Flexible packing for sealing pipeline joints

A packing member of flexible elastic material, a pipe joint member, said pipe joint member having means defining an inner peripheral configuration which includes portions generally transverse to the longitudinal axis thereof to seal a joint in a pipeline, and a pipeline having an axis and a non-grooved outer cylindrical surface, said packing member when assembled with said pipe joint member and said pipeline comprising:

• inner peripheral means for sealingly engaging a portion of said pipeline by virtue of its elasticity and having a plain cylindrical inner surface;
• outer peripheral means for sealingly engaging said pipe joint member, said means being relatively thick and having a configuration of shape and size complementary to that of said pipe joint member whereby to be securely held thereby against axial movement relative thereto, said outer peripheral means being spaced from said inner peripheral means;
• and
• a generally annular intermediate portion connecting said inner and outer peripheral sealing means integrally with each other, said intermediate portion being relatively small in thickness as compared with said outer peripheral sealing means and being generally inclined relative to the axis of the pipeline from said outer peripheral sealing means to said inner peripheral sealing means to define an outwardly diverging annular clearance between said packing member and said portion of said pipeline, said pipe joint member defining an annular clearance which encircles said portion of said pipeline and which communicates with said outwardly divirging clearance, said intermediate portion being flexible and being tapered in thickness from the said outer means to the said inner means by being thinner at the said inner means than at the said outer means, whereby relative axial movement between said pipeline and pipe joint member will result in flexing and/or stretching of said intermediate portion prior to disturbance of the engagement to said outer peripheral means with said pipe joint member.