Arrangement for connecting two pipe ends

Claim 1

An arrangement for connecting two pipes which are insertable into one another with radial play and which are made of a material which is at least semi-rigid, characterized by two pipe ends of different diameter with the pipe end of smaller diameter inserted in the pipe end of larger diameter with a radial space between the two pipe ends, a packing sleeve arranged in said radial space between said two pipe ends and filling said radial space, the wall of the larger diametered pipe end having at least one radially outwardly open slot extending transversely to the pipe axis, which slot extends around less than half of the circumference of said larger diametered pipe end, a groove defined internally of said larger pipe end and radially aligned with said slot, a generally horseshoe-shaped tension hoop associated with said slot and having legs extending into said groove, the thickness of said tension hoop in its axial extent corresponding to the axial width of said slot and which tension hoop is inserted in said radial space between said two pipe ends, and said tension hoop legs being inserted in said groove at least half of the circumference of the smaller diameter one of said pipe ends and sufficiently compressing said packing sleeve radially as so inserted to connect and axially retain said smaller diameter pipe relative to said larger diameter pipe.