Combination sealing member and pipe couplings

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9726310-B2
Application number	US-201414277271-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 14, 2014
Priority date	May 14, 2004
Publication date	Aug 8, 2017
Grant date	Aug 8, 2017

Abstract

A sealing member is disclosed having an outer surface that supports segments of a pipe coupling for joining pipe elements in end to end relation. The segments are supported in spaced relation to permit the pipe elements to be inserted into the coupling without disassembly. The sealing member is a flexible ring that has conical lips around its inner circumference to engage and guide the pipe elements into the coupling. A tongue extends radially inwardly between the lips, the tongue having conical shoulders which engage and guide the pipe ends. The tongue locates the coupling segments relatively to the pipe elements.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, first and second pipe elements and a coupling for joining said pipe elements end to end, said first and second pipe elements each having circumferential grooves at opposite ends, each of said grooves having a floor, said coupling comprising:
a plurality of segments, each having oppositely disposed ends, and a respective connection member positioned at each said end, a first end of each said segment being connected to a second end of another of said segments such that said segments surround a central space for receiving said pipe elements;
a pair of arcuate projections positioned on opposite sides of and extending along each of said segments;
an arcuate surface positioned on each of said projections, each said arcuate surface being engageable with said floor of said groove in one of said pipe elements;
a channel positioned between said projections on each of said segments;
a seal received within said channel and having an outer surface sized to support said segments in spaced apart relation to provide clearance about a circumference of said pipe elements, including where measured adjacent to said connection members, said clearance being sufficient to permit insertion of said pipe elements into said central space, said seal having an inner surface sized to receive said pipe elements; wherein
at least one of said connection members being adjustably tightenable for drawing each said arcuate surface into engagement with one of said floors upon tightening of said at least one connection member.

2. The combination according to claim 1 , wherein each said projection extends between said oppositely disposed ends of said segments.

3. The combination according to claim 2 , further comprising a cut-out located at each end of each said arcuate surface.

4. The combination according to claim 1 , wherein each said projection subtends an angle less than 180°.

5. The combination according to claim 1 , wherein each one of said segments is deformable so as to substantially conform a curvature of each one of said arcuate surfaces to a curvature of one of said floors upon tightening of said at least one connection member.

6. The combination according to claim 1 , wherein two of said connection members are adjustably tightenable.

7. The combination according to claim 1 , wherein said coupling comprises at most two of said segments.

8. The combination according to claim 1 , wherein said coupling comprises three of said segments.

9. The combination according to claim 1 , wherein said seal has sufficient stiffness to maintain said segments in said preassembled state during shipping and through handling of said coupling during insertion of said pipe elements into said central space.

10. In combination, first and second pipe elements and a coupling for joining said pipe elements end to end, said first and second pipe elements each having circumferential grooves at opposite ends, each of said grooves having a floor, said coupling comprising:
a plurality of segments, each having oppositely disposed ends, and a respective connection member positioned at each said end, a first end of each said segment being connected to a second end of another of said segments such that said segments surround a central space for receiving said pipe elements;
a pair of arcuate projections positioned on opposite sides of and extending between said oppositely disposed ends of each of said segments;
an arcuate surface positioned on each of said projections, each said arcuate surface being engageable with said floor of said groove in one of said pipe elements, a cut-out being located at each end of each said arcuate surface;
a channel positioned between said projections on each of said segments;
a seal received within said channel and having an outer surface sized to support said segments in spaced apart relation to provide clearance about a circumference of said pipe elements including where measured adjacent to said connection members, said clearance being sufficient to permit insertion of said pipe elements into said central space, said seal having an inner surface sized to receive said pipe elements; wherein
at least one of said connection members being adjustably tightenable for drawing each said arcuate surface into engagement with one of said floors.

11. The combination according to claim 10 , wherein each said projection subtends an angle less than 180°.

12. The combination according to claim 10 , wherein each one of said segments is deformable so as to substantially conform a curvature of each one of said arcuate surfaces to a curvature of one of said floors upon tightening of said at least one connection member.

13. The combination according to claim 10 , wherein two of said connection members are adjustably tightenable.

14. The combination according to claim 10 , wherein said coupling comprises at most two of said segments.

15. The combination according to claim 10 , wherein said coupling comprises three of said segments.

16. The combination according to claim 10 , wherein said seal has sufficient stiffness to maintain said segments in said preassembled state during shipping and through handling of said coupling during insertion of said pipe elements into said central space.

Assignees

• Victaulic Co Of America

Inventors

• Gibb John
• Dole Douglas R
• Porter Michael V

Classifications

• F16L25/14

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

• F16L23/18

  the sealing means being rings · CPC title

• F16L21/065

  tightened by tangentially-arranged threaded pins · CPC title

• F16L17/04 Primary

  with longitudinally split or divided sleeve · CPC title

• F16L23/08

  connection by tangentially arranged pin and nut · CPC title