| 摘要 |
<p>The invention relates to a connector (1) for clamping a component around a tubular member (30) and to a method of using such a connector. The clamping connector (1) comprises a collar (2), a plurality of movable dogs (16) mounted in the collar and actuation means for driving the movement of the dogs. The collar (2) has an inner wall (4) and an outer wall 5, the inner wall being adapted to surround the tubular member (30) with a gap (56) between an outer surface of the inner wall (4) and an outer surface (28) of the tubular member. The inner wall (4) has a plurality of apertures (12) each aperture leading to a passage (14) through the inner wall. Each of the dogs (16) is slidably seated in one of the passages (14) for movement in a radial direction with respect to the tubular member (30). Around each passage (14) the inner wall (4) is spaced apart from an inner surface (25) of the outer wall (5). The actuation means includes a movable block (22) within the space (20) between the inner and outer walls (4, 5) and movement means (32) for moving the block in an axial direction with respect to the tubular member. Each block (22) has a radially outer surface (23) in sliding contact with the inner surface (25) of the outer wall (5) when each block is moved in the axial direction. Each block also has a radially inner surface (24) and each dog has a corresponding radially outer surface (26) that are in sliding contact with each other. At least one pair (24, 26) of these contacting sliding surfaces are oppositely inclined with respect to each other so that the relative axial movement of the block (22) and the dog (16) causes the dog to be driven in a radially inwardly direction across the gap (56) to grip the tubular member (30).</p> |
