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US 4,903,996 AGranted
Fastener system for pipe coupling bands
AssigneeMan-O-War, Inc.
InventorRichard W. Herr
Life of this patent
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AssigneeMan-O-War, Inc.
InventorRichard W. Herr
Estimating the term…
A coupling band for forming a pipe joint between adjacent ends of a pair of respective pipe lengths has an elongate fastener tongue at one end which is fed through a corresponding receiver at the other end of the band. The tongue and the receiver are provided with complementary ratchet-type teeth so that the tongue can be fed through the receiver in a band-tightening direction and so that the teeth will effectively hold the tongue within the receiver, preventing it from being withdrawn in a band-relaxing direction. A manually operated rotary ratcheting tool is provided for feeding the tongue through the receiver in order to tighten the band when forming the pipe joint. When the band has been tightened to the required extent, the ratcheting tool is removed and a leading end of the tongue which has passed through the receiver is bent back over the top of the receiver in the form of a hook providing additional security against release of the band.
A coupling band for circumferentially encircling a pair of adjacent pipe ends to form a pipe joint therebetween, the coupling band having adjustable fastener means at opposite ends of the band comprising an elongated tongue at one end of the band, a longitudinal array of first ratchet teeth provided on the tongue, a channel-shaped tongue receiver on the opposite end of the band, and a longitudinal array of second ratchet teeth in the receiver complementary to the first ratchet teeth, the respective ratchet teeth being configured to allow the tongue to be fed lengthwise through the receiver in a band-tightening direction and to hold the tongue against withdrawal from the receiver in a band-releasing direction, wherein the tongue has a leading end and a trailing end and wherein substantially only a trailing end portion of the tongue is secured to the coupling band at a location which is spaced from the respective end of the band whereby in securing the band around adjacent pipe ends, an end portion of the band under the tongue can be worked beneath an opposite end portion of the band under the receiver when the tongue is worked through the receiver.
A combination comprising a coupling band for circumferentially encircling a pair of adjacent pipe ends to form a pipe joint therebetween, the coupling band having adjustable fastener means at opposite ends of the band comprising an elongated tongue at one end of the band, a longitudinal array of first ratchet teeth provided on the tongue, a channel-shaped tongue receiver on the opposite end of the band, and a longitudinal array of second ratchet teeth in the receiver complementary to the first ratchet teeth, the respective ratchet teeth being configured to allow the tongue to be fed lengthwise through the receiver in a band-tightening direction and to hold the tongue against withdrawal from the receiver in a band-releasing direction, a manual ratcheting tool for fitting over the receiver and working the tongue through the receiver when tensioning the band around a pair of adjacent pipe ends to form a pipe joint, the ratcheting tool comprising a frame for fitting over the receiver, a handle on the frame, a ratcheting roller means at one end of the frame for positioning adjacent an entry end of the receiver over the tongue, the roller means having a circumferential array of third ratchet teeth complementary with and oppositely directed to the first ratchet teeth for engaging the first ratchet teeth and working the tongue through the receiver with a ratcheting action in the band-tightening direction responsive to rotation of the roller means, the tool further including operating means for rotating the roller means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.