Tube couplings for co-axial tubing

• US 5,401,064 A
• Filed: 09/13/1994
• Issued: 03/28/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John Guest International Limited (Reliance Worldwide Corporation (UK) Limited)
• Original Assignee: John D. Guest
• Inventors: Guest, John D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bradley, P. Austin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Knapp, Jeffrey T.
• Application Number:
  US08/305,409
• Time in Patent Office: 196 Days
• Field of Search: 285/131, 285/132, 285/133.1, 285/138, 285/323
• US Class Current: 285/123.1
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/091 by means of a ring provided with teeth or fingers
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/0925 with rings which bite into the wall of the pipe
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/0926 with an inner support sleeve arranged within the pipe
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/0927 the wedge element being axially displaceable for releasing the coupling
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/565 Concentric pipes

Abstract

A tube coupling for co-axial tubing includes a body having a throughway open at one end to receive an end portion of a length of co-axial tubing. The throughway has an annular seat spaced from the open end to receive the outer tube of the co-axial tubing and a tube locking means disposed between the seat and the open end to receive and lock the tubing in the throughway. A conduit is mounted concentrically in the throughway and is connected integrally with the coupling body to receive an inner tube of the co-axial tubing to provide a separate passageway extending concentrically within the throughway.

Claims

1. A tube coupling for co-axial tubing comprising a body having a throughway open at one end for receiving an end portion of a length of co-axial tubing, the throughway having an internal annular seat spaced from said open end to receive the outer tube of the co-axial tubing, a tube locking means disposed between the seat and said open end to receive and lock the tubing in the throughway, an annular seal disposed between the seat and locking means to seal with the outer surface of said tubing and said body, a conduit extending along the throughway and a single radial web formed integrally with and extending between the conduit and body to mount the conduit concentrically in the throughway and to define inner and outer concentric passageways extending through the body for communication with the inner and outer tubes respectively, one end of the conduit having an encircling recess to receive an inner tube of said co-axial tubing and an annular encircling seal located in the recess to seal with said tube.

2. A tube coupling as claimed in claim 1, wherein the throughway in the body has three branches in the form of a T and an inner conduit in the form of an elbow extending between two of said three branches of the T, one of said two branches adapted to receive a co-axial tube and the other of said two branches adapted to receive a single tube.

3. A tube coupling as claimed in claim 1, wherein further sealing means is provided in the throughway to seal with the outer tube of the co-axial tubing and prevent loss of fluid therefrom.

4. A tube coupling as claimed in claim 3, wherein the further sealing means comprises an O-ring seal disposed in a recess in the throughway between the annular seal and locking means to engage and seal with the outer surface of the outer tube of said co-axial tubing.

5. A tube coupling as claimed in claim 1, wherein sealing means are provided in the throughway to seal the inner tube of the co-axial tubing and the conduit against communication with the existing throughway.

6. A tube coupling as claimed in claim 5, wherein the sealing means is located on the conduit to engage with the inner tube of the co-axial tubing.

7. A tube coupling as claimed in claim 6, wherein the sealing means is provided at the open end of the inner conduit.

8. A tube coupling as claimed in claim 7, wherein the sealing means comprises an integral lip or lips formed on the open end of the inner conduit, the lip or lips being out-turned for a tube to engage over the conduit or in-turned for a tube to engage in the conduit.

9. A tube coupling as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body is formed with the throughway having a plurality of intersecting branches each of which is open at one end to receive an end portion of a length of co-axial tube, each branch having an annular seat spaced from said open end to receive the outer part of the co-axial tube and tube locking means disposed between the seat and the open end to lock the tube in the seat, the body also having an inner conduit formed with a corresponding plurality of intersecting branches extending into the branches of the throughway for connection to the inner tubes of the co-axial tube.

10. A tube coupling as claimed in claim 9, wherein the body has a throughway formed with two branches.

11. A tube coupling as claimed in claim 10, wherein the branches of the throughway are in axial alignment to form an in-line connector between the co-axial tubes.

12. A tube coupling as claimed in claim 10, wherein the branches of the throughway lie at right angles to one another to form an elbow connection between the co-axial tubes.

13. A tube coupling as claimed in claim 10, wherein the body has three branch passages arranged in T-formation to receive three co-axial tubes.