Tube coupling

Claim 2

A tube coupling for coupling tubes capable of carrying corrosive fluids, said tube coupling comprising: an outer body of relatively rigid, high strength material including an axial bore having an axial length between opposite ends, said outer body including a shoulder adjacent at least one of said opposite ends of the bore; an inner tubular member of resiliently deformable, generally inert, corrosion resistant material such as a fluorocarbon resin received within the bore of the outer body and having an inside diameter complementary to a tube to be received therein and a relatively larger outside diameter, said inner tubular member having an axial length between opposite ends greater than the length of said bore; means adjacent each of said opposite ends of the bore for retaining the inner tubular member within the bore of the outer body against inadvertent removal therefrom, said means including an annulus of elastomeric material having a first portion located around the inner tubular member adjacent one end thereof and abutting the shoulder in the bore and a second portion extending axially away from the shoulder beyond said one end of the inner tubular member, said first portion having an inside diameter complementary to and overlapping said inner tubular member and said second portion having an inside diameter complementary to and overlapping a tube to be received therein; a threaded member threaded onto the outer body for axial movement relative thereto; means coupling the threaded member and the annulus for engaging and axially contracting the annulus to radially contract the inside diameter of the first portion thereof and thereby deform the first portion with concomitant deformation of the inner tubular member radially inwardly to grip the tube therein and establish a seal between the inner tubular member and the tube, and to radially contract the inside diameter of the second portion thereof and thereby deform the second portion radially inwardly to grip the tube therein in response to axial movement of the threaded member; the inside diameter of the second portion of the annulus being smaller than the inside diameter of the first portion of the annulus, the annulus including a step between the inside diameters of the first and second portions thereof, said step abutting said one end of the inner tubular member; said first portion having a generally cylindrical outer surface; and said second portion having an outer surface which tapers axially from a larger outside diameter at said generally cylindrical surface to a smaller outside diameter spaced axially away from said one end of the inner tubular member.

Claim 3

A tube coupling for coupling tubes capable of carrying corrosive fluids, said tube coupling comprising: an outer body of relatively rigid, high strength material including an axial bore having an axial length between opposite ends, said outer body including a shoulder adjacent at least one of said opposite ends of the bore; an inner tubular member of resiliently deformable, generally inert, corrosion resistant material such as a fluorocarbon resin received within the bore of the outer body and having an inside diameter complementary to a tube to be received therein and a relatively larger outside diameter, said inner tubular member having an axial length between opposite ends greater than the length of said bore; means adjacent each of said opposite ends of the bore for retaining the inner tubular member within the bore of the outer body against inadvertent removal therefrom, said means including an annulus of elastomeric material having a first portion located around the inner tubular mEmber adjacent one end thereof and abutting the shoulder in the bore and a second portion extending axially away from the shoulder beyond said one end of the inner tubular member, said first portion having an inside diameter complementary to and overlapping said inner tubular member and said second portion having an inside diameter complementary to and overlapping a tube to be received therein; a threaded member threaded onto the outer body for axial movement relative thereto; means coupling the threaded member and the annulus for engaging and axially contracting the annulus to radially contract the inside diameter of the first portion thereof and thereby deform the first portion with concomitant deformation of the inner tubular member radially inwardly to grip the tube therein and establish a seal between the inner tubular member and the tube, and to radially contract the inside diameter of the second portion thereof and thereby deform the second portion radially inwardly to grip the tube therein in response to axial movement of the threaded member; said first portion of the annulus having a generally cylindrical outer surface; said second portion of the annulus having a frustoconical outer surface; and said means coupling the threaded member and the annulus including a frustoconical inner surface complementary to said frustoconical outer surface of the second portion and engageable therewith.

Claim 4

A tube coupling for coupling tubes capable of carrying corrosive fluids, said tube coupling comprising: an outer body of relatively rigid, high strength material including an axial bore having an axial length between opposite ends, said outer body including a shoulder adjacent at least one of said opposite ends of the bore; an inner tubular member of resiliently deformable, generally inert, corrosion resistant material such as a fluorocarbon resin received within the bore of the outer body and having an inside diameter complementary to a tube to be received therein and a relatively larger outside diameter, said inner tubular member having an axial length between opposite ends greater than the length of said bore; means adjacent each of said opposite ends of the bore for retaining the inner tubular member within the bore of the outer body against inadvertent removal therefrom, said means including an annulus of elastomeric material having a first portion located around the inner tubular mEmber adjacent one end thereof and abutting the shoulder in the bore and a second portion extending axially away from the shoulder beyond said one end of the inner tubular member, said first portion having an inside diameter complementary to and overlapping said inner tubular member and said second portion having an inside diameter complementary to and overlapping a tube to be received therein; a threaded member threaded onto the outer body for axial movement relative thereto; means coupling the threaded member and the annulus for engaging and axially contracting the annulus to radially contract the inside diameter of the first portion thereof and thereby deform the first portion with concomitant deformation of the inner tubular member radially inwardly to grip the tube therein and establish a seal between the inner tubular member and the tube, and to radially contract the inside diameter of the second portion thereof and thereby deform the second portion radially inwardly to grip the tube therein in response to axial movement of the threaded member; said first portion of the annulus having a generally cylindrical outer surface; said second portion of the annulus having a frustoconical outer surface; and said means coupling the threaded member and the annulus including a frustoconical inner surface complementary to said frustoconical outer surface of the second portion and engageable therewith.

