
A threaded pipe is a
pipe with
screw-threaded ends for assembly.
Tapered threads
The threaded pipes used in some plumbing installations for the delivery of gases or liquids under pressure have a tapered thread that is slightly
conical (in contrast to the parallel sided cylindrical section commonly found on
bolts and
leadscrews). The seal provided by a threaded pipe joint depends upon multiple factors: the
labyrinth seal created by the threads; a positive seal between the threads created by thread deformation when they are tightened to the proper torque; and sometimes on the presence of a sealing
coating, such as
thread seal tape
Thread seal tape (also known as PTFE tape, Teflon tape, or plumber's tape) is a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) film tape commonly used in plumbing for sealing pipe threads. The tape is sold cut to specific widths and wound on a spool, making it ...
or a liquid or paste pipe sealant such as
pipe dope
Pipe dope is any thread lubricant, thread sealing compound, or anaerobic chemical sealant that is used to make a pipe thread joint leak proof and pressure tight. It is also referred to as "thread compound" or "pipe thread sealant." Although co ...
. Tapered thread joints typically do not include a
gasket.
Especially precise threads are known as "dry fit" or "dry seal" and require no sealant for a gas-tight seal. Such threads are needed where the sealant would contaminate or react with the media inside the piping, e.g., oxygen service.
Tapered threaded fittings are sometimes used on plastic piping. Due to the wedging effect of the tapered thread, extreme care must be used to avoid overtightening the joint. The overstressed female fitting may split days, weeks, or even years after initial installation. Therefore many municipal plumbing codes restrict the use of threaded plastic pipe fittings.
Both
British standard and
National pipe thread standards specify a thread taper of 1:16; the change in diameter is one sixteenth the distance travelled along the thread. The nominal diameter is achieved some small distance (the "gauge length") from the end of the pipe.
Straight threads
Pipes may also be threaded with cylindrical threaded sections, in which case the threads do not themselves provide any sealing function other than some
labyrinth seal effect, which may not be enough to satisfy either functional or code requirements. Instead, an O-ring seated between the shoulder of the male pipe section and an interior surface on the female, provides the seal.
See also
*
AN thread
The AN thread (also A-N) is a particular type of fitting used to connect flexible hoses and rigid metal tubing that carry fluid. It is a US military-derived specification that dates back to World War II and stems from a joint standard agreed upon ...
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British Standard Pipe thread (BSP)
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Buttress thread
Buttress thread forms, also known as sawtooth thread forms or breech-lock thread forms. are screw thread profiles with an asymmetric shape, having one square face and the other slanted. They are most commonly used for leadscrews where the load i ...
*
Fire hose thread
A hose coupling is a connector on the end of a hose to connect (or ''couple'') it with another hose or with a tap or a hose appliance, such as an irrigation sprinkler. It is usually made of steel, brass, stainless steel, aluminium or plasti ...
*
Garden hose thread
*
National pipe thread (NPT)
*
Nipple (plumbing)
*
O-ring boss seal
*
Panzergewinde (steel conduit thread)
*
Piping
Within industry, piping is a system of pipes used to convey fluids (liquids and gases) from one location to another. The engineering discipline of piping design studies the efficient transport of fluid.
Industrial process piping (and accomp ...
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Plumbing
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Screw thread
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Tap and die
*
Thread angle
*
United States Standard thread
External links
NPT Vs. NPTF Taper Pipe Threadsan
show the
Whitworth Whitworth may refer to:
Places United Kingdom
*Whitworth, County Durham, a former civil parish in England
**Whitworth Hall, County Durham
*Whitworth, Lancashire, a town in England
*Whitworth Art Gallery, an art gallery in Manchester, England
*Whitw ...
form
BSP or
ISO pipe thread.
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Piping
Plumbing