GB2130325A - Hose connector - Google Patents

Abstract

A tail-piece or end connector for a hose has a shoulder 8 between stepped portions 6 and 7 at the outboard end of the connector, the outboard end of which is enlarged and barbed to grip the inside of a pipe or hose. Withdrawal of the hose is prevented by a cylindrical ferrule 10 which may be crimped against the shoulder 8 to secure it in place. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in hose fittings and assemblies The present invention relates in general to improvements in fittings for use in conjunction with hoses, tubing, ducting and the like and particularly, but not exclusively, relates to what may be termed an improved tail-piece or end connector to be employed with tubing and the like, and especially tubing manufactured from thermoplastic material. The invention also relates to improvements in assemblies for connecting hoses, tubing etc. to operating equipment and/or sources of fluid supply.

Nowadays, there is an ever-increasing demand for hoses, tubing, etc., of a type satisfactory for use in the transport of fluids, and especially high-temperature fluids, as for example for hydraulic machinery and the like (whether for domestic and/or commercial use). For a variety of reasons it is common practice nowadays to employ hosing or tubing constructed of a thermoplastic material for the transport of fluids (high temperature or otherwise). In any situation involving hosing or tubing, however, there always exists the problem of and the need for ensuring an effectively leak-proof and safe form of connection between the hosing or tubing and the apparatus concerned, source of fluid supply, etc.

In accordance with known practices a means allowing for connection of hosing or tubing to, for example, a source of fluid supply may be of a two-part construction, including a first member adapted to be affixed in any known manner to, for example, a tap or the like, and a second member adapted to be received and retained by said first member, said second member being adapted to be inserted into an end of the hosing or tubing.

A common practice in this regard involves the use of what is termed a tail-piece or end connector as the second member adapted to be located in the or each end of the hosing or tubing and in turn adapted to be connected to a source of fluid supply, or apparatus, machinery or the like, in any known manner, as for example by means of a co-operating or complementary-shaped fitting (screw threaded, for instance). However, and especially where high-temperature fluids are involved, such a two-piece arrangement has been found to be not particularly effective in that the tendency exists for the tail-piece or end connector to be ejected from the end of the tubing or hose.In order to overcome this defect it has been proposed to utilise a ferrule, of any suitable material, adapted in use to retain the tail-piece or end connector in an effectively rigid condition with respect to the tubing or hose. In an especially preferred embodiment the ferrule may be affixed onto the hose in any known manner, as for example by crimping. In this regard it should be noted that ferrules of the type employed in this context are generally speaking produced in a metal-stamping operation, thereby exhibiting a substantially uniform thickness therethrough.In practice, therefore, it has been found that ferrules of the type generally employed have a tendency to in some ways or to a certain extent "collapse" during the crimping operation, thereby giving rise to an end result which perhaps, at least to a certain extent, suffers in an aesthetic sense and also suffers in that a potentially inefficient or imperfect sealing effect is achieved.

In order to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages the present applicant has devised an improved tail-piece or end connector which includes means thereon serving as a limit stop for the ferrule and also serving to prvent collapse of the ferrule itself during any crimping operation.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided an end-piece connector for use in or as a fitting for hosing or tubing, said end-piece connector being adapted to co-operate with a member for connecting said hosing or tubing to an apparatus and/or source of fluid supply, said endpiece connector including a main body member having a shank portion disposed between respective first and second ends thereof, said main body member having a bore extending substantially longitudinally thereof and being of a cross-sectional shape substantially complementary with or to that of said hosing or tubing, said main body member having, at or in the vicinity of said first end thereof, at least two portions of differing outer dimension whereby to provide at least one shoulder.

In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention there is provided an assembly allowing for connection of hosing or tubing to an apparatus and/or a source of fluid supply, said assembly including: an end connector of the aforementioned type adapted to be located in an end of said tubing or hosing; a connecting member co-operable with said end connector and adapted to be affixed in any known manner to said apparatus or source of supply, as for example by means of complementary screw threads or the like; and a ferrule adapted to co-operate with both said end connector and said hosing or tubing whereby to retain said end connector in a substantially fixed position relative to said hosing or tubing.

In order that the present invention may be more clearly understood and put into practical effect there shall now be described in detail a preferred embodiment of a tail-piece for hosing or tubing in accordance with the invention. The ensuing description is given by way of non-limitative examples only and is with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a sectional view of a tail-piece of fitting in accordance with the invention; and Figure 2 is a view, somewhat similar to Fig.

1, of an assembly incorporating a tail-piece in accordance with the invention.

As illustrated in the drawings an end connector in accordance with the invention is in the form of a substantially cylindrical member 1 having a bore 2 located substantially centrally thereof and extending therethrough. At or adjacent one end of the member 1 there is preferably provided a tapered section 3, with this tapered section 3 serving to facilitate location of the member 1 in a length of hose or tubing and furthermore providing a first sealing effect.

