Pipe coupling

Claim 2

A section of currugated pipe having complementary bell and spigot end portions, and more particularly comprising: a bell end portion longitudinally segmented to form a plurality of integrally formed flexible side wall strips connected to and projecting from a substantially cylindrical shroud, each of said side wall strips terminating in a curved end; and a spigot end portion receivable within said bell end portion, the exterior surface thereof defining a pair of axially spaced annular recesses and terminating in a cylindrical extension, one recess being located for radial engagement by the side wall strips of another section when connected therewith, the other recess being located axially between said one recess and said cylindrical extension for receiving a resilient O ring seal that contacts with the interior surface of the shroud of a bell end portion of another pipe section.

Claim 3

The pipe section of claim 1, and further comprising a substantially cylindrical liner extending through each pipe section, one end of said liner having an interior diameter greater than the exterior diameter of the other end of said liner, the length of said liners within each pipe section providing an overlapping fit when the bell end portion of one pipe section is fully mated with the spigot end portion of another pipe section.

Claim 4

The pipe section of claim 2, the further comprising an O-ring seal disposed between the overlapped end portions of the liners of two pipe sections when fully mated.

Claim 5

The pipe section of claim 2, and further comprising a foamed material joining said liner to the interior surface of said pipe section, including the spigot end portion thereof.

Claim 6

The pipe section of claim 1, said pipe section being corrugated and having a substantially cylindrical inner liner, said liner being joined to the pipe section with foamed material filling the corrugations between the internal surface of said pipe section and the outer surface of said liner.

Claim 7

The pipe section of claim 5, said liner extending longitudinally between the inner-most end of the shroud and the end of said spigot end portion, the ends of two liners being substantially coaxial and in close proximate relation when complementary bell and spigot end portions of two pipe sections are joined.

Claim 8

The pipe section of claim 6, and further comprising a sealing band having a substantially T-shaped cross section, the cross of the "T" forming a bridging seal and the leg of the "T" an end seal lodged between the ends of two liners of coupled pipe sections.

Claim 9

The pipe section of claim 1, the integrally formed flexible side wall members of each bell end portion having a curve that complements and corresponds with the annular recess for coupling one section to another.

Claim 10

A pipe construction formed of pipe sections, each pipe section having complementary bell and spigot end portions, and more particularly comprising: the bell end portion of each section being longitudinally segmented and having integrally formed flexible side wall strips connected to and projecting from a substantially cylindrical shroud, the spigot end portion of each section being receivable within the bell end portion of another section, the exterior surface thereof defining a pair of axially spaced annular recesses and terminating in a cylindrical extension, one recess located within the shroud, the other recess located axially within the flexible side wall strips when the spigot end portion of one section is coupled to the bell end portion of another section; and means for encircling and radially flexing the side wall strips of each bell end portion to contract and engage with the other recess of each spigot end portion.

Claim 11

A pipe construction formed of pipe sections, each pipe section having complementary bell and spigot end portions, and more particularly comprising: the bell end portion of each section being longitudinally segmented and having integrally formed flexible side wall strips connected to and projecting from a substantially cylindrical shroud, the spigot end portion of each section being receivable within the bell end portion of another section, the exterior surface thereof defining a pair of axially spaced annular recesses and terminating in a cylindrical extension, one recess located within the shroud, the other recess located axially within the flexible side wall strips when the spigot end portion of one section is coupled to the bell end portion of another section; and means for encircling and radially flexing the side wall strips of each bell end portion to contract and engage with the other recess of each spigot end portion.

Claim 12

The pipe construction of claim 9, and further comprising a resilient O-ring seal lodged in the one recess of each spigot end portion and in contact with the interior surface of the shroud of the bell end portion of another pipe section.