Kit for constructing an expansion joint for joining pipes
AssigneeCaoutchouc Manufacture et Plastiques
InventorRoland Joug
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A kit for constructing an expansion joint for pipes includes a flexible sleeve and at least one flange, the sleeve for being anchored to the flange by a reinforcement bead of the sleeve which reinforcement head includes an articulated chain of interconnecting elements disposed within the bead, the interconnecting elements being rotatable about one another on an axis of rotation which is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the flexible sleeve.
Claims17
A kit for making a pipe expansion joint, said kit comprising:
- a flexible sleeve having a longitudinal axis;
- at least one flange for being disposed about said flexible sleeve, said at least one flange having an orifice portion, said orifice portion comprising an orifice, the orifice having an internal dimension;
- means for anchoring said flexible sleeve to said at least one flange;
- said means for anchoring comprising a shoulder portion of said flexible sleeve, said shoulder portion having an external dimension, the external dimension of said shoulder portion being greater than the internal dimension of the orifice of said at least one flange;
- said shoulder portion comprising a plurality of adjacent, interconnecting elements, each of said interconnecting elements being rotatably connected to its adjacent elements by means for providing rotation so that an axis of rotation of any two adjacent elements is parallel to the longitudinal axis of said flexible sleeve;
- said interconnecting elements, said means for providing rotation and said shoulder portion being configured to permit angular movement between said interconnecting elements about their corresponding axes of rotation and thus decrease the external dimension of said shoulder portion to thereby permit insertion of said shoulder portion through the orifice of said at least one flange;
- said means for providing rotation comprise pins for being disposed through said adjacent interconnecting elements;
- said pins each having a longitudinal axis;
- and
- the longitudinal axis of said pins being disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis of said sleeve.
A flexible sleeve for a pipe expansion joint, said flexible sleeve for being disposed within an orifice, the orifice having an internal dimension and the flexible sleeve having a longitudinal axis, said flexible sleeve comprising:
- means for anchoring said flexible sleeve to an orifice into which said flexible sleeve is to be disposed;
- said means for anchoring comprising a shoulder portion of said flexible sleeve, said shoulder portion having an external dimension, the external dimension of said shoulder portion being greater than the internal dimension of an orifice into which said flexible sleeve is to be disposed;
- said shoulder portion comprising a plurality of adjacent, interconnecting elements, each of said interconnecting elements being rotatably connected by means for providing rotation to its adjacent elements so that an axis of rotation of any two adjacent elements is parallel to the longitudinal axis of said flexible sleeve;
- said interconnecting elements, aid means for providing rotation and said shoulder portion being configured to permit angular movement between said interconnecting elements about their corresponding axes of rotation and thus decrease the external dimension of said shoulder portion to thereby permit insertion of said shoulder portion through an orifice into which said flexible sleeve is to be disposed;
- said means for providing rotation comprise pins for being disposed through said adjacent interconnecting elements;
- said pins each having a longitudinal axis;
- and
- the longitudinal axis of said pins being disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis of said sleeve.
A means for anchoring a flexible sleeve of a pipe expansion joint within an orifice, said flexible sleeve having a longitudinal axis, the orifice having an internal dimension, said means for anchoring comprising:
- a shoulder portion of said flexible sleeve, said shoulder portion having an external dimension, the external dimension of said shoulder portion being greater than the internal dimension of the orifice;
- said shoulder portion comprising a plurality of adjacent, interconnecting elements, each of said interconnecting elements being rotatably connected by means for providing rotation to its adjacent elements so that an axis of rotation of any two adjacent elements is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said flexible sleeve;
- said interconnecting elements, said means for providing rotation and said shoulder portion being configured to permit angular movement between said interconnecting elements about their corresponding axes of rotation and thus decrease the external dimension of said shoulder portion to thereby permit insertion of said shoulder portion through the orifice;
- said means for providing rotation comprise pins for being disposed through said adjacent interconnecting elements;
- said pins each having a longitudinal axis;
- and
- the longitudinal axis of said pins being disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis of said sleeve.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.