Apparatus and method for coupling
AssigneeCrism Pty Ltd
InventorsChris Michael Barr, Samuel Henry Carriage
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus (10) for coupling with a pipe (12), the apparatus (10) including a body assembly (13) having a body (14) adapted to fit with the pipe (12), and at least two gripping parts (16) moveably coupled to the body (14), the at least two gripping parts (16) being adapted to be moveable between an insertion condition, in which the gripping parts (16) are resiliently depressible to allow movement of the pipe (12) in a first insertion direction, and a gripping condition in which the gripping parts (16) each engage with opposing side walls (18) of the pipe (12) to restrict movement of the pipe (12) in a second opposing direction thereby coupling the apparatus (10) and the pipe (12).
Claims15
An apparatus for coupling with a pipe, the apparatus including:
- a body assembly having a body adapted to fit with the pipe in a first insertion direction in an insertion condition and a removable end body which couples to the body,
- at least two gripping parts having respective gripping surfaces arranged to grip with opposing side walls of the pipe in a gripping condition, and
- at least two biasing elements arranged to each resiliently associate a corresponding one of the at least two gripping parts with the body,
- wherein the body includes at least two recesses formed in a pipe facing surface of the body into which respective portions of the at least two gripping parts are at least partially located, the at least two recesses each including retaining channels arranged to slidingly receive retaining portions of the respective at least two gripping parts, and
- wherein the at least two biasing elements are at least partially located within respective portions of the at least two recesses between the body and respective portions of the at least two gripping parts, and
- wherein the at least two recesses include respective tapered floors that taper away from the pipe facing surface in the first insertion direction so as to slidably guide the at least two gripping parts between the insertion condition, in which the at least two gripping parts are slidable in the first insertion direction relative to the tapered floor so that the gripping surfaces thereof are relatively resiliently depressed toward the pipe facing surface so as to allow movement of the pipe in the first insertion direction, and
- the gripping condition in which the at least two gripping parts are urged by the respective at least two biasing elements so as to be slidable relative to the respective tapered floors in a second opposing direction so that the gripping surfaces become elevated relative to the pipe facing surface and engaged with the opposing side walls of the pipe so that the at least two gripping parts are substantially wedged between the respective tapered floors and the opposing side walls of the pipe thereby coupling the apparatus and the pipe, and
- wherein in the gripping condition the end body is removable from the body so as to allow the at least two gripping parts to be pressed in the first insertion direction thereby allowing removal of the pipe.
A method for coupling a pipe to an apparatus, the method including:
- fitting a free end of the pipe within a body of the apparatus in a first direction such that at least two gripping parts moveably associated with the body by respective biasing elements are resiliently slidable in the first direction along respective tapered floors of recesses within a pipe facing surface of the body so that gripping surfaces of the at least two gripping parts become resiliently depressed and compress the biasing elements located at least partially within respective portions of the recesses so as to allow movement of the pipe in the first direction,
- moving the pipe in a second opposing direction so that the at least two gripping parts are at least initially urged by the respective biasing elements in the second opposing direction sliding along the respective tapered floors such that the gripping surfaces become relatively elevated and engaged with opposing side walls of the pipe so that the at least two gripping parts are substantially wedged between the respective tapered floors and the opposing side walls of the pipe so as to restrict movement of the pipe in the second opposing direction thereby coupling the apparatus and the pipe, and
- removing an end body coupled to the body and pressing exposed ends of the at least two gripping parts in the first direction thereby allowing removal of the pipe.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.