Abstract: A pipe coupling wherein the axial split is offset from the location wherein the coupling is closed. The offset increases the resistance of the pipe coupling to lifting forces exerted by pressurized fluid in pipes or pipelines. In addition, an extension member and a reinforcing member on the opposite sides of the closure device increase the section modulus of the pipe coupling and further increase the resistance of the pipe coupling to lifting forces.

Abstract: A rotatable flange union for use with vacuum systems includes a first flange, a second flange and a connector which connects the first flange to the second flange and allows the first flange to rotate 360 degrees with respect to the second flange. In the preferred embodiment, tubing of the first flange is placed within tubing of the second flange. Additionally, the connector includes a first quad ring seal, a second quad ring seal, and a cavity in the second flange. The first quad ring seal is in contact with an inner diameter of the second flange and is in contact with an outer diameter of the first flange. The second quad ring seal is in contact with the inner diameter of the second flange and is in contact with the outer diameter of the first flange. The cavity is between the first quad ring seal and the second quad ring seal. The cavity is pumped to a pressure of less than ten millitorr.

Abstract: A manually releasable, toggle-type fastener is provided for use, in place of the conventional bolt-and-nut fastener that is normally used to secure together the adjacent, aligned, bolt lugs formed on the ends of curved segments which form a circular pipe coupling. The fastener includes a first pin part fitted into the bolt hole of a first lug, and a second pin part fitted into the bolt hole of the second lug. A lever is pivotally connected to the first pin part for swinging into a locked position adjacent its segment and for swinging into an unlocked position away from its segment. The lever has an end to which a clamp member is releasibly secured. The clamp extends along the lugs and has an end which engages the second lug and which carries the second pin part for securing the lugs together. The fastener may be made in different sizes to fit different size bolt lugs on different size couplings.

Abstract: A release member for a quick-type connector includes an outer sleeve concentrically disposed about an inner sleeve and integrally joined to the inner sleeve at one end. A plurality of circumferentially spaced fingers are formed on the inner sleeve and extend axially from an opposite end of the inner sleeve. Radially outward extending projections are formed on the inner sleeve and engage an inward extending flange on a female connector part to retain the release member in the open end of a bore in the female connector part, with the outer sleeve slidably disposed over the tubular end portion of the female connector part. Engaging surfaces formed between the fingers on the inner sleeve engage deflectable legs on a retainer mounted in the bore of the female connector part when the release member is forcibly urged into the bore in the female connector part to deflect the legs radially outward so as to permit separation of a radially expanded flange on a male conduit from the female connector part.

Abstract: The improved electrofusion joint and header for supplying hot water that perform satisfactorily at elevated temperatures as evidenced by high heat resistance, that exhibit good sealing property and that can be handled efficiently in mounting and various other operations have a crosslinked thermoplastic resin layer and at least one joining portion which comprises a non-crosslinked thermoplastic resin layer that is formed a as an integral part of said crosslinked thermoplastic resin layer in the area where it contacts a tubular member to be joined, and a heating electric wire provided either within or on the outer or inner surface of said non-crosslinked thermoplastic resin layer. Such electrofusion joint and header are applicable to any part of a piping system for supplying hot water and they will withstand use for a prolonged period.

Abstract: A mechanical locking device for use with conventional quick disconnect fl coupling having a release collar on the female component spaced from a flange or nut also on the female component. Upper and lower half shells of the locking device fit between the release collar and flange to prevent inadvertent movement of the release collar. The half shells are assembled by two threaded fasteners which must be unthreaded to remove the device from the fluid coupling.

Abstract: The nozzle swivel joint includes two couplings which are joined together at mutually flat interface surfaces. Each coupling has an axial flow passage, and the two couplings are held together in mutually rotatable position by a manifold with a threaded end; the manifold having inlet and outlet ports respectively aligned to the flow passages in the couplings. The manifold is sealably affixed to one of the couplings, with a gasket forming a seal about the threadable manifold. An O-ring is compressed between the respective flat interface surfaces to provide a limited friction seal for restricting relative rotation between the couplings, while at the same time permitting rotation to occur with a limited amount of force.

