Joint restraint device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11435015-B2
Application number	US-202016854384-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 21, 2020
Priority date	Apr 19, 2017
Publication date	Sep 6, 2022
Grant date	Sep 6, 2022

Abstract

A method of coupling a pipe length to a piping element includes sliding a gland over an end of the pipe length, the gland including a joint restraint assembly, the pipe length defining an outer pipe surface; inserting the end of the pipe length into a socket defined by the piping element; fastening the gland to the piping element; and activating the joint restraint assembly to prevent removal of the pipe length from the socket by rotating a gripper in an engagement direction of the joint restraint assembly; and engaging the gripper with the outer pipe surface in an initial engagement position.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A method of coupling a pipe length to a piping element, the method comprising:
sliding a gland over an end of the pipe length, the gland comprising a joint restraint assembly, the joint restraint assembly comprising a gripper and a restraint base, the pipe length defining an outer pipe surface;
inserting the end of the pipe length into a socket defined by the piping element;
fastening the gland to the piping element; and
activating the joint restraint assembly to prevent removal of the pipe length from the socket by:
rotating the gripper about a restraint pivot in an engagement direction of the joint restraint assembly, the restraint pivot being rotationally fixed relative to the restraint base; and
engaging the gripper with the outer pipe surface in an initial engagement position.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the gripper comprises a plurality of gripping protuberances; and
engaging the gripper with the outer pipe surface in the initial engagement position comprises engaging a one of the gripping protuberances with the outer pipe surface.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising rotating the gripper in the engagement direction to a final engagement position wherein all of the gripping protuberances engage the outer pipe surface.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the gland defines a gland bore;
the gland bore defines a gland axis;
the gripper defines an engagement end and a lever end disposed opposite from the engagement end; and
rotating the gripper in the engagement direction comprises moving the engagement end inwards towards the gland axis.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein activating the joint restraint assembly further comprises removing a deactivation mechanism from the gripper.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising moving the pipe length outwards from the socket in a withdrawal direction to rotate the gripper about the restraint pivot in the engagement direction.

7. A method of coupling a pipe length to a piping element, the method comprising:
sliding a gland bore of a gland over an end of the pipe length, the gland bore defining a gland axis, the gland comprising a joint restraint assembly, the pipe length defining an outer pipe surface;
inserting the end of the pipe length into a socket defined by the piping element;
fastening the gland to the piping element; and
activating the joint restraint assembly to prevent removal of the pipe length from the socket by:
rotating a gripper about a pivot axis in an engagement direction of the joint restraint assembly, the pivot axis defined by a restraint pivot of the gland, the pivot axis being perpendicular to a radial direction of the gland axis; and
engaging the gripper with the outer pipe surface in an initial engagement position.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein:
the gripper comprises a plurality of gripping protuberances; and
engaging the gripper with the outer pipe surface in the initial engagement position comprises engaging a one of the gripping protuberances with the outer pipe surface.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising rotating the gripper in the engagement direction to a final engagement position wherein all of the gripping protuberances engage the outer pipe surface.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein:
the gripper defines an engagement end and a lever end disposed opposite from the engagement end; and
rotating the gripper in the engagement direction comprises moving the engagement end inwards towards the gland axis.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein activating the joint restraint assembly further comprises removing a deactivation mechanism from the gripper.

12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising moving the pipe length outwards from the socket in a withdrawal direction to rotate the gripper about the restraint pivot in the engagement direction.

13. A method of coupling a pipe length to a piping element, the method comprising:
sliding a gland over an end of the pipe length, the gland comprising a joint restraint assembly, the pipe length defining an outer pipe surface;
inserting the end of the pipe length into a socket defined by the piping element;
fastening the gland to the piping element; and
activating the joint restraint assembly to prevent removal of the pipe length from the socket by:
rotating a gripper about a restraint pivot in an engagement direction of the joint restraint assembly, the gripper positioned in a restraint pocket at least partially defined between two sidewalls of the gland, the restraint pivot extending between the two sidewalls; and
engaging the gripper with the outer pipe surface in an initial engagement position.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein:
the gripper comprises a plurality of gripping protuberances; and
engaging the gripper with the outer pipe surface in the initial engagement position comprises engaging a one of the gripping protuberances with the outer pipe surface.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising rotating the gripper in the engagement direction to a final engagement position wherein all of the gripping protuberances engage the outer pipe surface.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein:
the gland defines a gland bore;
the gland bore defines a gland axis;
the gripper defines an engagement end and a lever end disposed opposite from the engagement end; and
rotating the gripper in the engagement direction comprises moving the engagement end inwards towards the gland axis.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein activating the joint restraint assembly further comprises removing a deactivation mechanism from the gripper.

18. The method of claim 13 , further comprising moving the pipe length outwards from the socket in a withdrawal direction to rotate the gripper about the restraint pivot in the engagement direction.

Assignees

• Mueller Int Llc

Inventors

• Furcoiu Aurelian Ioan

Classifications

• A62C35/20

  Hydrants, e.g. wall-hoses, wall units, plug-in cabinets (hydrants in streets E03B9/02) · CPC title

• F16L21/08

  with additional locking means (F16L21/06 takes precedence; couplings of the quick-acting type F16L37/00) · CPC title

• F16L21/04 Primary

  in which sealing rings are compressed by axially-movable members · CPC title

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title