Universal connector

Claim 1

A joint or connection comprising in combination: two tubular body elements to be joined, said body elements each being of circular configuration and of substantially equal diameter, each body having a plurality of endless grooves spaced apart to provide a peak between successive grooves, the peaks being of substantially the same diameter as the body elements with the grooves having a less diameter then the body elements, the outermost groove being inwardly of the end of the body element and the end outwardly of the grooves being of the same diameter as the body element, each peak having a camming face and a secondary face, the camming faces facing in a direction away from the ends of the body elements and being inclined at an acute angle to a plane which includes a base of each groove, a two-part contractable clamp, each part being of semicircular configuration and substantially surrounding the grooves and peaks of both body elements when juxtaposed, each clamp part having two sets of grooves and peaks internally thereof and spaced apart substantially equal to the spacing of the grooves and peaks on the two body elements, each clamp part having a central portion and end portions, the central portion and the end portions being of substantially the same diameter throughout, the peaks of the two clamp parts being of a less diameter than the diameter of the central and end portions and the base of the grooves of each clamp part being of substantially the same diameter as the diameter of the central and end portions, the peaks of the clamp parts having a camming face inclined at an acute angle to a plane which includes the base of the groove and the central portion of the clamp parts, the camming faces of each peak of the clamp parts being complementary to the camming faces of each body element, flexible and compressible sealing means positioned between the ends of the body elements, the sealing means having outer and inner edges, means to connect the clamp parts together and to contract the clamp parts about the body elements with the camming faces of the clamp parts in sliding contact with the camming faces of the body elements, the force of contraction of the clamp parts being at right angles to the force applied to the respective camming faces and effecting shifting of the body elements toward one another incident to the contraction of the clamp parts, the shifting of the body elements compressing the sealing means, the clamp parts when contracted having the central and end portions in engagement with the ends and those parts inwardly of the grooves and peaks of the body elements, the central portions of the clamp parts engaging the outer edge of the sealing means and preventing extrusion of the sealing means beyond the outer surface of the body elements and maintaining the sealing means between the ends of the body elements and effecting a good seal within the joint.