Pipe joints or couplings – With lubrication
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-05
2001-05-22
Nicholson, Eric K. (Department: 3627)
Pipe joints or couplings
With lubrication
C285S338000, C285S346000, C184S015100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06234539
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a quick connect sealing and clamping apparatus and method for joining and sealing a device or devices.
In the course of a day, individuals encounter a high number, and a wide variety, of circumstances requiring the connection and sealing of loose ends. From the simple task of joining ends of twine together to adding a section of rope or cable to another section of rope or cable or joining different materials together. More industrial circumstances exist in which cable ends, pipes, tubes and the like must be towed or sealed quickly against the release, or introduction, of contaminants into or from the open end. Additionally, needs arise wherein sheathed cables cease to function efficiently for lack of lubrication and must be replaced. Schott, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,107,961 illustrates the state of the art for lubricating cables in the form of a metal clamp that compresses a rubber tube around the end of a cable. A valve aperture is provided for introducing lubricant into the clamp and then the cable.
A wide variety of other solutions have been devised for these problems, from the simple to the complex, from simply tying a knot in the loose end or tying the loose ends together or wrapping the exposed end in tape, for example.
A drawback to the solutions known in the art is that there is no single simple solution for all these connecting and sealing needs. Thus, there is a need in the art for providing a quick connect sealing device which is capable of quickly, efficiently, and inexpensively connecting two ends of material together, sealing and clamping those ends, and/or enabling lubrication of the ends of cables, tubes, pipes and the like. It, therefore, is an object of this invention to provide a quick connect sealing and clamping apparatus and method for quickly, efficiently, and inexpensively connecting and/or sealing opposite ends of a single device, such as wire, cable, rope, or the like, or free ends of multiple sections of materials and/or sealing open ends and enabling lubrication of the open end thereafter.
SHORT STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the quick connect sealing and clamping apparatus of the present invention includes a pair of oppositely positioned sleeves joined together by a flexible coupling. The free ends of a single device, or multiple devices, are inserted one in one sleeve and one or more other free ends in the other sleeve, extending into the space created by the interconnecting piece of flexible coupling. The oppositely positioned sleeves are then rotated so as to twist the interconnecting flexible coupling around the free ends of the device(s) to be joined. The twisting draws the oppositely positioned sleeves together and seals and connects the ends of the device(s) to be connected and sealed. Once sufficiently tightened, the oppositely positioned sleeves are locked together and the connection and sealing is complete. The sleeves include a locking device for holding the sleeves together once they have been attached to the device to be connected and/or sealed.
In a preferred embodiment a sealed chamber is connected to one of the oppositely positioned sleeves. In this embodiment, the free end of the device to be connected and sealed is inserted into the sleeve without the chamber and then into the chamber and the quick connect sealing device attached, thereby sealing the free end within the chamber. By means of an extension attached to the sealed chamber, the cable, or whatever device is being connected, clamped, and/or sealed, may be pulled by means of the quick connect sealing device.
In another preferred embodiment, the extension connected to the sealed chamber is hollow for receipt, transfer, and delivery of lubricant to the sealed chamber. A corresponding method for connecting, clamping and sealing devices is also provided as set forth hereafter.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1005123 (1911-10-01), Austin
patent: 2544764 (1951-03-01), Parks
patent: 2681711 (1954-06-01), Sievenpiper
patent: 2898940 (1959-08-01), Cole, Jr.
patent: 2954990 (1960-10-01), binns
patent: 3101812 (1963-08-01), Mercer, Sr.
patent: 3738688 (1973-06-01), Racine
patent: 3828890 (1974-08-01), Schott
patent: 3889781 (1975-06-01), Schott
patent: 4039048 (1977-08-01), Safholm
patent: 4554998 (1985-11-01), Kenny
patent: 4834719 (1989-05-01), Arenas
patent: 5107961 (1992-04-01), Schott
patent: 5222577 (1993-06-01), Nelson
patent: 5226898 (1993-07-01), Gross
patent: 5338313 (1994-08-01), Mollenauer et al.
patent: 5992899 (1999-11-01), Strowe
Nicholson Eric K.
Shaffer & Culbertson LLP
Shaffer Jr. J. Nevin
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