A N A M E R I C A N N A T I O N A L S T A N D A R D
PIPE THREADS, GENERAL
PURPOSE (INCH)
ANSI/ASME B1.20.1 - 1983
(REVISION AND REDESIGNATION OF ANSI 82.14968)
SPONSORED AND PUBLISHED BY
T H E A M E R I C A N S O C I E T Y O F M E C H A N I C A L E N G I N E E R S
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Date of Issuance: August 31,1983
This code or standard was developed under procedures accredited as meeting the criteria for
American National Standards. The Consensus Committee that approved the code or standard was
balanced to assure that individuals from competent and concerned interests have had an opportunity
to participate. The proposed code or standard was made available for public review and comment
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Copyright @ 1983 by
THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS
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FOREWORD
(This Foreword is not part of American National Standard, Pipe Threads, General
Purpose (Inch) ANSIIASME 81.20.1-2983.)
In 1973 American National Standards Committee B2, which had.formerly been responsible for pipe thread
standards, was absorbed by ANSI Standards Committee B1 and reorganized as subcommittee 20. A com-
plete rewrite of the B2.2-1968 standard on Dryseal Pipe Threads has been completed, with the product
thread data in separate documents from the gaging standards for Dryseal Pipe Threads. The system of num-
bering, to include metric conversions, is as follows:
ANSI B1.20.3-1976 Dryseal Pipe Threads (Inch)
ANSI B1.20.4-1976 Dryseal Pipe Threads (Metric Translation)
ANSI B1.20.5-1978 Gaging for Dryseal Pipe Threads (Inch)
In preparation, B1.2O.6M Gaging for Dryseal Pipe Threads (Metric Translation)
A complete rewrite of the B2.1-1968 standard on Pipe Threads (Except Dryseal) was then undertaken.
The system of numbering, to include metric conversions, is as follows:
ANSIlASME B1.20.1 Pipe Threads, General Purpose (Inch)
In preparation, B1.20.2MPipe Threads, General Purpose (Metric Translation)
These standards, ANSI/ASME B1.20.1 and B1.20.2M, have product thread dimensions and gaging in the
same document. Thread inspection specifies the use of L, taper thread plug and ring gages similar to
B2.1-1968. In addition, emphasis is given to the requirement that all basic thread design dimensions are to
be met within the specified tolerances.
The data in this Standard supersede those given in ANSI B2.1-1968.
The ANSIlASME B1.20.1 was approved by ASME Standards Committee B1 on Decembel 1, 1982 for
publication as an official ANSI standard.
The proposed standard was submitted by standards committee B1 to the Secretariat and the American
National Standards Institute. It was approved and formally designated as an American National Standard
on February 4,1983.
iii
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ASME STANDARDS COMMITTEE B1
Standardization and Unification of Screw Threads
(The following is the roster of the Committee a t the time of approval of this Standard.)
OFFICERS
D. J. Emanuelli, Chairman H. W. Ellison, Vice Chairman
C. E. Lynch, Secretary
COMMITTEE PERSONNEL
AEROSPACE INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA, INC.
G. G. Gerber, McDonnell Douglas, St. Louis, Missouri
H. Borrman, Alternate, Sperry Gyroscope Division, Great Neck, New York
AMERICAN IRON AND STEEL INSTITUTE
F. Dallas, Jr., Sawhill Tubular Division, Sharon, Pennsylvania
AMERICAN MEASURING TOOL MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION
D. Dodge, Pennoyer-Dodge Company, Glendale, California
C. W. Jatho, Alternate, American Measuring Tool Manufacturers Association, Birmingham, Michigan
AMERICAN PIPE FITTINGS ASSOCIATION
W. C. Farrell, Stockham Valves and Fittings, Birmingham, Alabama
DEFENSE INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY CENTER
E. Schwartz, Defense Industrial Supply Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
F. S. Ciccarone, Alternate, Defense Industrial Supply Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
ENGINE MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION
G. A. Rua, Cummins Engine Company, Columbus, Indiana
FARM AND INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT INSTITUTE
J. F. Nagy, Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, Michigan
INDUSTRIAL FASTENERS INSTITUTE
R. B. Belford, Industrial Fasteners Institute, Cleveland, Ohio
R . M. Harris, Bethlehem Steel Company, Lebanon, Pennsylvania
K. E. McCullough, SPS Technologies, Inc., Jenkintown, Pennsylvania
J. C. McMurray, Russell, Burdsall and Ward Inc., Mentor, Ohio
J. A. Trilling, Holo-Krome Company, West Hartford, Connecticut
E. D. Spengler, Alternate, Bethlehem Steel Company, Lebanon, Pennsylvania
MANUFACTURERS STANDARDIZATION SOCIETY OF THE VALVE AND FITTING INDUSTRY
W. C. Farrell, Stockham Valves and Fittings, Birmingham, Alabama
METAL CUTTING TOOL INSTITUTE (TAP & DIE DIVISION)
N. F. Nau, UnionlButterfield, Athol, Massachusetts
A. D. Shepherd, Jr., Alternate, UnionlButterfield, Derby Line, Vermont
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NATIONAL AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER AND FIRE CONTROL ASSOCIATION, INC.
