Three piece pipe coupling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016010771-A1
Application number	US-201414772869-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 6, 2014
Priority date	Mar 7, 2013
Publication date	Jan 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A preassembled pipe coupling and method for joining pipe segments in an end-to-end relationship. The coupling ( 100 ) includes three identical housing segments ( 110 ) joined end to end. Each housing segment ( 110 ) includes a pipe engagement surface defining a radius of curvature. The radii of curvature of the three housing segments ( 110 ) are identical. The third housing segment is connected to the first and second housing segments to define a first configuration and a second configuration of the coupling, in which the radii of curvatures are the same in the first and second configurations. In the first configuration, the three housing segments ( 110 ) are radially located about an annular gasket ( 400 ) to permit insertion of the pipe segment into the gasket ( 400 ). In the second configuration, the three housing segments are radially located about the annular gasket such that the gasket is compressed to form a fluid tight seal and the pipe engagement surfaces engage the outer surface of the pipe segment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A preassembled pipe coupling comprising:
a first housing segment having a first pipe engagement surface having a first radius of curvature from a first center of curvature, the first housing segment having a first pair of end pads with the first engagement surface disposed between the first pair of end pads; a second housing segment having a second pipe engagement surface having a second radius of curvature from a second center of curvature, the second housing segment having a second pair of end pads with the second engagement surface disposed between the second pair of end pads; a third housing segment having a third pipe engagement surface having a third radius of curvature from a third center of curvature, the third housing segment having a third pair of end pads with the third engagement surface disposed between the third pair of end pads, the first, second and third radii being identical; a first bolt assembly defining a first bolt axis, the first bolt assembly coupling one end pad of the first housing segment to one end pad of the second housing segment to define a pivot point about which the first and second pipe engagement surfaces pivot with respect to one another; an annular gasket member defining a central axis; and a second bolt assembly and a third bolt assembly for locating the first, second and third pipe engagement surfaces about the gasket member in a first configuration to define an interior space of the coupling for inserting a pipe segment, the second and third bolt assemblies locating the first, second, and third pipe engagement surfaces in a second configuration about the gasket member such that the first, second and third pipe engagement surfaces engage the outer surface of the pipe segment and compress the gasket member about the outer surface to form a fluid tight seal, the second bolt assembly defining a second bolt axis and the third bolt assembly defining a third bolt axis, the second bolt assembly joining the other end pad of the first housing segment to one end pad of the third housing segment, the third bolt assembly joining the other end pad of the second housing segment to the other end pad of the third housing segment, the second and third bolt assemblies being oriented with respect to one another such that the second and third bolt axes each define an acute included angle between the second and third bolt axes, wherein in the first configuration the first, second, and third centers of curvature are spaced apart, and in the second configuration the first, second and third centers of curvature are coaxially aligned, the first, second and third radii being the same in each of the first and second configurations.

2 . The preassembled pipe coupling of claim 1 , wherein the acute angle between the second and third bolt axes is sixty degrees.

3 . The preassembled pipe coupling of claim 1 , wherein the second and third bolt assemblies each include a bolt and a nut, the bolt having a bolt head with a threaded shank with the nut disposed on the threaded shank, wherein in the second configuration, the first bolt axis extends parallel to a plane passing through the aligned first, second and third centers of curvature, the second and third bolt assemblies being disposed to one side of the plane opposite the first bolt assembly, the bolt heads of the second and third bolt assemblies being disposed between the plane and the nuts of the second and third bolt assemblies.

4 . The preassembled pipe coupling of claim 1 , wherein the first bolt assembly includes a shank and a nut, the shank having an upper portion including a bolt head and a lower threaded portion with the nut being disposed on the lower threaded portion, each end pad including a contact surface and a through bore, the shank extending through the through bores of each end pad joined by the first bolt assembly such that their contact surfaces contact to define the pivot point, the pivot point being located along the contact surfaces so as to define an outside radial angle and an inside radial angle about the pivot point over which the first and second engagement surfaces pivot with respect to one another, wherein in the first configuration the outside radial angle is minimized and the inside radial angle is maximized and in the second configuration, the outside radial angle is maximized and the inside radial angle is minimized.

5 . The preassembled pipe coupling of claim 1 , wherein the pipe segment includes a circumferential groove, the first, second and third pipe engagement surfaces engage the circumferential groove in the second configuration of the coupling, the circumferential groove defining an outer diameter of the pipe segment that is the same in each of the first and second configurations.

6 . The preassembled pipe coupling of claim 1 , wherein the annular gasket member includes a sealing lip, wherein in the first configuration the sealing lip extends circumferentially about the central axis to define an internal diameter of the gasket that is greater than an outer diameter of the pipe segment.

7 . A preassembled pipe coupling comprising:
a housing having three identical housing segments, each segment having a pair of end pads with an arcuate segment disposed between the end pads, the arcuate segment including a pair of pipe engagement surfaces extending parallel to one another from one end pad to the other end pad, the housing segment including an inner surface defining a cavity between the pipe engagement surfaces for housing a portion of an annular pipe gasket, the gasket having an inner surface including a sealing lip circumscribed about a central axis to define an internal diameter of the gasket, each pipe engagement surface having a radius of curvature from a center of curvature, the radii of curvature of the three housing segments being identical, the three housing segments being interconnected end pad-to-end pad to house the pipe gasket, with a first housing segment and a second housing segment forming a pivot connection therebetween, the third housing segment being connected to the first and second housing segments to define a first configuration and a second configuration of the coupling, the radii of curvature being the same in the first and second configurations, wherein in the first configuration, the three housing segments are radially located about the annular gasket such that the inner diameter of the gasket is greater than an outer diameter of a pipe segment with the pipe engagement surfaces being located about the central axis to permit insertion of the pipe segment into the gasket; and wherein in the second configuration, the three housing segments are radially located about the annular gasket such that the gasket is compressed and the sealing lip engages a portion of the outer surface of the pipe to form a fluid tight seal, the pipe engagement surfaces being located about the central axis so as to engage another portion of the outer surface of the pipe segment, the outer diameter of the pipe segment in the second configuration being the same as the outer diameter of the pipe in the first configuration.

8 . The preassembled pipe coupling of claim 7 , further comprising a pair of bolt assemblies to locate the third housing segment with respect to the first and second housing segments, each bolt assembly defining a bolt axis, wherein the pair of bolt assemblies are oriented with respect to one another such that their axes define an acute included angle.

9 . The preassembled pipe coupling of claim 8 , wherein the acute angle is sixty degrees.

10 . The preassembled pipe coupling of claim 8 , wherein the pair of bolt assemblies each include a bolt and a nut, the bolt having a bolt h

Assignees

• Tyco Fire & Security Gmbh

Inventors

• Cheng-Sheng Hsu

Classifications

• F16L21/005

  made of elastic material, e.g. partly or completely surrounded by clamping devices (comprising packing adapted to sealing by fluid pressure F16L17/04) · CPC title

• F16L17/04 Primary

  with longitudinally split or divided sleeve · CPC title

• F16L23/08

  connection by tangentially arranged pin and nut · CPC title