Coupling system

In a coupling assembly for coupling together a pair of cylindrical hollow pipe sections to provide a fluid-tight joint, a shallow circumferential groove formed on an outer circumferential surface of each of said pipe section at a position spaced a moderate distance from the facing front ends thereof at which said coupling is to be made;

• at least one split ring mounted in each said groove and having an outer circumferential surface portion tapering radially inward in a direction away from said front end of said first element;
• a housing-fastener assembly, including first and second generally hollow cylindrical housings each mounted over one of said split rings and having an inner surface portion tapering radially inward in a direction away from a front surface of said housing and contacting at least a portion of said tapering outer surface of an associated one of said split rings, fastening means for mounting said housings together with a coupling force therebetween, thrust-bearing means associated with each of said housings for defining at least one pair of front-facing, thrust-bearing surfaces which are displaced forward of said front ends of said pipe sections and are urged into thrust bearing engagement by said coupling force to maintain said front ends of said pipe section in spaced, unclamped relation to each other;
• and sealing means disposed at least partially over and in contact with outer circumferential surfaces of said front ends of said cylindrical pipe sections to provide a seal against leakage of fluid from said free unclamped ends of said pipe sections, said tapered inner surface portion of said housings defining an angle with respect to the axis of said pipe sections substantially less than twenty degrees, thereby producing a strong radial squeezing force of said split rings on said pipe sections in response to lead forces tending to separate said pipe sections.

In a piping system, in combination, pipe components such as T-couplings, crosses, elbows and valves, and a kit of parts for providing fluid tight joints between said pipe components and straight pipe sections and between pairs of pipe components, each of said pipe components having a straight free end section with a shallow circumferential groove formed therein a short distance from the end thereof, said kit of parts including a plurality of split rings each adapted from mounting in one of said grooves formed on free ends of said pipe components or in a similar groove formed on a straight pipe section, a plurality of housing-fastener assemblies, each including a pair of hollow cylindrical housings adapted to be mounted over said split rings and having an inner surface portion tapering radially inward in a direction away from a front surface of said housing an adapted to contact at least a portion of said tapering outer surface portion of said split ring, fastening means for drawing said housings together with a coupling force therebetween, thrust-bearing means providing a front-facing thrust-bearing surface on each housing fastener assembly at a location displaced a short distance forward of the front end of a pipe component when said tapered inner surface of said housing is in contact with said split ring and respective thrust bearing surfaces are urged into thrust bearing engagement by said coupling force to maintain a separation between the ends of two pipe components being coupled together, and sealing means adapted to be mounted at least partially over and in contact with outer circumferential surfaces of adjacent ends of pipe sections, adjacent ends of a pipe component and a pipe section, or adjacent ends of pipe components for providing a seal against leakage of fluid at said joint, said tapered inner surface portions of said housings defining an angle with respect to the axis of the housing substantially less than twenty degrees, thereby producing a strong radial squeezing force of said split rings on said pipe sections in response to load forces tending to separate components coupled together.