Coupling with notched projections having gasket pocket of varying depth

A coupling for joining pipe elements in end to end relation, said coupling comprising:

• first and second segments joined end to end surrounding a central axis and defining a central space for receiving said pipe elements, each one of said segments defining an eccentrically shaped gasket pocket, each one of said segments comprising:
• first and second projections, each positioned in spaced apart relation on opposite sides of said segment and extending toward said central axis, at least a portion of each of said projections being engageable with a respective one of said pipe elements, each of said projections having first and second notches therein respectively positioned at opposite ends thereof, each said projection having an arcuate surface facing said central axis, each said arcuate surface having a first radius of curvature measured from a first center of curvature;
• a back wall extending between said first and second projections and eccentric to said projections as manifest by said back wall having an arcuate surface facing said central axis, said arcuate surface of said back wall having a second radius of curvature measured from a second center of curvature, said second center of curvature being non-coincident with said first centers of curvature as measured in a plane perpendicular to said central axis, such that a distance between said arcuate surface of said back wall and said arcuate surface of said projections, as measured along a radially projecting line extending from said central axis, being a first value at a first point midway between said opposite ends of said segments, said distance between said arcuate surface of said back wall and said arcuate surface of said projections being a second value at a second point proximate to one of said ends of each of said segments, and said distance between said arcuate surface of said back wall and said arcuate surface of said projections being a third value at a third point proximate to another of said ends of each of said segments, said first values being less than said second values and said third values.

A coupling for joining pipe elements in end to end relation, said coupling comprising:

• a plurality of segments joined end to end surrounding a central axis and defining a central space for receiving said pipe elements, at least one of said segments defining an eccentrically shaped gasket pocket, said at least one segment comprising:
• a pair of projections positioned in spaced apart relation on opposite sides of said one segment and extending toward said central axis, at least a portion of each of said projections being engageable with a respective one of said pipe elements, each of said projections having an arcuate surface facing said central axis, each of said projections having first and second notches therein respectively positioned at opposite ends thereof, said arcuate surface having a first radius of curvature measured from a first center of curvature;
• a back wall extending between said projections and eccentric to said projections as manifest by said back wall having an arcuate surface facing said central axis, said arcuate surface of said back wall having a second radius of curvature measured from a second center of curvature, said second center of curvature being non-coincident with said first center of curvature as measured in a plane perpendicular to said central axis, such that a distance between said arcuate surface of said back wall and said arcuate surface of at least one of said projections, as measured along a radially projecting line extending from said central axis, being a first value at a first point midway between said opposite ends of said at least one segment, said distance between said arcuate surface of said back wall and said arcuate surface of said at least one projection being a second value at a second point proximate to at least one of said ends of said at least one segment, and said distance between said arcuate surface of said back wall and said arcuate surface of said at least one projection being a third value at a third point proximate to at least another one of said ends of said at least one segment, said first value being less than said second value and said third value.

A coupling for joining pipe elements in end to end relation, said coupling comprising:

• a plurality of segments joined end to end surrounding a central axis and defining a central space for receiving said pipe elements, at least one of said segments defining an eccentrically shaped gasket pocket, said at least one segment comprising:
• a pair of projections positioned in spaced apart relation on opposite sides of said one segment and extending toward said central axis, at least a portion of each of said projections being engageable with a respective one of said pipe elements, at least one of said projections having an arcuate surface facing said central axis, said at least one projection having at least one notch therein positioned at an end thereof;
• a back wall extending between said projections and eccentric to said at least one projection as manifest by said back wall having an arcuate surface facing said central axis, a distance between said arcuate surface of said back wall and said arcuate surface of said at least one projection, as measured along a radially projecting line extending from said central axis, being a first value at a first point midway between said ends of said at least one segment, said distance between said arcuate surface of said back wall and said arcuate surface of said at least one projection being a second value at a second point proximate to at least one of said ends of said at least one segment, and said distance between said arcuate surface of said back wall and said arcuate surface of said at least one projection being a third value at a third point proximate to at least another one of said ends of said at least one segment, said first value being less than said second value and said third value;
• and
• a ring gasket positioned within said central space, said ring gasket having an outer circumference having a length greater than the sum of the lengths of said arcuate surfaces of said back walls of said segments, said ring gasket supporting at least two of said segments in spaced apart relation, said eccentrically shaped gasket pocket controlling a degree of distortion of said ring gasket out of round.