Coupling device for flexible tubing and the like

Claim 1

A coupling device for temporarily joining together lengths of flexible cylindrical members, said coupling device comprising a pair of similar resilient plastic parts of generally semicylindrical contour tapering from their mid-section to a lesser dimension at their ends to provide tapered end portions, integral flexible means hingedly joining said parts at their mid-sections for movement from a side by side to juxtaposed position forming a longitudinally split sleeve, the inner surfaces of said tapered end portions having uniform frustoconical contours extending from the ends to the mid-section of said device, the outer surfaces of said tapered end portions generally paralleling said inner surfaces and having a plurality of longitudinally spaced and circumferentially extending frustoconical projections with substantially radial ends which form a series of gripping edges thereon such that when said tapered end portions of the juxtaposed parts are inserted into adjacent ends of said flexible cylindrical members, they firmly grip and securely engage the inner surfaces thereof, and said mid-sections including spacer means protruding radially beyond the maximum diameter of engaged cylindrical members, thereby providing means for visually and mechanically detecting junctures between axially joined cylindrical members.