Transition coupling and clamp assembly containing same
First Claim
1. A clamp assembly for joining joint or pipe ends in a clamping relationship, which clamp assembly comprises:
- (a) a clamping band to surround the ends of pipes or joints to be joined together;
(b) a polymeric, circumferential, thin sealing gasket having an interior surface and internal diameter and an exterior surface and exterior diameter, and disposed about the joint or pipe ends and beneath the clamping band to overlap the junctions between the joint or pipe ends, the internal surface of the gasket having circumferential raised sealing beads means thereon on the one side and on the other side of said junction, the sealing beads means to provide a sealing relationship against the exterior surface of the pipe or joint to be clamped together;
(c) means to tighten the clamping band and to compress the sealing gasket beneath the clamping band; and
(d) a first polymeric, circumferential transition coupling sealingly engaged within the sealing gasket on one side of said junction and having an external surface and external diameter and having an internal surface and a defined internal diameter, the external diameter substantially the same as the internal diameter of the sealing gasket, the transition coupling having circumferential raised sealing beads means on the internal surface thereof, to provide a sealing relationship with the exterior surface of the reduced diameter surface of a pipe or joint which is to be sealed by the transition coupling or with the external surface of another smaller size transition coupling, the transition coupling on the external surface characterized by circumferential inward groove means to engage in a removable sealing relationship with the raised sealing beads means of the gasket to provide for a clamp assembly whereby a pipe or joint of the same or different external diameter may be sealed together by the selection of the transition coupling or couplings within the clamp assembly.
17 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A pipe clamp assembly for joining joint or pipe ends of different diameter in a clamping relationship, which clamp assembly comprises a flexible clamping band which surrounds the ends of the pipe or joint to be joined, a polymeric circumferential, thin sealing gasket beneath the clamping band and a polymeric circumferential transition coupling within the sealing gasket, the transition coupling having grooves on the exterior surface to engage sealing beads on the interior surface of the sealing gasket, to form a sealing relationship between the exterior surface of the transition coupling and the interior surface of the sealing gasket, and circumferential sealing beads on the interior surface of the transition coupling, to form a sealing relationship with the exterior surface of the reduced diameter joint or pipe to be sealed, thereby providing a clamp assembly adapted to clamp together pipes or joint ends of different diameters.
66 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A clamp assembly for joining joint or pipe ends in a clamping relationship, which clamp assembly comprises:
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(a) a clamping band to surround the ends of pipes or joints to be joined together; (b) a polymeric, circumferential, thin sealing gasket having an interior surface and internal diameter and an exterior surface and exterior diameter, and disposed about the joint or pipe ends and beneath the clamping band to overlap the junctions between the joint or pipe ends, the internal surface of the gasket having circumferential raised sealing beads means thereon on the one side and on the other side of said junction, the sealing beads means to provide a sealing relationship against the exterior surface of the pipe or joint to be clamped together; (c) means to tighten the clamping band and to compress the sealing gasket beneath the clamping band; and (d) a first polymeric, circumferential transition coupling sealingly engaged within the sealing gasket on one side of said junction and having an external surface and external diameter and having an internal surface and a defined internal diameter, the external diameter substantially the same as the internal diameter of the sealing gasket, the transition coupling having circumferential raised sealing beads means on the internal surface thereof, to provide a sealing relationship with the exterior surface of the reduced diameter surface of a pipe or joint which is to be sealed by the transition coupling or with the external surface of another smaller size transition coupling, the transition coupling on the external surface characterized by circumferential inward groove means to engage in a removable sealing relationship with the raised sealing beads means of the gasket to provide for a clamp assembly whereby a pipe or joint of the same or different external diameter may be sealed together by the selection of the transition coupling or couplings within the clamp assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A clamp assembly for joining joint or pipe ends in a clamping relationship, which assembly comprises:
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(a) a clamping band which surrounds circumferentially the ends of pipes or joints to be joined together; (b) a polymeric, circumferential, thin sealing gasket having an interior surface and internal diameter and an exterior surface and exterior diameter and beneath the clamping band to overlap the junction between the joint or pipe ends, the internal surface of the gasket having at least two pairs of circumferential, spaced-apart, generally parallel raised sealing beads thereon, one pair of each sealing beads on the one side and the other pair on the other side of said junction, the sealing beads to provide a peripheral sealing relationship with the exterior surface of the pipe or joint to be clamped together or with the external surface of another transition coupling; (c) means to tighten the clamping band and to compress the sealing gasket beneath the clamping band; and (d) a polymeric, circumferential transition coupling within the sealing gasket and on one or the other side or both sides of said junction and having an external surface and external diameter and having an internal surface and a defined internal diameter, the external diameter substantially the same as the internal diameter of the sealing gasket, the transition coupling having at least one pair of annular, spaced-apart, generally parallel raised sealing beads on the internal surface thereof, to provide a peripheral sealing relationship with the exterior surface of the reduced diameter of the pipe or joint which is to be surrounded by the transition coupling or with another transition coupling, the transition coupling characterized on the external surface by at least one pair of annular, inward, spaced-apart, generally parallel grooves engaged in a removable, snap-in sealing relationship with the raised sealing beads of the sealing gasket to provide a clamp assembly to clamp together pipes or joint ends of different diameters.
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Specification