Flared ends conduit coupling

• US 6,758,500 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2003
• Issued: 07/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Construction Forms, Inc. (Edison Control Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Construction Forms, Inc. (Edison Control Corporation)
• Inventors: Lehnhardt, Gary D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bochna, David
• Application Number:
  US10/355,644
• Publication Number:
  US 20030197381A1
• Time in Patent Office: 522 Days
• Field of Search: 285/364, 285/365, 285/366, 285/367, 285/406, 285/407, 285/408, 285/409, 285/111
• US Class Current: 285/365
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 21/06 with a divided sleeve or ring clamping around the pipe-ends flanged joints F16L23/00; couplings of the quick-acting type F16L37/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 23/06 connected by toggle-action levers quick acting couplings tightened by toggle-action levers F16L37/20

Abstract

A coupling arrangement for permitting fluid-tight, pressurized fluid flow therethrough includes a pair of conduit members located in end-to-end alignment, each of the conduit members having a flared end. An encircling coupling unit surrounds the ends of the conduit members and has structure to tighten the coupling unit around the flared ends of the conduit members, the coupling unit having inner lateral surfaces partially defining a coupling cavity. An encircling, deformable gasket is disposed in the cavity of the coupling unit. The gasket has exterior lateral surfaces spaced from the inner lateral surfaces of the coupling unit, and interior surfaces defining an annular recess therein. A rigid ring liner is retained within the annular recess of the deformable gasket to reinforce the gasket. The flared ends of the conduit members are engaged in wedging and sealing relationship between the inner lateral surfaces of the coupling unit and the exterior lateral surfaces of the deformable gasket.

Claims

1. A coupling arrangement for permitting fluid-tight, pressurized fluid flow therethrough comprising:

a pair of conduit members located in end-to-end alignment, each of the conduit members having a flared end;

an encircling coupling unit surrounding the ends of the conduit members and having structure to tighten the coupling unit around the flared ends of the conduit members, the coupling unit, having inner lateral surfaces partially defining a coupling cavity;

an encircling, deformable gasket disposed in the cavity of the coupling unit, the gasket having exterior lateral surfaces spaced from the inner lateral surfaces of the coupling unit, and interior surfaces defining an annular recess therein; and

a rigid ring liner retained within the annular recess of the deformable gasket to reinforce the gasket,

wherein the flared ends of the conduit members are engaged in wedging and sealing relationship between the inner lateral surfaces of the coupling unit and the exterior lateral surfaces of the deformable gasket,

wherein the coupling unit is formed by a pair of coupling sections pivotally connected together, and

wherein each coupling section includes a set of axially extending outer faces connected to a set of radially extending stepped portions, in turn, connected to a set of axially extending stepped portions.

2. The coupling arrangement of claim 1, wherein at least one of the conduit members includes a hose.

3. The arrangement of claim 2, wherein at least one of the conduit members includes a pipe.

4. The coupling arrangement of claim 3, wherein the flared ends include axially extending sections to which the hose and the pipe are secured.

5. The coupling arrangement of claim 1, wherein the flared ends are bent at an angle of between 90 degrees and 109 degrees relative to a longitudinal axis of the coupling unit.

6. The coupling arrangement of claim 1, wherein each coupling section includes a base defining an inner diameter of the coupling section, the base having a pair of opposed ends.

7. The coupling arrangement of claim 6, wherein each coupling section includes a set of inclined sidewalls connecting respective ends of the base with the axially extending stepped portions.

8. The coupling arrangement of claim 7, wherein the inclined sidewalls diverge from the base to the axially extending stepped portions.

9. The coupling arrangement of claim 8, wherein the inclined sidewalls define the inner lateral surfaces of the coupling unit.

10. The coupling arrangement of claim 7, wherein the inclined sidewalls and the base define a generally frustroconically-shaped coupling cavity for receiving the flared ends of the conduit members and the gasket therein.

11. The coupling arrangement of claim 10, wherein the deformable gasket is a resilient, rubber-like ring member centrally positioned in the coupling cavity.

12. The coupling unit of claim 11, wherein the gasket includes an outer end wall defining an outer diameter of the gasket, the outer end wall being engageable with the base of each coupling section.

13. The coupling arrangement of claim 12, wherein the gasket further includes a set of vertical sidewalls connected to the outer end wall by a set of angular shoulders.

14. The coupling arrangement of claim 13, wherein the set of vertical sidewalls and the set of angular shoulders define the exterior lateral surfaces of the gasket.

15. The coupling arrangement of claim 14, wherein the gasket further includes a set of inner faces extending axially from the set of vertical sidewalls.

16. The coupling arrangement of claim 15, wherein the inner faces define an inner diameter of the gasket when the ring liner is retained in the annular recess.

17. The coupling arrangement of claim 13, wherein the angular shoulders and the vertical sidewalls are spaced inwardly from the inclined sidewalls of each coupling section.

18. The coupling arrangement of claim 13, wherein the angular shoulders of the gasket are oriented at an angle of about 26 degrees relative to the vertical sidewalls of the gasket.

19. A coupling arrangement for permitting fluid-tight, pressurized fluid flow therethrough comprising:

a pair of conduit members located in end-to-end alignment, each of the conduit members having a flared end;

an encircling coupling unit surrounding the ends of the conduit members and having structure to tighten the coupling unit around the flared ends of the conduit members, the coupling unit, having inner lateral surfaces partially defining a coupling cavity;

an encircling, deformable gasket disposed in the cavity of the coupling unit, the gasket having exterior lateral surfaces spaced from the inner lateral surfaces of the coupling unit, and interior surfaces defining an annular recess therein; and

a rigid ring liner retained within the annular recess of the deformable gasket to reinforce the gasket,

wherein the flared ends of the conduit members are engaged in wedging and sealing relationship between the inner lateral surfaces of the coupling unit and the exterior lateral surfaces of the deformable gasket,

wherein the coupling unit is formed by a pair of coupling sections pivotally connected together,

wherein each coupling section includes a set of axially extending outer faces connected to a set of radially extending stepped portions, in turn, connected to a set of axially extending stepped portions,

wherein each coupling section includes a base defining an inner diameter of the coupling section, the base having a pair of opposed ends,

wherein each coupling section includes a set of inclined sidewalls connecting respective ends of the base with the axially extending stepped portions, and

wherein the inclined sidewalls of the coupling sections are formed at an angle of about 19 degrees relative to the radially extending stepped portions.