At the other, opposite end of the member 1 there is provided an outermost flanged portion 4. The flanged portion 4 is designed to assist in connection of the hosing or tubing to an apparatus and/or source of fluid supply, as for example a tap or the like. In an especially preferred embodiment (not shown) the end connector is adapted to co-operate with a connector member-having a bore therein of a size less than the outermost dimension of said flanged portion 4-of any known type, as for example a member having internal screw threads of a shape complementary to external threads provided on a tap or the like. The tapered section 3 and the flanged portion 4 are in effect connected by a centrally disposed shank section 5.In an especially preferred embodiment, however, the shank section 5 is separated from the flanged portion 4 by means of at least two stepped portions 6 and 7, of decreasing relative outer diameters, separated by a shoulder 8.

In use the member 1, in conjunction with a suitable connector member or means (not shown), is adapted to be inserted by any known means into an end of a length of hosing or tubing 9. A ferrule 10 (of any suitable material), which is substantially cylindrical in shape having one end thereof open and having an end wall extending across the other opposite end, said end wall including a centrally disposed aperture of a diameter marginally larger than the stepped portion 7 of the member 1. is also adapted to be disposed relative to the member 1. The shoulder 8 of the member 1 serves as a limit stop means for the ferrule 10 relative to the member 1. Once appropriately located relative to the member 1 a crimping operation is carried out whereby to effectively fix the member 1 and the ferrule 10 relative to the hose 9.It should be understood, however, that crimping represents merely a preferred method of bringing about this desirable result, and that other methods known in the art could equally well be employed. The stepped portion 7 serves to prevent collapse of the end wall of the ferrule 10.

In an especially preferred embodiment the shank portion of the member 1 includes at least one (and preferably three as illustrated) circumferential rings 11. The or each ring 11 serves to provide an additional sealing effect.

Another disadvantage associated with prior art tail-pieces of the general type under consideration is that, even when crimped in position relative to hosing, there will often be a tendency for such tail-pieces to be rotatable relative to the hosing, perhaps ultimately leading to unwanted separation from the hosing.

In order-to eliminate this tendency for rotation relative to the hose, in a preferred embodiment of the arrangement in accordance with the present invention there is provided at least one radial protuberance (not shown) at an appropriate position on the shank portion 5 of the tail-piece 1, with the or each such protuberance being adapted in use to penetrate the hosing whereby to retain the tail-piece 1 in a fixed position relative thereto (against rotation relative thereto). In an especially preferred embodiment the shank portion 5 may be provided with one or more teeth (or serraticns) projecting radially therefrom.

Finally, it is to be understood that the aforegoing description refers merely to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and that variations and modifications are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the ambit of which is to be determined from the following claims.

Claims (8)

CLAIMS The claims defining the invention are as follows:

1. An end-piece connector for use in or as a fitting for hosing or tubing, said end-piece connector being adapted to co-operate with a member for connecting said hosing or tubing to an apparatus and/or source of fluid supply, said end-piece connector including a main body member having shank portion disposed between respective first and second ends thereof, said main body member having a bore extending substantially longitudinally thereof and being of a cross-sectional shape substantially complementary with or to that of said hosing or tubing, said main body member having, at or in the vicinity of said first end thereof, at least two portions of differing outer dimension whereby to provide at least one shoulder.

2, The end-piece connector as claimed in claim 1 including, at said first end of said main body member, at least one flange.

3. The end-piece connector as claimd in claim 1 or claim 2 including, towards said other second end of said main body member, means facilitating location of said main body member in said hosing or tubing, said means being in the form of a taper on said main body member or shank portion thereof.

4. The end-piece connector as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said main body member is substantially cylindrical in shape.

5. The end-piece connector as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said main body member further includes means adapted to allow for fixing thereof relative to said hosing or tubing, said fixing means being in the form of at least one tooth, spline or the like adapted to project radially from said main body member and to penetrate said hosing or tubing whereby to retain said end-piece connection against rotation relative to said hosing or tubing.

6. An assembly allowing for connection of hosing or tubing to an apparatus and/or a source of fluid supply, said assembly including: an end-piece connector as claimed in claim 1 adapted to be located in an end of said tubing or hosing; a connecting member co-operable with said end-piece connector and adapted to be affixed in any known manner to said apparatus or source of supply, as for example by means of complementary screw threads or the like; and a ferrule adapted to co-operate with both said end-piece connector and said hosing or tubing whereby to retain said end-piece connector in a substantially fixed position relative to said hosing or tubing.

7. An end-piece connector for use in or as a fitting for hosing or tubing, substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8. An assembly allowing for connection of hosing or tubing to an apparatus and/or source of fluid supply, substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.