Coupling gasket and bar linkage for friction-fit range reducer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11767940-B2
Application number	US-202017097967-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 13, 2020
Priority date	Feb 28, 2018
Publication date	Sep 26, 2023
Grant date	Sep 26, 2023

Abstract

A seal for a pipe coupling can include an outer gasket defining a radially inner surface defining a plurality of grooves; and an inner gasket separably joined to the outer gasket and defining a radially outer surface, the radially outer surface defining a plurality of ridges extending radially outward and including: a first ridge, each of first and second side surfaces of the first ridge angled in cross-section with respect to a radial direction of the inner gasket towards a first axial end of the inner gasket when in an uncompressed state; and a second ridge, each of first and second side surfaces of the second ridge angled in cross-section with respect to the radial direction towards a second axial end of the inner gasket when in the uncompressed state; wherein the radially outer surfaces of the inner and outer gaskets contact each other.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A pipe coupling comprising:
a coupling body defining a first body end and a second body end distal from the first body end, a coupling bore defined by and extending through the coupling body from the first body end to the second body end;
an end ring attached to the coupling body proximate to the first body end, the end ring comprising:
a split ring defining a first ring end, a second ring end, and a radially inner surface; and
a seal disposed within the split ring, the split ring configured to compress the seal radially inward in a compressed state of the pipe coupling, the seal comprising:
an outer gasket defining a radially outer surface and a radially inner surface, the radially inner surface of the outer gasket defining a plurality of grooves, each of a first side surface and a second side surface of a one of the plurality of grooves angled in cross-section with respect to a radial direction of the outer gasket towards a first axial end of the seal when the outer gasket is in an uncompressed state; and
an inner gasket separably joined to the outer gasket, the inner gasket defining a radially outer surface, the radially outer surface of the inner gasket defining a plurality of ridges engaged with the plurality of grooves of the outer gasket, each of a first side surface and a second side surface of a first ridge of the plurality of ridges angled in cross-section with respect to a radial direction of the inner gasket towards the first axial end of the seal when the inner gasket is in an uncompressed state, the radially outer surface of the inner gasket contacting the radially inner surface of the outer gasket; and

a fastener configured to draw the first ring end of the split ring towards the second ring end of the split ring.

2. The pipe coupling of claim 1 , wherein each of a first side surface and a second side surface of a second ridge of the plurality of ridges is angled in cross-section with respect to the radial direction of the inner gasket towards a second axial end of the seal when the inner gasket is in the uncompressed state.

3. The pipe coupling of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ridges of the inner gasket further comprises a third ridge.

4. The pipe coupling of claim 1 , wherein a radially inner surface of the inner gasket defines a conical shape.

5. The pipe coupling of claim 1 , wherein the end ring is a first end ring, the split ring is a first split ring, the seal is a first seal, and the outer gasket is a first outer gasket;
the coupling further comprising a second end ring attached to the coupling body proximate to the second body end, the second end ring comprising:
a second split ring defining a first ring end, a second ring end, and a radially inner surface; and
a second seal disposed within the split ring, the split ring configured to compress the second seal radially inward in a compressed state of the pipe coupling, the second seal comprising a second outer gasket defining a radially outer surface and a radially inner surface, the radially inner surface of the second outer gasket defining a plurality of grooves, each of a first side surface and a second side surface of a one of the plurality of grooves of the second outer gasket angled in cross-section with respect to a radial direction of the second outer gasket towards a first axial end of the second seal when the second outer gasket is in an uncompressed state.

6. A method of using the pipe coupling of claim 1 , the method comprising:
comparing an inner diameter of the seal of the pipe coupling to an outer diameter of a pipe element to which the pipe coupling is to be assembled; and
removing the inner gasket from the seal.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising assembling the pipe coupling to the pipe element such that the radially inner surface of the outer gasket contacts a radially outermost surface of the pipe element.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising re-assembling the inner gasket to the outer gasket of the seal.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the pipe element is a first pipe element, the seal is a first seal, the split ring is a first split ring, the outer gasket is a first outer gasket, and the inner gasket is a first inner gasket; the first seal positioned proximate to a first axial end of the pipe coupling, the pipe coupling further comprising a second seal positioned proximate to a second axial end of the pipe coupling; the method further comprising:
comparing an inner diameter of the second seal of the pipe coupling to an outer diameter of a second pipe element to which the pipe coupling is to be assembled, the second seal disposed within a second split ring of the pipe coupling, the second split ring configured to compress the second seal radially inward in a compressed state of the pipe coupling, the second seal comprising:
a second outer gasket defining a radially outer surface and a radially inner surface, the radially inner surface of the second outer gasket defining a plurality of grooves, each of a first side surface and a second side surface of a one of the plurality of grooves of the second outer gasket angled in cross-section with respect to a radial direction of the second outer gasket towards a first axial end of the second seal when the second outer gasket is in an uncompressed state; and
a second inner gasket separably joined to the second outer gasket, the second inner gasket defining a radially outer surface, the radially outer surface of the second inner gasket defining a plurality of ridges, each of a first side surface and a second side surface of a first ridge of the plurality of ridges of the second inner gasket angled in cross-section with respect to a radial direction of the second inner gasket towards a first axial end of the second inner gasket when the second inner gasket is in an uncompressed state, the radially outer surface of the second inner gasket contacting the radially inner surface of the second outer gasket; and

removing the second inner gasket from the second seal.

10. A seal for a pipe coupling, the seal comprising:
an outer gasket defining a radially inner surface, the radially inner surface defining a plurality of grooves; and
an inner gasket separably joined to the outer gasket, the inner gasket defining a radially outer surface, the radially outer surface defining a plurality of ridges, each of the plurality of ridges extending radially outward relative to an axis of the inner gasket, the plurality of ridges comprising:
a first ridge, each of a first side surface and a second side surface of the first ridge angled in cross-section with respect to a radial direction of the inner gasket towards a first axial end of the inner gasket when the inner gasket is in an uncompressed state; and
a second ridge, each of a first side surface and a second side surface of the second ridge angled in cross-section with respect to the radial direction of the inner gasket towards a second axial end of the inner gasket when the inner gasket is in the uncompressed state;

wherein the radially outer surface of the inner gasket contacts the radially inner surface of the outer gasket.

11. The seal of claim 10 , wherein a radially inner surface of the inner gasket defines a conical shape.

12. The seal of claim 11 , wherein the radially inner surface of the inner gasket defines a first conical portion and a second conical portion, a taper angle of the first conical portion being greater than a taper angle of the second conical portion, each of the first conical portion and the second conical portion being angled with respect to the axis of the inner gasket when the inner gasket is in the uncompress

Assignees

• Mueller Int Llc

Inventors

• Mitchell Timothy J
• Fearnow Steve Kent
• Bradley Jason White

Classifications

• F16L21/065 Primary

  tightened by tangentially-arranged threaded pins · CPC title

• F16L21/03 Primary

  placed in the socket before connection ({F16L21/022,} F16L21/025 take precedence) · CPC title

• F16L25/14

  Joints for pipes of different diameters or cross-section · CPC title