Stab-type joint for smooth end or flareless pipe

Claim 1

An improvement in a joint for connecting an end portion of a smooth wall pipe to fittings or other pipes comprising: a hollow body member having a passageway therethrough with an axially extending portion for receiving the end portion of the pipe, said axially extending end portion of said passageway having a bore defining a chamber between the same and the wall of the pipe, said bore having a frusto-conical portion extending inwardly from adjacent the outer end of the end portion of said passageway, a cylindrical portion extending inwardly from the inner end of said frusto-conical portion and an annular wall at the inner end of said cylindrical portion, said annular wall defining an inner end of said chamber and said annular wall having an inner diameter at least as great as said pipe's outside diameter whereby said pipe may pass inwardly thereof, said frustoconical portion having a minor diameter at its outer end large enough to receive the end portion of said pipe and a major diameter at its inner end from which said cylindrical portion extends; a spring-like annular split gripper ring having an axial extent less than the axial extent of said frusto-conical portion, said ring having a frusto-conical surface tapering in the same direction as the frusto-conical portion of said bore and a cylindrical interior surface provided with pipe gripping means thereon; an elastomeric fluid pressure activated sealing 0-ring member positioned within said chamber between said cylindrical portion and the exterior of said pipe and providing a seal between the exterior of said pipe and the interior of said passageway; and, means interposed axially between said split gripper ring and said elastomeric sealing O-ring and normally flexibly urging said split gripper ring and said elastomeric sealing O-ring axially apart with said sealing O-ring engaging said annular wall whereby said gripper ring contracts into initial gripping contact with said pipe when said pipe is inserted through said gripper ring an initially and then continuously applying an axial load on said sealing O-ring sufficient to cause radial sealing before and after being fluid pressure actuated, said last mentioned means being a resilient ring having a wall thickness substantially less than the radial spacing between said cylindrical portion of said bore and the exterior surface of said pipe.