Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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GRIP COUPLING
Backcxround of the Invention
iel The invention is in the field of full grip
couplings for the attachment of end portions of pipes to carry
fluid, and for pipe fittings, pipe dead ends, valves and valve
covers, pressure vessels, structural pipe, electrical con-
duits, wherein the end portion to be coupled to or attached
to has a circumferential groove from the end of the element,
which mates with the coupling to secure it to the element and
prevent axial movement of the element with respect to
coupling. The invention also includes the couplings to attach
smooth ended pipes.
State of the Art: There are couplings currently in use
to connect grooved ended pipe and valves which are shown under
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,695,638; 3,761,114; 4,471,979; 4,561,678;
4,522,434; and 4,611,839. These couplings are formed of two
arcuate pieces, each being extended circumferentially around
the ends of two pipes and their ends are clamped around the
pipes with bolts, and a gasket is held by the coupling around
the abutting ends of the pipe. Pipes must be aligned in exact
position and grooves must be spaced exactly to receive the
keys or flanges of the coupling pieces as the coupling pieces
are mounted around the pipes and tightened around. Then,
there is my coupling under U.S. Pat. No. 5,387,017 which has
jaw members to engage the shoulders of the pipes. Like my
previous invented coupling, the new invented coupling requires
only one man to attach the coupling to the ends of the pipes.
If the coupling connecting the two pipes is made of
different metal from the pipes, then, to prevent electrolysis,
it is desired that the same fluid does not come in contact
with the coupling and the pipes. To achieve this, the
couplings currently in use employ a seal which is mounted
around the end portions of pipes to break the fluid contact
with the coupling which requires considerable amount of work
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before the coupling can be mounted around the pipes to enclose
the seal. The seal invented for the couplings in this inven-
tion are mounted in an enclosure created between the ends of
the pipes and the inner surface of the coupling body. Thus,
pipes are merely pushed into the coupling to enclose the seal.
The new coupling is lighter in weight than my previous
invented coupling, and also more economical to construct.
Summarv of the Invention
From here on the word groove will also be understood to
include plane end pipe having no groove, and will pertain to
grooves or shoulders on the end portion of pipes, grooves in
the inner end portions of the coupling body. Also it is
understood that the word Pipe includes all other circumferen-
tial elements with or without a circumferential groove which
might be coupled by the coupling. This invention works on the
mathematical principle that the difference in the circumferen-
tial length of any two circles equals 3.1416(D1-D2), where D1
and D2 are the diameters of the circles. In the design of
this invented coupling the required depth of the grooves which
are locked by an open-ended ring is very small. To force said
ring to open to a minutely larger increment in its original
diameter does not require much force. By minutely enlarging
the diameter of the ring, the ring is freed from the groove
on the end portion of the pipe. The preferable means to
accomplish the task of flexing the ring to a larger diameter
in this invention are a bolt and an arcuate piece or a bolt,
an arcuate piece and two mini arcuate levers or a bolt and two
mini arcuate levers. The combination which is chosen depends
on the size and design requirement of the coupling. With aid
of a bolt passing through a cover covering a cavity, the
arcuate piece and two mini arcuate levers are used to pry open
the open ended ring to a larger diameter than its original
diameter. During the opening operation to open the open-ended
ring to a larger diameter than its original diameter, the
action of the bolt on the arcuate piece and the mini levers
create two opposite moments in the opposite end of the
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resilient ring, which resist the opening of the ring and make
the ring to swing back to its original position once the
levers are uncommissioned. The two mini levers in a vertical
radial section of the coupling appear as an inverted "V" with
its spread oriented toward the axis of the coupling and footed
on two arcuate ridges with their radius center toward or on
the axis of the coupling. The mini levers are put in a
movable locked position hemmed between and among elements;
including two walls of a cavity created in the end of the
coupling, an arcuate piece, two open end portions of a
resilient ring emerging from the groove in the end portion of
the coupling, and two oppositely situated arcuate ridges with
their center toward or at the axis of the coupling.
According to this invention, a coupling for attachment
to the end of a pipe having a circumferential groove includes
a coupling body with a receiving opening therein so that the
coupling body closely receives and surrounds the end portion
of a pipe to be coupled. The groove in the end portion of the
pipe is brought to a position to coincide with the corres
ponding opposite inner groove in the end portion of the
coupling, partially housing an open-ended resilient ring in
the groove in the inner body of the coupling. The outer edge
away from the center of the coupling defining the inner
diameter of the ring is rounded to a degree to facilitate the
receiving of the pipe into the coupling. The inner diameter
of the ring is less than the inner diameter of the coupling.
