GB2158172A - Pipe joints - Google Patents

Abstract

A pipe joint comprises two pipe sections 5,6 coupled together with a coupling member 8. The coupling member 8 has radially inwardly extending projections 11,12 which engage the remote side surfaces 13,14 of flanges 9,10 provided on the pipe sections. The coupling member also has a radially inwardly extending flange 15 disposed between the pipe section flanges 9,10 in engagement with the adjacent side surfaces 16,17 thereof. The coupling member 8 may be an annular one-piece member which is snap-fitted to the flanges 9,10 and the fit between the flanges 9,10 and the coupling member may be such as to allow relative rotation of the pipe sections 5,6. In a modification the coupling member 8 is formed integrally with one of the pipe sections 5,6. This arrangement is particularly suitable for connecting drainpipes to fittings such as bends or tees (Fig. 5). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Pipe joints This invention relates to pipe joints.

It is known to couple two pipe sections by clamping together respective radially outwardly extending flanges provided on the ends of the pipe sections. This has disadvantageously involved the use of coupling means comprising a split collar or circumferentially spaced clips to clamp the flanges together.

Further, such clamping arrangements are disadvantageous when it is desired to provide for relative rotational movement of the pipe sections in view of frictional resistance between the flanges.

An object of this invention is to overcome at least one of the above-mentioned disadvantages.

The invention includes a pipe joint comprising two pipe sections coupled together with a one-piece annular coupling member which is snap-iitted to respective radially outwardly extending flanges provided one on each of the pipe sections, the coupling member having radially inwardly extending projections which engage the remote side surfaces of the pipe section flanges to prevent axial movement apart of the pipe sections and the coupling member further being provided with radially inwardly extending flange means disposed between said pipe section flanges in engagement with the adjacent side surfaces thereof.

Preferably in a joint as defined in the last preceding paragraph, the fit of the pipe section flanges between the projections and flange means of the coupling member is such as to allow relative rotational movement of the pipe sections.

The invention also includes a pipe joint comprising two pipe sections coupled together by a coupling member which allows relative rotational movement of the pipe sections, said coupling member comprising radially inwardly extending projections which engage the remote side surfaces of two radially outwardly extending flanges, which are provided one on each pipe section, to prevent relative axial movement apart of the pipe sections and the coupling member further being provided with radially inwardly extending flange means which are disposed between said pipe sections flanges in engagement with the adjacent side surfaces thereof.

Preferably in a joint as defined in the last preceding paragraph, the coupling member comprises a one-piece annular member and said pipe section flanges are snap-fitted in respective recesses between said flange means and projections.

In the preferred embodiments the flange means of the coupling member comprises a single radially inwardly extending flange.

An annular seal may be disposed between the pipe sections, for example between adjacent, spaced end faces of the pipe sections, when the or each said end face may be provided with a groove for locating said seal.

The pipe sections of the joint may have their central axes inclined with respect to each other whereby the angle between the pipe sections is adjustable by relatively rotating the sections, and an adjustable pipe bend may be provided comprising a plurality of such pipe joints.

In an alternative arrangement a first of said pipe sections may extend coaxially within the second thereof. Advantageously in such an arrangement one of the pipe sections may be part of a pipe bend, and the pipe joint may form part of an eaves rainwater outlet.

In order that the invention may be well understood, two embodiments thereof, which are given by way of example only, will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of an adjustable pipe bend; Figure 2 is an axial section of a segment of the adjustable pipe bend; Figure 3 is an axial section through a pipe joint between adjacent segments of the pipe bend to a larger scale than that of Figs. 1 and 2; Figure 4 is a side view of the bend to a smaller scale than that of Figs. 1 and 2 and illustrating its adjustability; Figure 5 is a side view of an eaves rainwater outlet: and Figure 6 is an axial section through a pipe joint of the eaves rainwater outlet.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 4, there is shown in Figs. 1 and 4 an adjustable pipe bend 1 in two possible configurations. The pipe bend 1 includes a plurality of plastics segments 2 (Fig. 2) and terminates in plastics end pipe coupling parts, -for example a socket 3 and a spigot 4. Each segment 2 comprises two integral pipe sections 5, 6 the central axes of which are inclined with respect to each other. Each of the end pipe coupling parts 3,4 is provided with a respective integral pipe section 7 with a central axis inclined to the central axis of the end pipe coupling part. The segments 2 and end pipe coupling parts 3,4 are coupled together by means of respective coupling members 8.Each coupling member forms a pipe joint with adjacent pipe sections 5,6 of adjacent pipe segments or a pipe section 7 and the segment pipe section adjacent thereto such that the central axes of these sections are inclined with respect to each other whereby the angle between these sections is adjustable by relative rotation of the sections. By such relative rotation of the segments various configurations of the assembly can be achieved, two possible configurations being illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4.

Referring now to Fig. 3, the pipe joint used in the pipe bend will be described in more detail. The coupling member 8 comprises a one-piece annular member formed in a resilient plastics material and is snap-fitted to respective radially outwardly extending flanges 9,10 provided one on each of the pipe sections 5,6. The coupling member has radially inwardly extending projections 11,12 which engage the remote side surfaces 13, 14 of the pipe section flanges 9,10 to prevent axial movement apart of the pipe sections. The coupling member 8 is further provided with radially inwardly extending flange means shown as a single flange 15 which is disposed between the pipe section flanges 9,10 in engagement with the adjacent side surfaces 16,17 thereof.An annular seal 18 is disposed between adjacent spaced end faces 19,20 of the pipe sections 5,6, and is located within aligned grooves 21,22 provided in those faces.