Abstract: An integral conduit section of a multiple conduit system includes an outer housing having a straight coupling portion at one end and a belled coupling portion at the other end, a plurality of innerducts disposed in a parallel manner within the outer housing, one or more spacers for parallely positioning said innerducts in the outer housing, and a three-piece innerduct coupler disposed within the belled portion of the outer housing and engaged with the trailing ends of a plurality of innerducts, being linearly interconnectable with like conduit sections. The innerduct coupler includes a guide for facilitating entry of the plurality of innerducts of an adjacent conduit section into a like section; a seal that creates an air and water tight seal between the adjacent innerducts when like sections are interconnected, without the need for cement or sealing lubricants; and a seating component that terminally positions the innerducts in the innerduct coupler upon the interconnection of like integral conduit sections.

Abstract: A network for distributing a fluid under pressure. The network has a substantially horizontal main pipe situated at an upper level, with horizontal or vertical secondary pipes branching therefrom. The junction between the main pipe and a secondary pipe is provided by a branch clamp having a zone for covering at least one orifice formed in the top half-cylinder of the wall of the main pipe, into which zone there opens out a first end of a branch duct internal to the clamp, the other end of the duct being fitted with a coupling for coupling the clamp to the secondary pipe. The axis of the first end of the branch duct and the axis of the coupling form an angle a which is obtuse when measured between the axes in the flow direction of fluid flowing along the branch duct.

Abstract: A containment interlocking union for use with a containment pipe which encloses a carrier pipe. The containment interlocking union is placed in position around a coupling in the carrier pipe. The interlocking union includes a first joint member and a second joint member positioned circumferentially adjacent to each other and coupled to the containment pipe. The first joint member comprises a first coupling portion of a major radius sealably engaging an outer circumferential surface of an end of the double containment pipe, a pair of second coupling portions of a minor radius adjacent the first coupling portion providing a pair of flanges abutting the ends of the carrier pipe coupling providing longitudinal support of the carrier pipe coupling, and a third coupling portion of an intermediate radius adjacent the second coupling portion.

Abstract: A manually releasable, toggle-type fastener is provided for use, in place of the conventional bolt and nut fastener, used to secure together the adjacent bolt lugs formed on the ends of curved segments which form a circular pipe coupling. The fastener includes a pin of a shape and size to fit into the aligned bolt holes of the lugs, in place of a conventional bolt, and a lever pivotally connected to one end of the pin for swinging into a locked position adjacent its segment and into an unlocked position away from its segment. The lever has a hook-like formation on its end to which a wire-like loop is secured. The loop extends around the sides of the pin and the sides of the bolt lugs to be fastened together and has an opposite end engaging both the pin and the adjacent surface of the segment for securing the lugs together and for being restrained from release by the pin itself.

Abstract: The present invention is a unitary pipe coupler having an internally mounted hollow tube stiffener which extends through the coupler. The stiffener serves as a guide over which ends of the pipes slide as the pipes are inserted into the coupler and provides communication within the coupler between the two pipes. As the pipes are inserted into the coupler, each pipe passes consecutively through an opening provided in the coupler, an O-ring, a plurality of rigid backward oriented gripper serrations provided on a gripper, a plurality of backward oriented flexible sealing serrations provided on a front boot seal, until the end of each pipe rests against a flexible boot seal which abuts a hub for mounting the stiffener to the coupler. The gripper serrations prevent the pipes from being pulled or pushed outwardly away from the coupler.

Abstract: The present invention involves a flexible annular member passing through a wall opening. The flexible annular member is positioned about a conduit passing through the wall opening to enable the conduit to pass through the wall at an angle up to and even greater than 30.degree.. Another embodiment of the present invention comprises a flange type riser and base connection involving the location of the entire sealing assembly within a chamber base/riser section.