The outer diameter of the inner groove (i.e., the diameter
nearest the axis of coupling) in the end portion of the
coupling is also the inner diameter of the coupling. There
3p are two modes to lock the resilient ring ( which is housed in
the groove in the end portion of the coupling) into the groove
on the end portion of the pipe. One is, simply to push the
pipe into the receiving end opening of the coupling until it
coincides with the corresponding opposite groove in the end
portion of the coupling. In doing so, the resilient open
ended ring flexes to a larger diameter inside the inner groove
of the coupling body, then swings back to its original
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diameter as soon as the groove inside the coupling body
coincides with the groove on the end portion of the pipe. The
second mode is by means located inside of a cavity situated
in the end of the coupling. The means is an assembly of
components installed in a cavity created in the end of the
coupling body covered by an arcuate cover fastened to the
coupling body by means of bolts. The assembly consists of a
bolt, an arcuate piece and two mini levers positioned in a
form of inverted "V" shaped either from a single piece of
material or from two distinct pieces. The mini levers are
located in a movable locked position hemmed between and among
elements; including two walls of a cavity created in the end
of the coupling; an arcuate piece; two open end portions of
a resilient ring, and two parallel oppositely situated arcuate
ridges. The action of the bolt on the movable arcuate piece
transmits force to push apart the two end portions of the
resilient ring and also forces the mini levers to slide and
spread their feet which are footed to slide on the two said
arcuate ridges inside the cavity. During the action of the
bolt while the ring is being open apart, the ring is pushed
along the direction of the bolt and against the coupling body
inside of the groove on the other side of the coupling,
directly opposite to the two open ends of the ring. The bolt
can keep the open-ended resilient ring in an expanded position
to a desired diameter till the ring is brought back to its
original diameter by mounting it into the opposite groove on
the end portion of the pipe. Depending on the need and the
required design of the ring, in some applications driving
means to flex the ring to a larger diameter than its original
diameter need to be only a driving bolt passing through a
cover and movable an arcuate piece, but in other applications
said bolt, and an arcuate piece and the two mini levers will
be needed, yet in other applications two mini levers and said
bolt are sufficient.
The two bolts provided to secure the cover to cover the
cavity also assist in securing the resilient ring to the pipe,
with a tight grip, or in securing the ring with a tight grip
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to the pipe having a plane surface in the end portion of the
pipe. In some applications, more than two of the above
mentioned bolts may be included to provide a still tighter
grip than that is possible with only two said bolts.
5 It is also possible that a single arcuate cover can be
provided to cover the two cavities situated oppositely in the
end of the coupling body, or it can be made to provide not
only the covers for two said cavities but also can provide the
two outer walls each wall bearing a arcuate ridge as well.
Such a cover needs only a single bolt to fasten it to the
outer body of the coupling. It is equally possible that
individual cover for each cavity can be made to provide not
only a cover for the cavity but also provide an outer wall
bearing a arcuate ridge. Further, it is possible to create
an integral cover entirely from the end portion of the
coupling body itself, then cavity will need only to be
supplied the outer cover to provide a wall which bears a
arcuate ridge, and that cover can be fasten to the end face
of the coupling body by mean of two bolts. The design of the
open-ended resilient ring can vary from one application to an
other application, and also thickness of the ring can vary
from section to section. In extreme variation in thickness
of the resilient ring may look like a gear. It is also
understood that by widening the width of the resilient ring,
arcuate rows of gripping teeth in the inner surface of the
ring can be provided which can bite into plastic or rubber
pipe. The body of the coupling can be made either from a
arcuate tube or from two arcuate pieces of high strength
material, held in place to make the coupling body by means of
bolts or by dovetail joints or by welding together the two
pieces.
In the design of some valves, the coupling of this
invention can be incorporated within the inlet and outlet of
a valve as one of the components of the valve, or the valve
can be incorporated in the coupling of this invention.
Various type of seals to seal the leakage from the
coupling can be provided, depending on the requirement of the
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piping system. To make it easier to connect and disconnect
the pipes and to break contact of fluid with the coupling
body, a lopsided trapezoidal seal bearing a slanting arcuate
slit in its inner surface is enclosed in an enclosure provided
by the ends of the pipes and the inner surface of the coupling
body.
