GB2552394B

GB2552394B - Pressurised junction box manifold

Info

Publication number: GB2552394B
Application number: GB1619438.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hawthorne Graham
Original assignee: Gch Prec Engineering Ltd
Current assignee: Gch Prec Engineering Ltd
Priority date: 2016-11-17
Filing date: 2016-11-17
Publication date: 2019-06-05
Anticipated expiration: 2036-11-17
Also published as: GB201619438D0; GB2552394A

Description

PRESSURISED JUNCTION BOX MANIFOLD

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a junction box manifold device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a pressurised split junction box manifold for use in installing a new cable or duct tubes into an existing occupied sub-duct that is located underground.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There is a problem in the art in that in the installation of new cables such as fibre optic cables which may be located underground that junction box manifolds can quickly become contaminated with dirt and soil. As will be appreciated a hole in the ground is basically dug by a workman and the work area is extremely dirty. In the event there is rain then the junction box may therefore even be sitting in a puddle of dirty water.

Under such circumstances it has been found that prior art junction box manifolds are failing in a relatively short time period as their mechanical fixings and threaded fasteners become contaminated with soil etc. and ultimately fail due to not being able to seal the casing of the junction box manifold properly.

The present invention therefore addresses this problem and allows a junction box manifold to be constructed which has no mechanical fixings and threaded fasteners. The junction box of the present invention may therefore be used to install cable ducts and fibre optic cable using a compressed air source to in effect blow the new cable along and through an old cable.

Most of the products and tools currently used in the overblowing process in this particular industry sector rely upon and call for the use of a significant number of standard bolts and fasteners in order to assemble a main body of a junction box and rely on additional separate fasteners to secure and retain the separately fastened clamping arrangement that is required to lock the ducting and tubing in place. These fasteners have to be accessed from various angles and need to be torqued up in-situ which can prove to be a challenge and highly problematic at times given the limited space restrictions encountered in some of the smaller inspection and service ducts - which can sometimes be small holes or channels in the ground.

It is an object of at least one aspect of the present invention to obviate or mitigate at least one or more of the aforementioned problems.

It is a further object of at least one aspect of the present invention to provide a pressurised split junction box manifold for use in installing a new cable or duct tubes into an existing occupied sub-duct that has no mechanical fixings and does not use threaded fasteners.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a junction box manifold device capable of being used to overblow cables into pre-existing ducts and cables using a pressurised air source, the junction box manifold device comprising: an upper and lower main section which are inter-lockable onto one another, the upper and lower main sections each comprising a protruding circumferential edge that tapers to a circumferential recess at each end; end caps for the lower main section wherein the end caps each comprise a protruding circumferential edge that tapers to a circumferential recess that interlocks onto the protruding circumferential edge and circumferential recess of the lower main section; end caps for the upper main section wherein the end caps each comprise a protruding circumferential edge that tapers to a circumferential recess that interlocks onto the protruding circumferential edge and circumferential recess of the upper main section; the upper and lower sections along with the end caps combine to form an air tight manifold chamber which can be pressurised; an air inlet through which pressurised air from a pressurised air source can be fed into the airtight manifold chamber; wherein cables are capable of being fed through from one end to the other end of the junction box manifold device by high pressure air being blown into and out of the air tight manifold chamber.

The junction box of the present invention may therefore be used to install cable ducts and fibre optic cable using a compressed air source to in effect blow the new cable along and through an old cable. The cables may be used by phone companies, fibre optic cables providing internet usage and for any other form of electronic, communication or power supply cable.

The junction box manifold device comprises a main lower section and an upper main section. The lower section may comprise a chamber and the upper main section may comprise a further chamber. The two chambers may combine together to form the main manifold body for the junction box manifold device of the present invention which is capable of being pressurised.

The lower main section may comprise a series of ports e.g. three main ports at one end and a single port at the opposite end. These ports may interact with corresponding ports in the upper main section e.g. three ports at one end and a single port at the other side.

