Abstract: A pipe fitting 20 adapted for joining pipe 28, 30 comprises a swage ring 22, 24, 52 with a locking mechanism area 42, 63 which can lockingly engage with either a coupling body 26 and/or a pipe 28, 30, 56 which has a locking mechanism 44, 64 in order to prevent relative motion between the swage ring 22, 24 and the coupling body 26 and/or the swage ring 52 and the pipe 56. Such an arrangement prevents the swage ring 22, 24 from backing off of the fitting 20 should the fitting 20 be subject to flexing due to bending forces.

Abstract: A pipe coupling including a coupling body and swage rings for urging over the coupling body in order to secure the pipes together. The coupling body includes a main sealing tooth with an outboard isolation tooth and an inboard tooth located on opposite sides of the main sealing tooth. First and second grooves are defined between the main sealing tooth and the outboard isolation tooth and the inboard tooth, which grooves are of sufficient length and depth so that pipe secured by the coupling is not substantially deformed adjacent the first and second grooves in order to enhance the ability of the main sealing tooth to bite into the pipe in order to provide a hermetic seal and also to increase the resistance of the coupling to tensile loads. The outboard isolation tooth and inboard tooth protect the seal created by the main sealing tooth from external forces caused by bending. The main sealing tooth can include a twin tooth having a parent tooth and one or more sealing teeth extending therefrom.

Abstract: A coupling for swaged attachment to thin wall tubing. The coupling is a cylindrical body with a longitudinal axis and an inner peripheral wall. At least one groove is located in the inner peripheral wall. In one embodiment, the groove is substantially rectangular in cross section. The rectangular groove has a base and two side walls. The side walls meet the base to form corners. The corners have a radius of curvature of at least the depth of the groove. Alternatively, the cross section of the groove can be ramped in shape. The ramped shape groove has a base and two side walls. One of the two side walls meets the base at about 90.degree., and the second side wall meets the base at an angle substantially greater than 90.degree.. In a third embodiment of the invention, the groove is ramped with one side wall meeting the inner peripheral wall of the coupling sleeve at about 90.degree.

Abstract: A machine and method for roller swaging hydraulic fitting sleeves onto metallic tubing comprises a tapered roller mandrel expander driven at a first high speed for rapidly expanding the tubing and at a second low speed until the drive torque reaches a final preselected value for preventing springback of the tubing and accurately controlling the amount of swaging. Both torque control of swaging and diameter control of swaging can be effected. A torque transducer monitors mandrel loading for automatic control of machine operations. A mechanical stop for interaction with the mandrel support regulates advance of the mandrel and thereby relates to diameter control. The diameter control is effected by torque measurements which are responsive to diameter positions. Low speed burnishing can be effected during diameter control at the end of the cycle. The machine provides an automatic swaging cycle with an optimum overall time cycle for swaging performance.

Abstract: A fitting for joining a tube to another axially aligned tube, or to a T-joint, elbow joint, or the like, comprising a sleeve fitted over the end of the tube, and an annular tubular member forced over the sleeve in coaxial relationship with the sleeve and the tube to compress the sleeve around the end of the tube to provide a high-strength fluid-tight joint between the sleeve and the tube. The fitting and the tube are formed of electrically conductive material, and an insulating dry lubricant is interposed between the components of the fitting, and between the fitting and the tube. The fitting is especially constructed to provide conductive paths from the surface of the tube and from the surface of an inner component of the fitting to an outer component so as to avoid arcing across the lubricant layer in the event of a lightning strike, or the like.