The Drawinas
The best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the
invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings not
drawn to any scale, in which:
FIG. 1 is a transverse vertical section of the coupling
of FIG. 2 taken on line 1-1 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 2, the longitudinal vertical section taken through
a coupling of the invention used for joining two pipes or any
two elements having an end-to-end relationship, and showing
the two joined pipes;
FIG. 3, the view of the lever in FIG. 2 is duplicated for
clarity;
FIG. 4, the longitudinal vertical section of a valve,
where the coupling incorporates the valve, and also where the
coupling makes the cover for the valve;
FIG. 5, a longitudinal section of a coupling which has
on its one end a connector made of a movable set of caromed jaw
members, which I have patent under Patent Number 5,387,017;
FIG. 6, a longitudinal section of the coupling used in
the structural pipe system where the coupling joins two pipe;
FIG.7, a longitudinal section of a valve where the
coupling joins two parts of the valve by becoming a component
in the structure of the valve, and where the coupling also
incorporates the valve (body) while joining two pipes;
FIG. 8, the vertical section of two arcuates used in the
construction of the body of the coupling;
FIG.9, a longitudinal vertical section of the coupling
used to join two hoses;
FIG. 10, an enlarged transverse vertical partial section
to further clarify FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, and the alternative
design of the cavity to accommodate the assembly used to open-
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the-open ended resilient ring to a larger diameter than its
natural diameter;
FIG. 11 is the same as FIG. 1, but only arcuate piece
driven by a bolt is employed to act on the open end portions
of the resilient ring to make the coupling operative;
FIG. 12, the same FIG. 10, except that instead of an
arcuate piece on one end they are movably hemmed in by a bolt;
FIG. 13 is the view of the mini lever 9 looking at it by
taking a longitudinal vertical section 2-2 through the bolt
and the coupling body of FIG. 12;
FIG. 14 is the view of the mini lever 9 looking at it by
taking a longitudinal vertical section 2-2 through the bolt
and the coupling body of FIG. l0;
Fig. 15 is a transverse vertical section of mini levers
9 and 10 made integrally from a single piece of material;
FIG. 16. is a longitudinal vertical section of a coupling
similar to the coupling shown in FIG. 5, which connects pipe
and a reducer.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment
To understand this invention, all figures in the drawings may
be studied together. Except FIG. 5, and FIG. 16, but as shown
in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the invention may take the form of the
coupling having two inner grooves 6K and 6L in the end por-
tions of the coupling, housing two respective open-ended rings
7 and 22 with their inner diameters less than the inner
diameter of the cylindrical coupling body 6 for joining the
ends of two pipes together in an end-to-end relationship.
Pipes 2 and 3 , in FIG. 2 , are provided with circumferential
grooves 2C and 3C, respectively, in respective end portions
of the pipes. The coupling 6 is made of a length to extend
over groove 2c in the end portion of pipe 2, and groove 3c in
the end portion of pipe 3 when the ends 2D and 3D of pipe 2
and 3 are received -in the cylindrical receiving opening 6B
within the body 6. The Coupling body 6 bridges the ends of
the pipes 2 and 3 to be joined and is made of a material to
withstand the maximum pressure to which the pipe will be
subjected. Two arcuate inner grooves 6k and 6L, formed in the
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end portions of the coupling body, open toward the axis of the
coupling, and each groove is fitted with an open-ended
resilient ring 7 and 22. The cylindrical body of the coupling
may be formed from a tube or from two arcuate pieces 39 and
40 shown in FIG.8, which are held together by bolts or by two
dovetail joints of types 41 or 43.
From here on, words inner and outer pertaining to the
diameters of the grooves in the inner body of the coupling and
the grooves on the end portions of the pipe, and pertaining
also to the resilient ring will be understood with meanings
as follows: Inner diameter means the diameter nearest to the
axis of the coupling and outer diameter means the diameter
farthest from the axis of the coupling.
The f it of the rings is designed to keep the rings housed
inside the grooves 6K and 6L of the coupling body by making
the outer diameters 7A and 22A of rings 7 and 22 larger than
the inner diameter 6B of the body of the coupling, which
diameter 6B equals the inner diameters of grooves 6K and 6L.
The inner diameter 7B and 22B of rings 7 and 22 is less than
the outer diameters 2A and 3A of pipes 2 and 3. The ring 7
may differ in thickness from a section to an other section as
is shown by crescent 7H taken out the ring 7 in FIG. 1. The
pipes 2 and 3 which are joined have corresponding circumferen-
tial grooves 2C and 3C in the end portions of the pipes to
coincide with the grooves 6k and 6L in the respective end
portions of the coupling. The mechanism which locks and
unlocks the coupling to the pipe is made of an assembly of
components; bolt 8, an arcuate piece 15, and two mini levers
9 and 10, and ridges P and 6N shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. The
thickness of the toes 9C and 10C of mini levers 9 and 10 is
predetermined so that toes would not slip underneath the end
portions of the resilient ring 7, and get locked. In some
applications, as shown in FIG. il, an arcuate piece 15 driven
by the bolt 8, which passes through cover 4 is sufficient to
make the invention operative. In other applications, mini
levers 9 and l0 also are required for the invention to be
operative, and still in other applications as shown in FIG.
