Pipe coupling

• US 6,378,915 B1
• Filed: 01/24/2001
• Issued: 04/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Plasson Limited
• Original Assignee: Plasson Limited
• Inventors: Katz, Oded
• Primary Examiner(s): Nicholson, Eric K.
• Application Number:
  US09/744,389
• Time in Patent Office: 461 Days
• Field of Search: 285/382.7, 285/342, 285/343, 285/379, 285/354, 277/604, 277/607, 277/612, 277/626
• US Class Current: 285/342
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 19/086 with additional sealing means

Abstract

A pipe coupling includes a body member (10) formed with a bore (11) for receiving one end of a pipe (P) to be coupled; a sealing ring (20) and a compression sleeve (30) receivable within the bore (11); a radially-deformable gripping ring (40) having one end abuttable against the compression sleeve (30), a securing nut (50) threaded on the body member (10) and engageable with the gripping ring (40) to move the gripping ring (40) axially and to effect a sealing action via the compression sleeve (30) and the sealing ring (20), and also to compress the gripping ring (40) radially to effect a gripping action of the pipe (P) received in the bore (11); and an axially-extending limit element (45) between the gripping ring (40) and the body member (10) effective to cause the nut (50), when tightened; (a) in an initial stage, to move the gripping ring (40) and the compression sleeve (30) until the limit element engages (45) prevents further axial movement of the gripping ring (40); and (b) in a final stage, to radially deform the gripping ring (40) to produce the gripping action, and then to compress the sealing ring (20) against the internal annular shoulder (14) of the body member to produce the sealing action.

Claims

1. A pipe coupling comprising:

a body member formed with a bore for receiving one end of a pipe to be coupled, an internal annular shoulder to enclose the pipe when received in the bore, and threads for threadedly receiving a securing nut;

a sealing ring receivable within said bore and engageable with said annular shoulder for producing a sealing action with respect to the pipe when received in the bore;

a compression sleeve also receivable within said bore and engageable with said sealing ring for compressing said sealing ring against said annular shoulder of the body member;

a radially-deformable gripping ring having one end abuttable against said compression sleeve, and also having an inner surface producing a gripping action with respect to the pipe when the gripping ring is radially deformed;

and a securing nut having threads mating with the threads on the body member and engageable with said gripping ring to move the gripping ring axially and to effect said sealing action via the compression sleeve and the sealing ring, and also to compress the gripping ring radially to effect said gripping action of the pipe received in said bore;

characterized in that said pipe coupling further comprises an axially-extending limit element between said gripping ring and said body member effective to cause the nut, when tightened;

(a) in an initial stage, to move the gripping ring and the compression sleeve, and to start compressing the sealing ring, until said limit element prevents further axial movement of the gripping ring; and

(b) in a final stage, to radially deform the gripping ring to produce said gripping action, and then to further compressing said sealing ring against said internal annular shoulder of the body member to produce said sealing action.

2. The coupling according to claim 1, wherein said nut is formed with an internal annular shoulder engageable with the end of the compression sleeve facing the gripping ring, which annular shoulder engages said end of the compression sleeve to move the compression sleeve and the sealing ring axially in said final stage, compressing said sealing ring against said internal annular shoulder of the body member.

3. The coupling according to claim 2, wherein:

said compression sleeve is formed with a radical flange at the end thereof facing the gripping ring;

said limit element includes a plurality of fingers spaced circumferentially around said abutting end of the gripping ring and extending axially towards the body member;

and said radial flange on the compression sleeve is formed with a recess for accommodating each of said fingers of the gripping ring.

4. The coupling according to claim 3, wherein said plurality of fingers are integrally formed on said gripping ring and are abuttable with said body member in said initial nut tightening stage (a).

5. The coupling according to claim 3, wherein said plurality of fingers are integrally formed on said body member and are abuttable with said gripping ring in said initial nut tightening stage (a).

6. The coupling according to claim 3, wherein said plurality of fingers are integrally formed on an abutment ring adjacent said body member and are abuttable with said gripping ring in said initial nut tightening stage (a).

7. The coupling according to claim 3, wherein said plurality of fingers are integrally formed on an abutment ring adjacent said gripping ring and are abutable with said gripping ring in said initial nut tightening stage (a).

8. The coupling according to claim 1, wherein said gripping ring is a split ring having an outer tapered surface cooperable with an inner tapered surface on the nut, and an inner barbed surface for gripping the pipe.

9. The coupling according to claim 1, wherein said sealing ring is integrally formed on its outer surface with at least two annular ribs, one at each end.

10. The coupling according to claim 9, wherein the end ribs of the sealing ring are of substantially semi-circular cross-section, and the sealing ring is also integrally formed with a middle rib of substantially triangular cross-section.

11. The coupling according to claim 1, wherein the bore in the body member is formed with an annular rib at the end thereof opposite to that formed with said annular shoulder, and the end of the compression sleeve facing the sealing ring is formed with an external rib dimensioned to releasably retain the compression sleeve, and the sealing ring, within the body member bore during the preliminary assembly of the coupling.

