Pipe joint

Abstract

A pipe joint suitable for connection with a flexible tubular member includes a joint body, a sleeve and a cap nut. The cap nut is threadably fitted over one end portion of the joint body defining a tapering axial bore communicating with a cylindrical axial bore and having a shoulder at its axial inner end. The sleeve split axially into a plurality of segments at a cutout has a flange at its axial outer end, and at least one ridge of a currugation extending from its inner surface into engagement with one of grooves of a corrugated outer surface of the flexible tubular member. To assemble, the sleeve is fitted over the outer surface of the flexible tubular member in such a manner that one to five ridges of the corrugated outer surface of the flexible tubular member extend axially inwardly of an axial inner end of the sleeve, and the flexible tubular member is inserted in the tapering axial bore while the sleeve is held between the cap nut threadably fitted over the joint body and the flexible tubular member. As the cap nut is tightened, the sleeve moves axially inwardly into the tapering axial bore and is forced against the joint body while reducing the diameter of the flexible tubular member, until the one to five ridges of the flexible tubular member are compressed between an axial inner end of the sleeve and the shoulder and the inner surface of the sleeve is forced against the outer surface of the flexible tubular member to provided a seal therebetween. The flange of the sleeve is brought into abutting engagement with an axial inner end of the tapering axial bore, to thereby restrict the extent to which the cap nut is tightened.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.