Pipe coupler

• US 6,758,501 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2001
• Issued: 07/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Breeze-Torca Products LLC (NORMA Group SE)
• Original Assignee: Breeze-Torca Products LLC (NORMA Group SE)
• Inventors: Ignaczak, Brian T., Amedure, Michael E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hewitt, James M.
• Application Number:
  US09/886,793
• Publication Number:
  US 20020014772A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,111 Days
• Field of Search: 285/369, 285/373, 285/419, 285/420, 285/340, 285/913, 403/364, 403/381
• US Class Current: 285/373
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 13/1811 with means permitting relative movement, e.g. compensation of thermal expansion or vibration
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 13/1872 the assembly using stamp-formed parts or otherwise deformed sheet-metal
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 21/005 made of elastic material, e.g. partly or completely surrounded by clamping devices comprising packing adapted to sealing by fluid pressure F16L17/04, F16L11/20; hose clips F16L33/02
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 21/065 tightened by tangentially-arranged threaded pins
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 285/913 Interdigitating

Abstract

A coupler for use in joining two pipes in a butt joint. The coupler includes a band clamp and a split sealing sleeve disposed inside the band clamp for encircling the abutted ends of the pipes. The split sealing sleeve has a tongue-and-groove sealing joint at the confronting free ends of the sleeve. The sealing joint has a member at the mating edges to provide a resilient interference fit of the tongue-and-groove.

Claims

1. In a coupler for connecting a pair of pipes, said coupler comprising a clamp which includes a clamp band adapted to encircle the pair of pipes which are of substantially the same diameter at a juncture of adjoining ends and are disposed in axial alignment with each other, said clamp band being wide enough to overlap the respective adjoining ends of the pair of pipes, said clamp also including a tightening mechanism connected with said clamp band for tightening said clamp band, and a split sealing sleeve inside said clamp band and having first and second circumferential ends in confronting relationship for contact with each other when the sealing sleeve is collapsed circumferentially by said clamp band, the improvement wherein:

said sealing sleeve includes first and second tongue-and-groove sealing joints located on said circumferential ends in axially spaced relation so that said sealing sleeve can be located on said pipes with said sealing joints disposed on opposite sides of said juncture of said adjoining pipe ends,

each of said sealing joints comprising a V-shaped groove having first and second oppositely disposed groove edges defined at one circumferential end of the sealing sleeve and a V-shaped tongue having first and second oppositely disposed tongue edges defined at the other circumferential end of the sealing sleeve, said tongue being disposed opposite said groove for mating with said groove when said sealing sleeve is collapsed circumferentially, said tongue having an interference fit with said groove throughout a range of penetration extending from initial engagement to a point of maximum penetration,

said tongue of each of said sealing joints having a relief slot that bisects said tongue into first and second side-by-side spring members adapted to yieldably engage said first and second groove edges, respectively, when said sealing sleeve is collapsed circumferentially, each of said members terminating in a blunt arcuate nose portion for engagement with the adjacent groove edge,

whereby a portion of said blunt arcuate nose maintains said engagement with the adjacent groove edge when the tongue-and-groove of a sealing joint become cocked at an angle relative to each other during tightening of said clamp.

2. A coupler as defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second have a convergence angle of about twelve degrees and said first and second have a convergence angle of about eighteen degrees.

3. In a coupler for connecting a pair of pipes, said coupler comprising a clamp which includes a clamp band adapted to encircle the pair of pipes which are of substantially the same diameter at a juncture of adjoining ends and are disposed in axial alignment with each other, said clamp band being wide enough to overlap the respective adjoining ends of the pair of pipes, said clamp also including a tightening mechanism connected with said clamp band for tightening said clamp band, and a split sealing sleeve inside said clamp band and having first and second circumferential ends in confronting relationship for contact with each other when the sealing sleeve is collapsed circumferentially by said clamp band, the improvement wherein:

said sealing sleeve including at least one tongue-and-groove sealing joint located on said circumferential ends in axially spaced relation so that said sealing sleeve can be located on said pipes with said at least one sealing joint disposed on opposite sides of said juncture of said adjoining pipe ends,

said at least one tongue-and-groove sealing joint comprising a V-shaped groove having first and second oppositely disposed groove edges defined at one circumferential end of the sealing sleeve and a V-shaped tongue having first and second oppositely disposed tongue edges defined at the other circumferential end of the sealing sleeve, said tongue being disposed opposite said groove for mating with said groove when said sealing sleeve is collapsed circumferentially, said tongue having a relief slot that bisects the tongue into two side by side spring members to produce an interference fit with said groove, said relief slot allowing said side by side spring members to progressively deform throughout a range of penetration from initial engagement of said tongue with said groove to a point of maximum penetration,

said spring members and said groove edges providing a gas tight seal between said tongue and said groove edges throughout a range of penetration of said tongue into said groove.

4. A coupler as defined as in claim 3 in which said V-shaped tongue has a blunt arcuate nose, and the blunt arcuate nose maintains engagement with the adjacent groove edge when the tongue and groove of a sealing joint become cocked at an angle relative to each other.

5. A coupler as defined as in claim 3 in wherein said tongue edges have a convergence angle of about twelve degrees and said groove edges have a convergence angle of about eighteen degrees.

6. A coupler as defined as in claim 3 in wherein said sealing sleeve includes two tongue and groove sealing joints, said two tongue and groove sealing joints being located equidistant on either side of the juncture of the adjoining ends of the pair of pipes.