An apparatus for restraining a member includes a gland, a plurality of bolts disposed in the gland, a plurality of wedges disposed in the gland, a “C” shaped clip, and a spacer. The gland has pockets and a face having an access opening providing lateral access to each pocket. Each gland pocket includes a wedge having teeth and a cavity. Each cavity includes a slot formed transverse to the bore. The clip is sized to slide through the access opening of the gland and shaped to be closely received in the slot of the wedge. The spacer attaches to the bold and has flexible prongs.

A seal configured for use in a chiller refrigeration system is provided including a first flange and a second flange. The first flange and the second flange are coaxially aligned and in direct contact. The second flange includes at least one groove within which a first sealing mechanism and a second sealing mechanism are positioned. The first sealing mechanism and the second sealing mechanism are separated by a distance such that a chamber configured to receive a pressurized gas is formed between the first and second sealing mechanisms.

A sealing member is disclosed having an outer surface that supports segments of a pipe coupling for joining pipe elements in end to end relation. The segments are supported in spaced relation to permit the pipe elements to be inserted into the coupling without disassembly. The sealing member is a flexible ring that has conical lips around its inner circumference to engage and guide the pipe elements into the coupling. A tongue extends radially inwardly between the lips, the tongue having conical shoulders which engage and guide the pipe ends. The tongue locates the coupling segments relatively to the pipe elements.

A coupling device for coupling a tube includes a pressure element for exerting a clamping force on the tube having a series of correspondingly embodied neighboring pressure elements, wherein each pressure element of the series has a first pressure element segment and a second pressure element segment, and wherein the first pressure element segment is placed proximally and the second pressure element segment distally with respect to the tube. The first pressure element segment is provided with a protrusion extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of the tube, and the protrusion extends into a slot that is provided in a directly neighboring second pressure element segment that forms part of a neighboring pressure element.

An assembly comprising a tubular inlet riser adapted to be mounted within a toilet tank where a main control valve assembly would be mounted on the upper end of the inlet riser, the tubular inlet riser having an inner riser bore so that fill water can pass through this bore when the tank empties in accordance with the main control valve assembly, the inlet riser having a bottom-most portion having an outer threaded portion and a bottom seat, the assembly further comprising a quick connect coupling.

An assembly comprising a tubular inlet riser adapted to be mounted within a toilet tank where a main control valve assembly would be mounted on the upper end of the inlet riser, the tubular inlet riser having an inner riser bore so that fill water can pass through this bore when the tank empties in accordance with the main control valve assembly, the inlet riser having a bottom-most portion having an outer threaded portion and a bottom seat, the assembly further comprising a quick connect coupling.

The method of providing a clamping connection comprising providing one or more clamping hubs, providing two or more clamping segments to engage the clamping hubs, constraining the clamping segments to move approximately radially with respect to the clamp hubs, providing a tension band around the clamping segments which slides circumferentially relative to the clamping segments, and adjusting the ratio of the contact area of the tension band to the clamping hubs and the area of the clamping hubs to compensate for the difference in loading on the clamping hub due to sliding friction between the tension band and the clamping hubs.

A tube infrastructure includes a first tube; a second tube that is coupled to the first tube; and a fluid tank that is disposed to surround a coupling region of the first tube and the second tube and is filled with a fluid to seal the coupling region, wherein the fluid tank allows negative pressure to be maintained inside the first tube and the second tube.

A coupling may be configured to receive and secure an insertion end of a conduit. An outer surface of the insertion end of the conduit may be smooth and free of grooves, flanges and beads. A first member of the coupling may define a first passageway. A second member of the coupling may define a second passageway. The first member may be in engagement with the second member. A gripping ring having an inner edge defining a series of teeth may be disposed within the second member. A support ring and O-ring may also be disposed within the second member.

A coupling may be configured to receive and secure an insertion end of a conduit. An outer surface of the insertion end of the conduit may be smooth and free of grooves, flanges and beads. A first member of the coupling may define a first passageway. A second member of the coupling may define a second passageway. The first member may be in engagement with the second member. A gripping ring having an inner edge defining a series of teeth may be disposed within the second member. A support ring and O-ring may also be disposed within the second member.