Lip seal fitting

Claim 1

An end fitting assembly for tubular members which have an internal fluid pressure, said fitting assembly comprising: a first tubular member; a second tubular member; each having an inner and outer perimeter, and means for securing the tubular members together in a fluid-tight seal; said first tubular member having a forward face with a concave arcuate configuration of a single radius, and having an internal annular groove therein extending from said inner perimeter into the first tubular member a predetermined distance corresponding to an intermediate point on said forward face, said groove and said forward face forming an annular deflecting beam with a hinge line extending through said intermediate point, said forward face of said first tubular member at said inner perimeter thereof defining an annular toe and being configured such that as the first and second tubular members are drawn together the annular toe of the deflecting beam first contacts the forward face of the second tubular member and the outer perimeter of the first tubular member is displaced from the forward face of the second tubular member by a predetermined distance, and a predetermined spacing is provided between the first and second tubular members over the entire interface thereof, and as the tubular members are tightened together the only point of contact is between said annular toe and said forward face of said second tubular member until the forward faces of the two tubular members bottom out at the outer perimeters thereof.