Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This is a division of our Co-pending Canadian Patent Application
No. 288,631 filed October 13th 1977.
This invention relates to pipe and tubing connectors and particularly
to a jaw assembly for use in a connector or coupling adapted to connect metal
or plastic pipe or tubing to metal or plastic pipe or tubing to prevent leak-
age and separation.
` There are many connectors or co~lpling proposed for connecting metal
or plastic pipe ends together or for connecting metal to plastic pipe or tub-
ing. Gne of the most critical areas for such couplings is in the gas industry
where even the smallest amount of leakage can lead to serious, if not fatal,
` consequences. A very serious problem in this area is to provide a coupling
which will permit expansion of the pipe being coupled but will prevent separa-
tion of the pipe.
The copending application describes and claims a coupling which
solves these problems of the prior art, particularly as they have applied to
the gas industry, and provides a coupling which can be used to connect metal
pipe to plastic pipe, metal pipe to metal pipe or plastic pipe to plastic pipe.
~t is, in short, universally adaptable to the materials now used to conduct
fluid materials. It will permit the metal pipe ends to expand into the con-
nector but will not permit them to be wi*hdrawn and it will provide a leak
proof connection. Another problem which applicant has discovered is that when
plastic pipe, particularly, is being connected in a very high pressure system
or where it is under high tensile load, the plastic pipe will flow and permit
*riangular jaws or the like to tilt and move out of a sleeve type connector.
The present invention provides a jaw assembly for use in pipe con-
nectors ha~ing a follower member with a frusto-conical opening comprising an
elongate ribbon of spaced triangular ~aws connected by elastomer members.
The ja~s may be individually formed and connected together by intermediate
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rubber bonding members ~hich permit the jaws to be bent in a circle to form a
frusto-conical member. Preferably the jaw faces designed to engage the pipe
are provided Nith teeth or knurling to engage the pipe surface. The jaws can
be provided in elongate strip form and a portion can be cut to length to suit
an~ giv~n pipe diameter.
In a further modification adapted particularly to connect plastic
pipe to metal or plastic where the plastic is subject to high pressure or
contractive forces, we provide a split metal ring between the triangular jaws
and the pipe and having stop means acting on both the jaws and the pipe to
limit relative movement therebetween.
Advantages of this invention will be apparent from a consideration
of the following description and the accompanying drawings in which:
, Figure 1 is a section through a connector showing a connection to a
metal pipe at one end and a plastic pipe at the other;
Figure 2 is an exploded fragmentary view of the right end of the con-
nector of Figure 1 showing the parts involved and one form of triangular jaw
holding member;
Figure 3 illustrates an embodiment of triangular jaw member assembly
according to this invention;
Figure 4 illustrates a second embodiment of triangular jaw assembly
in which spaced jaws are connected by elastomer connectors in a continuous
band from which a piece can be cut to form a jaw member assembly for this in-
~ention;
Figure 5 illustrates an alternative of jaw assembly;
Figure 5 illustrates another embodiment of jaw assembly for use in
the elastomer assemb:Ly of Figure 4;
Pigure 7 is a section through still another connector particularly
for use where high pressures are exerted on plastic pipe;
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Pigure 8 is an exploded iso~etric view of the connector of Figure 7;
Pigure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the split ring of
Figure 7; and
Figure 10 is an enlarged ~ragmentary section of a second embodiment
of split ring.
