that a one-piece blasting
stopper is created as a protective device for welding flange necks for pipe
construction which guarantees effortless handling at any time in many
respects.
Thus firstly the fixing of the blasting stopper in the welding flange neck is
particularly easy wherein the stopper-like insert fixes itself due to the
resilience
and the embodiment of the insert itself into the flange hole. In the case of
the
clamping process practically no forces result which cause the disc to twist.
The
result is a reliable and secure sealing of the sealing surface by means of the
disc
encircling the insert. This in turn guarantees by means of its geometry and
its
additional inclusions in the form of beads or indents on the side facing the
flange a
permanent seating which is highly resistant to stresses. Thereby penetration
e.g.
by blasting medium in the case of glass, sand or shot-blasting is practically
prevented. The blasting stopper can be removed at as late a time as possible
even
long after the mechanical processing by means of a pulling arrangement on the
disc whereby the optimum fit and grip between the stopper and the welding
flange
neck is released.
Additional details and benefits of the invention ensue from the following
specification of the relevant drawings wherein a preferred exemplified
embodiment
is illustrated with the necessary details and individual parts for this
purpose: In the
drawings below
Figur 1 shows a protective device with welding flange neck in section,
Figur 2 shows a protective device in section,
Figur 3 shows an opening in an insert in the form of a slit,
Figur 4 shows an opening in an insert in the form of a notch,
Figur 5 shows a variant to Figure 3,
Figur 6 shows a protective device with edge clips having curvatures and
Figur 7 shows a clamping arrangement with edge clips having webs.
Figure 1 shows a welding flange neck 2 which exhibits an internal hole 6. A
partial surface 5 on the side 22 of the welding flange neck 2 in the form of
the so-
called sealing surface 7 effectively protects against impurities. It is
understood by
7
this amongst other things that a penetration of blasting medium during the
blasting
and/or painting must be avoided. Corresponding to this welding flange neck 2
the
protective device 1 is embodied in the form of the blasting stopper. The
insert 3
corresponds with the flange hole 6 (internal diameter) such that the insert 3
and
thereby the blasting stopper 1 when inserted is automatically secured due to
its
yielding capability. Openings 9 in this exemplified embodiment implement the
resilience 8 by which this yielding capability of the insert 3 is produced.
This
concerns a slit 13 with rounding-off 14 which rounding-off 14 extends up to
the
end 10 of the insert 3 facing the disc 4 and parallel with respect to the
longitudinal
axis 11 of the insert 3. A further substantial and common component of the one-
piece blasting stopper 1 is the disc 4, which in turn corresponds in its
dimensions
and embodiment with the flange-side seal 7. The disc 4 exhibits on its side 15
facing the flange 2 bead 17 which bead 17 extends concentrically through the
entire 360 on its outer edge 19. An additional bead 18 is positioned further
inside.
On the side 16 facing the flange 2 of the disc 4 said disc 4 exhibits pulling
arrangements 20, 20' in the form of lugs 21, 21'.
The function of the protective device 1 embodied as a blasting stopper is
clearly shown again in Figure 2 which shows an exemplified embodiment with
different dimensions and a substantially larger dimensioned disc 4 in relation
to the
insert 3 transversely disposed thereto. The disc 4 exhibits on its side 15
facing the
flange in the region of its outer edge 19 an outer bead 17 and further inside
a
bead 18. Between the beads 17, 18 and between the inner bead 18 and the
insert 3 is respectively formed a space 23, 24, which if necessary shall be
filled
with a medium like grease such that no colour pigments could deposit on the
sealing surface during painting. On the other side 16 facing away from the
flange
the pulling arrangements 20, 20' in form of the lugs 21, 21' can be clearly
seen. In
this case a tool, e.g. pliers, can be used to achieve a residue-free removal
of the
blasting stopper 1 after conclusion of the work. Preferred diameters of the
disc 4
are at least 20 mm and of the insert 3 at least 10 mm.
Moreover the figures 3, 4 and 5 show three different variants of an
opening 9 in the insert 3. Figure 3 shows an opening 9 in the form of a plain
slit 13,
8
Figure 4 a notch 12 whose tip points in the direction of the disc and Figure 5
an
opening with a rounding-off 14 to avoid breaking or tearing of the plastic.
Figure 6 shows a smaller protective device 1 in terms of dimensions with
the insert 3. It is formed by a total of six edge clips of which three can be
seen
here and which are identified with reference numbers 30, 31, 32. Between the
exposed edge clips the slits 45, 46 can be seen. For the improved fixture of
said
edge clips 30, 31, 32 they are of uneven thickness and exhibit at around the
centre
of their outer faces 34, 35, 36 outwardly inclined curvatures 38, 39, 40. 17
designates the external and 18 the internal bead. Both progress concentrically
such that they enclose the interspace 23. On the other side of the disc 4
facing
away from the insert 3 can be found two pulling arrangements 20, 20' embodied
as lugs 21, 21'.
Figure 7 shows a somewhat larger protective device 1 in the form of a
blasting stopper having a total of eight edge clips of which four can be seen
here
and which are identified with the reference numbers 30, 31, 32, 33. These are
disposed radiating away from the slots 45, 46, 47 and are embodied as
particularly
suitable clamping means. To this end the edge clips 30, 31, 32, 33 exhibit on
their
outer faces 34, 35, 36, 37 webs 41, 42, 43, 44. Said webs are disposed
parallel
with respect to the disc 4 in the end of the edge clips 30, 31, 32, 33 facing
away in
the direction of the disc 4. They stabilise the insert 3 and improve the
clamping
effect during the inserting into the welding flange necks.
