COUPLING WITH TONGUE AND GROOVE

• US 20130185919A1
• Filed: 01/20/2012
• Published: 07/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASC Engineered Solutions LLC
• Original Assignee: Mueller International LLC (Mueller Water Products Incorporated)
• Inventors: Beagen, Joseph William Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 9,039,046 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/525.02
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 13/14 made by plastically deforming the material of the pipe, e.g. by flanging, rolling
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 17/025 the sealing rings having radially directed ribs
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 17/04 with longitudinally split or divided sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 19/043 with additional sealing means
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 21/02 with elastic sealing rings between pipe and sleeve or between pipe and socket, e.g. with rolling or other prefabricated profiled rings F16L21/06, F16L21/08 take precedence ; sealing ring with radial ribs F16L17/025; sealing ring with axial lips F16L17/03; if adjustability is essential F16L27/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 23/08 connection by tangentially arranged pin and nut
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49948 Multipart cooperating fastener [e.g., bolt and nut]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49954 Fastener deformed after application

Abstract

A coupling includes an annular gasket, the annular gasket including at least one sealing surface directed radially inwardly and an outer surface directed radially outwardly; at least one segment, each segment being approximately semi-circular and including at least one inner surface, at least one outer surface, and at least two ends, each segment including a fastener pad protruding proximate to each end, each fastener pad defining a fastener hole, each end including at least one of a tongue and a groove, each tongue protruding circumferentially from at least one end, each groove defined circumferentially in at least one end; and at least one fastener, wherein at least one portion of a shaft portion of the fastener is sized to engage at least one fastener hole in at least one segment.

Claims

1. A coupling comprising:

an annular gasket, the annular gasket including at least one sealing surface directed radially inwardly and an outer surface directed radially outwardly;

at least one segment, each segment being approximately semi-circular and including at least one inner surface, at least one outer surface, and at least two ends, each segment including a fastener pad protruding proximate to each end, each fastener pad defining a fastener hole, each end including at least one of a tongue and a groove, each tongue protruding circumferentially from at least one end, each groove defined circumferentially in at least one end; and

at least one fastener, wherein at least one portion of a shaft portion of the fastener is sized to engage at least one fastener hole in at least one segment.

2. The coupling of claim 1, wherein at least one tongue includes a leading edge.

3. The coupling of claim 2, wherein each leading edge includes a mating surface.

4. The coupling of claim 3, wherein the groove includes a mating surface.

5. The coupling of claim 4, wherein the mating surface of the groove contacts the mating surface of the tongue.

6. The coupling of claim 1, wherein each segment includes two contact surfaces.

7. The coupling of claim 1, wherein the annular gasket includes at least one center rib and at least two sealing ridges.

8. The coupling of claim 7, wherein the center rib includes two sealing surfaces and wherein each sealing ridge includes a sealing surface.

9. The coupling of claim 8, wherein a central groove separates the two sealing surfaces of the center rib.

10. The coupling of claim 7, wherein each sealing ridge is disposed between an axially inner drafted edge and an axially outer drafted edge.

11. The coupling of claim 7, wherein the sealing surfaces of the sealing ridges are substantially parallel.

12. The coupling of claim 1, wherein the gasket includes at least two gasket channels.

13. The coupling of claim 1, wherein each fastener includes a collar portion and wherein each collar portion includes an axial dimension and a transverse dimension, and wherein each axial dimension is smaller than each transverse dimension.

14. The coupling of claim 13, wherein each axial dimension of each collar portion is smaller than each axial dimension of each fastener hole, wherein each transverse dimension of each collar portion is smaller than each transverse dimension of each fastener hole, and wherein each axial dimension of each fastener hole is smaller than each transverse dimension of each collar portion.

15. A method of coupling first and second pipe elements in end-to-end facing relationship comprising:

obtaining a coupling, the coupling including

an annular gasket, the annular gasket including at least one sealing surface directed radially inwardly and an outer surface directed radially outwardly;

at least one segment, each segment being approximately semi-circular and including at least one inner surface, at least one outer surface, and at least two ends, each segment including a fastener pad protruding proximate to each end, each fastener pad defining a fastener hole, each end including at least one of a tongue and a groove, each tongue protruding circumferentially from at least one end, each groove defined circumferentially in at least one end; and

at least one fastener, wherein at least one portion of a shaft portion of the fastener is sized to engage at least one fastener hole in at least one segment;

slipping the coupling onto the first pipe element beyond any groove proximate the end of the first pipe element;

aligning the second pipe element in end-to-end facing relationship with the first pipe element;

slipping the coupling onto the second pipe element such that the segments of the coupling straddle the ends of the first and second pipe elements; and

engaging each fastener to deform each segment in contact with the outer surfaces of the first and second pipe elements.