Coupling assembly for plastic tubing

Claim 1

That improvement in aligned adjacent sections of plastic tubing interconnecting installed appliances comprising a separable coupling assembly which improvement comprises: a plastic collar for each of the adjacent ends of said plastic tubing sections having the inner and outer surfaces converging toward one end thereof, said outer surfaces having annular grooves with substantially radial sidewalls and said inner surfaces being sized to have an interference telescopic fit substantially throughout the length thereof with a respective one of said tubing sections and solvent bonded thereto with said collars in axial alignment and with larger ends thereof closely adjacent one another; a flexible elastomeric gasket sleeve bridging and snugly embracing the outer oppositely tapering surfaces of said plastic collars and having inwardly projecting annular ribs having radial sidewalls complemental to and snugly seated in said grooves; and a pair of adjustable and contractable bands encircling said elastomeric sleeve in close proximity to one another and radially opposite a respective one of said plastic collars, said bands and said elastomeric sleeve being readily removable and reinstallable with respect to said plastic collars to permit servicing one appliance without disturbing the other.