Thrust-resistant pipe joint

Claim 2

A thrust-resisant pipe joint for confining a fluid therein comprising: a. a pipe section having a generally cylindrical outer wall surface at one end of said pipe section, said end of said pipe section comprising an end annular portion of substantially constant outer diameter, and annular lock ring groove, a second annular portion having a larger outer diameter than said end annular portion and positioned between said end annular portion and said lock ring groove; b. a sleeve having a receiving end comprising a generally cylindrical inner wall surface for receiving said end of said pipe section, said inner wall surface of said sleeve including an annular channel spaced axially from the end edge of said sleeve, said channel including an annular assembly portion, and an annular lock portion having a smaller diameter than said assembly portion and positioned between said assembly portion and said end edge of sleeve; and a gasket-receiving groove in said sleeve; c. a resilient gasket located in said gasket-receiving groove and engaged between said gasket-receiving groove and said end annular portion of said pipe section to provide a fluidtight seal; d. a noncompressible split locking ring engaged between an end wall of said lock ring groove in said pipe section and said annular lock portion in said sleeve to resist thrust loading across the pipe joint; and, e. annular shoulder means on said pipe section for engagement with said resilient gasket for positioning said pipe section relative to said sleeve so that said lock ring groove, said split locking ring, and said annular lock portion are in proper position for cooperation.

Claim 3

The pipe joint of claim 1 in which said annular lock portion and said annular assembly portion of said channel are connected by a guide shoulder that extends radially outwardly from said lock portion at an oblique angle to the axis of said sleeve to permit said locking ring to slip easily from said assembly portion into said lock portion during assembly of the pipe joint.

Claim 4

The pipe joint of claim 1 in which the cross section of said locking ring is circular.

Claim 5

The pipe joint of claim 1 in which said locking ring includes two pairs of planar parallel side surfaces connected by smoothly curving surfaces.

Claim 6

A thrust-resistant pipe joint for confining a fluid therein comprising: a. a pipe section formed of hardened, compressed, fibro-cement material and having a generally cylindrical outer wall surface at the end of said pipe section, said end of said pipe section comprising an end annular portion of substantially constant outer diameter, an annular lock ring groove extending radially inwardly from said outer wall surface, a second annular portion having a larger outer diameter than said end annular portion and positioned between said end annular portion and said lock ring groove; b. a sleeve formed of hardened, compressed, fibro-cement material and having a receiving end including a generally cylindrical inner wall surface for receiving said end of said pipe section, said sleeve having a dual diameter annular channel spaced axially from the end edge of said sleeve and formed generally radially outwardly from said inner wall surface, said channel including an annular assembly portion, and annular lock portion having a smaller diameter than said assembly portion and positioned between said assembly portion and said end edge of said sleeve, and a guide shoulder connecting said lock portion and said assembly portion and extending radially outwardly from said lock portion at an oblique angle to the axis of said sleeve; and a gasket-receiving groove in said sleeve; c. a resilient deformable gasket located in said gasket-receiving groove and engaged between said gasket-receiving groove and said end annular portion to provide a fluidtight seal; and d. a noncompressible split locking ring of substantially uniform cross section engaged between and end wall of said locking groove in said pipe section and said annular lock portion in said sleeve for resisting thrust loads across the pipe joint, said locking ring having an unstressed inside diameter that is slightly less than the outside diameter of the lock ring groove, and an unstressed outside diameter that is slightly smaller than the inside diameter of said lock portion of said annular channel to permit easy insertion of said locking ring into said annular channel.

Claim 7

A thrust-resistant pipe joint for confining a fluid therein comprising: a. a pipe section formed of hardened, compressed, fibro-cement material and having a generally cylindrical outer wall surface at the end of said pipe section, said end of said pipe section comprising an end annular portion of substantially constant outer diameter, an annular lock ring groove extending radially inwardly from said outer wall surface, a second annular portion having a larger outer diameter than said end annular portion and positioned between said end annular portion and said lock ring groove; b. a sleeve formed of hardened, compressed, fibro-cement material and having a receiving end including a generally cylindrical inner wall surface for receiving said end of said pipe section, said sleeve having a dual diameter annular channel spaced axially from the end edge of said sleeve and formed generally radially outwardly from said inner wall surface, said channel including an annular assembly portion, and annular lock portion having a smaller diameter than said assembly portion and positioned between said assembly portion and said end edge of said sleeve, and a guide shoulder connecting said lock portion and said assembly portion and extending radially outwardly from said lock portion at an oblique angle to the axis of said sleeve; and a gasket-receiving groove in said sleeve; c. a resilient deformable gasket located in said gasket-receiving groove and engaged between said gasket-receiving groove and said end annular portion to provide a fluidtight seal; and d. a noncompressible split locking ring of substantially uniform cross section engaged between and end wall of said locking groove in said pipe section and said annular lock portion in said sleeve for resisting thrust loads across the pipe joint, said locking ring having an unstressed inside diameter that is slightly less than the outside diameter of the lock ring groove, and an unstressed outside diameter that is slightly smaller than the inside diameter of said lock portion of said annular channel to permit easy insertion of said locking ring into said annular channel.

Claim 8

The pipe joint of claim 5 in which the diameter of the bottom wall of said lock ring groove of said pipe section is at least as large as the diameter of said annular portion to insure that said pipe section retains the ability to withstand hydrostatic pressures that it would possess in the absence of the thrust-resistant capability.

Claim 9

The pipe joint of claim 5 wherein: a. said locking ring comprises synthetic resins that resist cold flow under pressure and possess a shear strength over 2,000 p.s.i.

Claim 10

The pipe joint of claim 7 in which the cross section of said locking ring is circular.

Claim 11

The pipe joint of claim 7 in which the cross section of said locking ring includes two pairs of substantially planar parallel side surfaces connected by curving surfaces.

Claim 12

The pipe joint of claim 5 in which said lock portion of said annular channel is formed by a sidewall that extends radially outwardly from said inner wall surface of said sleeve and a bottom wall that extends for a portion of its length substantially parallel to the axis of said sleeve.

Claim 13

The pipe joint of claim 5 in which said assembly portion of said annular channel is formed by a sidewall that extends radially outwardly from said inner wall surface of said sleeve and a bottom wall, and said lock portion is formed by a sidewall that extends radially outwardly from said inner wall surface of said sleeve and a bottom wall that extends substantially parallel to the axis of said sleeve.

Claim 14

The pipe joint of claim 11 in which the distance between said sidewall of said assembly portion and said gasket-receiving groove of said sleeve is approximately equal to the axial length of said second annular portion to insure engaging said split locking ring in said lock ring groove.