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12, bolt 8 and arcuate mini levers 9 and 10 will be enough to
do the job. To use or not to use mini levers depends strictly
on the design of the resilient ring, and the geometry of its
two curved open ends and their strength, and the strength of
the ring.
From here on, the coupling in all the figures, except
FIGS. 5, 8, 13, 14, 15 and 16 will be explained simultaneously
in terms of the vertical section in FIG. 1 because of the
sameness of the assembly mechanism on both ends of the
coupling to drive the mini levers 9 and 10. While the
assembly mechanism in FIG. 1 is being explained, it is
understood that the assembly mechanism on the opposite end of
the coupling is also being explained simultaneously. The most
important features of an assembly mechanism are made of a bolt
8, an arcuate piece 9 and two mini levers 9 and 10, and two
arcuate ridges P and 6N. Preferably mini levers 9 and l0 are
curved as shown in FIGS. 10, 12 and 15. Mini levers are made
from rigid material of high strength to withstand pressure the
levers would be subjected to. The mini levers as shown in
FIG. 15 can be made from a single piece of resilient material
of high strength, and the stock of material from which the
mini levers are made is thinned out in the middle so that it
would not provide much resistance against the functioning of
the mini levers. The mini levers provided by a single piece
act like a spring lever. The geometric design of the mini
levers is dependent on the height and width available in said
cavity. The mini levers 9 and 10 are put in a movable locked
position hemmed between and among elements in a cavity li
constructed in the end of the coupling body 6. The cavity 11
is delineated by sections 6F and 6G in the coupling body and
the inner surface of an arcuate cover 4. The cover 4 is shown
by 4D, 4E, 4F and 4G with a threaded opening 4A for the two
way bolt 8. The two sides of cavity 11 are shown by 6F and
6G and the depth of the cavity is marked by 6H and 6J. The
depth of the cavity in FIG.1 equals the thickness of the
coupling body 6. If required, the depth of the cavity can be
increased by increasing the depth of the cover 4 as depicted
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by 11A in FIG . 10 , where cover 4 f or the cavity is provide
extra height by its raised ends 4D and 4F. The cavity 11 is
covered by an arcuate cover 4 fastened to the coupling body
6 by means of bolts 5 and 5B. On one end, away from the axis
5 of the coupling, two mini levers 9 and 10 having their two
ends 9A and 10A juxtaposed and on the other end their feet are
spreaded on a arcuate ridge P as shown by their curved toes
9C and loC. Mini levers are placed in an inverted "V"
position, and are hemmed by an arcuate piece 15 located inside
10 the cavity 11 next to the cover 4, and on the opposite side
their spread is checked by two parallel oppositely constructed
arcuate ridges P and 6N in cooperation with two open ends 7D
and 7E of a resilient ring 7. An arcuate piece 15 preferably
will have flat surface next to the threaded opening 4A. The
geometric design of the two end portions of ring 7 can differ
from the design shown in the drawing figures. It is prefer-
able to enlarge the outer diameter of the groove 6C adjacent
to the two sections 6F and 6G in FIG. 1. to create an extra
space for the two end portions of the open-ended ring to flex
extra distance freely when they are being opened apart.
The length of the arcuate piece 15 in FIG. 1 is marked
by 15A and 15B, and its two arms 15C and 15D are held in close
f it through two openings through the body of the cover 4 . The
arms 15C and 15D can slide only toward or away from the axis
of the coupling. To drive the assembly is a special two way
bolt 8, with two ends 8A and 8B and an integral flat portion
8C dividing the stem of the bolt into two unequal parts, where
the length of one part toward the end 8A of the stem is equal
to or less than the thickness of the cover 4, and the length
of the second part of the stem toward the end 8B is greater
than the thickness of the cover. Said second part with end
8B is used to drive the two mini levers 9 and 10 in the
assembly toward the axis of the coupling through an inter-
mediate arcuate piece 15 thus forcing the two levers to spread
their feet on and along two oppositely constructed parallel
ridges P and 6N shown in FIG 1, in doing so the ring 7 opens
apart and also slips away to the opposite end inside of the
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groove in the inner body of the coupling. The short stem of
Bolt 8 toward end 8A cannot act on said assembly by virtue of
its limited length. When there is need to disconnect the
coupling from the pipe, the end 8B of bolt 8 is driven into
the threaded opening 8A to act on said assembly. It is
equally practical to plug the threaded hole 4A with bolt
having a short stem, and use the bolt key when it is needed
to drive the mini levers to open the ring to release the pipe.