12. A pipe coupling comprising:

a body member formed with a bore for receiving one end of a pipe to be coupled, an annular shoulder to enclose the pipe received in the bore, and threads for threadedly receiving a securing nut;

a sealing ring receivable within said bore and engageable with said annular shoulder for producing a sealing action with respect to the pipe when received in the bore;

a compression sleeve also receivable within said bore and engageable with said sealing ring for compressing said sealing ring against said annular shoulder of the body member;

a radially-deformable gripping ring having one end abuttable against said compression sleeve, and also having an inner surface producing a gripping action with respect to the pipe when the gripping ring is radially deformed;

and a securing nut having threads mating with the threads on the body member and engageable with said gripping ring to move the gripping ring axially and to effect said sealing action via the compression sleeve and the sealing ring, and also to compress the gripping ring radially to effect said gripping action of the pipe received in said bore;

said sealing ring being integrally formed on its outer surface with at least two annular ribs, one at each end.

13. The coupling according to claim 12, wherein the end ribs of the sealing ring are of substantially semi-circular cross-section, and the sealing ring is also integrally formed with a middle rib of substantially triangular cross-section.

14. The coupling according to claim 12, wherein said pipe coupling further comprises an axially-extending limit element between said gripping ring and said body member effective to cause the nut, when tightened;

(a) in an initial stage, to move the gripping ring and the compression sleeve, and to start compressing the sealing ring, until said limit element prevents further axial movement of the gripping ring, and

(b) in a final stage, to radially deform the gripping ring to produce said gripping action, and then to further compressing said sealing ring against said internal annular shoulder of the body member to produce said sealing action.

15. The coupling according to claim 14, wherein said nut is formed with an internal annular shoulder engageable with the end of the compression sleeve facing the gripping ring, which annular shoulder engages said end of the compression sleeve to move the compression sleeve and the sealing ring axially in said final stage, compressing said sealing ring against said internal annular shoulder of the body member.

16. The coupling according to claim 15, wherein:

said compression sleeve is formed with a radial flange at the end thereof facing the gripping ring;

said limit element includes a plurality of fingers spaced circumferentially around said abutting end of the gripping ring and externally axially towards the body member;

said radial flange on the compression sleeve formed with a recess for accommodating each of said fingers of the gripping ring;

and in said initial (a), one end of the sealing ring is also moved axially to partially compress the sealing ring, which sealing ring is further compressed to produce said sealing action during said final stage (b).

17. A pipe coupling comprising:

a body member formed with a bore for receiving one end of a pipe to be coupled, an annular shoulder to enclose the pipe received in bore, and threads for threadedly receiving a securing nut;

a sealing ring receivable within said bone and engageable with said annular shoulder for producing a sealing action with respect to the pipe when received in the bore;

a compression sleeve also receivable within said bore and engageable with said sealing ring for compressing said sealing ring against said annular shoulder of the body member;

a radially-deformable gripping ring having one end abuttable against said compression sleeve, and also having an inner surface producing a gripping action with respect to the pipe when the gripping ring is radially deformed;

and a securing nut having threads mating with the threads on the body member and engageable with said gripping ring to move the gripping ring axially and to effect said sealing action via the compression sleeve and the sealing ring, and also compress the gripping ring radially to effect said gripping action of the pipe received in said bore;

wherein the bore in the body member is formed with an annular rib at the end thereof opposite to that formed with said annular shoulder, and the end of the compression sleeve facing the sealing ring is formed with an external rib dimensioned to releasably retain the compression sleeve, and the sealing ring, within the body member bore during the preliminary assembly of the coupling.

18. The coupling according to claim 17, wherein said pipe coupling further comprises an axially-extending limit between said gripping ring and said body member effective to cause the nut, when tightened;

(a) in an initial stage, to move the gripping ring and the compression sleeve until said limit element prevents further axial movement of the gripping ring, and

(b) in a final stage, to radially deform the gripping ring to produce said gripping action, and then to compress said sealing ring against said internal annular shoulder of the body member to produce said sealing action.

19. The coupling according to claim 18, wherein said nut is formed with an internal annular shoulder engageable with the end of the compression sleeve facing the gripping ring, which annular shoulder engages said end of the compression sleeve to move the compression sleeve and the sealing ring axially in said final stage, compressing said sealing ring against said internal annular shoulder of the body member.

20. The coupling according to claim 19, wherein said compression sleeve is formed with a radial flange at the end thereof facing the gripping ring,

said limit element includes a plurality of fingers spaced circumferentially around said abutting end of the gripping ring and extending axially towards the body member;

said radial flange on the compression sleeve is formed with a recess for accommodating each of said fingers of the gripping ring;

and in said initial stage (a), one end of the sealing ring is also moved axially to partially compress the sealing ring, which sealing ring is further compressed to produce said sealing action during said final stage (b).

21. The coupling according to claim 17, wherein said sealing ring is integrally formed on its outer surface with at least two annular ribs, one at each end.

22. The coupling according to claim 21 wherein the end ribs of the sealing ring are of substantially circular cross-section, and the sealing ring includes a middle rib of substantially triangular cross-section.