Connected to either end of the main lower section there is a lower half end section. Each lower half end section comprises a protruding circumferential edge and a circumferential recess. The protruding circumferential edge interlocks with the recess in the lower main section and forms a locking profile.

The lower half end section may also comprise a port within which there may be located a clamping collet. The clamping collet may be interchanged for other split clamping collets which can be used to clamp a range of various diameters of outlet ducting and pipework to be connected to the manifold housing. The present invention is therefore adaptable for a wide range of cable size simply by using different clamping collets.

On the right hand side of the lower main section there is a lower half end section. lower

The -top- half end section comprises a protruding circumferential edge and a circumferential recess which interlocks with the circumferential recess protruding lower half circumferential edge on the lower main section. The half end section may also comprise any number of exit ports e.g. three exit ports.

There may also be inserted a mini duct and fibre optic feed line tubing into an exit port which is used as a primary liner and guide tube on the inlet and feed side of the manifold.

An interchangeable rubber lipped oil seal may also be used in one of the ports. For different applications, a different rubber lipped oil seal may be used dependent on the size of tubing and mini duct that they have to seal. The outside diameters are always the same and they seal on the internal profile of the taper locking end caps.

The uDDer main section is also connected on either end to upper end sections comprise which eempHses-a circumferential protruding edge and a circumferential recess. There is also a circumferential protruding edge and a circumferential recess on each end of the upper main section onto which the circumferential protruding edge and the circumferential recess on each upper end section may interlock and engage onto.

The upper main section may also comprise a pressure relief valve (PRV) which is used as a safety device to prevent over pressurization of the manifold assembly.

The upper main section may also comprise a quick release air inlet connection which is the air inlet point to pressurize the device and the main manifold body.

The ports formed by interlocking the different parts together may therefore be used for clamping around a variety of diameter sizes of outlet ducting and pipework. A specific advantage of the present invention is that ports may be blocked such as using a sealing blanking plug. A sealing blanking plug may be used to isolate and blank off one of the feed ports dependent upon process requirements.

Moreover, using interchangeable split collets in the ports formed by interlocking the different parts together a range of diameters of cables may be tightly held. The present invention device is therefore highly adaptable for a range of different diameter cables.

The junction box manifold device according to the present invention may also be securely elevated above ground level.

To elevate the junction box manifold device a series of chain clamps may be wound about and inserted into circumferential recesses around the end caps. On winding the chain clamps around the end caps they may then be attached securely to a hook mechanism attached to a clamping point.

The junction box manifold device may then be supported on a lower sub frame to not only securely hold the device but also to easily elevate the device above ground level and therefore prevent the device from sitting in ground water in holes dug in the ground when pipe renovation work is being conducted.

The junction box manifold device may be rated at about 4 times the SWP of 10 Bar which effectively means that it will be good to maintain an airtight seal at pressures up to 40 BAR -580 PSI.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a view of a split junction box manifold according to the prior art showing the junction box manifold in its two parts;

Figure 2 is a view of the split junction box manifold shown in Figure 1 in an assembled form;

Figure 3 is a view of a further split box junction box manifold according to the prior art showing cables running through the manifold;

Figures 4 to 9 are views of component parts of a split junction box manifold according to the present invention and

Figures 10 to 16 show the component parts of the split junction box manifold shown in Figures 4 to 9 in various stages of assembly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Figure 1 is a view of split junction box manifold according to the prior art generally designated 10. The split junction box manifold 10 comprises a lower section 12 and an upper section 14. As shown the lower section has four screw threads 16, 18, 20, 22 located towards the corners of the lower section 12. The upper section 14 comprises four threaded sockets 24, 26. 28, 30 into which the four screw threads 16, 18, 20, 22 can be screwed into to securely attach the lower section 12 to the upper section 14.

