Grooved-ended resilient expansion joint for joining a pair of groove-ended pipes

Abstract

A grooved-ended resilient expansion joint is disclosed. The expansion joint has a resilient expansion member with a central resilient portion and two resilient axially disposed cylindrical ends. Each cylindrical end has a radially outwardly raised distal cylindrical gasket portion with at least one inside shoulder having an inner diameter sized substantially the same as an outer diameter of a pipe to be joined. Each cylindrical end also has a neck portion between the central portion and the gasket portion that is sized to receive a grooved-ended pipe nipple.

Claims

1. A grooved-ended resilient pipe expansion joint and pipe combination comprising: a pair of grooved ended pipes mechanically coupled into the grooved-ended resilient expansion joint; pair of grooved pipe nipples having an outer diameter substantially the same as the pair of grooved ended pipes; the expansion joint further comprising a resilient expansion member having a central resilient portion and two resilient axially disposed cylindrical ends; each end having a radially outwardly raised distal cylindrical gasket portion with at least one inside shoulder having an inner diameter sized substantially the same as an outer diameter of one of the pair of grooved ended pipes; each end having a neck portion between the central resilient portion and the radially outwardly raised distal cylindrical gasket portion the neck portion having an outer diameter substantially the same as an inner diameter of one of the grooved pipe nipples; and a mechanical pipe coupling for engaging one of the pair of grooved ended pipes and one of the pair of grooved pipe nipples.

2. The combination of claim 1, further comprising the mechanical pipe coupling having axially inward projecting lands that mate with an end groove in the pipe and with the groove in the pipe nipple.

3. The combination of claim 1, wherein the mechanical pipe coupling is fastened around the grooved pipe nipple and the end groove in the pipe, the end groove in the pipe disposed inside the inside shoulder of the cylindrical gasket portion of the expansion member, and the cylindrical gasket portion is thus disposed within an interior gasket receiving portion of the coupling.

4. The combination of claim 1, the cylindrical gasket portion further comprising a second inside shoulder, the second inside shoulder sized to receive the grooved pipe nipple, wherein the grooved pipe nipple is disposed inside the second inside shoulder of the cylindrical gasket portion.

5. The combination of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical gasket portion is formed into a trapezoid shape to fit the interior gasket receiving portion of the coupling.

6. The combination of claim 1, the resilient expansion member further comprising a plurality of central portions.

7. The combination of claim 6, wherein at least one of the plurality of central portions is roughly spherical.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective partial sectional view of a prior art rubber expansion joint formed of rubber bellows with rubber flanges.

(2) FIG. 2 is a perspective partial sectional view of a prior art bellows reinforced with layers of nylon fabrics or steel braiding.

(3) FIG. 3 is a perspective partial sectional view of a prior art flange installation requiring welding.

(4) FIG. 4 is a perspective partial sectional view of a flange installation with special adapters.

(5) FIG. 5 is a perspective partial sectional view of a disclosed rubber expansion joint.

BEST MODE

(6) FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional rubber expansion joint 10 which includes rubber bellows 12 and a pair of steel flange reinforcements 11.

(7) FIG. 2 illustrates conventional rubber expansion joint 20 with conventional bellows rubber 22 reinforced with layers of nylon fabric or steel braiding 23, and a steel flange 24.

(8) FIG. 3 illustrates the necessity of high temperature welding 31 to install a flange on a conventional pipe end.

(9) FIG. 4 illustrates the use of special adapters 41 to install a flanged rubber expansion joint in a grooved piping system.

(10) In FIG. 5, rubber expansion joint 100 has rubber bellows 140 and grooved pipe nipple 150. The axial outer ends of joint 100 have a neck portion 143 and a seal portion 142, desirably in roughly trapezoidal form. Pipe nipple 150 is seated on neck portion 143. Seal portion 142 engages pipe 120 and all is connected firmly with couplings 130.