Slip on groove coupling with multiple sealing gasket

• US 9,239,123 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2013
• Issued: 01/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASC Engineered Solutions LLC
• Original Assignee: Mueller International LLC (Mueller Water Products Incorporated)
• Inventors: Vandal, Peter Joseph, Compton, Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): BOCHNA, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US14/019,182
• Publication Number:
  US 20140001753A1
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 285/112, 285/367, 285/111, 285/110, 285/366, 285/365, 285/364, 285/23, 285/411
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 19/04 for assembling or disassembling parts
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/022 characterised by structure or material
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 17/04 with longitudinally split or divided sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 21/02 with elastic sealing rings between pipe and sleeve or between pipe and socket, e.g. with rolling or other prefabricated profiled rings F16L21/06, F16L21/08 take precedence ; sealing ring with radial ribs F16L17/025; sealing ring with axial lips F16L17/03; if adjustability is essential F16L27/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 21/03 placed in the socket before connection F16L21/022, F16L21/025 take precedence
• 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 21/065 tightened by tangentially-arranged threaded pins
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0447 Including joint or coupling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49872 Confining elastic part in socket

Abstract

Couplings and gaskets are disclosed. Couplings may include an upper housing, a lower housing, at least one fastening device coupling the upper housing to the lower housing, and a gasket positioned within the upper and lower housings, the gasket including two primary seals and a rib protruding from an inner surface of the gasket and between the two primary seals.

Claims

1. A coupling for joining a first pipe and a second pipe, the coupling comprising:

an upper housing;

a lower housing;

at least one fastening device coupling the upper housing to the lower housing; and

a gasket positioned within the upper and lower housings, the gasket including

two primary seals, each primary seal formed on an outer edge of the gasket and having a rounded interior end, the rounded interior end having a rounded portion facing radially inward, and

a rib protruding from an inner surface of the gasket and between the two primary seals, the rib having a sealing surface defining a first axially outer edge, a second axially outer edge, and a cylindrical section facing radially inward, the cylindrical section being cylindrical when the at least one fastening device is in an untightened condition, the cylindrical section defined between the first axially outer edge and the second axially outer edge,

the gasket adapted to slide over the first pipe end such that at least a portion of the first pipe extends axially beyond each edge of the gasket, a first primary seal of the two primary seals and the sealing surface of the rib contactable with an exterior surface of the first pipe when the first pipe and the second pipe are joined end-to-end; and

a second primary seal of the two primary seals and the sealing surface of the rib contactable with an-exterior surface of the second pipe when the first pipe and the second pipe are joined end-to-end.

2. The coupling of claim 1, wherein the inner diameter of the gasket is larger than the outer diameter of the first pipe and the second pipe when the at least one fastening device is in the untightened condition.

3. The coupling of claim 1, wherein each primary seal includes a gripping extension.

4. The coupling of claim 1, wherein each primary seal has stepped ribs on a radially inner surface of each primary seal.

5. The coupling of claim 1, wherein the inner surfaces of each of the upper housing and the lower housing adjacent to where the upper housing and the lower housing meet include chamfered sections.

6. The coupling of claim 1, further comprising one or more spacers to separate the upper housing from the lower housing.

7. The coupling of claim 1, wherein the corners of an outer surface of the gasket are concave.

8. The coupling of claim 1, further comprising at least one continuous slot around an outer surface of the gasket.

9. The coupling of claim 1, further comprising at least one retaining device, wherein each retaining device is a single wire surrounding the upper housing and the lower housing.

10. The coupling of claim 1, wherein the lower housing and the at least one fastening device is a single unit coupled to the upper housing.

11. The coupling of claim 1, wherein the gasket includes two secondary seals formed on the rib, a first secondary seal of the two secondary seals contactable with an exterior surface of the first pipe when the first pipe and the second pipe are joined end-to-end;

and a second secondary seal of the two secondary seals contactable with an exterior surface of the second pipe when the first pipe and the second pipe are joined end-to-end.

12. The coupling of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical section covers a seam defined between the first pipe and the second pipe when the first pipe and the second pipe are joined end-to-end.

13. A gasket for sealing a first pipe and a second pipe, the gasket comprising:

two primary seals, each primary seal formed on an outer edge of the gasket and having a rounded interior end, the rounded interior end having a rounded portion facing radially inward; and

a rib protruding from an inner surface of the gasket and between the two primary seals, the rib having a sealing surface defining a first axially outer edge, a second axially outer edge, and a cylindrical section facing radially inward, the cylindrical section being cylindrical when the gasket is in an uncompressed condition, the cylindrical section defined between the first axially outer edge and the second axially outer edge;

the gasket slideable over the first pipe end such that at least a portion of the first pipe extends axially beyond each edge of the gasket, a first primary seal of the two primary seals and the sealing surface of the rib contactable with an exterior surface of the first pipe when the first pipe and the second pipe are joined end-to-end; and

a secondary primary seal of the two primary seals and the sealing surface of the rib contactable with an exterior surface of the second pipe when the first pipe and the second pipe are joined end-to-end.