Referring to the drawings there is illustrated a metal pipe 10 and
a plastic pipe 11 to be connected. A sleeve 12, having a slightly larger
lnternal diameter than the external diameter of pipes 10 and 11, is placed
coaxially around the two pipes 10 and 11 to be connected. Each end of sleeve
12 has a flared or frusto-conical portion 13 receiving an elastomeric gasket
.~ 14 having a cylindrical portion and a frusto-conical end portion 14a adapted
to fit in the flared end 13 of the sleeve. The elastomeric gasket 14 is adapt-
ed to fit snugly around the pipe ends 10 and 11 to be joined. In the case of
plastic pipe 11 a support or s~iffener sleeve 15 must be inserted into the
interior end to be connected. Such sleeves are a well known article of com-
merce and are generally provided with a radial ring 15a at one end to abut the
end of the plastic pipe. An annular cup shaped follower 16 surrounds each
pipe 10 and 11, abuts the gasket 14 and is provided with radial lugs 17 having
holes 17a receiving bolts 18 with tightening nuts 18a for drawing the follow-
ers axially toward the sleeve. Each of the followers 16 has a generally
frusto-conical opening 16a receiving spaced triangular jaws 19 either as
separate jaw members or preferably connected together in a ring. Each jaw
has toothed grooves 20 adapted to engage the surface of pipes 10 and 11. The
~a~s 19 may~ bear against elastomer gasket 14 as shown at the right of Figure
1 or against an intermediate washer 21 as shown at the right of Figure 1 or
against an intermediate washer 21 as shown at the left of Figure 1. When nuts
18a are tightened on bolts 18 the gaskets 14 are forced into flared ends 13
tightly engaging and sealing the sleeve 12 to the pipe ends 10 and 11. At the
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same time jaws l9 are compressed by~ the ~rusto-conical opening 16a of follower
16 into tight engagement with t~e exterior surface of pipes lO and ll forcing
the toothed groo~es 20 into the surface Oe the pipe to hold it against with-
drawal from sleeve 12. Thus the slee~e and pipe ends 10 and 11 are simultane-
ously sealed by gasket 14 and held against withdrawal by jaws 19 upon tighten-
ing of nuts 18a on bolts 18.
In the exploded view, Figure 2, one form o~ jaw 19 assembly is
illustrated. In this form a frusto-conical metal ring 30 is machined and
axial slots 31 are cut from the apex and toward the base but terminates short
of the base. A single slot 32 is cut completely through the ring to permit
it to be compressed in diameter around pipe 10.
In the form illustrated ~n Fi~gure 3triangular jaws l9a with grooves
20a are connected by elastomer members 40 bonded between each of the jaw as-
sembly l9a and thus permitting the jaws to be compressed about pipes 10 and 11.
In the form illustrated in Figure 4, ~aws l9b provided with knurling
50, are connected b~ elastomer members 51 bonded to the jaws to form an elon-
gate strip rom which a portion may be cut through one of the elastomer mem-
bers 51 suitable for an~ given pipe diameter. ln the embodiment it is not
necessary to carry a plurality of different sizes of jaw rings for different
diameters of pipe to be connected because an appropriate length can be cut in
the field to suit the particular pipe being joined.
It is, of course, possible to use a plurality of separate jaws
spaced about the pipes to be joined but their application is simplified by
~oining as described herein.
In the jaw assembly illustrated in Figure 5 a frusto-conical metal
ring 60 is machined and axial slots 61 are cut from the apex end toward the
base but termlnate short of the base. A ~econd set of axi~l slots 62 are cut
~rom the base bet~een slots 61. This gi~es the unit more radial compressibil~
it~.
~ n Pigure 6 is illustrated a second form of jaw structure in which
the base of the jaw is cut at an angle of about 45. This reduces the likeli-
hood of the jaw being tilted as a greater portion of the jaw extends through
the conical openings 16a.
In ~igures 7, 8 and 9 we have illustrated another connector par-
ticularly adapted to hold plastic pipe under high pressure or extreme tensile
forces. However, this embodiment is universally adaptable to metal as well as
plastic pipe. In this embodiment like parts to those of Figures 1 and 2 bear
like numbers with a prime suffix. In this embodiment a cup shaped follower 70
having a conical flange 71 fits within the axial opening 16a' in the follower
16'. The conical flange 71 receives the triangular jaws l9a' and bears
against them over a substantial distance, thus restricting their tipping ac-
tion if caused to move axially. A split cylindrical ring 72 surrounds the
plastic pipe 11' between it and jaws 19a'. This split ring 72 is provided
with a radiall~ outwardly extending stop flange 73 at one end and one or more
grooves 74 on opposite sides corresponding to grooves 20a' and jaws l9a' which
grooves 74 act as stop members holding both the plastic pipe 11' and jaws l9a'
against relative movement. The split 75 in ring 72 is preferably at an angle
to the two opposite sides as shown in Figure 8.
In Figure 10 is illustrated a second embodiment of split ring 80
with radial outward flanges 81 and 82 at each end receiving between them jaws
19'. The bottom of ring 80 has grooves 83 engaging the plastic pipe.
~ hile certain preferred embodiments and practices of this invention
have been illustrated and described in the foregoing specification, it will
be understood that this invention may be otherwise embodied within the scope
of the following claims.
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