Segmented grip ring for plastic pipe joint restraint systems
AssigneeS & B Technical Products, Inc.
InventorsGuido Quesada, Mark A. Weih
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mechanism for restraining pipe against both internal and external forces at a pipe or fitting connection and to join and seal at least two pipes to form a pipeline featuring an improved restraint mechanism. The restraint mechanism includes a circumferential casing and a companion grip ring, both of which are received within a mating groove provided in the belled end of a female pipe. The grip ring is made up of a series of arc-shaped gripping elements which are interconnected by discrete elastomeric segments. The gripping elements are separated by gaps so that a flexible hinge region is created by the elastomeric segments between adjacent gripping elements. The elastomeric segments provide both axial and radial spring action to the assembly.
Claims11
A plastic pipe joint restraint system capable of both joining a female plastic pipe, having at least one belled end, to a mating male plastic pipe having an interior surface and an exterior surface, the restraint system comprising:
- a restraint mechanism located within a groove provided in the belled pipe end adjacent an end opening thereof which allows movement of the mating male pipe relative to the belled end of the female pipe in a first longitudinal direction but which restrains movement in a second, opposite relative direction, the restraint mechanism comprising a single piece, ring shaped casing which has a circumferential interior region and a companion segmented grip ring which is contained within the circumferential interior region of the casing;
- wherein the segmented grip ring includes a plurality of hard, arc-shaped gripping elements, each of which has an exterior surface and an interior surface, the interior surface having at least one row of gripping teeth;
- and wherein the hard, arc-shaped gripping elements have opposing end surfaces, each of which is separated by a gap, the gap being spanned by an elastomeric segment which acts as a flexible hinge region which supplies the restraint mechanism with both radial and axial spring action.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.