Connecting the coupling to the pipe on both ends will be
explained in terms of pipe 2 only, with pipe 2 having an outer
diameter 2A and inner diameter 28 and with a groove having an
inner diameter 2C. The connecting of pipe 3 is the same as
the connecting of pipe 2, therefore, reference to pipe 3 is
kept to a minimum. The description of a connection of one end
of the coupling 6 to the one end of the pipe 2 explains
simultaneously all the connections in FIGS. 4, 5, 6, 7, 9 and
16, but the connection on one end in FIG. 5 and FIG. 16 will
be explained else where. The same numerals to explain the
grooves and the rings have been used in all figures. The end
portions of valves will be considered as if they were the end
portions of pipes or as if they were the end portions of the
coupling, whatever the case may be.
There are two modes of connecting the coupling of this
invention to the ends of two pipes; the worker has the choice
of what mode he or she prefers.
The first step in both the first and the second mode is
to drive two bolts 5 and 5B partially backward, receding the
two ends 5A and 5C of the bolts into the coupling body 6 which
frees the resilient ring from the bolts completely. In some
applications the length of the bolts 5 and 5B will be such
that they will remain outside groove 6C, thus there will be
no need to recede them to free the ring.
Once the bolts are receded into the coupling body, then
under the first mode of receiving the grooved pipe 2 into the
coupling 6, the end 2D of pipe 2 is simply pushed into
receiving opening 6B of the coupling until it coincides with
the corresponding opposite groove 6K which is shown by 6C and
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6B in FIG. 1. In doing so, the resilient open-ended ring 7
flexes to a larger diameter inside of groove 6K in the body
of coupling 6. As soon as the two opposite grooves 2C and 6K
approximately coincide, then ring 7 because of its memory
resorts back to its original diameter inside of grooves 2C and
6K. This completes the operation of connecting pipe 2 with
one end of the coupling with groove 6K in its end portion.
To disconnect the pipe from the coupling will be explained
when describing the second mode.
Once the resilient ring is locked in two opposite grooves
2C and 6K, the resilient ring can be further tightened with
the aid of two bolts 5 and 5B passing through two holes in the
cover 4 , which are also held in two corresponding threaded
openings 6D and 6E through the body of coupling 6. Driving
in the bolts 5 and 5B acts on ring 7 by moving the ends 5A and
5C of the bolts forward toward the axis of the coupling to
press the ring 7 against pipe 2. In this manner the bolts 5
and 5B which are used in fastening the cover 4 to the coupling
body 6 are also used to lock the ring 7 in place and force the
ring to grip firmly against pipe 2. The angles of the bolts
5 and 5B, through the cover 4 and the coupling body 6, can be
different in different applications. If the requirement is
such that a still stronger grip of ring 7 is needed against
pipe 2, then extra bolts like 20 and 21 shown in FIG. 2 can
be used on as many locations as it is required. Bolts 20 and
21 can be of the same type as the bolts 5 and 5B.
In the second mode of connecting the coupling with the
pipe, before the pipe is received by the coupling 6, the
resilient ring 7 shown in FIG. 1 is pushed into the groove 6K
by means of the bolt 8 and two levers 9 and 10 described above
in the assembly. The end 8B of the bolt 8 is screwed into the
threaded opening 4A to push the arcuate piece 15 toward the
axis of the coupling which transmits force to the mini levers
9 and 10 and causes 9C and lOC, the already spreaded feet of
the levers, to spread still further apart. Instead of a bolt,
a bar attached to other mechanical means may be used to exert
a force on the levers where remote control is needed to
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release the pipe. The spread between feet 9C and lOC of
levers 9 and 10 on two arcuate and oppositely parallel ridges
is preset such that, under the acting force of bolt 8 through
intermediate arcuate piece 4, the feet slip further apart
without any resistance and frees the resilient ring 7 from the
groove 2C of the pipe. The mini levers 9 and 10 act on two
opposite shifting points 9B and lOB on end portions 7D and 7E.
The ring 7 flexes to a new larger diameter as it is pried and
pushed apart by the levers 9 and 10, and it assumes its new
position inside groove 6K in the body of the coupling. Ring
7 can be kept in this new position as long as it is desired.