The lower section 12 comprises recesses 32, 34, 40 which combine with recesses 36, 38, 42 in the upper section 14 to form annular apertures through which cables etc. may be inserted. The cables may be used by phone companies, fibre optic cables providing internet usage and for any other form of electronic, communication or power supply cable.

It is when the lower section 12 and the upper section 14 are screwed together that that the threaded screws 16, 18, 20, 22 have been found to fail due to dirt and grime getting into the threads and cause breakage and poor sealing.

Figure 2 shoes the lower section 12 and the upper section 14 connected together with the threaded sockets 16, 18, 20, 22 fixed at the top. This device also shows a cable 50 entering the split junction box manifold 10 which then splits into two cables 52, 54.

It is a requirement for the lower section 12 and the upper section 14 to form an airtight seal as they are intended to form a pressurized chamber into which one end of an existing occupied sub-duct can be attached.

Figure 3 shows a further prior art split junction box manifold 100 with a lower section 112 and an upper section 114 still in their separated form. A cable 150 is initially fed through the split junction box manifold 100 which then splits into two cables 152, 154. Cable 152 can be the old pre-existing cable and cable 152 can be the new cable which can be fed through via high pressure using a standard cable blowing machine as already known to the man skilled in the art. A further disadvantage of the prior art split junction box manifolds shown in Figures 1 to 3 is that different junction boxes have to be used for different types of cable as the size of the apertures which receive the cables are fixed by the size of the apertures in the upper and lower sections.

Figures 4 to 16 represent the junction box manifold device according to the present invention in its component part forms and also fully assembled.

As shown clearly in Figures 4 to 7 the junction box manifold device comprises a main lower section 210 and an upper main section 212. The lower section 210 comprises a chamber 310 and the upper main section 212 comprises a recipical chamber 311. The chambers 310,311 combine together to form the main manifold body for the junction box manifold device of the present invention which is capable of being pressurised.

The lower main section 210 comprises three main ports at one end 311, 313, 315 and a single port 323 at the opposite end. These ports interact with corresponding ports in the upper main section 212 with the three ports 317, 319, 321 at one end and a single port 325 at the other side.

Also shown in the lower main section 210 there is a protruding circumferential end edge 229 at one end also with a circumferential receiving recess 231. At the opposite end of the main lower part 210 there is a further protruding circumferential edge 241 and a circumferential receiving recess 243.

The upper main section 212 also comprises a protruding circumferential edge 233 at one end and a further circumferential edge 237 at the other end with corresponding receiving recesses 235, 239.

Connected to one end of the main lower section 210 there is a lower half end section 218. The lower half end section 218 comprises a protruding circumferential edge 217 and a circumferential recess 219. The protruding circumferential edge 217 interlocks with the recess 231 in the lower main section 210 and forms a locking profile.

The lower half end section 218 also comprises a port 293 within which is located a clamping collet 296. The clamping collet 296 can be interchanged for other split clamping collets which can be used to clamp a range of various diameters of outlet ducting and pipework to be connected to the manifold housing. The present invention is therefore adaptable for a wide range of cable size simply by using different clamping collets.

On the right hand side of the lower main section 210 there is a lower half end lower section 220. The top half end section 220 comprises a protruding circumferential edge 229 and a circumferential recess 231 which interlocks with the circumferential recess 243 protruding circumferential edge 241 on the lower main section 210. The lower half end section 220 also comprises three exit ports, 331, 333, 335.

As shown in Figure 7, there is also inserted a mini duct and fibre optic feed line tubing 262 into the exit port 331 which is used as a primary liner and guide tube on the inlet and feed side of the manifold. There is also shown an interchangeable rubber lipped oil seal 298. For different applications, a different rubber lipped oil seal may be used dependent on the size of tubing and mini duct that they have to seal. The outside diameters are always the same and they seal on the internal profile of the taper locking end caps.

