What is a flatolet?

[gt1]

Anyone know what a flatolet is and what it looks like?

A major refinery (client of ours) has just recently add this fitting to one of their pipe specs.

I know what a sockolet, threadlolet, & a weldolet is, but, never heard of flatolet.

 

[jte]

I might or might not be your client, but I always thought a "flatolet" was just a regular 'olet designed to go on a large radius, essentially flat, header. Take a look at

http://www.bonneyforge.com/specs/branch/conventional.cfm

. This table lists which Bonney Forge 'olets can go on what range of headers. For example a standard weight weldolet with a 1" outlet (branch) needs to be ordered based on what the run size is. Since the change in curvature gets less with larger sizes, the same 'olet may be used for multiple run sizes. A 1" 'olet which you'd put on a 6" run pipe would be the same 'olet that you'd put on a 10" run. For a 12" run, though, you'd have to get a different 'olet made to match the larger branch radius (lower curvature). That 'olet will work for up to a 36" branch. Beyond that, the curvature is effectively nil and your radius infinite: In this case, the run is "flat" and that's where the term "flatolet" comes from.

That's my guess anyway!

jt

 

[stewbaby]

I agree with JTE, that is what I always heard and specified as a "flatolet"...a olet that due to branch size being so small and run size so big that the fitting was basically flat on bottom. More a type or subclass of Threadolet, sockolet, or weldolet that a unique fitting.

 

[gt1]

Thanks much.
That sounds reasonable. I'll buy that.

 

[unclesyd]

A flat O-Let type fitting is for use on welding caps, elliptical heads, and flat surfaces.

You have to call this out when you order.