From here on the connecting of pipe 2 with the coupling 6
under the second mode is the same as of connecting pipe 2 with
the coupling 6 under the first mode, except that, the pipe
2 does not encounter the ring 7 until the ring is lowered into
the groove 2C in the end portion of the pipe 2. Once the two
grooves 2C and 6K coincide, the resilient ring can be lowered
into groove 2C by driving bolt 8 backward until the bolt is
completely drawn into cover 4. By doing so, the mini levers
9 and 10 are released from the pressure of the bolt trans-
mitted through arcuate piece 15, and their feet 9C and lOC are
driven closer by the pushing action of the open ends 7D and
7E of the open-ended ring 7 acting at the shifting points of
contact 9B and lOB. The location of the points 9B and lOB
depends on the position of the spread of the feet 9C and lOC
of the mini levers 9 and 10. Then bolts 5 and 5B are
tightened to tie ring 7 in place and causing it to grip the
pipe firmly. The bolt 8 is taken out of the opening 4A and
is threaded again into the same opening 4A by orienting the
end 8A toward the axis of the coupling; thus the bolt is
uncommissioned until it is required to drive the assembly
mechanism again.
Once pipe 2 is connected to the coupling, then the
connecting of pipe 3 with the coupling is the same as that of
pipe 2.
As shown in FIG. 10 arcuate piece 15E can act simulta-
neously along with the action of mini levers 9 and 10 up on
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ring 7 to push apart the ring or they can be designed with
delayed action where 15E may act before the acting of 9 and
l0 and vice versa.
As shown in FIG. 11 the arcuate piece 15 can push apart
the ring 7 without mini levers 9 and 10, but it is determined
that in some instances their combination is desirable and is
highly efficient.
A gap may be allowed between the ends of the pipes 2D and
3D, mounted inside the coupling body, or they may touch each
other. Different types of seals can be used to seal the
leakage from the coupling. Invented seals 14 and of types 12,
12A are shown to illustrate the concept of sealing the
coupling against leakage. The disconnecting of the pipe from
the coupling is the reverse of the operation performed to
connect the pipe to the coupling. The bolt 8 with its end 8B
is driven into the threaded opening 4A to drive said arcuate
piece and mini levers downward toward the axis of the coupling
to push apart said ring, and causing the levers to spread
their feet 9C and lOC to a greater distance between them.
This pries apart ends 7D and 7E of the open-ended resilient
ring 7 to a greater distance, and causes the ring 7 to assume
a new position in side groove 6k by assuming a larger dia-
meter, thus freeing the pipe 2 so it can be pulled out from
the coupling.
On the other end of the coupling in FIG. 2, the resilient
ring 22 in groove 3c is shown with inner diameter 22B and
outer diameter 22A. Two arcuate ridges for the mini levers
are shown as 6V and 17P. The outer wall 18 of the cavity is
shown by 18, and 19 and 19A depict the two ends of the bolt,
analogous to bolt 5 and 5A, on the opposite end of the
coupling. An arcuate piece is depicted by 16 and one mini
lever is shown by 13. Unlike the cover 4 and cover 17 shown
in FIG.2, various types of covers can be designed which can
provide not only the cover and the outer wall like 6S for the
cavity 11 numbered in FIG. 1, but it also can provide integral
arcuate ridge like P. A threaded opening for the bolt (bolt
is no shown) like bolt 8 is shown by 17A.
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FIG. 3 duplicates the view in FIG. 2 for clarity, and it
shows mini lever 9 with arcuate piece 15 and 15A. The boundary
of cavity 11 is shown by 11D. The gap 11C all around between
the wall of cavity 11 and mini lever 9 is exaggerated. Two
5 ridges on which foot 9C stands to slide are shown by P and 6N.
Bottom width of Mini lever 9 approximately equals the width
of the groove 2C plus the width of ridges P and 6N.
FIG. 4 shows couplings used as lids 23 and 24, and a
valve is incorporated into the coupling to join pipes 2 and
10 3. The seals are shown by 26 and 26A and 23A and 24A. The
partition of the valve is shown by 29. Rings 7 and 22 are
shown in locked position in grooves 6K and 6L. It is clear
that coupling 6 with dead end 23 can make a lid to any
pressure vessel.
15 FIG 5 shows the compound coupling 55A connecting two
pipes 2 and 3. The compound coupling has one regular end of
the invented coupling and the other end of the coupling has
a connector made of f a set of j aw members ( of my invention
Patent Number 5,387,017), which set includes jaws 71 and 73.
These jaws are mounted for limited movement with respect to
the coupling body around the central axis of the receiving end
opening of the coupling. Jaw members are fixed in movable
position around the coupling body with the aid of a groove 55D
and also are positioned against the face 55C of the coupling.
