Pipe coupling for plain ended pipe

• US 5,911,446 A
• Filed: 07/31/1996
• Issued: 06/15/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Victaulic Company of America (Victaulic Company)
• Original Assignee: Victaulic Company of America (Victaulic Company)
• Inventors: McLennan, William Ross, Brown, Dennis R.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHACKELFORD, HEATHER CHUN
• Application Number:
  US08/690,481
• Time in Patent Office: 1,049 Days
• Field of Search: 285/382, 285/382.7, 285/340, 285/104, 285/112, 285/373, 29/509, 29/513, 29/525.03
• US Class Current: 285/104
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 17/04 with longitudinally split or divided sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 21/08 with additional locking means F16L17/035, F16L17/04, F16L21/04, F16L21/06 take precedence; screwed joints F16L19/08; couplings of the quick-acting type F16L37/00

Abstract

A segmented coupling for use in coupling lengths of plain ended pipe employs cutter members of high strength steel to perform the required interconnection of the pipes, the cutter members being immovably held in the respective coupling segments and, upon tightening down of the coupling being operative to bite into the exterior surface of the associated pipes.

Claims

1. A coupling segment for a segmented pipe coupling for use with plain ended pipe, said coupling segment including:

at least two channels, one of said at least two channels provided adjacent each opposite side edge of said coupling segment; and

at least one cutter member of high strength steel secured within at least said one of said at least two channels by at least one crimp formed in said opposite side edge of said coupling segment, said at least one crimp forming at least a portion of a wall of said one of said at least two channels;

said at least one cutter member being arcuate about a radius and concentric with an inner radius of said coupling segment;

such at least one cutter member having a radially innermost edge providing a cutting edge.

2. The coupling segment of claim 1, in which said coupling segment is a casting of a ductile iron capable of cold-working,

wherein at least said at least one crimp is formed by mechanical staking.

3. The coupling segment of claim 1, in which said coupling segment is a molding of a plastics material capable of cold-working,

wherein at least said at least one crimp is formed by mechanical staking.

4. The coupling segment of claim 1, in which said coupling segment is a molding of a plastics material capable of thermal working,

wherein at least said at least one crimp is formed by thermal staking.

5. The coupling segment of claim 1, in which said at least one cutter member extends at an angle to a longitudinal axis of said coupling segment, said at least one cutter member at a first of said opposite side edges of said coupling segment being arranged in converging relation with respect to said at least one cutter member at a second of said opposite side edges of said coupling segment.

6. The coupling segment of claim 1, including a plurality of said cutter member at said each opposite side edge of said coupling segment.

7. The coupling segment of claim 1, including a plurality of said cutter member arranged in angularly spaced relation at said each opposite side edge of said coupling segment.

8. The coupling segment of claim 1, in which said at least one cutter member is comprised of a metal stamping, and in which said radially innermost cutting edge comprises a ground portion of said at least one cutter member.

9. A coupling segment for a segmented pipe coupling for use in securing the ends of a pipe together, said coupling segment including:

at least two channels, one of said at least two channels provided adjacent each opposite side edge of said coupling segment;

at least one cutter member secured within at least said one of said at least two channels by at least one crimp formed in said opposite side edge of said coupling segment, said at least one crimp forming at least a portion of a wall of said one of said at least two channels;

said coupling segment formed of a first material and said at least one cutter member formed of a second material;

said at least one cutter member being arcuate about a radius and concentric with an inner radius of said coupling segment;

said at least one cutter member having a radially innermost edge providing a cutting edge; and

said second material being predeterminedly selected such that said cutting edge can bite into the material forming the pipe.

10. The coupling segment of claim 9, in which said first material is a plastic material.

11. The coupling segment of claim 9 in which both said first material and the material of the pipe or the like are plastic materials.

12. The coupling segment of claim 9, wherein said second material is harder than said first material.

13. The coupling segment of claim 9, including at least one pair of said cutter member, the individual cutter members of said at least one pair of said cutter member being secured within each of said one of said at least two channels provided adjacent each opposite side edge of said coupling segment.

14. The coupling segment of claim 13, wherein the individual cutter members of said at least one pair of said cutter member are of substantially equal arcuate extent.

15. A plurality of coupling segments for a segmented pipe coupling for use with plain ended pipe, each coupling segment of said plurality of coupling segments including:

at least one cutter member of high strength steel secured within said each coupling segment adjacent respective opposite side edges of said each coupling segment by at least one crimp formed in said respective opposite side edges of said each coupling segment;

said at least one cutter member being arcuate about a radius and concentric with an inner radius of said each coupling segment;

such at least one cutter member having a radially innermost edge providing a cutting edge.

16. A plurality of coupling segments for a segmented pipe coupling for use in securing the ends of a pipe or the like together, each coupling segment of said plurality of coupling segments including:

opposite side edges of said each coupling segment;

at least one cutter member secured within said coupling segment by at least one crimp formed in at least one of said opposite side edges of said each coupling segment;

said coupling segment formed of a first material and said at least one cutter member formed of a second material;

said at least one cutter member being arcuate about a radius and concentric with an inner radius of said coupling segment;

said at least one cutter member having a radially innermost edge providing a cutting edge; and

said second material being predeterminedly selected such that said cutting edge can bite into the material forming the pipe.