Coupler for coupling conduits in flow communication

Abstract

A coupler 10 for coupling two conduits 12, 14 is disclosed. The coupler 10 includes a female open ended tubular member 16 and a male open ended tubular member 18. Each tubular member 16, 18 has a joint end 20 and a conduit connection end 22, 24 between which an axial flow path extends. The conduit connection end 22, 24 is for connecting the tubular member to an end of a conduit such as a drain pipe. The coupler 10 further includes a jointing arrangement 34 for connecting the joint ends 20 of the tubular members 16, 18 to each other. The arrangement 34 includes a coaxial spigot formation 26 at the joint end of the male tubular member 18, and a coaxial socket formation 28 at the joint end of the female tubular member 16. The spigot formation 26 is received in spigot-socket fashion within the socket formation 28. The jointing arrangement 34 permits angular and rotational movement of the two tubular members 16, 18 relative to each other. The coupler 10 also includes a securing arrangement that is a collar member extending over the socket member for mechanically holding the two tubular members 16, 18 to each other so that they cannot be separated.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.