W. Testa, Grinnell Fire Protection Systems Company, Inc., Providence, Rhode Island
R. P. Fleming, Alternate, National Automatic Sprinkler and Fire Control Association, Inc., Patterson, New York
NATIONAL ELECTRICAL MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION
J. L. Griffin, Wheatland Tube Company, Wheatland, Pennsylvania
J. B. Levy, General Electric Company, Schenectady, New York
F. F. Weingruber, Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
W. R. Williford, Alternate, National Electrical Manufacturers Association, Washington, D.C.
NATIONAL MACHINE TOOL BUILDERS ASSOCIATION
R. J. Sabatos, The Cleveland Twist Drill Company, Cleveland, Ohio
D. R. Stoner, Jr., Teledyne Landis Machine, Waynesboro, Pennsylvania
NATIONAL SCREW MACHINE PRODUCTS ASSOCIATION
T. S. Meyer, Fischer Special Manufacturing Company, Cold Spring, Kentucky
H. A. Eichstaedt, Alternate, National Screw Machine Products Association, Brecksville, Ohio
SOCIETY OF AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERS
H. W. Ellison, General Motors Technical Center, Warren, Michigan
SOCIETY OF MANUFACTURING ENGINEERS
D. Davidson, Morse/Hemco Corp., Holland, Michigan
TUBULAR RIVET AND MACHINE INSTITUTE
R. M. Byrne, Indusfry Service Bureaus, Inc., White Plains, New York
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE
R. P. Stewart, Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, Ohio
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
J. Crowley, U.S. Army Material Development and Readiness Command, Alexandria, Virginia
F. J. Clas, Watervliet Arsenal, Watervliet, New York
F. L. Jones, Alternate, U. S. Army Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
E. Schwartz, Defense Industrial Supply Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
C. T. Gustafson, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, New Hampshire
INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS
C. T. Appleton, Jefferson, Massachusetts
D. N. Badgley, Clark Equipment Company, Battle Creek, Michigan
J. BoehnLein, PMC Industries, Wickliffe, Ohio
W. E. Bow, Santa Monica, California
A. R. Breed, Mechanical Fasteners and Assembly, Lakewood, Ohio
R. Browning, Southern Gage Company, Erin, Tennessee
A. Butovich, Air Industries Corp., Garden Grove, California
R. S. Chamerda, The Johnson Gage Company, Bloomfield, Connecticut
J. F. Cramer, Des Moines, Washington
J. F-. Dickson, Reed Rolled Thread Die Company, Holden, Massachusetts
R. B. Donahue, Xerox Corp., Webster, New York
E. W. Drescher, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
D. J. Emanuelli, Greenfield Tap and Die, Greenfield, Massachusetts
C. G. Erickson, Colt Industries, Sterling Die Operation, West Hartford, Connecticut
S. 1. Kanter, The Hanson-Whitney Company, Hartford, Connecticut
R. W. Lamport, The Van Keuren Company, Watertown, Massachusetts
A. R. Machell, Jr., Xerox Corp., Rochester, New York
A. E. Masterson, Watervliet, New York
R. E. Mazzara, Geometric Tool, New Haven, Connecticut
H. G. Muenchinger, Westerly, Rhode Island
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P. V. Pastore, Regal Beloit Corp., South Beloit, Illinois