The jaw members include caroming surfaces which mate with
caroming surfaces of the coupling body so that as the jaw
members move around the receiving opening in one direction,
they also move to closed position, but as they move in the
opposite direction, they move to open position. The caroming
surfaces of the jaw members are bolts and pins not shown in
the figure extending through the jaw members into receiving
slots like 72, 73 in the coupling body which form the mating
caroming surfaces of the coupling body and vice versa. For
thinner pipes to provide shoulders or grooves rings 2F and 3F
are welded to the ends of the pipe to provide sufficient depth
for the lopsided trapezoidal gasket 63, which gasket caries
a slanting arcuate slit 64 in its inner body. The end 2D of
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pipe 2 is beveled and the end of pipe 3D has plane end with
vertical cut. When two said ends meet together at 2G inside
the coupling body enclosed by the inner surface 55B of
coupling 55A, they create an enclosure for the lopsided gasket
63. Thus the gasket cannot come out of the enclosure. If
desired a gap may be allowed between the pipes, and still the
gasket can be kept safely lodged inside said enclosure. The
compound coupling has a resilient ring 7 in its one end
portion and movable jaw members at the other end to connect
two pipes. Whether, this coupling is used with pipes or with
hoses the user has preferred choice which connector he or she
would prefer to use when one end of coupling always remain
connected in place. The compound coupling has distinct cost
effective advantages in some applications. The means lodged
in said cavity to move the resilient ring are not shown. The
ring works the same as explained else where. The invented
lopsided gasket and the enclosure for it makes the connecting
and disconnecting of the pipes extremely easier than before.
FIG. 6 shows a coupling connecting two structural pipes
2 and 3 separated by a ring 36. Rings 7 and 22 are shown in
their open positions. The grooves are shown by 2C, 6K, 3C and
6L.
FIG. 7 shows where a valve incorporates coupling 6 as a
component which makes the cover of the valve, and cover has
rings 7 and 22 which attach the cover to other two parts 6Y
and 6Z of the valve body. Part 6Y and 6Z function as coupling
to attach the valve body to the pipes 2 and 3. Seals are
shown by 26, 26A, 37 and 38, and the partition of the valve
is shown by 29. All other elements have been explained
earlier in other FIGS. The rings 7 and 22 are shown in
unlocked position. Grooves are depicted by 2C, 6K, 3C and 6L.
FIG. 8 shows where two arcuate pieces 39 and 40 are
joined along lines 45 and 46, and are used to make the
coupling's arcuate body. Two types of dovetail joints are
shown, one of which is depicted by a wedge 41, with arms 41A
and 41B, and the other by a wedge 43, with arms 43A and 43B.
Bolts 42 and 44 prevent an axial movement of 41 and 43. These
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bolts can also be located outside the coupling body, in that
case, two bolts will be needed; one on each end of the wedge,
to prevent the movement of the wedge. The inner groove is
shown by 6C, Fig. 1. The coupling body also can be made from
two arcuate pieces each having two radial flanges which can
be tied together by means of two bolts . Where two arcuate
pieces are used with O-rings on the pipes, an inner lining
will be used to prevent leakage between the two pieces.
FIG. 9 shows where coupling 6 is used to connect two
hoses (hoses not shown) by means of connecting the inserts 47
and 48 which go into the hoses. Ring 7 of coupling 6 and
groove 6K are the same as in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. The seal is
shown by 49. The coupling 6 is shown in the locked position.
FIG. 10 is the same as FIG. 1, but ring 7 is not shown
in its entirety, only the modified end portions are shown from
P2 to 7D and from P3 to 7E. In this figure mini levers 9 and
10 are shaped into arcuate pieces which are partially located
inside the extended cavity 11A. But arcuate piece 15E is
located in the extended cavity 11A and is shown to be in
contact with the end portions 7D and 7E at points 15G and 15H.
When the end of bolt 8 is made to act on 15E by means of a
cavity 15F, the arcuate piece 15E and mini levers act almost
in unison against end portions of ring 7 at points 15G, 15H,
9B and 10B to push and to open up the ring. If delayed action
either of arcuate piece 15E or the mini levers 9 and 10 is
required against the end portions of ring 7 then gap is
designed at points 15G and 15H or gap is allowed between said
mini levers and 15E while 15E touches 7D and 7E at points 15G
and 15H. Because of cavity 15F, which is provided for end
8B of bolt 8 and by virtue of the location of 15E between 7D
and 7E the arcuate piece 15E is not provided any arms like the
arms 15C and 15D as shown in FIG. 1. The length of cover 4
for the cavity is marked by 4D and 4F in FIG. 10. All the
other elements of FIG. 10 have been described before. It is
obvious that a portion of the cover 4 along with the bolt 8
over the arcuate piece 15E can be removed, and pressure by any
other means other than bolt 8 can be brought to act against
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the cover 15E or in couplings where the resilient strength of
the resilient ring is low, pressure can be exerted by any
suitable hand tool or merely by person's thumb to make the
invention operative. If desired then portion of 15E can be
given an extra thickness to make it to come out through the
matching opening in cover 4. Again it is obvious that mini
levers constructed from a single piece of material shown in
FIG. 15 can be made to exit through cover 4, while their feet
remain in the cavity. This eliminates the use of the arcuate
piece 15E, and mini lever can be acted up on by any other
means other than the bolt 8 or can be acted up on by the
pressure of person's thumb as was state above.