The fit of the pipe section flanges 13,14 between the projections 11,12 and the flange 15 of the coupling member 8 is such as to allow relative rotational movement of the pipe sections 5,6 coupled together by the coupling member 8. At least one rib 23 is provided on each segment 2 for gripping purposes to assist such relative rotational movement by hand.

In order to assemble the pipe joint illustrated in Fig. 3, each pipe section 5,6 is snapfitted in respective recesses between the flange 15 and the projections 11 , 1 2 by being inserted into the sides 24,25 of the coupling member 8 respectively until the flanges 9,10 abut the coupling member flange 15 which provides a stop to such insertion. One pipe section would be inserted prior to the other with the seal 18 being located in the groove 21 or 22 of the former prior to insertion of the latter.

It will be appreciated that in view of the engagement of the adjacent side surfaces 16,17 of the pipe section flanges 9 and 10 with the coupling member flange 15, the spacing apart of the end faces 1 9,20 of the pipe sections and thus the grooves 21,22 is maintained constant whereby the amount of compression exerted on the seal by the pipe sections can be predetermined. It will also be understood that since the flange 15 is disposed between the pipe sections in engagement with the flanges 9,10 thereof the sections 5,6 are subjected to less frictional resistance to relative rotational movement than would be the case if the end faces of the sections 5,6 were themselves clamped together.

Referring now to Fig. 5, there is shown an eaves rainwater outlet 30, which includes a tee-piece 31 having an upwardly open main channel section 32 adapted to be connected to the ends of two gutter lengths 33,34 and a downwardly extending pipe section 35 communicating with the main channel section 32.

The outlet 30 further includes a pipe bend 36 which has a pipe section 37 in axial alignment with and coupled to the pipe section 35 by a pipe coupling member 8. The pipe joint formed by the pipe sections 35,37 and coupling member 8 is shown in Fig. 6 and is substantially the same as the pipe joint shown in Fig. 3. Accordingly like parts of the pipe joints have been given like reference numbers arid will not be described in further detail. The pipe joint shown in Fig. 6 does differ from the pipe joint shown in Fig. 3 in that one 35 of the pipe sections of the joint extends within the other 37 thereof. Furthermore, the joint does not include a seal since in this particular application no seal is necessary. However, if required a seal could be provided for example between the flanges 9,10 of the pipe sections radially inwardly of the coupling member flange 15 or between the outer surface of pipe section 35 and the inner surface of pipe section 37.

The pipe sections 35,37 are relatively rotatable whereby a pipe 38 connected to the pipe bend 36 remote from the section 37 thereof may be disposed at any desired angle to the axes of the pipe sections 35,37.

It will be appreciated that by way of a modification to the illustrated embodiments the coupling member may be formed integrally with one of the pipe sections 5,6 to 35,37.

Claims (15)

1. A pipe joint comprising two pipe sections coupled together with a one-piece annular coupling member which is snap-fitted to respective radially outwardly extending flanges provided one on each of the pipe sections, the coupling member having radially inwardly extending projections which engage the remote side surfaces of the pipe section flanges to prevent axial movement apart of the pipe sections and the coupling member further being provided with radially inwardly extending flange means disposed between said pipe section flanges in engagement with the adjacent side surfaces thereof.

2. A pipe joint as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fit of the pipe section flanges between the projections and flange means of the coupling member is such as to allow relative rotational movement of the pipe sections.

3. A pipe joint comprising two pipe sections coupled together by a coupling member which allows relative rotational movement of the pipe sections, said coupling member comprising radially inwardly extending projections which engage the remote side surfaces of two radially outwardly extending flanges, which are provided one on each pipe section, to prevent relative axial movement apart of the pipe sections and the coupling member further being provided with radially inwardly extending flange means which are disposed between said pipe sections flanges in engagement with the adjacent side surfaces thereof.

4. A pipe joint as claimed in claim 3, wherein said coupling member comprises a one-piece annular member and said pipe section flanges are snap-fitted in respective recesses between said flange means and projections.

5. A pipe joint as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said coupling member flange means comprises a single radially inwardly extending flange.

6. A pipe joint as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein an annular seal is disposed between said pipe sections.

7. A pipe joint as claimed in claim 6, wherein said seal is disposed between adjacent spaced end faces of said pipe sections.

8. A pipe joint as claimed in claim 7, wherein the or each said end face is provided with a groove for locating said seal.

9. A pipe joint as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the central axes of said pipe sections are inclined with respect to each other whereby the angle between the pipe sections is adjustable by relatively rotating the sections.

10. An adjustable pipe bend comprising a plurality of pipe joints as claimed in claim 9.

11. A pipe joint as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a first of said pipe sections extends coaxially within the second thereof.

12. A pipe joint as claimed in claim 11, wherein one of said pipe sections is part of a pipe bend.

13. A pipe joint as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the coupling member is formed integrally with one of the pipe sections.

14. An eaves rainwater outlet having a pipe joint as claimed in claim 12.

15. A pipe joint substantially as herein described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4 or 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.