M. M. Schuster, Hi-Shear Corp., Torrance, California
A. G. Strang, Boyds, Maryland
L. R. Strang, Caterpillar Tractor Company, Peoria, Illinois
A. F. Thibodeau, Swanson Tool Manufacturing, Inc., West Hartford, Connecticut
J. Turton, The Bendix Corp., Greenfield, Massachusetts
PERSONNEL OF SUBCOMMITTEE B1.20 - PIPE THREADS
D. N. Badgley, Chairman, Clark Equipment Company, Battle Creek, Michigan
W. A. Keaton, Vice-chairman, General Motors Technical Center, Warren, Michigan
J. S. Hinske, Secretary, Parker-Hannifin Corp., Worcester, Massachusetts
C. Banks, Naval Sea System Command, Washington, D.C.
M. Bibeau, Jamesbury Corp., Worcester, Massachusetts
R. J. Browning, Southern Gage Company, Erin, Tennessee
D. Cadieux, TRW/Greenfield Tap & Die Division, Greenfield, Massachusetts
J. A. Casner, Hydril Technology Center, Houston, Texas
W. 0. Clinedinst, Belleair, Florida
W. R. Cochran, J&L Steel Corp., Aliquippa, Pennsylvania
F. Dallas, Jr., Sawhill Tubular Division, Cyclops Corporation, Sharon, Pennsylvania
D. Davidson, Morse/Hemco Corp., Holland, Michigan
D. Dodge, Pennoyer-Dodge Company, Glendale, California
W. C. Farrell, Jr., Stockham Valves & Fittings, Birmingham, Alabama
L. S. Feldheim, The Weatherhead Company, Cleveland, Ohio
A. C. Flanders, Picoma Industries, Inc., Martins Ferry, Ohio
W. A. Franz, U. S. Steel Corp., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
H. D. Goldberg, All ied Tube & Conduit Corp., Harvey, Illinois
W. E. Hay, The Pipe Machinery Company, Wickliffe, Ohio
S. 1. Kanter, The Hanson-Whitney Company, Hartford, Connecticut
G. K. Otten, Wheeling Machine Products Company, Wheeling, West Virginia
R. S. Piotrowski, Mack Trucks, Inc., Allentown, Pennsylvania
G. Russ, Cummins Engine Company, In;., Columbus, Indiana
A. D. Shepherd, Jr., Litton Union/Butterfield, Derby Line, Vermont
A. G. Strang, Boyds, Maryland
J. Turton, The Bendix Corp., Inc., Greenfield, Massachusettts
vi
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CONTENTS
Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
Standards Committee Roster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.1 Scope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.2 Thread Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.3 Sealing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.4 Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.5 Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.6 Related Standard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
2 American National Standard Pipe Thread Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.1 Thread Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.2 Angle of Thread . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.3 Truncation and Thread Height . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
3 Specification for General Purpose Taper Pipe Threads, NPT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
3.1 Taper Pipe Threads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
4 Specifications for Internal Straight Threads in Pipe Couplings. NPSC . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
4.1 Straight Pipe Threads in Pipe Couplings . . . . : .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
5 Specifications for Railing Joint Taper Pipe Threads. NPTR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
3.2 Tolerances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
5.1 Railing Joints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
6 Specifications for Straight Pipe Threads for Mechanical Joints;
NPSM.NPSL. NPSH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
6.1 Straight Pipe Threads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
6.2 Free-Fitting Mechanical Joints for Fixtures, NPSM .................... 13
6.3 Loose-Fitting Mechanical Joints With Locknuts, NPSL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
6.4 Loose-Fitting Mechanical Joints for Hose Coupling, NPSH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
7 Gages and Gage Tolerances for American National Standard Pipe Threads . . . . . . . . 16
7.1 Design of Gages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
7.2 Classes of Gages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
7.3 Gage Tolerances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
7.4 Relation of Lead and Angle Deviations to Pitch Diameter
Tolerances of Gages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
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8 Gaging of Taper Pipe Threads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
8 . 1 Gaging External Taper Threads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
8.2 Gaging Internal Taper Threads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
8.3 Gaging Practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
8.4 Gaging Chamfered. Countersunk. or Recessed Threads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
9 Gaging of Straight Pipe Threads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
9.1 Types of Gages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
9.2 Gage Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Figures
1 Basic Form of American National Standard Taper Pipe Thread . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2 American National Standard Taper Pipe Threads for Pressure-Tight Joints. NPT . . . . 4
4 NPT Standard Taper Pipe Thread Plug and Ring Gages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
3 American National Standard Taper Pipe Thread Notation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
5 Suggested Form of Gage Thread . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
6 Gaging External Taper Threads With Ring Gage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
7 Gaging Internal Taper Threads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
8 Gaging of Chamfered Threads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Tables
1
8
9
10
11
Limits on Crest and Root Truncation of American National Standard External
and Internal Taper Pipe Threads. NPT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Basic Dimensions of American National Standard Taper Pipe Thread. NPT . . . . . . . . 6
Tolerances on Taper. Lead. and Angle of Pipe Threads. NPT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Dimensions. Internal Straight Threads in Pipe Coupling. NPSC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Dimensions of External and Internal Taper Pipe Threads for Railing Joints. NPTR . . . 10
Dimensions of External and Internal Straight Pipe Threads for Fixtures. NPSM . . . . . 11
Dimensions. External and Internal Straight Pipe Thread for
Locknut Connections. NPSL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Basic Dimensions of Threaded Plug and Ring Gages for National American National
Standard Taper Pipe Threads. NPT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Tolerances for American National Standard Working Taper Pipe Thread Plug and
RingGages. NPT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Diameter Equivalent of Deviation in Half Included Angle of Thread for
ToolsandGages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Diameter Equivalent of Deviation in Lead for Tools and Gages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
V i i i
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ANSllASME 81.20.1-1983
AN AMERICAN NATIONAL STANDARD
PIPE THREADS, GENERAL PURPOSE (INCH)
1 INTRODUCTION 1.2.3 Coated or Plated Threads. The threaded
1.1 Scope product specifications covered in this Standard do not include an allowance for coatings or plating.
This American National Standard covers dimen-
sions and gaging of pipe threads for general purpose
applications.
1.2 Thread Designations
1.2.1 The types of pipe threads included in this
Standard are designated by specifying in sequence
t