Positive locking sealing connector for well pipe

Claim 2

A sealing connector for well pipes comprising: an elongate tubular housing having means at one end thereof for connection to a first pipe and having a bore for receiving the end of a second pipe movable longitudinally into said bore; an annular sealing assembly disposed in the bore of said housing; a plurality of sets of gripping members in the bore of the housing, at least one set at each of the longitudinally opposite ends of said sealing assembly, the gripping members being disposed to lockingly engage said second pipe when extending through said sealing assembly and gripping members to hold the sealing assembly compressed therebetween in sealing engagement with said second pipe and said housing and to positively lock said housing on said second pipe; a guide sleeve movable longitudinally in the housing with respect to the sealing assembly and gripping members for guiding the end of said second pipe past said gripping members and sealing assembly in the bore of the housing and having thimble means thereon telescoping over the end of said second pipe to cover and guide said end through the locking members and sealing assembly without damaging the same to position the second pipe within the gripping members and sealing assembly for engagement by the gripping members and sealing assembly.

Claim 3

A sealing connector of the character set forth in claim 1 wherein the guide sleeve extends through the sealing assembly and gripping members and securing means releasably secures said guide sleeve to the housing to hold said sleeve in such position, said securing means being releasable for movement of said sleeve longitudinally through the sealing assembly and gripping members by the engagement of the second pipe with said thimble means on said guide sleeve.

Claim 4

A sealing connector foR well pipes comprising: an elongate tubular housing having means at one end thereof for connection to a first pipe and having a bore for receiving the end of a second pipe; an annular sealing assembly disposed in the bore of said housing; a plurality of sets of gripping members in the bore of the housing, at least one first set at one end of said sealing assembly and at least one second set at the longitudinally opposite end of said sealing assembly, the gripping members being disposed to lockingly engage said second pipe when extending through said sealing assembly and gripping members to hold the sealing assembly compressed therebetween in sealing engagement with said second pipe and said housing and to positively lock said housing on said second pipe; a guide sleeve initially extending through the sealing assembly and gripping members and movable longitudinally in the housing with respect to the sealing assembly and gripping members for guiding the end of said second pipe past said gripping members and sealing assembly in the bore of the housing; and thimble means on said guide sleeve slipably engaging over the end of said second pipe for shielding the end of said second pipe to guide said end through the locking members and sealing assembly without damaging the same to position the second pipe within the gripping members and sealing assembly for engagement by the gripping members and sealing housing.

Claim 5

A sealing connector foR well pipes comprising: an elongate tubular housing having means at one end thereof for connection to a first pipe and having a bore for receiving the end of a second pipe; an annular sealing assembly disposed in the bore of said housing; a plurality of sets of gripping members in the bore of the housing, at least one first set at one end of said sealing assembly and at least one second set at the longitudinally opposite end of said sealing assembly, the gripping members being disposed to lockingly engage said second pipe when extending through said sealing assembly and gripping members to hold the sealing assembly compressed therebetween in sealing engagement with said second pipe and said housing and to positively lock said housing on said second pipe; a guide sleeve initially extending through the sealing assembly and gripping members and movable longitudinally in the housing with respect to the sealing assembly and gripping members for guiding the end of said second pipe past said gripping members and sealing assembly in the bore of the housing; and thimble means on said guide sleeve slipably engaging over the end of said second pipe for shielding the end of said second pipe to guide said end through the locking members and sealing assembly without damaging the same to position the second pipe within the gripping members and sealing assembly for engagement by the gripping members and sealing housing.

Claim 6

A sealing connector of the character set forth in claim 3 including: releasable securing means securing said guide sleeve in said initial position extending through the sealing assembly and gripping members and releasable to permit said sleeve to move longitudinally in the housing when said second pipe is engaged in said thimble means.

Claim 7

A sealing connector of the character set forth in claim 3 including: first means securing the first gripping means on one side of the sealing assembly releasably to the housing in non-gripping position; second means securing the second gripping means on the opposite side of the sealing assembly releasably to the guide sleeve to limit movement thereof toward the sealing assembly; said second gripping means secured to said guide sleeve being releasable therefrom upon longitudinal movement of the guide sleeve in the housing by the second pipe to free said second gripping means for movement into gripping engagement with said second pipe when said pipe extends therethrough; and resilient means in said housing engaging said second gripping means to move said second means to gripping engagement with said pipe when released from said guide sleeve.

Claim 8

A sealing connector of the character set forth in claim 5, wherein the first means securing the first gripping means to the housing in non-gripping position is releasable upon expansion of the sealing means to move said first gripping means into gripping engagement with said second pipe to coact with said first gripping means to hold said sealing means in expanded sealing position with the said second pipe and said housing and to hold said second pipe in said housing.

Claim 9

A device of the character set forth in claim 6 including: stop means on said housing and said guide sleeve coengageable to limit longitudinal movement of the guide sleeve in the housing to position the second pipe within the sealing assembly and gripping means for engagement thereby.