The present invention relates generally to pipe clamp assemblies, such as those used to sealingly connect pipes together or to repair breaks or leaks in pipes.
Many kinds of removable band-type couplings for pipes exist in the art. It is noted that throughout the specification and claims, the term “pipe” encompasses any kind of generally cylindrical object, and the terms “clamp” and “coupling” are used interchangeably.
For example, one well known type of pipe coupling includes a seal clamp housing. Clamp members are positioned face to face and a tightening element is tightened to press an annular seal element against the outside of the pipe inserted through the seal clamp housing. One end of the tightening element is generally installed in one of the clamp members and the other end must be brought into a socket or opening formed in the other clamp member.
The tightening elements are generally a row of bolts, each cooperating with a nut, which are tightened by a torque wrench and the like. The bolts fit into holes or other kinds of openings before tightening.
Examples of clamps used to repairs holes and longitudinal cracks in water and wastewater pipes are the EZ-MAX line of repair clamps and the VERSA-MAX line of clamps/couplings, both manufactured and distributed by KRAUSZ. VERSA-MAX is a repair coupling and clamp in a single device, capable of repairing holes and cracks and joining pipes with the same or different circumference.
Prior art repair clamps of this type typically have at least 4 tightening elements, that is, four bolts, which must be tightened to effect the seal.
The present invention seeks to provide novel pipe clamp assembly with a stiffening element that reduces the number of tightening elements needed to achieve a proper seal, as is described more in detail further below. The stiffening element extends between two tightening elements at ends of the clamp and eliminates the need for additional tightening elements between the ends of the clamp. The invention thus makes the tightening operation much quicker and easier.
There is provided in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention a pipe clamp assembly including a band having an inner annular seal element wrappable around a pipe, opposing clamp members extending from the band, tightening elements for clamping together the clamp members, the tightening elements being positioned at or near opposite ends of each of the clamp members, and a stiffening element constructed of an elongate beam with mounting holes near opposite ends of the beam, wherein the tightening elements pass through the mounting holes of the stiffening element and wherein there are no tightening elements along a length of the stiffening element between the mounting holes.
The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:
Reference is now made to
Pipe clamp assembly 10 includes a band 12 having an inner annular seal element 14 wrappable around a pipe (not shown). Band 12 is typically, but not necessarily, made of metal and annular seal element 14 is typically, but not necessarily, made of an elastomer, such as natural or synthetic rubber.
Opposing clamp members 16 extend from ends of band 12 and are clamped and tightened together with tightening elements 18, such as but not limited to, bolts tightened by nuts. In accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, the tightening elements 18 are located at or near opposite ends of clamp members 16. More specifically, tightening elements 18 pass through mounting holes 20 (
The structure of stiffening element 24 is now described with reference to
Stiffening element 24 is constructed of an elongate beam 25 (
As seen in
As seen in
In the illustrated embodiment, the head of tightening element 18 is a round bolt head (
A keeper 34 (
The scope of the present invention includes both combinations and subcombinations of the features described hereinabove as well as modifications and variations thereof which would occur to a person of skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description and which are not in the prior art.
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Entry |
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European Search Report EP15193095.5, dated Mar. 23, 2016, 8 pages. |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20160138740 A1 | May 2016 | US |