14. The gasket of claim 13, wherein the inner diameter of the gasket is larger than the outer diameter of the first pipe and the second pipe when the gasket is in an uncompressed condition.

15. The gasket of claim 13, wherein each primary seal includes a gripping extension shaped to grab the end of the first pipe as the gasket slides over the end of the first pipe.

16. The gasket of claim 13, wherein each primary seal has stepped ribs on a radially inner surface of each primary seal.

17. The gasket of claim 13, further comprising an outer surface having concave corners.

18. The gasket of claim 13, further comprising at least one slot in an outer surface of the gasket.

19. The gasket of claim 13, further comprising two secondary seals formed on the rib, a first secondary seal of the two secondary seals contactable with an exterior surface of the first pipe when the first pipe and the second pipe are joined end-to-end;

and a second secondary seal of the two secondary seals contactable with an exterior surface of the second pipe when the first pipe and the second pipe are joined end-to-end.

20. The coupling of claim 13, wherein the cylindrical section covers a seam defined between the first pipe and the second pipe when the first pipe and the second pipe are joined end-to-end.

21. A gasket for sealing a first pipe and a second pipe, the first pipe and the second pipe having an outer diameter, the gasket comprising:

two primary seals, each primary seal formed on an outer edge of the gasket and having a rounded interior end, the rounded interior end having a rounded portion facing radially inward, a first primary seal of the two primary seals contactable with the first pipe on only a radially outermost exterior surface and a minimum inner diameter of the gasket no less than an outer diameter of the first pipe when the first pipe and the second pipe are joined end-to-end; and

a second primary seal of the two primary seals contactable with an exterior surface of the second pipe when the first pipe and the second pipe are joined end-to-end; and

a rib protruding from an inner surface of the gasket and between the two primary seals, the rib contactable with the exterior surface of the first pipe and the exterior surface of the second pipe when the first pipe and the second pipe are joined end-to-end, the rib having a sealing surface defining a first axially outer edge, a second axially outer edge, and a cylindrical section facing radially inward, the cylindrical section defined between the first axially outer edge and the second axially outer edge, the cylindrical section covering a seam defined between the first pipe and the second pipe when the first pipe and the second pipe are joined end-to-end; and

an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the first pipe and the second pipe when the gasket is in an uncompressed condition.

22. The gasket of claim 21, wherein each primary seal includes a gripping extension.

23. The gasket of claim 21, wherein each primary seal has stepped ribs on a radially inner surface of each primary seal.

24. A coupling for joining a first pipe and a second pipe, the coupling comprising:

an upper housing;

a lower housing;

at least one fastening device coupling the upper housing to the lower housing; and

a gasket positioned within the upper and lower housings, the gasket including

two primary seals, each primary seal formed on an outer edge of the gasket and having an interior end that angles toward an outer surface of the gasket, and

a rib protruding from an inner surface of the gasket and between the two primary seals, the rib having a sealing surface defining a first axially outer edge, a second axially outer edge, and a cylindrical section facing radially inward, the cylindrical section being cylindrical when the at least one fastening device is in an untightened condition, the cylindrical section defined between the first axially outer edge and the second axially outer edge,

the gasket adapted to slide over the first pipe end such that at least a portion of the first pipe extends axially beyond each edge of the gasket, a first primary seal of the two primary seals and the sealing surface of the rib contactable with an exterior surface of the first pipe when the first pipe and the second pipe are joined end-to-end; and

a second primary seal of the two primary seals and the sealing surface of the rib contactable with an-exterior surface of the second pipe when the first pipe and the second pipe are joined end-to-end.

25. The coupling of claim 24, wherein the inner diameter of the gasket is larger than the outer diameter of the first pipe and the second pipe when the at least one fastening device is in the untightened condition.

26. The coupling of claim 24, wherein each primary seal includes a gripping extension.

27. A gasket for sealing a first pipe and a second pipe, the gasket comprising:

two primary seals, each primary seal formed on an outer edge of the gasket and having an interior end that angles toward an outer surface of the gasket; and

a rib protruding from an inner surface of the gasket and between the two primary seals, the rib having a sealing surface defining a first axially outer edge, a second axially outer edge, and a cylindrical section facing radially inward, the cylindrical section being cylindrical when the gasket is in an uncompressed condition, the cylindrical section defined between the first axially outer edge and the second axially outer edge;

the gasket slideable over the first pipe end such that at least a portion of the first pipe extends axially beyond each edge of the gasket, a first primary seal of the two primary seals and the sealing surface of the rib contactable with an exterior surface of the first pipe when the first pipe and the second pipe are joined end-to-end; and

a secondary primary seal of the two primary seals and the sealing surface of the rib contactable with an exterior surface of the second pipe when the first pipe and the second pipe are joined end-to-end.