External swage end fitting

Claim 1

An end fitting for a delicate reverse osmosis membrane of tubular configuration, which end fitting comprises: an inner sleeve (21) of generally cylindrical configuration having a front end and a back end, said internal sleeve having serrations extending along a portion of its outer surface at both ends thereof; an end fitting (20) of generally cylindrical construction having an internal surface swaged against at least a portion of said serrations of said surface at said front end of said internal sleeve, said end fitting having an outer, external surface area having a plurality of serrations (22) thereon, said end fitting having structure thereon permitting it to be coupled to exterior piping; a delicate reverse osmosis membrane and membrane supporting structure (1) of cylindrical construction extending along a substantial portion of said outer surface of said inner sleeve and engaging at least a portion of said inner sleeve''s serrations; a plastic sleeve (24) exterior of said reverse osmosis membrane and membrane supporting structure and in a close confining relationship thereto, said plastic sleeve being positioned to encircle a portion of said outer surface of said internal sleeve; and a compression sleeve (23) encircling both said plastic sleeve and said plurality of serrations on said external surface of said end fitting, said compression sleeve being swaged against said plastic sleeve and said plurality of serrations on said end fitting so that said reverse osmosis membrane and membrane supporting structure and said plastic sleeve are uniformly and tightly positioned against said inner sleeve and said end fitting is gripped tightly between said compression sleeve and said inner sleeve thereby to form a water tight seal.