Compression couplings

Claim 1

A fabricated pipe coupling for connecting meeting ends of a pair of pipe sections, said pipe coupling comprising: a tubular member having a uniform wall thickness, said tubular member being rolled from steel to form an intermediate cylindrical portion having an inside diameter sufficient to receive the outside diameter of the pipe sections, an annular outwardly sloping wall portion extending from each end of said intermediate cylindrical portion, and a cylindrical end portion extending axially from each sloping wall portion and having an inside diameter greater than the inside diameter of said intermediate cylindrical portion, each sloping wall portion and the cylindrical end portion extending therefrom defining an annular channel at each end of said tubular member; a cylindrical reinforcing sleeve made from rolled steel and having an axiaL length greater than the axial length of said tubular member, said cylindrical sleeve member having an inside diameter at least equal to the outside diameter of each cylindrical end portion and a wall thickness at least equal to the uniform wall thickness of said tubular member, said cylindrical sleeve member being positioned concentrically about said tubular member with its ends overlapping the ends of said tubular member; a rigid endless follower ring positioned in each annular channel of said tubular member and moveable axially with respect thereto, each follower ring having a smooth inwardly facing radially extending wall and having an inside diameter slightly greater than the outside diameter of the pipe sections and an outside diameter slightly less than the inside diameter of the cylindrical end portion; a rigid annular end ring for each end of said cylindrical reinforcing sleeve member, said ring being approximately rectangular in cross-section and having an outside diameter slightly less than the inside diameter of said cylindrical sleeve member and greater than the inside diameter of the cylindrical end portion of said tubular member, each end ring being positioned partly within each end of said cylindrical sleeve member, a first weld welding said ring member to the end of said cylindrical sleeve member, a second weld welding said ring to the interior of said cylindrical sleeve member and to the end of said tubular member, each end ring closing the outer axial end of the respective annular channel to entrap the endless follower ring therein, each end ring having a plurality of tapped holes extending therethrough in an axial and inwardly direction; an annular elastomeric gasket positioned in each annular channel between the sloping wall portion and the respective follower ring, said gasket having an inside diameter substantially equal to the outside diameter of the pipe section and a sloping wall complementary to and for abutting the sloping wall portion of the annular channel, each annular gasket having a radial wall for abutting the smooth inwardly facing radially extending wall of said follower ring: and set screws threaded into said tapped holes for engaging each follower ring and advancing the same against its respective gasket to deform the gasket into seal engagement between the tubular member of the respective pipe section, said set screws having a point of contact with said follower rings which moves radially inwardly.