Plastic pipe coupler with internal sealer

• US 5,791,698 A
• Filed: 01/17/1997
• Issued: 08/11/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Continental Industries, Inc. (Oklahoma) (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Wartluft, Donald W., Wood, Timothy F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Arola, Dave W.
• Application Number:
  US08/784,499
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• Field of Search: 285/322, 285/323, 285/371, 285/328, 285/105, 285/174, 285/351
• US Class Current: 285/328
• 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 47/12 with additional locking means
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 55/1608 by replacement of the damaged part of the pipe

Abstract

A coupling for securing a plastic pipe. The coupling has a rigid hollow coupling shell with a passageway through it. A rigid stiffener tube is positioned internally of the shell, the stiffener tube having an external diameter slightly less than the internal diameter of the pipe. The stiffener tube has an external circumferential groove spaced from its outer end. A toroidal elastomeric seal is positioned within the stiffener tube circumferential groove. When a pipe end portion is inserted into the coupler shell, the stiffener tube extends telescopically within the interior of the pipe end portion and the seal engages the interior of the pipe to seal the interior of the pipe to the interior of the stiffener tube. A rigid gripper positioned within the coupler shell engages the exterior surface of the pipe and prevents the pipe from being extracted from the coupler shell.

Claims

1. A coupling for securing a plastic pipe, the pipe having internal and external surfaces having substantially uniform internal and external diameters, the coupling comprising:

a hollow rigid coupling shell having opposed first and second ends and a passageway extending therethrough, the passageway being defined by a larger internal diameter portion adjacent said first end and a smaller internal diameter portion adjacent said second end and an internal frusto-conical surface tapering inwardly towards said second end;

a rigid stiffener tube positioned within said shell, the stiffener having an outer end adjacent said shell second end, having an external diameter slightly less than the internal diameter of a pipe to be secured by the coupler and having at least one external circumferential groove therein spaced from said outer end;

means to support said stiffener tube within said shell;

a rigid, hollow gripper positioned entirely within said shell having an internal circumferential surface configured to grippingly engage a pipe secured by the coupler; and

at least one toroidal elastomeric seal received in said stiffener tube circumferential grooves configured to engage the internal surface of a pipe secured by the coupler.

2. A coupling for securing a plastic pipe according to claim 1 including:

at least one flexible hollow seal positioned within said shell having an internal circumferential surface configured to sealably engage the exterior surface of a pipe secured by the coupler.

3. A coupling for securing a plastic pipe according to claim 1 including:

an outer protective body surrounding said shell.

4. A coupling for securing a plastic pipe according to claim 1 including a second hollow rigid coupling shell configured as said first mentioned coupling shell having a first end and where the second coupling shell is supported in alignment with said first mentioned coupling shell second end, the coupling shells being in coaxial alignment and wherein said stiffener tube extends into both said first mentioned and said second mentioned coupling shell and wherein said stiffener tube has opposed outer ends, each said stiffener tube out end and has an external circumferential groove thereon spaced from each of said outer ends, and including first and second grippers each having a configuration substantially the same as said first mentioned gripper and positioned entirely within said second coupling shell, and a toroidal elastomeric seal received in each said stiffener circumferential groove and configured to engage the internal surfaces of first and second pipes secured in axial alignment by the coupler.

5. A coupling according to claim 1 including:

a coupler body having a passageway therethrough and having a portion having an end with a recess therein of internal diameter slightly greater than the external diameter of said stiffener tube, the coupler body portion being in axial alignment with said coupling shell, and wherein said stiffener tube has a second outer end and has a second external circumferential groove therein adjacent said second outer end and including a second toroidal elastomeric seal received in said stiffener second circumferential groove configured to engage said recess in said coupler body.

6. A coupling for securing the end portions each of first and second plastic pipes comprising:

a first and second coupler shell each having a cylindrical passageway therethrough dimensioned to receive an end portion of a plastic pipe;

a coupler body having cylindrical recesses in the opposed ends thereof, each recess being in axial alignment with said coupler shell passageway, the coupler body recesses being slightly greater in internal diameter than the external diameter of said plastic pipe end portions;

first and second rigid stiffener tubes, each having first and second end portions, said first stiffener tube being received within said first coupler shell and said first end portion thereof within one of said coupler body recesses and said second stiffener tube being received within said second coupler shell and said first end portion thereof within the other said coupler body recess, said stiffener tubes each having external circumferential grooves thereon adjacent each of said first and second end portions;

an elastomeric seal received within each of said grooves on each of said first and second stiffener tubes for engagement with said coupler body recesses and with the internal surface of the end portions of first and second plastic pipe positioned within said first and second coupler shells respectively; and

means within said first and second coupler shells to retain said end portions of the first and second plastic pipes from extraction after the end portions of the first and second plastic pipes are inserted within said coupler shells.

7. A coupler for securing a plastic pipe, said pipe having internal and external surfaces of substantially uniform internal and external diameters, said coupler comprising:

a first hollow rigid coupling shell having opposed first and second ends and a passageway extending therethrough, the passageway being defined by a larger internal diameter portion adjacent said first end and a smaller internal diameter portion adjacent said second end and an internal frusto-conical surface tapering inwardly toward said second end;

a rigid stiffener tube positioned within said shell, said stiffener having an outer end adjacent said shell second end, said stiffener tube having an external diameter slightly less than the internal diameter of said pipe and having a first external circumferential groove therein spaced from said outer end, said stiffener tube including an integral, radially extending hub portion to support said stiffener tube within said shell;

a rigid, hollow gripper positioned entirely within said shell having an internal circumferential surface to grippingly engage said pipe; and

a first torodial elastomeric seal received in said stiffener tube circumferential groove to engage the internal surface of the said pipe.

8. A coupler as set forth in claim 7 including an outer protective body surrounding said shell.

9. A coupler as set forth in claim 7 including a second hollow rigid coupling shell configured as said first hollow rigid coupling shell, wherein said shells are supported in coaxial alignment and wherein said stiffener tube extends into and through both said shells, said tube having a second circumferential groove to receive a second elastomeric seal to secure a second plastic pipe.