Joint restraint device
AssigneeMueller International, LLC
InventorAurelian Ioan Furcoiu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gland includes an annular ring, the annular ring defining a gland bore, the gland bore defining a gland axis extending through the annular ring; and a joint restraint assembly, the joint restraint assembly including a restraint base, the restraint base attached to the annular ring, the restraint base defining a restraint pocket, the restraint base including a structural rail; a gripper, the gripper disposed within the restraint pocket and configured to move in the restraint pocket; a spring biasing the gripper to move inwards towards the gland axis; and a cover contacting at least a portion of the restraint base.
Claims18
A gripper for use in a mechanical joint assembly, the gripper comprising:
- a first end defining a first lateral extent of the gripper;
- a second end defining a second lateral extent of the gripper;
- a front wall defining a front extent of the gripper;
- a rear wall defining a rear extent of the gripper;
- an engagement end defining a lower extent of the gripper, the engagement end defining a plurality of gripping protuberances;
- at least one anti-rotation protrusion extending from a front wall proximate the engagement end, and
- a plurality of gripper arms extending from the engagement end, each gripper arm comprising a body portion and a lever end, the lever end defining an upper extent of the gripper,
- wherein the gripper arms comprise at least a first gripper arm and a second gripper arm, and wherein a rail space is defined between the first gripper arm and the second gripper arm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.