Connector for connecting small diameter pipe

Claim 1

A connector for connecting a small diameter pipe having opposed first and second ends and an annular outwardly swollen wall spaced from said first end, said connector comprising: a connector body having opposed forward and rearward ends, a communication bore extending into the forward end of the connector body, a small diameter chamber disposed rearwardly of the communication bore and in communication therewith, generally annular sealing means disposed in the small diameter chamber, said annular sealing means being dimensioned to receive the first end of the pipe therein, a large diameter chamber of substantially uniform diameter extending into the rear end of the connector body and communicating with the small diameter chamber, said large diameter chamber being dimensioned to receive the annular swollen portion of the pipe therein, a peripheral wall defining a portion of said connector body surrounding the large diameter chamber and being provided with a plurality of retaining holes perforated therethrough; and a socket member having a generally cylindrical peripheral wall with opposed forward and rearward ends and an outer circumference dimensioned for slidable insertion of the socket member in the large diameter chamber of the connector body, said peripheral wall of said socket member including a notch extending from the forward end to the rearward end thereof such that said peripheral wall of said socket member assumes a generally C-shaped cross section, a plurality of pawl walls protruding obliquely forwardly and radially inwardly from the forward end of said peripheral wall of the socket member, said pawl walls including forward surfaces for engaging the annular swollen wall of the pipe, a plurality of protrusion means projecting outwardly from the peripheral wall of the socket member intermediate the forward and rearward ends and spaced rearwardly of the pawl walls and engaging the respective retaining holes in the peripheral wall of the connector body, whereby the engagement of the protrusion means with the retaining holes and the engagement of the forward surfaces of the pawl walls with the annular swollen wall of the pipe retains the pipe in the connector body.