Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

A pipe coupling for application to plain end pipe and pipe pile by a driving force. It provides much greater tensile strength than the double sleeve type of pipe coupling disclosed and claimed in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,053,247 in that it provides greater strength under tension. In one embodiment, a pair of tapered wedge rings are disposed in spaced coaxial relation within an outer cylindrical sleeve having corresponding tapered inner surfaces to provide tapered annular sockets into which pipe sections may be forced or driven to expand the diameter of the pipe. An annular shoulder on the sleeve forms the bottom of the annular sockets. Under tension, the tapered rings wedge the pipe against the outer sleeve to resist axial removal of the pipe from the coupling socket. In another embodiment, the tapered wedge rings are disposed in coaxial relation outside the cylindrical sleeve to form annular tapered sockets which serve to reduce the diameter of the pipe as it is driven into the socket. Various other modifications, utilizing a similar wedge-ring principle, serve to couple pipe sections of different diameters respectively. Another embodiment of coupling employs the wedge-ring principle to couple two sections of reenforced pre-cast concrete pipe pile. Another embodiment provides an end fitting for reenforcing the end of a pipe pile and employs the wedge-ring principle to resist removal of the end fitting.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim