David C Schaefer

US Patent:

52998410, Apr 5, 1994

Filed:

Feb 8, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/018855

Inventors:

David A. Schaefer - Grand Island NY

Assignee:

Adsco Manufacturing Corp. - Buffalo NY

International Classification:

F16L 2702

US Classification:

285299

Abstract:

An expansion joint for coupling two conduits in a manner allowing relative axial movement therebetween and including an external shell or housing receiving the ends of both conduits and receiving an end of at least one of the conduits in a manner allowing relative axial movement of the end of the conduit in the shell, a flexible metal bellows in the shell connected to the shell and to the end of the one conduit for allowing relative axial movement between the ends of the conduits and for providing a fluid seal between the interiors of the conduits and the end of the expansion joint which receives the one conduit, and characterized by a safety flow restrictor operatively associated with the shell and with the one conduit for restricting fluid flow out the end of the expansion joint which receives the one conduit in the event the bellows fails to maintain the afore-mentioned fluid seal. The safety flow restrictor comprises a member surrounding the other conduit in close-fitting axially movable relation and a retainer defining an axial region holding the member against axial movement relative to the shell and allowing limited movement of the member in directions substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the other conduit and the shell. The safety flow restrictor can be incorporated in a single expansion joint wherein one conduit is fixed to the external shell or housing and the other conduit is movable therein and it can be incorporated in a double expansion joint including two conduits having ends thereof axially movable within a common external shell or housing.

US Patent:

54216214, Jun 6, 1995

Filed:

Jun 14, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/076418

Inventors:

David A. Schaefer - Grand Island NY

Assignee:

Adsco Manufacturing Company - Buffalo NY

International Classification:

F16L 2712

US Classification:

285298

Abstract:

A slip-type expansion joint including a body portion for connection to a pipe or conduit and having an inner annular recess for receiving packing rings and injectable packing material and the joint further including a slip portion for connection to another pipe or conduit and guidedly received in the body portion for limited axial movement therein to accommodate limited axial movement of the pipes or conduits, the packing rings providing the main sealing function of the joint and the packing material exerting force on the packing rings to maintain the sealing function thereof, the expansion joint characterized by a plurality of ports around the body in communication with the annular recess for introducing the packing material to the recess and a manifold arrangement extending around the body and connected to the ports for supplying packing material to all of the ports from one location on the manifold arrangement so that packing material can be supplied readily to all of the ports even if some locations around the periphery of the expansion joint are not manually accessible.

US Patent:

45264090, Jul 2, 1985

Filed:

Jan 27, 1983

Appl. No.:

6/461576

Inventors:

David A. Schaefer - Grand Island NY

Assignee:

Adsco Manufacturing Corp. - Buffalo NY

International Classification:

F16L 1304

US Classification:

285114

Abstract:

An expansion joint of the bellows type for installation between the end portions of two aligned pipes utilizes two stop members within the bellows being movable relative to one another and each being supported by opposite end portions of the joint for limiting the axial extension of the joint. Each stop member includes a tubular sleeve being fixed at one end to a respective end portion of the joint and a ring at the sleeve end opposite its attached end. When the joint extends axially a predetermined amount, the rings engage one another and prevent any further joint extension.