US 4,915,418 AGranted

Hinged pipe coupling

AssigneeUrdan Industries (USA) Inc.

InventorJosef Palatchy

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Abstract

A circular pipe coupling for coupling aligned pipe ends is formed of arcuate segments arranged end to end. Each segment has outwardly extending lugs formed on its opposite ends, with the lugs on the adjacent segment ends being interconnected. One of each pair of interconnected lugs is formed with an integral hook, with a corresponding opening for receiving the hook formed on the opposite lug and providing an axle upon which the hook is engaged to form a hinge connection, except that one of the pairs of lugs is connected together by a manually releasable mechanical fastener, such as a bolt. One of the segments may be manually positioned upon the adjacent pipe ends to be coupled, with one or more segments freely dangling downwardly therefrom under the force of gravity, which sections may be manually pivotal upwardly for encircling the pipes and for applying the releasable mechanical fastener.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A pipe coupling for coupling together the adjacent ends of a pair of axially aligned pipes, comprising:

a substantially circular casing formed of arcuate segments which are aligned end to end along the arc of a circle and which are connected together, with the segments similarly U-shaped in cross-section so as to provide a continuous, inwardly opening, annular channel within the casing, and with the casing channel being generally defined by an annular base and a pair of spaced apart, annular, radially inwardly directed legs whose free, annular inner edges encircle and enclose the adjacent end portions of the aligned pipes;
an annular, resilient gasket positioned within the casing channel for encircling and sealing against the adjacent end portions of the aligned pipes for sealing the coupling joint of the pipes;
each segment having radially outwardly extending lugs formed on each of its opposite ends, with the lugs of each segment arranged to overlap the adjacent lug of its adjacent aligned segment;
hinge-like means for interconnecting at least one pair of the overlapped lugs of each pair of adjacent, aligned segments;
said hinge-like means comprising a hook formed on one of the lugs and an elongated, narrow, enclosed opening formed in the other of the pair of overlapped lugs for receiving the hook, with the opening being elongated in a direction parallel to the casing axis;
and with the portion of the free end of the lug defining one elongated edge of the opening forming an elongated axle which is axially parallel to the axis of the coupling, said axle positioned a radial distance away from said casing such that said hook is positioned on said axle between said axle and casing free of contact with said casing;
said hook being of a cross-sectional size to closely fit within the opening and being elongated in width to closely fit within the axially directed width of the opening, so that the hook passes through the enclosed opening, fits over the axle and extends around the axle, and the hook may be pivoted around the axle;
with the segment upon whose lug the hook is formed being pivotally movable downwardly and, therefore, supported by the hook and axle connection while dangling downwardly under the influence of gravity, so that one segment may be manually placed in position around a pipe end portion while its adjacent segment may dangle downwardly therefrom for subsequent manual pivoting around the pipes;
and a manually releasable mechanical fastener interconnecting and locking together at least one pair of adjacent overlapped lugs when the segments are circularly aligned with each other for encircling the adjacent coupled pipe ends.

6 more elements

A pipe coupling for connecting together a pair of pipes, comprising:

a substantially circular casing formed of arcuate segments which are aligned end to end along the arc of the circle and which are connected together at their adjacent ends;
each segment having radially outwardly extending lugs formed on each of its opposite ends, with the lugs of each segment arranged to overlap the adjacent lugs of its adjacent aligned segment;
hinge-like means connecting at least one pair of the overlapped lugs of each pair of adjacent aligned segments;
said hinge-like means comprising a curved hook formed on one of the lugs and an elongated, narrow, enclosed opening formed on the other of the pair of overlapped lugs for receiving the hook, with the portion of the free end of the lug defining one elongated edge of the opening providing an elongated axle which is axially parallel to the axis of the coupling and around which the hook is engaged, said axle positioned a radial distance away from said casing such that said hook is positioned on said axle between said axle and casing free of contact with said casing;
said opening being elongated in a direction parallel to the casing axis, and the hook being shaped, in cross-section, to substantially fill the opening;
with the segment upon whose lug the hook is formed being pivotally movable downwardly and may be supported while dangling downwardly while under the force of gravity, upon its hook and the axle connection, whereby one segment may be manually placed over and positioned about a pipe end portion while its adjacent segment may gravity dangle downwardly therefrom for subsequent manual pivoting around the pipe for coupling purposes;
and a manually releasable mechanical fastener interconnecting and locking together at least one pair of adjacent overlapped lugs when the segments are circularly aligned with each other to encircle the adjacent coupled pipe ends.

4 more elements

A pipe coupling for coupling together the adjacent ends of a pair of axially aligned pipes, comprising:

a substantially circular casing formed of at least three arcuate segments which are aligned end to end along the arc of a circle which are connected together at their adjacent ends, with each segment being similarly U-shaped in cross-section for providing a continuous inwardly opening annular channel within the casing for receiving an annular, resilient gasket positioned within the casing channel for encircling and sealing against the adjacent end portions of the aligned pipes;
each segment having radially outwardly extending lugs formed on each of its opposite ends, with the lugs of each segment arranged to overlap the adjacent lugs of its adjacent aligned segment;
one of each pair of lugs having an integral curved hook and the other of each pair of overlapped lugs having an elongated, narrow, enclosed opening for receiving the hook for thereby forming a hinge-like connection with the portion of the free end of the lug defining one elongated edge of the opening providing an elongated axle which is axially parallel to the axis of the coupling and around which the hook is engaged, said axle positioned a radial distance away from said casing such that said hook is positioned on said axle between said axle and casing free of contact with said casing, except for one overlapping pair of lugs being formed with aligned openings through which a manually releasable, mechanical fastener is inserted for interconnecting the segments and holding them in circular relationship.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.