Abstract: A new capture device comprising a plurality of axially extending tangs on one of a pair of complementary fittings in a fluid coupling and a polygonal circumferential groove on the other fitting adapted to engage the tangs. Upon rotational engagement of the fittings the tangs engage the polygonal groove and "ratchet" about the junctures between the flats until the coupling is tight. Although not limited to particular materials, the new capture device is particularly suited to very tough, strong and hard materials such as titanium, stainless steel and Inconel alloy because the effectiveness of the capture device is dependent upon the stiffness of the tangs. The new device prevents vibrational disassembly of the complementary fittings without preventing disassembly solely with wrenches. Moreover, the complementary fittings and capture device can be repeatedly assembled and disassembled without any damage to the threads or capture device.

Abstract: A one-piece pipe coupling includes a cylinder with an axial joint and a sealing plate attached in spaced apart relation to the inner surface of the cylinder with a portion of the sealing plate extending beyond the axial joint for sealing the fluid pathways between a leak location and the outer surface of the coupling. A pair of arcuate gaskets extend around and are attached to the inner surface of the cylinder. The sealing plate carries a first sealing pad on the extending portion of its outer surface, which sealing pad includes circumferential guide channels for engaging the arcuate gaskets of the cylinder. The sealing plate also carries a second sealing pad on the other end of its outer surface, which sealing pad attaches the sealing plate in spaced apart relation to the inner surface of the cylinder.

Abstract: A connection for and a method of connecting the ends of two joints of low modulus, low hardness, low strength plastic pipe. The connection includes a threaded box on one joint and a threaded pin on the other joint. The box has tapered, internal, generally dovetail-shaped threads with stab flanks and load flanks and flat roots and crests that are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pipe. The pin has tapered, external, generally dovetail-shaped threads with stab flanks and load flanks and flat roots and crests that are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pipe for mating with the internal threads of the box. The threads increase in width in one direction on the box and in the other direction on the pin. When the connection is made up the roots, crests, and flanks of the threads move into engagement to form seals that resist the flow of fluids between the threads.

Abstract: A quick connector for fast connection of fluid carrying assemblies such as a mating tube and a fluid unit. The connector includes a connector body which houses the connector components and accepts a redundant clip which is adapted to engage an upset bead of the male tube. The redundant clip is generally L-shaped and includes a retaining head which is inserted into the connector body and is adapted to engage the upset bead, a body portion which extends along the side of the connector body and in the preferred embodiment is contoured to mate with the connector body and a base member which includes a camming edge for facilitating the insertion of the retainer head into the connector body.

Abstract: By using fabrication procedures, and not using any casting procedures, a pipe sleeve assembly per se, or with additional components, is made for installation on a pipeline. When this pipe sleeve assembly is fully tightened about a plastic pipe, there is acceptable limited radial deflection of cross-sectional portions of the plastic pipe, being sealed by a surrounding gasket held in place by assembled fabricated parts and bolt and nut fasteners of this pipe sleeve assembly. On opposite sides of each separating gap of the pipe sleeve, side bar and lug units are welded to the pipe sleeve. Between opposite lugs, independently removable bolt and nut fasteners are secured. In one embodiment, opposite lugs both have holes, which are aligned to receive and to hold portions of a bolt. In another embodiment, one of the opposite lugs has a hole, and the other opposite lug has spaced portions thereof, each having an overlapping lip portion, which receive a drop in bolt portion located near the head of the bolt.

Abstract: A quick connect connector for fast connection of fluid carrying assemblies such as a mating tube and a fluid unit. The connector includes a connector body which houses the connector components and accepts a redundant clip which is adapted to engage an upset bead of the male tube. The redundant clip is generally L-shaped and include a retaining head which is inserted into the connector body and is adapted to engage the upset bead, a body portion which extends along the side of the connector body and in the preferred embodiment is contoured to mate with the connector body and a base member which includes a camming edge and pivot points for facilitating the insertion of the retainer head into the connector body.