US 5,431,459 AGranted

Band with slotted wedge cams

AssigneeNPC, Inc.

InventorWilliam P. Gundy

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Abstract

A band assembly for effecting a seal particularly adapted for use in establishing a joint between a sewer pipe and a reinforced concrete manhole riser. The seal is affected by a tapered elastomeric tubular connector boot and a clamping band member with an expansion mechanism. Wedge followers are loosely captured in the end sections of the clamping band and lie along a circumferential center line on the band. Driving wedges extend along an axis transverse to the circumferential center line. The wedge followers and wedge drivers both have divergent edge sections that interengage and slide over one another as the driving wedges are pulled together by a clamping mechanism comprising, in a simplest form, a nut and bolt. As the driving wedges move toward the circumferential center line, they displace the wedge followers. The wedge followers engage the end portions of the clamping band and force it and the connector boot into a sealing relationship with the surrounding manhole riser.

Claims39

Dependent claims

In a system for clamping a flexible pipe connector to a pipe wall including a clamping member with a nominal radius of curvature and an outer surface for engaging the pipe connector and spaced first and second end sections that align along a circumferential center line, the improvement of expansion means for altering the separation between the first and second end sections thereby to alter the radius of curvature of the clamping member, said expansion means comprising:

A. first follower means and second follower means each having a shank portion for being inserted along the center line into a corresponding end section of the clamping member and a trapezoidal head portion with a base for overlying the end section and with divergent planar edge portions constituting the sides of the trapezoid, each said follower means having an outer surface that corresponds to the nominal radius of curvature,
B. first wedge means and second wedge means adapted for lying in a spaced relationship along an axis that is transverse to the center line to control the separation of said follower means, each of said first and second wedge means having a generally trapezoidal shape with edge means that diverge with respect to the transverse axis, that parallel said follower means edge portions and that terminate with outwardly facing open channel means for receiving said follower means planar edge portions, and having an outer surface for disposition about the transverse axis corresponding to the nominal radius of curvature, and
C. compression means for displacing said first and second wedge means with respect to the center line, one of said wedge means having means for receiving said compression means and the other of said wedge means including means for engaging said compression means whereby operation of said compression means changes the separation between the first and second end sections.

In a system for clamping a pipe to a manhole riser at an opening through a wall thereof including a flexible connector boot with a first circular end portion for insertion in the opening to be coextensive with portions of the manhole riser wall and a second circular end portion for receiving the pipe and a clamping band having a profile with a nominal radius of curvature and an outer surface for engaging the first circular end portion along a circumferentially extending center line and having spaced first and second end sections, the improvement of expansion means for altering the separation between the first and second end sections thereby to produce a sealing force that effects a seal between said first circular end portion and the wall of the manhole riser, said expansion means including:

A. first planar metal follower means and second planar metal follower means each having a shank portion for being inserted along the center line into an end section of the clamping band and a trapezoidal head portion with a base for overlying the end section and with divergent planar edge portions constituting the sides of the trapezoid, each said follower means being deformable to conform its outer surface to a radius corresponding to the nominal radius of curvature whereby said follower means can conform to the profile of the clamping band,
B. first metal wedge means and second metal wedge means adapted for lying in a spaced relationship along an axis that is transverse to the center line to control the separation of said follower means, each of said first and second wedge means having a generally trapezoidal shape and having;
i. edge means that diverge with respect to the transverse axis and that parallel said follower means edge portions for engaging said edge portions, and
ii. saddle means located along the transverse axis, each of said wedge means being deformable to conform its outer surface to a radius corresponding to the nominal radius of curvature whereby said wedge means can conform to the profile of the clamping band, and
C. compression means having first and second separable components loosely captured by said saddle means in said first and second wedge means respectively for displacing said wedge means with respect to the center line whereby said adjacent divergent edge means on said wedge means engage proximate ones of said planar edge portions on said follower means for increasing the separation between the first and second end sections as said compression means displaces said wedge means toward the center line thereby to cause said clamping band to seal said first circular end portion of said connector boot against the manhole riser.

2 more elements

In a system for clamping a pipe to a manhole riser at an opening through a wall thereof including a flexible connector boot with a first circular end portion for insertion in the opening to be coextensive with portions of the manhole riser wall and a second circular end portion for receiving the pipe and a clamping member having a profile and with a nominal radius of curvature and an outer surface for engaging the first end portion along a circumferentially extending center line and having spaced first and second end sections, the improvement of expansion means for altering the separation between the first and second end sections thereby to alter the radius of curvature of the clamping member, said expansion means comprising:

A. first follower means and second follower means each having a shank portion for being inserted along the center line into a corresponding end section of the clamping member and a trapezoidal head portion with a base that overlies the end section and with divergent planar edge portions constituting the sides of the trapezoid, each of said edge portions including a tongue extending therefrom and each of said follower means having an outer surface that corresponds to the nominal radius of curvature,
B. first plastic wedge means and second plastic wedge means adapted for lying, in a spaced relationship along an axis that is transverse to the center line to control the separation of said follower means, each of said first and second wedge means having a generally trapezoidal shape with edge means that diverge with respect to the transverse axis, that parallel said follower means edge portions and that terminate with outwardly facing grooves for receiving said tongues on said follower means and having an outer surface for disposition about the transverse axis that corresponds to the nominal radius of curvature, and
C. compression means for alignment along the transverse axis and for displacing said first and second wedge means with respect to the center line, each of said wedge means including means for engaging said compression means whereby operation of said compression means changes the separation between the first and second end sections of the clamping member.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.