4-Way Compression Grooved Coupling
First Claim
1. A pre-assembled pipe coupling for joining and sealing two grooved-ended pipe segments without disassembling the coupling, the coupling comprising:
- a. a pre-assembled pipe coupling housing further comprising upper and lower arcuate housing segments and left and right bridge segments disposed between the upper and lower segments, each bridge segment having at least one set of dihedrally angled faces that engage corresponding faces each in the upper and lower housing segments, such that drawing the upper and lower segments inwardly together along a first axis, presses each bridge segment inward along a second axis roughly tangential to the first axis, all segments loosely pre-assembled with bolts and nuts into a coupling and all segments each having radially inwardly projecting lands that mate with end grooves in the pipes to be joined;
b. disposed within the pre-assembled housing, a one-piece circular sealing gasket having an inward circumferential and centrally positioned pipe stop having an inner diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the pipes to be joined, and having two circumferential sealing lips axially outward from the pipe stop, each sealing lip having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the pipe segments to be joined;
the pre-assembled coupling adapted to receive a grooved pipe end into each of both open ends of the coupling, the two pipe ends thereby seated in the sealing gasket and separated only by the gasket pipe stop.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A pre-assembled pipe coupling for joining and sealing two grooved-ended pipe segments without disassembling the coupling is disclosed. The coupling has a housing with upper and lower arcuate housing segments and left and right bridge segments. Each bridge segment has at least one set of dihedrally angled faces that engage corresponding faces each in the upper and lower housing segments. Drawing the upper and lower segments inwardly together along a first axis, presses each bridge segment inward along a second axis roughly tangential to the first axis. All segments are loosely pre-assembled with bolts and nuts into a coupling and all segments each have radially inwardly projecting lands that mate with end grooves in the pipes to be joined. The coupling also has a one-piece circular sealing gasket that has an inward circumferential and centrally positioned pipe stop that has an inner diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the pipes to be joined. The gasket has two circumferential sealing lips axially outward from the pipe stop, the inner diameter each sealing lip larger than the outer diameter of the pipe segments to be joined.
Method for joining and sealing two grooved-ended pipe segments with a pre-assembled pipe coupling, without disassembling the coupling, is also disclosed.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A pre-assembled pipe coupling for joining and sealing two grooved-ended pipe segments without disassembling the coupling, the coupling comprising:
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a. a pre-assembled pipe coupling housing further comprising upper and lower arcuate housing segments and left and right bridge segments disposed between the upper and lower segments, each bridge segment having at least one set of dihedrally angled faces that engage corresponding faces each in the upper and lower housing segments, such that drawing the upper and lower segments inwardly together along a first axis, presses each bridge segment inward along a second axis roughly tangential to the first axis, all segments loosely pre-assembled with bolts and nuts into a coupling and all segments each having radially inwardly projecting lands that mate with end grooves in the pipes to be joined; b. disposed within the pre-assembled housing, a one-piece circular sealing gasket having an inward circumferential and centrally positioned pipe stop having an inner diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the pipes to be joined, and having two circumferential sealing lips axially outward from the pipe stop, each sealing lip having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the pipe segments to be joined; the pre-assembled coupling adapted to receive a grooved pipe end into each of both open ends of the coupling, the two pipe ends thereby seated in the sealing gasket and separated only by the gasket pipe stop. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A pre-assembled pipe coupling for joining and sealing two grooved-ended pipe segments without disassembling the coupling, the coupling comprising:
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a. a pre-assembled pipe coupling housing further comprising upper and lower arcuate housing segments and left and right bridge segments disposed between the upper and lower segments, each bridge segment having at least one set of dihedrally angled faces that engage corresponding faces each in the upper and lower housing segments, such that drawing the upper and lower segments inwardly together along a first axis, presses each bridge segment inward along a second axis roughly tangential to the first axis, all segments loosely pre-assembled with bolts and nuts into a coupling and at least the upper and lower segments each having radially inwardly projecting lands that mate with end grooves in the pipes to be joined; b. disposed within the pre-assembled housing, a one-piece circular sealing gasket having two circumferential sealing lips axially outward from an axial center of the gasket, each sealing lip having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the pipe segments to be joined; the pre-assembled coupling adapted to receive a grooved pipe end into each of both open ends of the coupling, the two pipe ends thereby seated in the sealing gasket. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for joining and sealing two grooved-ended pipe segments with a pre-assembled pipe coupling, without disassembling the coupling, the method comprising the following steps:
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a. inserting a grooved pipe end from each pipe segment into each of both open ends of a pre-assembled pipe coupling having a one-piece circular sealing gasket having two circumferential sealing lips axially outward from an axial center of the gasket, each sealing lip having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the pipe segments to be joined; b. roughly uniformly applying compression force around the circumference of the coupling to rigidly join and seal the pipe segments. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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Specification