Pipe coupling comprising a divided sleeve

A pipe coupling for connecting together pipe ends, comprising:

• a tubular casing comprising a strip of metal formed into a tube with a gap extending longitudinally of the casing between free ends of the strip, the free ends of the strip being bent outwardly to form opposing spaced radially outwardly projecting flanges that extend longitudinally outwardly on opposite sides of the gap, the radially projecting flanges including through holes adjacent the free ends thereof extending therethrough, said tubular casing further comprising inwardly extending end flanges projecting inwardly at axial ends of the tube of said tubular casing;
• a hollow generally tubular sealing sleeve located inside the casing for receiving ends of pipes therein;
• frustoconical gripper rings located within and at opposite ends of the casing and having inner edges formed with teeth;
• a pair of reinforcing members separate from the tubular casing and having a length substantially the same as a longitudinal length of said projecting flanges of said tubular casing, each said reinforcing member including a web portion with through holes for placement substantially in alignment with the through holes of said respective outwardly projecting flanges when said reinforcing members contact with said projecting flanges on opposite sides of the gap, said reinforcing members each including a reinforcing member flange extending along a longitudinal edge of said web portion that is nearest to the axis of the coupling so that the longitudinal edge where said web portion and said reinforcing member flange directly adjoin bears against a region on an outer surface of said tube of said tubular casing;
• and
• a tensioning arrangement for placement through the aligned through holes of said web portions and said outwardly projecting flanges for interconnecting the free ends of the opposing spaced radially outwardly projecting flanges and for moving said flanges toward each other to tighten said tubular casing around said sealing sleeve,
• wherein, when the coupling is placed around the ends of two pipes to be connected and said tensioning arrangement is tightened, said tubular casing presses said sealing sleeve against pipe ends to form seals and forces the gripping rings to grip the respective pipe ends.

A pipe coupling for connecting together ends of two pipes, comprising:

• a tubular casing formed into a tube with a gap extending longitudinally of the casing between free ends of the strip, the free ends of the strip being bent outwardly to form opposing radially outwardly projecting substantially planar flanges that extend longitudinally outwardly on opposite sides of the gap, the radially projecting flanges including through holes adjacent the free ends thereof and extending therethrough;
• a hollow generally tubular sealing sleeve located inside said tube of said tubular casing for receiving ends of pipes therein;
• frustoconical gripping rings located within and at opposite ends of said tube of said tubular casing;
• a pair of reinforcing members dimensioned for extending along a longitudinal length of said projecting flanges of said tubular casing, each said reinforcing member including a web portion having a planar surface with through holes, said reinforcing members configured for placement substantially in alignment with the through holes of said respective outwardly projecting flanges when said web portion of each said reinforcing member is placed into surface-to-surface contact with the planar surface of a respective said projecting flange, said reinforcing members each including a reinforcing member flange extending along a longitudinal edge of the web portion that is nearest to the axis of the coupling so that at least a part of at least one of the edge of said web portion and the adjacent edge of said reinforcing member flange contact a region on an outer surface of said tubular casing;
• and
• a tensioning arrangement for placement through the aligned through holes of said web portions and said outwardly projecting flanges for interconnecting the free ends of the opposing radially outwardly projecting flanges and for moving said outwardly projecting flanges toward each other for tightening said tubular casing around said tubular sealing sleeve.