Coupling with tongue and groove
First Claim
1. A method of coupling first and second pipe elements in end-to-end facing relationship comprising:
- obtaining a coupling, the coupling includingan annular gasket, the annular gasket including at least one sealing surface directed radially inwardly and an outer surface directed radially outwardly;
at least one segment, each segment being approximately semi-circular and including at least one inner surface, at least one outer surface, a first end and a second end, each segment including a fastener pad protruding proximate to each end, each fastener pad defining a fastener hole, the first end including a tongue and the second end including a groove, each tongue including an inner surface and protruding circumferentially from each first end, each groove comprising two side walls and defined circumferentially in each second end, each groove defining a groove shoulder surface extending between the two side walls, each tongue sized to be received between the two side walls of the groove, each tongue defining a tongue outer surface facing radially outwardly towards the groove shoulder surface, the tongue outer surface angled at a non-zero angle relative to the groove shoulder surface, the tongue outer surface being nonparallel to the groove shoulder surface; and
at least one fastener, wherein at least one portion of a shaft portion of the fastener is sized to engage at least one fastener hole in at least one segment;
slipping the coupling onto the first pipe element;
aligning the second pipe element in end-to-end facing relationship with the first pipe element;
engaging each fastener with the at least one fastener hole of each segment to bring each segment into contact with an outer surface of each of the first and second pipe elements; and
deforming each segment around the outer surfaces of the first and second pipe elements to reduce a radius of each segment wherein deforming each segment aligns the tongue outer surface of each tongue with the groove shoulder surface of a one of each groove and positions the tongue outer surface of each tongue parallel and flush to the groove shoulder surface of a one of each groove.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of coupling first and second pipe elements in end-to-end facing relationship includes obtaining a coupling, the coupling including an annular gasket, at least one segment, and a fastener, each segment being approximately semi-circular and including at least two ends, each end including at least one of a tongue and a groove, each tongue protruding circumferentially from at least one end, each groove defined circumferentially in at least one end; slipping the coupling onto the first pipe element beyond any groove proximate the end of the first pipe element; aligning the second pipe element in end-to-end facing relationship with the first pipe element; slipping the coupling onto the second pipe element such that the segments of the coupling straddle the ends of the first and second pipe elements; and engaging each fastener to deform each segment into contact with the outer surfaces of the first and second pipe elements.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of coupling first and second pipe elements in end-to-end facing relationship comprising:
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obtaining a coupling, the coupling including an annular gasket, the annular gasket including at least one sealing surface directed radially inwardly and an outer surface directed radially outwardly; at least one segment, each segment being approximately semi-circular and including at least one inner surface, at least one outer surface, a first end and a second end, each segment including a fastener pad protruding proximate to each end, each fastener pad defining a fastener hole, the first end including a tongue and the second end including a groove, each tongue including an inner surface and protruding circumferentially from each first end, each groove comprising two side walls and defined circumferentially in each second end, each groove defining a groove shoulder surface extending between the two side walls, each tongue sized to be received between the two side walls of the groove, each tongue defining a tongue outer surface facing radially outwardly towards the groove shoulder surface, the tongue outer surface angled at a non-zero angle relative to the groove shoulder surface, the tongue outer surface being nonparallel to the groove shoulder surface; and at least one fastener, wherein at least one portion of a shaft portion of the fastener is sized to engage at least one fastener hole in at least one segment; slipping the coupling onto the first pipe element; aligning the second pipe element in end-to-end facing relationship with the first pipe element; engaging each fastener with the at least one fastener hole of each segment to bring each segment into contact with an outer surface of each of the first and second pipe elements; and deforming each segment around the outer surfaces of the first and second pipe elements to reduce a radius of each segment wherein deforming each segment aligns the tongue outer surface of each tongue with the groove shoulder surface of a one of each groove and positions the tongue outer surface of each tongue parallel and flush to the groove shoulder surface of a one of each groove. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of coupling first and second pipe elements in end-to-end facing relationship comprising:
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obtaining a coupling, the coupling including an annular gasket, the annular gasket including at least one sealing surface directed radially inwardly and an outer surface directed radially outwardly; at least one segment, each segment being approximately semi-circular and including at least one inner surface, at least one outer surface, and at least two ends, each segment including a fastener pad protruding proximate to each end, each fastener pad defining a fastener hole, each end including at least one of a tongue and a groove, each tongue protruding circumferentially from at least one end, each tongue defining a tongue outer surface facing radially outwardly, each groove defined circumferentially in at least one end, each groove defining a groove shoulder surface facing the tongue outer surface of a one of each tongue, the tongue outer surface angled at a non-zero angle relative to the groove shoulder surface, the tongue outer surface being nonparallel to the groove shoulder surface; and at least one fastener, wherein at least one portion of a shaft portion of the fastener is sized to engage at least one fastener hole in at least one segment; obtaining a first pipe element, the first pipe element defining a pipe element groove proximate to the end of the first pipe element; slipping the entire coupling onto the first pipe element beyond the pipe element groove in the first pipe element such that the pipe element groove is positioned between each portion of the coupling and the end of the first pipe element; aligning the second pipe element in end-to-end facing relationship with the first pipe element; slipping the coupling onto the second pipe element such that the segments of the coupling straddle the ends of the first and second pipe elements; and engaging each fastener with each segment to bring each segment into contact with an outer surface of each of the first and second pipe elements; and deforming each segment around the outer surfaces of the first and second pipe elements by tightening each fastener to reduce a radius of each segment, wherein deforming each segment aligns the tongue outer surface of each tongue with the groove shoulder surface of a one of each groove and positions the tongue outer surface of each tongue parallel and flush to the groove shoulder surface of a one of each groove. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification