Coupling assemblies

Claim 2

An assembly for coupling together the adjacent ends of a pair of fluid passage-defining tubular members, said assembly comprising a pair of seal ring-mounting members of tubular coNfiguration, said seal ring-mounting members being formed separately of said tubular members and adapted to be fixed respectively to said adjacent ends of said tubular members, coupling means comprising a longitudinally split sleeve peripherally surrounding said seal ring-mounting members and having radially extending axially spaced apart oppositely facing abutment portions that are respectively separably abuttable with said seal ring-mounting members for limiting relative axial movement of said adjacent ends away from each other, said seal ring-mounting members having radially outwardly opening annular seal ring grooves, a deformable seal ring seated in each of said grooves, sleeve means peripherally surrounded by said coupling means and disposed axially between said axially spaced apart abutment portions, said sleeve means axially surrounding and bridging the space between said seal rings, and said seal rings being engaged and deformed by said sleeve means to establish a fluid tight seal between said sleeve means and each seal ringmounting member, and a combined retainer and circumferentially tensioned spring clip assembly extending around said split coupling sleeve to thereby retain said split coupling sleeve closely surrounding said sleeve means, and cooperating means on said combined retainer and spring clip assembly and said split coupling sleeve for preventing longitudinal displacement of said combined retainer and spring clip assembly relative to said split coupling sleeve, said combined retainer and spring clip assmbly comprising a retainer sleeve closely surrounding said split coupling sleeve and a length of spring wire extending around said retainer sleeve and having end sections attached to said retainer sleeve and adapted to abut opposite ends of said split coupling sleeve.

Claim 3

In an assembly for coupling together adjacent ends of a pair of fluid passage-defining tubular members, a pair of flange members adapted to be rididly fixed respectively to said adjacent ends of said tubular members, said flange members being respectively formed with first and second annular radially outwardly extending shoulder portions, sleeve means peripherally surrounding said flange members, resilient seal rings radially compressed between said sleeve means and said flange members, a coupling sleeve structure mounted on and peripherally surrounding said sleeve means, said coupling structure having axially spaced apart radially extending shoulders that are axially abuttable with said first and second annular portions respectively for limiting relative axial displacement of said flange members away from each other, said coupling structure being longitudinally split to provide a pair of coupling halves extending circumferentially around portions of said sleeve means and having two pair of circumferentially adjacently disposed ends, and a combined retainer and spring clip assembly comprising a one-piece flexible band extending peripherally around said coupling structure and having integral resilient end fastener portions including cooperating interengageable hook and tab means, and a bight formed in said band to enable said band to be resiliently circumferentially extended so that said hook and tab means may be releasably interengaged to form a loop for radially confining said coupling halves in assembled relation around said sleeve means, said band having an integral intermediate flexure portion bridging one pair of said circumferentially adjacently disposed ends and fixed to said coupling halves to provide a yieldable hinge interconnecting said one pair of circumferentially adjacently disposed ends and enabling the other pair of said circumferentially adjacently disposed ends to be spread circumferentially apart when said fastener portions are disengaged for mounting said coupling structure on and for removing said coupling structure from said sleeve means.

Claim 4

In an assembly for coupling together adjacent ends of a pair of fluid passage-defining tubular members, a pair of flange members adapted to be rididly fixed respectively to said adjacent ends of said tubular members, said flange members being respectively formed with first and second annular radially outwardly extending shoulder portions, sleeve means peripherally surrounding said flange members, resilient seal rings radially compressed between said sleeve means and said flange members, a coupling sleeve structure mounted on and peripherally surrounding said sleeve means, said coupling structure having axially spaced apart radially extending shoulders that are axially abuttable with said first and second annular portions respectively for limiting relative axial displacement of said flange members away from each other, said coupling structure being longitudinally split to provide a pair of coupling halves extending circumferentially around portions of said sleeve means and having two pair of circumferentially adjacently disposed ends, and a combined retainer and spring clip assembly comprising a one-piece flexible band extending peripherally around said coupling structure and having integral resilient end fastener portions including cooperating interengageable hook and tab means, and a bight formed in said band to enable said band to be resiliently circumferentially extended so that said hook and tab means may be releasably interengaged to form a loop for radially confining said coupling halves in assembled relation around said sleeve means, said band having an integral intermediate flexure portion bridging one pair of said circumferentially adjacently disposed ends and fixed to said coupling halves to provide a yieldable hinge interconnecting said one pair of circumferentially adjacently disposed ends and enabling the other pair of said circumferentially adjacently disposed ends to be spread circumferentially apart when said fastener portions are disengaged for mounting said coupling structure on and for removing said coupling structure from said sleeve means.

Claim 5

The assembly defined in claim 2, wherein the inner peripheral surface regions at axially opposite ends of said sleeve meaNs are flared radially outwardly to provide clearances that enable each of said flange members to be angulated relative to said sleeve means.

Claim 6

The assembly defined in claim 2, wherein said band is seated and longitudinally confined in radially outwardly opening circumferentially extending grooves extending around said coupling halves.

Claim 7

In an assembly for coupling together adjacent ends of a pair of fluid passage-defining tubular members, a pair of flange members adapted to be rigidly fixed respectively to said adjacent ends of said tubular members, said flange members being respectively formed with first and second annular radially outwardly extending shoulder portions, sleeve means peripherally surrounding said flange members, resilient seal rings radially compressed between said sleeve means and said flange members, a coupling sleeve structure mounted on and peripherally surrounding said sleeve means, said coupling structure having axially spaced apart radially extending shoulders that are axially abuttable with said first and second annular portions respectively for limiting relative axial displacement of said flange members away from each other, and said coupling structure being longitudinally split to provide a pair of coupling halves extending circumferentially around portions of said sleeve means and having two pairs of circumferentially adjacently disposed ends, and a combined retainer and spring clip assembly comprising a band formed from a flat sided strip of flexible material and extending peripherally around said coupling structure, said band having resilient end portions that are releasably interengageable to form a loop for radially confining said coupling halves in assembled relation around said sleeve means, said band having an integral intermediate flexure portion bridging one pair of said circumferentially adjacently disposed ends and fixed to said coupling halves to provide a yieldable hinge interconnecting said one pair of circumferentially adjacently disposed ends and enabling the other pair of said circumferentially adjacently disposed ends to be spread circumferentially apart when said fastener portions are disengaged for mounting said coupling structure on and for removing said coupling structure from said sleeve means.

Claim 8

In an assembly for coupling together adjacent ends of a pair of fluid passage-defining tubular members, a pair of flange members adapted to be rigidly fixed respectively to said adjacent ends of said tubular members, said flange members being respectively formed with first and second annular radially outwardly extending shoulder portions, sleeve means peripherally surrounding said flange members, resilient seal rings radially compressed between said sleeve means and said flange members, a coupling sleeve structure mounted on and peripherally surrounding said sleeve means, said coupling structure having axially spaced apart radially extending shoulders that are axially abuttable with said first and second annular portions respectively for limiting relative axial displacement of said flange members away from each other, and said coupling structure being longitudinally split to provide a pair of coupling halves extending circumferentially around portions of said sleeve means and having two pairs of circumferentially adjacently disposed ends, and a combined retainer and spring clip assembly comprising a band formed from a flat sided strip of flexible material and extending peripherally around said coupling structure, said band having resilient end portions that are releasably interengageable to form a loop for radially confining said coupling halves in assembled relation around said sleeve means, said band having an integral intermediate flexure portion bridging one pair of said circumferentially adjacently disposed ends and fixed to said coupling halves to provide a yieldable hinge interconnecting said one pair of circumferentially adjacently disposed ends and enabling the other pair of said circumferentially adjacently disposed ends to be spread circumferentially apart when said fastener portions are disengaged for mounting said coupling structure on and for removing said coupling structure from said sleeve means.