Separable coupling for thin-walled flexible hose
AssigneeHydrasearch Co., Inc.
InventorsErnest B. Loker, Donald H. Turner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A coupling and method of coupling thin-walled/tubing and the like includes an inner member, an intermediate wedge member and an outer member in the form of a sleeve surrounding the intermediate and inner members with the tubing therebetween. The inner member is provided with a pair of tubing grooves and a seal receiving groove between the two tubing grooves or at least between one groove and the tube receiving end of the coupling. By means of annular ridges on the intermediate wedge member the tubing is forced into the tubing grooves, and by means of an annular ridge on the wedge the tubing is pressed tightly against the seal in the seal receiving groove, thus forming a fluid-tight coupling member.
Claims19
A coupling for use with flexible hose, tubing and the like comprising:
- (a) a first inner member,
- (b) a second intermediate member surrounding said first member,
- (c) a third outer member surrounding said second member,
- (d) said members each having a tubing receiving end,
- (e) means for receiving and retaining tubing positioned between said first and second members, said receiving and retaining means comprising:
- 1. at least one first substantially annular tubing groove on said first member,
- 2. a substantially annular seal receiving groove on said first member between said tubing receiving end and said one tubing groove,
- 3. a first substantially annular means on said second member cooperating with the tubing and said tubing groove for forcing the tubing into said tubing groove,
- 4. sealing means in said seal receiving groove,
- 5. a second substantially annular means in the form of a substantially annular element on said second member cooperating with said tubing and said sealing material for exerting a force into said sealing material.
A method of sealing thin-walled flexible hose, tubing and the like comprising:
- (a) providing a first inner coupling member, a second intermediate coupling member surrounding said first inner coupling member, and a third outer coupling member surrounding said second intermediate member, each coupling member having a tube receiving end,
- (b) forming at least one tube receiving groove in said inner member,
- (c) forming a seal receiving groove in said inner member between said one tubing receiving groove and said tube receiving end,
- (d) forming a substantially annular ridge on said intermediate member substantially concentric with said sealing material,
- (e) inserting sealing material in said seal receiving groove,
- (f) placing said outer member over the tubing,
- (g) placing said intermediate member over the tubing,
- (h) placing said inner member inside the tubing and joining said other members together thereby forcing the tubing into said tubing groove and into said sealing material to form a tight seal between said sealing material and the tubing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.