Fluid controlled pipe connector

Claim 2

A pipe connector for linking two separate pipes comprising a housing, connection means at both ends of the housing each including a seating means extending from the housing; a mobile crown; elastic resilient sealing means between the seating means and the mobile crown for providing a releasable seal directly between a pipe and the housing; and means for controlling the movement of the mobile crown toward and away from the elastic resilient sealing means for respectively locking and releasing the pipe connector, said controlling means includes a hydraulic piston and a locking means on the piston capable of holding the mobile crown and the elastic resilient sealing means in a locked position by engaging the housing.

Claim 3

A pipe connector as in claim 1 where the locking means is a wedge-shaped member attached to the hydraulic piston, and the mobile crown includes an inclined surface capable of operatively moving the wedged shaped member into a locking position.

Claim 4

A pipe connector as in claim 3 further including a second mobile crown between the elastic sealing means and the seating means, and a resilient member located between the seating means and the second mobile crown.

Claim 5

A pipe connector as in claim 3 where the resilient member has a trapezoidal cross section, and the seating means and the second mobile crown have chamfer edges adjacent the resilient member.

Claim 6

A pipe connector as in claim 3 where the first and second mobile crowns have a flange that contacts the elastic sealing means.

Claim 7

A pipe connector as in claim 4 having a pair of orifices in the housing each operatively connected to one side of the hydraulic piston; the mobile crown and the side of the piston connected to the locking means forming a hydraulic chamber capable of receiving a hydraulic working fluid for providing a compression of the elastic sealing means and the activation of the locking means.

Claim 8

A pipe connector as in claim 2 where the housing has a larger diameter than the pipes to be linked and the wedge-shaped member frictionally grips the interior side of the housing.

Claim 9

A pipe connector as in claim 2 where the housing has a smaller diameter than the pipes to be linked and the wedge-shaped member frictionally grips the exterior of the housing.

Claim 10

A pipe connector for linking a pair of pipes, each having a plane surface comprising; a housing; a seating means extending from the housing; a resilient deformable sealing means positioned adjacent the seating means and capable of sealingly contacting the housing and pipe surface; a movable ring member positioned adjacent the sealing means and having a camming surface on its side opposite the sealing means; hydraulic cylinder means; a hydraulic piston in the cylinder means and capable of reciprocal movement along the axis of the housing, movement toward the sealing means producing a locking engagement while movement away from the sealing means producing a releasing action; a locking member having a complimentary camming surface to the camming surface of the movable ring member connected to the hydraulic piston whereby the movement of the hydraulic piston towards the seating means will produce both a sealing and a simultaneous camming of the locking member into a locking engagement with the housing.

Claim 11

A pipe connector for linking a pair of pipes, each having a plane surface comprising; a housing; a seating means extending from the housing; a resilient deformable sealing means positioned adjacent the seating means and capable of sealingly contacting the housing and pipe surface; a movable ring member positioned adjacent the sealing means and having a camming surface on its side opposite the sealing means; hydraulic cylinder means; a hydraulic piston in the cylinder means and capable of reciprocal movement along the axis of the housing, movement toward the sealing means producing a locking engagement while movement away from the sealing means producing a releasing action; a locking member having a complimentary camming surface to the camming surface of the movable ring member connected to the hydraulic piston whereby the movement of the hydraulic piston towards the seating means will produce both a sealing and a simultaneous camming of the locking member into a locking engagement with the housing.

Claim 12

A pipe connector as in claim 9 where the connection of the locking member to the hydraulic piston includes a lost motion connection to facilitate both locking and unlocking of the pipe connector to the pipes.

Claim 13

A pipe connector as in claim 10, where a second ring is provided between the seating means and the sealing means, the second ring having an abutting central flange adjacent the sealing means to help position the sealing means into a sealed position with the pipe connector and pipe.