Radially expandable locking sleeve device

An expandable locking sleeve for use in radially expanding a tubular gasket of elastomeric material into compressive sealing engagement with the wall of a cylindrically shaped opening and comprising a cylindrical relatively stiff but resiliently flexible strip of metal having opposed operatively abuttably engageable ends, said strip being movable between two positions in which end portions thereof may first be radially overlapped and secondly may be interlockingly engaged end-to-end, the first of said ends having a short substantially flat sided channel-shaped portion having a recess disposed between the opposite side edges of the strip and extending circumferentially from and opening through the first end edge, said channel-shaped portion having two opposed retaining shoulders extending substantially circumferentially of said strip which further define said recess, the second of said ends having a radially inwardly displaced portion of said strip forming a transverse step portion spaced from the distal end of said second end, said displaced portion also forming a tab extending toward said distal end and having an end edge spaced inwardly from said distal end, said tab being adapted to be slidably received by said recess between said retaining shoulders with the end edge of said first end in juxtaposed abuttable alignment with said step portion, the radially outer surface of the channel-shaped portion being of extended area lying substantially within the circumferential outer surface of said strip as a substantially uninterrupted circumferential continuation thereof when said tab is engaged with said recess and said first end edge is immediately adjacent to said step portion, two ledge portions on said first end extending laterally opposite and integrally from said two retaining shoulders, respectively, said ledge portions being substantially flat and displaced radially opposite from the radially outer surface of said channel-shaped portion in substantial parallelism therewith, said ledge portions also extending back from said first end edge, stepped side portions connecting said ledge portions to said retaining shoulders, respectively, and forming an integral part thereof, portions of said ledge portions spaced back from said first end edge being defined by abutment steps, respectively, integral with said strip, said second end having two circumferentially extending substantially flat fingers on opposite sides, respectively, of said tab, said fingers being engageable in radially overlying relation with said ledge portions, respectively, when said tab is received by said recess, the outer surfaces of said fingers being of extended area and lying within the circumferential outer surface of said strip as a substantially uninterrupted cylindrical continuation thereof.