Assembly for connecting multi-duct conduits

Abstract

An assembly for the coupling of a multi-duct conduit system for sealing the outer and inner ducts of adjacent conduit sections in end to end relationship. There is provided a primary coupling housing which includes preferably a premolded body portion which is insertible into the outer most housing of a ducted system. The body system in the body portion comprises first and second half body portions. Each first and second half body portion is adapted to receive a plurality of ducts into bores in the body housing so that a first plurality of ducts enters and is insertible into the body portion at a first end and the second adjoining plurality of duct members are insertible into the body portion on the second end, the first and second portions of ducts being slidably engaged into the body portion and meeting substantially at a center point within the body portion, for defining a continuous pathway within the ducts for housing transmission lines therewithin.

What is claimed as invention is: 
     
       1. Apparatus for joining two longitudinally aligned conduit assemblies in end-to-end relationship, each conduit assembly having a plurality of .Iadd.smaller diameter .Iaddend.conduits disposed in a .Iadd.larger diameter .Iaddend.casing, the apparatus comprising: (a) a .Iadd.cylindrically shaped body member for joining the conduit assemblies together, the .Iaddend.body member having: (i) .Iadd.a first end and a second end; .Iaddend.   .Iadd.(ii) .Iaddend.an outside diameter .[.smaller than the inside diameter of the casing.]. .Iadd.so that upon assembly of the two longitudinally aligned conduit assemblies, the body member can be contained entirely within the casings.Iaddend.;   .[.(ii).]. .Iadd.(iii) .Iaddend.a plurality of .Iadd.tubular .Iaddend.bores, each .[.bore being shaped to receive an end of a conduit from each conduit assembly,.]. .Iadd.extending from the first end to the second end, .Iaddend.each bore having a diameter .[.greater than.]. .Iadd.that can accommodate .Iaddend.the outside diameter of the conduits it .[.is to receive.]. .Iadd.receives upon assembly; .Iaddend.and   .[.(iii) two ends; and.]. .Iadd.(iv) a length greater than its outside diameter; .Iaddend.     (b) .Iadd.an end member having a plurality of bores wherein the bores of the end member correspond to the bores of the body member; and .Iaddend.   .Iadd.(c) .Iadd.a single .Iaddend.flexible gasket means .[.positioned in the wall of each of the bores at each end of.]. .Iadd.secured between the end member and .Iaddend.the body member.[.,.]..Iadd.; said single flexible gasket means having a plurality of openings corresponding to and having a smaller diameter than the bores of the end member for providing a seal between the body member and the conducts of one of the conduit assemblies, and said single flexible gasket means having an annular portion wherein said annular portion has a diameter larger than the diameter of the body member and is positioned on and around said body member for providing a seal between the body member and .[.each of conduits.]. .Iadd.the casing of said one of the conduit assemblies.Iaddend.. .[.2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:   a gasket member adjacent each end of the body member for providing a seal   
     
     
        between the body member and each casing..]. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: 
     
     
       spacer members for assisting the conduits align with the bores. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: means on the exterior of the body member for restricting longitudinal movement of the body member relative to the casings. .[.5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flexible gasket means also provide a seal between   
     
     
        the body member and the casing..]. 6. The apparatus in claim .[.5.]. wherein the .[.gasket means are secured to the body member with.]. .Iadd.end member is a plate .[.members.]. .Iadd.member.Iaddend.. .[.7. Apparatus for joining two conduit assemblies, each conduit assembly including a casing and a plurality of conduits disposed within the casing, the apparatus comprising: (a) a body member having: (i) an outside diameter small than the inside diameter of the casing:   (ii) a plurality of bores, each bore being shaped to receive an end of a conduit from each conduit assembly, each bore having a diameter greater than the outside diameter of the conduit it is it receiver; and   (iii) two ends; and     (b) moving means for longitudinally moving the body member after the body member has been inserted into one of the conduit assemblies and the two conduit assemblies are longitudinally aligned adjacent one another..].   
     
     
        .[. .  The apparatus of claim 7, wherein: the moving means comprises lanyard means having two ends, a first end of the lanyard means being secured to the exterior of the body member intermediate the two ends of the body member..]. .[.9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:   the lanyard means has a length greater than the distance between its first end and the end of the body member nearest its first end..]. .[.10. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:   gasket means adjacent each end of the body member for providing a seal between the body member and the conduits..]. .[.11. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:   spacer members for assisting the conduits align with the bores..]. .[.12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the flexible gasket means also provide a seal between the body member and the casing..]. .[.13. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the gasket means are secured to the body member with plate members..]. .[.14. A method of joining two conduit assemblies in an end-to-end relationship, each conduit assembly comprising a casing and a plurality of conduits disposed within the casing, the method comprising:   (a) inserting a body member into the first conduit assembly, the body member including first and second end portions, and having an outside diameter smaller than the inside diameter of the casing, and having a plurality of bores having a diameter larger than the outside diameter of the conduits;   (b) providing sealing means formed in the wall of each of said bores of the first and second end portions of the body portion, for sealably engaging each conduit aligned in each bore;   (c) longitudinally aligning the first and second conduit assemblies;   (d) abutting the first conduit assembly with the second conduit assembly; and   (e) moving the body member to a position in which a first portion of the body member is disposed in the first conduit assembly and a second portion of the body member is disposed in the second conduit assembly..]. .[.15. The method of claim 14, wherein:   the body member comprises lanyard means having first and second ends, the first end of the lanyard means being attached to the exterior of the body member at a point intermediate the two ends of the body member; and   in step (e), the body member is moved by pulling on the lanyard means until the first end of the lanyard means is positioned adjacent the first conduit assembly and the second conduit assembly..]. .[.16. The method of claim 15, wherein:   the second end of the lanyard means extends beyond an end of the body member..]. .[.17. The method of claim 14, wherein:   the sealing means positioned in the wall of each of said bores of the first and second end portions of the body portion further comprises gasket means adjacent each end of the body member for providing a seal between the body member and the conduits..]. .[.18. The method of claim 14, wherein:   the body member further comprises gasket means adjacent each end thereof for providing a seal between the body member and the casings..]. .[.19. The method of claim 14, wherein:   the body member further comprises gasket means adjacent each end therefor for providing a seal between the body member and the conduits and between the body member and the casings..]. .[.20. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of forming the first and second conduit assemblies by   
     