As shown in Figure 7, there is also a upper end section 214 which comprises a circumferential protruding edge 221 and a circumferential recess 223. There is also a circumferential protruding edge 233 and a circumferential recess 235 on the upper main section onto which the circumferential protruding edge 221 and the circumferential interlock enaaae recess 223 intorloGka-and ongago»onto.

As shown in Figure 7, there is also an upper end section 216 which comprises a circumferential protruding edge 225 and a circumferential recess 227. There is also a circumferential protruding edge 237 and a circumferential recess 239 on the upper main section 212 onto which the circumferential protruding edge 221 and the circumferential recess 223 on upper end section 216 interlock and engage onto.

Once again, the protruding edges and recesses therefore interlock to form a secure airtight seal that does not rely on threaded screws and mechanical fastenings.

Figure 10 shows the upper main section 212 engaged with the lower main section 210. As discussed above, the interlocking mechanism is used to connect securely these two parts to form an air tight seal.

Figure 10 also clearly shows the pressure relief valve (PRV) 270 which is used as a safety device to prevent over pressurization of the manifold assembly.

Figure 10 also shows a quick release air inlet connection 280 which is the air inlet point to pressurize the device and the main manifold body formed by chambers 310, 311.

Figure 11 shows the end sections 214, 216, 218, 220 connected to the upper and lower main sections 210, 212.

Figure 11 also shows a sample pipe/sub-duct 320 which is used for illustration purposes to demonstrate the clamping arrangement that locks onto the original installation ducting and pipework.

Figure 11 also shows torqueing nuts 510 which are part of a chain clamp mechanism A specific advantage of the present invention is that although three outlet ports are shown such as in Figures 7, 8, 9 any of these ports may be blocked such as using a sealing blanking plug 314. A sealing blanking plug 314 may be used to isolate and blank off one of the feed ports dependent upon process requirements.

Moreover, using the interchangeable split collets 294, 296 and as shown inserted in Figures 7 and 8, the interchangeable split collets 294, 296 may be used for clamping around a variety of diameter sizes of outlet ducting and pipework. The present invention device is therefore highly adaptable for a range of different applications in addition to be easily used with different diameter cables. A further specific advantage of the present invention is shown in Figures 12 to 16 wherein the junction box manifold device according to the present invention may be securely elevated above ground level.

As shown in Figure 12, there are chain clamps 250, 252. The chain clamps 250, 252 may be wound about and inserted into circumferential recesses 253, 255 around the end caps. On winding the chain clamps 250, 252 around the end caps they may then be attached securely to a hook mechanism 352 attached to a clamping point 350. This is shown in Figure 15.

Figure 16 shows the fully assembled junction box manifold device according to the present invention securely attached by the chain clamps 250, 252. The junction box manifold device can then be supported on a lower sub frame 400 to not only securely hold the device but also to easily elevate the device above ground level and therefore prevent the device from sitting in ground water in holes dug in the ground when pipe renovation work is being conducted.

When the chain clamps 250, 252 are attached, chain tensioning rods 258 and a chain anchoring boss 260 may be used to latch and locate the chain to the chain clamping brackets 254, 256. The chain tensioning rods 258 would then be used to tighten the chain clamps 250, 252 around the end caps of the device.

This present invention therefore enables a simpler, faster and stronger clamping method to be utilised and provides for a better sealing arrangement through the inherent self-aligning properties obtained from the unique external taper-lock clamp profile located on the main body, by simply assembling the chain clamp mechanism and torqueing the locking nuts.

When the two chain clamps 250, 252 are applied to the manifold end caps and are torqued to the required value the complete manifold assembly is closed off. Both halves of the assembly are sealed along the axis and on the end faces and both the tubing and sub ducts that enter and exit the manifold at both ends of the assembly through the end caps are simultaneously clamped and are sealed and locked in position during the application. This is a simple single action clamping process.

The unique internal collet clamping arrangement as shown in Figure 9 provides the facility to quickly change out the various sizes of collets required in order to process the installation of various sizes of cable and mini sub ducts on a single installation setup without the need to change out the overblow manifold unit itself.