Claim 5

A tube coupling for coupling tubes capable of carrying corrosive fluids, said tube coupling comprising: an outer body of relatively rigid, high strength material including an axial bore having an axial length between opposite ends, said outer body including a shoulder adjacent each of said opposite ends of the bore; an inner tubular member of resiliently deformable, generally inert, corrosion resistant material such as a fluorocarbon resin received within the bore of the outer body and having an inside diameter complementary to a tube to be received therein and a relatively larger outside diameter, said inner tubular member having an axial length between opposite ends greater than the length of said bore and projecting axially outwardly beyond each shoulder of the outer body; means adjacent each of said opposite ends of the bore for retaining the inner tubular member within the bore of the outer body against inadvertent removal therefrom, said means including an annulus of elastomeric material adjacent each end of the inner tubular member, each annulus having a first portion located around the inner tubular member adjacent an end thereof and abutting a corresponding shoulder in the bore and a second portion extending axially away from the corresponding shoulder beyond said end of the inner tubular member, said first portion having an inside diameter complementary to and overlapping said inner tubular member and said second portion having an inside diameter smaller than the inside diameter of the first portion and complementary to and overlapping a tube to be received therein; a threaded member threaded onto each end of the outer body for axial movement relative thereto; means coupling each threaded member with an annulus for engaging and axially contracting the annulus to radially contract the inside diameter of the first portion thereof and thereby deform the first portion with concomitant deformation of the inner tubular member radially inwardly to grip the tube therein and establish a seal between the inner tubular member and the tube, and to radially contract the inside diameter of the second portion thereof and thereby deform the second portion radially inwardly to grip the tube therein in response to axial movement of the corresponding threaded member; each annulus including a step between the inside diameters of the first and second portions thereof, each said step abutting a corresponding end of the inner tubular member; each first portion having a generally cylindrical outer surface; each second portion having a Frustoconical outer surface; and said means coupling each threaded member and each annulus including a frustoconical inner surface complementary to said frustoconical outer surface of a corresponding second portion and engageable therewith.

Claim 6

A tube coupling for coupling tubes capable of carrying corrosive fluids, said tube coupling comprising: an outer body of relatively rigid, high strength material including an axial bore having an axial length between opposite ends, said outer body including a shoulder adjacent each of said opposite ends of the bore; an inner tubular member of resiliently deformable, generally inert, corrosion resistant material such as a fluorocarbon resin received within the bore of the outer body and having an inside diameter complementary to a tube to be received therein and a relatively larger outside diameter, said inner tubular member having an axial length between opposite ends greater than the length of said bore and projecting axially outwardly beyond each shoulder of the outer body; means adjacent each of said opposite ends of the bore for retaining the inner tubular member within the bore of the outer body against inadvertent removal therefrom, said means including an annulus of elastomeric material adjacent each end of the inner tubular member, each annulus having a first portion located around the inner tubular member adjacent an end thereof and abutting a corresponding shoulder in the bore and a second portion extending axially away from the corresponding shoulder beyond said end of the inner tubular member, said first portion having an inside diameter complementary to and overlapping said inner tubular member and said second portion having an inside diameter smaller than the inside diameter of the first portion and complementary to and overlapping a tube to be received therein; a threaded member threaded onto each end of the outer body for axial movement relative thereto; means coupling each threaded member with an annulus for engaging and axially contracting the annulus to radially contract the inside diameter of the first portion thereof and thereby deform the first portion with concomitant deformation of the inner tubular member radially inwardly to grip the tube therein and establish a seal between the inner tubular member and the tube, and to radially contract the inside diameter of the second portion thereof and thereby deform the second portion radially inwardly to grip the tube therein in response to axial movement of the corresponding threaded member; each annulus including a step between the inside diameters of the first and second portions thereof, each said step abutting a corresponding end of the inner tubular member; each first portion having a generally cylindrical outer surface; each second portion having a Frustoconical outer surface; and said means coupling each threaded member and each annulus including a frustoconical inner surface complementary to said frustoconical outer surface of a corresponding second portion and engageable therewith.

Claim 7

The tube coupling of claim 3 wherein: each threaded member is a nut; and the means coupling each threaded member and a corresponding annulus include a flange integral with the nut and an axially slideable annular gland located between each annulus and a corresponding flange, each gland including said frustoconical inner surface and each flange engaging a corresponding gland to urge the gland against a corresponding annulus in response to movement of the corresponding nut along the outer body.