Pipe coupling

Abstract

A coupling to connect pipe, including lengths of pipe, valves, hoses, and pipe and hose fittings, includes a body to closely receive the end portion of the pipe to be coupled and jaw members to secure the pipe to be coupled in the coupling. The jaw members of the coupling may include a set of first class lever jaw members having a power arm and a weight arm mounted to the coupling body to establish a fulcrum for rotation of each lever jaw member about the fulcrum between an engaged position and a disengaged position with respect to the pipe end portion when received in the coupling body. Additionally or alternately, jaw members may be provided adapted to slide along the inner groove in the coupling body to move between a position spaced radially from the received pipe to allow the pipe to move into or out of the coupling body and a position securing the pipe in the coupling body. An insert may be provided to lock the jaw members in position.

1 . A coupling for attachment to the end portion of a pipe, comprising: 
 a coupling body to closely receive the end portion of the pipe to be coupled therewith; and    a set of first class lever jaw members having a power arm and a separate weight arm mounted on an axle secured to an end portion of the coupling body and extending from the securement to the coupling body, said axle forming a fulcrum for simultaneous rotation of each lever jaw member about the fulcrum where rotation of the power arm about the fulcrum causes rotation of the weight arm about the fulcrum to an engaged position or to a disengaged position with respect to the end portion of the pipe when the pipe is received in the coupling body.    
   
   
       2 . A coupling for attachment to the end portion of a pipe according to  claim 1 , wherein the axle is a bolt secured to the coupling body.  
   
   
       3 . A coupling for attachment to the end portion of a pipe according to  claim 1 , additionally including a sleeve mounted on the axle, the weight arm and the power arm being mounted on the sleeve in a manner to prevent rotation of the weight arm with respect to the sleeve and the power arm.  
   
   
       4 . A coupling for attachment to the end portion of a pipe according to  claim 3 , wherein the sleeve is polygonal.  
   
   
       5 . A coupling for attachment to the end portion of a pipe according to  claim 4 , wherein the power arm is removably mounted on the sleeve.  
   
   
       6 . A coupling for attachment to the end portion of a pipe according to  claim 1 , wherein the coupling has opposite coupling body end portions and joins two pipes in end to end relationship, each pipe having an end portion, wherein the coupling body is adapted to closely receive the end portion of each of the two pipes to be joined in end to end relationship, the set of lever jaw members being located with respect to one end portion of the coupling body to engage the end portion of one of the two pipes to be joined, the coupling further including a second set of first class lever jaw members having a power arm and a separate weight arm mounted on a second axle secured to the coupling body at the opposite coupling body end portion, said second axle forming a fulcrum for simultaneous rotation of each lever jaw member of the second set of lever jaw members about the fulcrum where rotation of the power arm of the second set of jaw members about the fulcrum causes rotation of the weight arm of the second set of jaw members about the fulcrum to an engaged position or to a disengaged position with respect to the end portion of the other pipe when received in the coupling body.  
   
   
       7 . A coupling for attachment to the end portion of a pipe according to  claim 6 , wherein the coupling body includes at least one gasket sealing means for sealing around the ends of the pipes to be joined to prevent leakage therefrom.  
   
   
       8 . A coupling for attachment to the end portion of a pipe according to  claim 1 , wherein the coupling body includes at least one gasket sealing means for sealing around the end of the pipe to be joined to prevent leakage therefrom.  
   
   
       9 . A coupling for attachment to the end portion of a pipe, comprising: 
 a coupling body to closely receive the end portion of the pipe to be coupled therewith, said coupling body including an end portion extending at least partially over the pipe when the end portion of the pipe is received in the coupling body, said end portion of the coupling having an internal groove therein concentric with the pipe received in the coupling body; and    at least one jaw member received in the internal groove in the coupling body in a position with respect to the pipe when received in the coupling body to secure the pipe received in the coupling body in the coupling body.    
   
   
       10 . A coupling for attachment to the end portion of a pipe according to  claim 9 , wherein the at least one jaw member received in the internal groove is movable in the internal groove between a position spaced radially from the received pipe to allow the pipe to move into or out of the coupling body and a position securing the pipe in the coupling body.  
   
   
       11 . A coupling for attachment to the end portion of a pipe according to  claim 10 , wherein the coupling includes at least one set of first class lever jaw members having a power arm and a separate weight arm extending from a fulcrum and means mounting the set of lever jaw members to the coupling body to establish the fulcrum for rotation of each lever jaw member about the fulcrum where rotation of the power arm about the fulcrum causes rotation of the weight arm about the fulcrum, and wherein the at least one jaw member is the weight arm.  
   
   
       12 . A coupling for attachment to the end portion of a pipe according to  claim 11 , wherein the at least one jaw member includes a camming surface and is mounted in the internal groove so that the camming surface interacts with a mating camming pin secured in the groove.  
   
   
       13 . A coupling for attachment to the end portion of a pipe according to  claim 12 , wherein the camming surface of the at least one jaw member is a camming slot in the at least one jaw member and the camming pin extends through the camming slot.  
   
   
       14 . A coupling for attachment to the end portion of a pipe according to  claim 9 , wherein the at least one jaw member is removably received in the internal groove.  
   
   
       15 . A coupling for attachment to the end portion of a pipe according to  claim 14 , wherein the internal groove opens to outside the coupling and wherein the at least one jaw member is removably slid into the internal groove to the position to secure the pipe received in the coupling body in the coupling body.  
   
   
       16 . A coupling for attachment to the end portion of a pipe according to  claim 9 , additionally including an insert to maintain the jaw member in the position with respect to the pipe when received in the coupling body to secure the pipe received in the coupling body in the coupling body.  
   
   
       17 . A coupling for attachment to the end portion of a pipe according to  claim 16 , wherein the insert is secured to the coupling body by a bolt.  
   
   
       18 . A coupling for joining two pipes in end to end relationship, each pipe having an end portion, wherein the coupling body is adapted to closely receive the end portion of each of the two pipes to be joined in end to end relationship, comprising: 
 a coupling body to closely receive the end portions of each of the two pipes to be joined in end to end relationship, said coupling body including opposite end portions extending at least partially over the end portions of the pipes to be joined when the end portions of the pipes to be joined are received in the coupling body, said end portions of the coupling each having an internal groove therein concentric with the pipes received in the coupling body; and    at least one jaw member received in each of the internal grooves in the coupling body in a position with respect to the end portion of one of the pipes to be joined when received in the coupling body to secure the pipes received in the coupling body in the coupling body.    
   
   
       19 . A coupling for joining two pipes in end to end relationship according to  claim 18 , additionally including an insert associated with each of the grooves to maintain the jaw member in the groove in the position with respect to the pipe when received in the coupling body to secure the pipe received in the coupling body in the coupling body.  
   
   
       20 . A coupling for attachment to the end portion of a pipe according to  claim 19 , wherein the inserts are joined by a bridging member.  
   
   
       21 . A coupling for attachment to the end portion of a pipe according to  claim 20 , wherein the inserts are secured to the coupling body by a bolt extending through the bridging member.