The present invention may have a number of applications. For example, the mechanical taper locking seal and pipe clamping arrangement of the present invention can also be used for use in repairing or breaking into and branching off from severed or damaged mains water and gas lines. The present invention provides the advantage that there would be no need to typically weld a bolted flange assembly in the case of metal water pipes in position to join and seal both ends of the pipe. In the case of gas pipes it would remove the need to fuse the joints of the plastic pipes together using a heat fusion and sealing method.

The junction box manifold device may be rated at 4 times the SWP of 10 Bar which effectively means that it will be good to maintain an airtight seal at pressures up to 40 BAR -580 PSI.

Through the use of the junction box manifold device according to the present invention and the interlocking mechanical arrangement there would be no need to weld flanges in position or to have the pipe cut to length to accommodate the space that would normally be taken up by the installation of a typical mechanical flange and seal arrangement. It would also reduce the time taken to assemble/join and repair or branch off from the pipes as there would not be numerous and often inaccessible bolts that require to be torqued up in order to obtain a good seal.

It will be clear to those of skill in the art, that the above described embodiments of the present invention are merely exemplary and that various modifications and improvements thereto may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, any type of interlocking mechanical arrangement may be used to interconnect the different mechanical parts.

Claims

1. A junction box manifold device capable of being used to overblow cables into preexisting ducts and cables using a pressurised air source, the junction box manifold device comprising: an upper and lower main section which are inter-lockable onto one another, the upper and lower main sections each comprising a protruding circumferential edge that tapers to a circumferential recess at each end; end caps for the lower main section wherein the end caps each comprise a protruding circumferential edge that tapers to a circumferential recess that interlocks onto the protruding circumferential edge and circumferential recess of the lower main section; end caps for the upper main section wherein the end caps each comprise a protruding circumferential edge that tapers to a circumferential recess that interlocks onto the protruding circumferential edge and circumferential recess of the upper main section; the upper and lower sections along with the end caps combine to form an air tight manifold chamber which can be pressurised; an air inlet through which pressurised air from a pressurised air source can be fed into the air tight manifold chamber; wherein cables are capable of being fed through from one end to the other end of the junction box manifold device by high pressure air being blown into and out of the air tight manifold chamber.

2. A junction box manifold device according to claim 1, wherein the lower main section may comprise a series of ports which interact with corresponding ports in the upper main section to form entry and exit ports for cables.

3. A junction box manifold device according to claim 1, wherein the lower half end section also comprises a port within which there is located a clamping collet and wherein the clamping collet is capable of being interchanged for other split clamping collets which can be used to clamp a range of various diameters of outlet ducting and pipework to be connected to the manifold housing.

4. A junction box manifold device according to claim 1, wherein the upper half end section also comprises a port within which there is located a clamping collet and wherein the clamping collet is capable of being interchanged for other split clamping collets which can be used to clamp a range of various diameters of outlet ducting and pipework to be connected to the manifold housing.

5. A junction box manifold device according to any preceding claim, wherein a mini duct and fibre optic feed line tubing is capable of being fed into an exit port which is used as a primary liner and guide tube on an inlet and feed side of the manifold.

6. A junction box manifold device according to any preceding claim, wherein an interchangeable rubber lipped oil seal is also capable of being used in one of the ports to function as a seal.

7. A junction box manifold device according to any preceding claim, wherein the upper main section also comprises a pressure relief valve (PRV) which is used as a safety device to prevent over pressurization of the manifold assembly.

8. A junction box manifold device according to any preceding claim, wherein the upper main section also comprises a quick release air inlet connection which is the air inlet point to pressurize the device and the main manifold body.

9. A junction box manifold device according to any preceding claim, wherein inlet and outlet ports formed by interlocking the different parts together may therefore be used for clamping around a variety of diameter sizes of outlet ducting and pipework.