FIG. 11, is modification of FIGS. 1 and 10 where mini
levers 9 and 10 are not employed. In some application arcuate
piece 15 alone is sufficient to push and to open up the ring
7 to a larger diameter. An optional stabilizer pin or a bolt
7K may be incorporated in the design of ring 7 emerging at 7L
from the ring, and 7K need not to come out of 6 as shown in
the FIG, 11. The design of arcuate piece 15 may be modified
to be a movable tapered wedge with an extra thickness between
end portions 7D and 7E. The arcuate wedge piece 15 is driven
by end 8B of bolt 8 by means of cavity 15F to push apart end
7D and 7E. Because of the location of 15 and cavity 15F as
stabilizer the arms 15C and 15D can be eliminated. All other
elements of this figure have been discussed before.
In FIG. 12, arcuate mini levers 9 and 10 are shown
without any arcuate piece 15 or 15E shown in FIGS. 1,10 and
11. In this arrangement intermediate arcuate 15 or 15E is not
needed, bolt 8 alone is sufficient to drive the mini levers.
Mini levers are partially located in the extended cavity 11A
in cover 4. In this arrangement bolt 8 passing through cover
4 is used directly to drive mini levers 9 and 10 while the
mini levers are kept in movable alignment by means of integral
guiding arms they bear. Two guiding arms are depicted by two
dotted circles 9H and 10H. Guiding arms 9H and lOH are fitted
to slide up and down in the vertical grooves 6X and 6Y in the
two opposite walls of cavity 11 and 11A. The Mini levers 9
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and l0 driven by bolt end 8B of bolt 8 have the same function
as explained earlier to act on the resilient ring 7 which is
not shown in FIG.12. The arcuate ridge is shown by P, P1, P2,
and P3.
In FIG. 13 depicts mini lever 9 seen in the vertical
section 2-2 taken on FIG. 12. The top of toe 9C of mini lever
9 is depicted by a dotted line 9,T. The guiding arm are shown
by 9G and 9H which slide up and down in the vertical grooves
provided for them in the two opposite walls of the cavity.
One of the vertical groove 6X is depicted in FIG. 12.
FIG. 14 shown next to FIG. 10 depicts mini lever 9 seen
in FIG. 10 by taking a vertical section 2-2. The foot of 9
is shown by 9C.
FIG. 15 shows mini levers 9 and 10 constructed from a
single piece of resilient material by thinning out the
material at the top which gives the mini levers the property
of a spring. Thus it is clear that mini levers also can be
constructed from a single stock of resilient material which
integrally provides an arcuate section which can be acted up
on by bolt 8 to impart force to the mini levers 9 and 10 to
open apart ring 7.
FIG. 16 shows compound coupling, which is the exact type
of coupling shown in FIG. 5, the only difference is that
coupling 55 connects pipe 2 and reducer 51 with transition
in diameter from 52 to 53. Gasket 61 is provided series of
vertical parallel arcuate slits 62. The enclosure for the
gasket is provided by the beveled end 2D of pipe 2 and the
vertical face 60 of reducer 51, and inner surface of coupling
body shown by 55A and 55B. A gap between the pipe and the
reducer is shown by 59. A groove at the end of reducer is
shown by 54. The resilient ring 7 works the same as explained
else where. The jaws 80, 84 member of a set of jaws are held
to the coupling end-58 by grooves 55D and 51A; and the pins
or bolts not shown. Pins and bolts passing through the jaw
members are mounted into the grooves like the grooves shown
by 55A and 55B and act as caroming surfaces as explained in
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FIG. 5. The jaw members in FIG. 16 work exactly like the jaw
members explained in FIG. 5.
While several ring configurations have been shown, it
should be realized that the ring could be of various configu
5 rations and constructions. For example, rather than being
solid, the rings could be of composite construction such as
an inner core wrapped with an outer helical spring winding.
Where seals are used, the seal or seals may be either on the
pipes or in the coupling.
10 Whereas this invention is here illustrated and described
with reference to embodiments thereof presently contemplated
as the best mode of carrying out such invention in actual
practice, it is to be understood that various changes may be
made in adapting the invention to different embodiments
15 without departing from the broader inventive concepts
disclosed herein and comprehended by the claims that follow.