     
        making a cut through a casing in a plurality of conduits..]. 21. An apparatus for joining two longitudinally aligned conduit assemblies in end-to-end relationship, each conduit assembly having a plurality of conduits disposed in an exterior casing, the apparatus comprising: (a) a cylindrical body portion, .Iadd.being .Iaddend.circular in cross-section, .Iadd.having a length greater than its diameter, .Iaddend.and positionable within .[.the.]. .Iadd.a first .Iaddend.exterior casing .Iadd.and a second exterior casing.]..Iaddend.;   (b) a first end of the cylindrical body portion.[., further.]. comprising a .Iadd.first .Iaddend.plurality of circular bores, each bore .Iadd.of the first plurality of circular bores .Iaddend.receiving a conduit as the first end of the cylindrical body portion is positioned within .[.a.]. .Iadd.the .Iaddend.first exterior casing;   (c) a second end of the cylindrical body portion.[., further.]. comprising a .Iadd.second .Iaddend.plurality of circular bores, each bore .Iadd.of the second plurality of circular bores .Iaddend.receiving a conduit as the second end of the cylindrical body portion is positioned within .[.a.]. .Iadd.the .Iaddend.second exterior casing; and   (d) .[.sealing means positioned in the wall of each of said bores of the first and second end portions of the cylindrical body portion, for sealably engaging each conduit positioned in each bore; and   (e) exterior sealing means positioned around the outer surface of the cylindrical body portion for sealing the first and second ends of the cylindrical body portion against the inner wall of the first and second exterior casings, the casings positioned end-to-end encircling the entire cylindrical body portion, the cylindrical body portion defining a uninterrupted pathway within the plurality of conduits aligned end-to-end within the cylindrical body portion.]. .Iadd.an end member having a third plurality of bores wherein the bores of the end member correspond to the bores of the first and second pluralities of bores of the cylindrical body portion; and   (e) a single flexible gasket means secured between the end member and the cylindrical body portion; said single flexible gasket means having a plurality of openings corresponding to and having a smaller diameter than the bores of the end member for providing a seal between the cylindrical body portion and the conduits at the second end of the cylindrical body portion, and said single flexible gasket means having an annular portion wherein said annular portion has a diameter larger than the diameter of the cylindrical body portion and is positioned on and around said cylindrical body portion for providing a seal between the cylindrical body   
     
     
        portion and the first exterior casing. .Iaddend. .[.22.  An apparatus for joining two longitudinally aligned conduit assemblies in end-to-end relationship, each conduit assembly having a plurality of conduits disposed in an exterior casing, the apparatus comprising: (a) a cylindrical body portion, circular in cross-section, and positionable within the exterior casing;   (b) a firsst end of the cylindrical body portion, further comprising a plurality of circular bores, each bore receiving a conduit in sealing relationship with the wall of the bore at a first end of the cylindrical body portion as each conduit is positioned in each bore;   (c) a second end of the cylindrical body portion, further comprising a plurality of circular bores, each bore receiving a conduit in sealing relationship with the wall of the bore at the second end of the cylindrical body portion as each conduit is positioned in each bore; and   
     
     
       (d) exterior sealing means positioned around the outer surface of the cylindrical body portion for sealing the first and second ends of the cylindrical body portion against the inner wall of each exterior casing, the casings positioned end-to-end encircling the cylindrical body portion, the cylindrical body portion defining a uninterrupted pathway within the plurality of conduits aligned end-to-end within the cylindrical body 
     
     
        portion..]. .Iadd.23.  A conduit assembly system comprising: (a) a first conduit assembly including a first plurality of conduits disposed in a first exterior casing and a second conduit assembly including a second plurality of conduits disposed in a second exterior casing;   (b) a cylindrical body portion being circular in cross-section and having a length greater than its diameter, the body portion positioned within the first and second exterior casings;   (c) first end of the cylindrical body portion comprising a first plurality of circular bores, each bore of the first plurality of circular bores receiving one of the first plurality of conduits;   (d) a second end of the cylindrical body portion comprising a second plurality of circular bores, each bore of the second plurality of circular bores receiving one of the second plurality of conduits;   (f) an end member having a third plurality of bores wherein the bores of the end member correspond to the bores of the first and second pluralities of bores of the cylindrical body portion; and   (g) a single flexible gasket means secured between the end member and the cylindrical body portion; said single flexible gasket means having a plurality of openings corresponding to and having a smaller diameter than the bores of the end member for providing a seal between the cylindrical body portion and the conduits at the first end of the cylindrical body portion, and said single flexible gasket means having an annular portion wherein said annular portion has a diameter larger than the diameter of the cylindrical body portion and is positioned on and around said cylindrical body portion for providing a seal between the cylindrical body   
     
     
        portion and the first exterior casing. .Iaddend. .Iadd.24.  The system of claim 29, wherein one end of one of the casings is disposed in an enlarged portion of the other casing. .Iaddend.