FORM2THE PATENTS ACT, 1970(39 of 1970)&The Patents Rules, 2003COMPLETE SPECIFICATION(See section 10; rule 13)
Title of the invention - DEVICE FOR CLAMPING TUBES/PIPES
2. Applicant(a) NAME : LARSEN & TOUBRO LIMITED(b) NATIONALITY : An Indian Company(c) ADDRESS : L&T House, Ballard Estate, Mumbai 400 001, State of Maharashtra, India
3. PREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION
The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed:4

FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to a clamping device. More particularly, the invention relates to a device for
clamping pipe joints carrying fluids. The device provides compact and leakage free joints by way of anti leaking construction and holding the fluid carrying tubes in axial alignment position and providing almost zero relative motion between the device and the tubes by way of locking almost all degrees of freedom of movement of the joints.

BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART
Circulars retainers along with the Nut to hold the Tube in place are available. The drawback of these retainers is, that there is a certain level of interference between the Circular retainer and the Tube. As a Result of this the retainer bites on to the Tube surface and spoils the tube. Hence the same retainer cannot be used with a Tube of Softer material like Aluminium, Copper etc. Also it does not include provision for preventing leakage between the joints. It is only used to hold the Tube in place.
In another design cables are passed through the glands and are then ensured in that position when the nut is tightened, which further collapses the projections on the gland body on to the cable surface with the help of integral guide in the gland body. However this doesn't provide any provision for preventing the leakage as it is a mechanism used for holding the cable.
JP2005264985 teaches a connector for connecting thin diameter pipe sufficiently keeping air tightness in a pipe
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flow passage with a compact structure, and easily checking a state of connecting the thin diameter pipe. However this doesn't provide any provision for preventing leakage as it
is a mechanism for connecting pipes only and of thin diameters.
US6896438 discloses a tube retainer having an uniform inner space so that stress can be uniformly distributed in the whole inner space and thus no deformation occurs. However this doesn't provide any provision for preventing leakage.
Thus there is a need to provide a clamping device for clamping joints of tubes/pipes in a perfect locking and
static position for a relative movement free and leakage free attachment.
The present inventors have found that a device assembling plural components in an appropriate and suitable positions and interrelations can be achieved which would providei
compact and leakage free joints of pipes/tubes by way of 4nti leaking construction and holding the fluid carrying tubes in axial alignment position and providing almost zero relative motion between the device and the tubes by way locking almost all degrees of freedom of movement of the joints.

OBJECT

S OF INVENTION

Thus one object of the present invention is to provide a clamping device for pipes/tubes joints.
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Another object of the present invention is to provide a clamping device to provide a leakage free arrangement of joints of pipes/tubes.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a clamping device to provide an aligned fixture of tubes/pipes.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a device for clamping tubes/pipes, said device comprising
tube means;
base casting located on tube means, said casting means comprising flange means protruding so as to form extended projections;
plural ring means being located intermediately between said base casting and flange means thereby ensuring leak tight joint;
guide means located on the flange means and being clamped by clamp nut means, said clamp nut means being located on tube means; and
position locking means operatively and intermediately cooperatively fitted between the clamp nut means and said guide means
adapted to provide appropriate and leakage free alignment of tubes/pipes without any relative motion between tubes/pipes and rings means.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
In one embodiment of the present invention tube means on which base casting is located. The tube means is a copper tube. But the material of the tube however, does not restrict the scope of the present invention. Flange means having extended projections on the casting means are located peripherally on the tube means and protruding in a transverse manner from the lateral surface of the tube means.
Plural ring means are located intermediately between the base casting and flange ensuring leak tight joint. Guide means comprises brass ring located on the flange means and clamped by clamp nut means which encapsulates and therefore accommodates position locking means operatively and intermediately co-operatively fitted between the clamp nut means and the brass ring. The position locking means comprises clamping ferule which locates itself in the gap between the brass ring and the tube and hence locks its position. The clamping nut is rotatably and movably located on the tube surface. The push of the ferule by the clamping nut ensures that there is no relative motion between the tube and the ring under fluid pressure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ACCOMPANYING FIGURES

Figure 1 illustrates a plan view of the clamping device of the present invention.
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Figure 1A illustrates a sectional view of the clamping device of the present invention.
Figure 2 illustrates an exploded view of the clamping device of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ACCOMPANYING FIGURES
In figures 1 and 2 flange (3) is clamped onto base casting with the help of M6 bolts (2 nos). The first ring (2A) at the mating surface between the casting and the flange (3) ensure leak tight joint between the two mating surfaces i.e. the flange (3) and the Base Casting surface. The second ring (2B) ensures further prevention of leakage, if at all present between the metal tube (1) and the entire assembly. These may arise due to some irregularities in the tube during manufacturing like the dents, ovality and so on.
The brass ring (4) sits on the top surface of the flange (3). It acts as a guide for the clamping ferrule (5) which is fitted after the brass ring (4). The clamping nut (6) when tightened pushes the clamping ferrule (5) in the gap between the brass ring (4) and the metal tube (1) and hence locks its position. This ensures that there is no relative motion between the metal tube (1) and the ring (2A) under fluid pressure.
In figure 1A, the flanges (3) comprises two projections (7A and 7B).

The invention has been described in a preferred form only
and many variations may be made in the invention which will
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still be comprised within its spirit. The invention is not limited to the details cited above. The components herein described may be replaced by its technical equivalence and yet the invention can be performed. The structure thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all the details may furthermore be replaced with elements having technical equivalence. In practice the materials and dimensions may be any according to the requirements, which will still be comprised within its true spirit.
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WE CLAIM
1. A device for clamping tubes/pipes, said device comprising tube means;
base casting located on tube means, said casting means comprising flange means protruding so as to form extended projections;
plural ring means being located intermediately between said base casting and flange means thereby ensuring leak tight joint;
guide means located on the flange means and being clamped by clamp nut means, said clamp nut means being located on tube means; and
position locking means operatively and intermediately co-operatively fitted between the clamp nut means and said guide means
adapted to provide appropriate and leakage free alignment of tubes/pipes without any relative motion between tubes/pipes and rings means.
2. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein ring means comprises first ring and second ring.
3. Device as claimed in claims 1 and 2, wherein first ring is provided at the mating surface between the base casting and flange adapted to ensure leak tight
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3. Device as claimed in claims 1 and 2, wherein first ring is provided at the mating surface between the base casting and flange adapted to ensure leak tight joint between two mating surfaces between the flange surface and base casting surface.
4. Device as claimed in claims 1 to 3, wherein second ring encapsulating the first ring provides further prevention of leakage.
5. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the clamping nut being movably and rotatably located on the tube such that tightening of the nut pushes position locking means in the gap between guide means and tube means.
6j. Device as claimed in any preceding claims wherein position locking means comprises clamping ferule.
7. Device as claimed in any preceding claims wherein guide means comprises brass ring located on the flange so as to guide the clamping ferrule.
8. A device for clamping tubes/pipes as herein substantially described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying figures.

Dated this 5th day of February 2007

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ABSTRACT
TITLE : DEVICE FOR CLAMPING TUBES/PIPES
The present invention relates to a device for clamping tubes/pipes. The device comprises tube means (1), base casting comprising flange means on the tube means, plural
ring means (2A & 2B) located intermediately between the base casting and flange means (3) thereby ensuring leak tight joint, guide means (4) located on the flange means (3). The guide means (4) are clamped by clamp nut means (6). Position locking means (5) is co-operatively fitted between the clamp nut means (6) and the guide means (4) adapted to provide appropriate and leakage free alignment of tubes/pipes without any relative motion between tubes/pipes and rings means.
Figure 1