Toolless automatic pipe-coupling device
C United States Patent 1 1 [1 1| 3,876,233  
 Schmedding et al. l l Apr. 8, 1975 TOOLLESS AUTOMATIC PIPE-COUPLING 1494.639 2/1970 Smith .7 zxs/am 4 DEVICE 3.742.582 7/1973 Brnske 285/370 X 3.759.551 WW7} Brnske ,285/3Rl1 X [751 Inventors: George Ro rt hm dding. kztmxs m/ww Bruskc 29/421 E Harrisburg; William Franklin Broske. C-timp Hill. buth of Pu. y Primary bmmim&#39;rDzi\&#39;e W3 Amla i 1 Asslgneci AMP Incorporaied- Hilrllshurg- AtmmmxAgenr. 0r Firm-Allan B. Osborne. Esq.  
 [22] Filed: May 31. 1973 7 t [.1] Appl. No. 365.808 [57&#39; ABSTRACT [52] U 5 C 235 3 43 3 535; The present invention relates to a self-contained. 335 3; 335 370 pipe-coupling device. More particularly. the invention [51 Int. Cl. F 35 00 includes a tapered tubular member and wedges which [58] Field ofSearch 285/370. l8. 37L 383 are driven into wedging engagement between the 385/431 4; 29/42L 43| 1 pipes being joined and the tubular member. The driving three is :1 quick burning propellant such as pistol [56] References Cited p UNITED S E PA .NT  
  TAT S TE S 3 Claims. 4 Drawing Figures 3.34] .fiSil 9/)67 Bmske 403/174 X PATENIEDAPR ems sum 2 9 3 1 TOOLLESS AUTOMATIC PIPE-COUPLING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Joints of pipe are now being coupled principally by welding. Also. they are beingjoined by bolting together flanges welded on the ends. In any e ent. the present methods of coupling joints of pipe are costly. timeconsuming and require skilled workmen.  
  Workers in the field have de\cloped de ices and methods to reduce the cost ofand time required to join or couple pipe together. One such device is disclosed in US. Pat. Ser. No. M33908. such disclosure incorporated herein by reference. Such tle\ ice however incorporates a complex piston assembly for driving wedge members into frictional engagement bct\\ een a tubular member and the conduit of pipe being joined.  
  It is therefore an object of this imention to pro\ide a device which can be simply inserted into the adjacent ends of the pipe to be coupled. ingnite a propellant contained within the device and complete the job of coupling in a fraction of the time it takes to prepare the pipe for welding let alone the actual welding process itself.  
 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. is a cross-sectional view of the preferred emhodiment ofthe present invention positioned within the ends of two joints of pipe to be coupled or joined by such invention;  
  FIG. 2 is an end view of the annular wedge member forming a part of the invention of FIG. I;  
  FIG. 3 is a modified embodiment of the invention of FIG. I; and  
  FIG. 4 is a perspective. partially sectional view ofthe invention of FIG. I after it has joined the pipes togcther.  
 DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In FIG. 1 the reference numerals I and I2 refer to two joints of pipe which are to be joined or coupled together by means of the present invention. Pipe lO-l2 may be any rigid pipe made from steel. aluminum or the like. The present invention is a toolless coupling device, generally indicated by reference numeral 14, which requires no tools in its application.  
  The toolless coupling device 14 consists of an elongated tubular member 16 having a radially projecting collar 18 positioned thereon at the midpoint. Although the collar may be dimensionally sized to fit around tubular member 16 in an interference fit as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, other means of attaching it may be used. cg, by welding.  
  Collar 18 bisects tubular member I6 into two halfs. identical in length. dimensions and in geometry. This being so. a reference numeral designating an element on one half will apply to the elements twin on the other half; to distinguish one twin from another. the reference number on the right hand half will have a prime&#34; mark.  
  Between collar 18 and the extreme end 20, tubular member 14 consists of three sections: tapered portion 22 which starts adjacent collar 18 and extends away an appreciable distance therefrom; a flat section 24 adjacent the tapered section and a flare section 26 at end 20.  
  In addition to the tubular member 16, the toolless coupling device includes an annular wedge member 28 which consists of four wedge segments 30 joined together by frangible webs 32. FIG, 2. an end view of a wedge member 28. shows the segments and webs. Whereas four segments 30 are shown and preferred in the present invention. a fewer or greater number may be used in lieu thereof. The outer surface of each seg ment 3() is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the segment. However. the inner surface. from wedge segment nose 34 rearwardly. is tapered. the degrce of tapering being substantially the same as the degree of tapering on tapered section 22. The tapering of the inner surface does not extend necessarily all the way back to the back end 36 of segment 30. The transi tion between nose 34 and the inner and outer surfaces of the segment is preferably rounded as shown in FIG.  
  An annular ring member 38. preferably made from a material such as aluminum is positioned adjacent the back of wedge member 28.  
  Next to ring member 38 is a propellant-carrying and sealing member 40. Sealing member 4|). preferably made from polyethylene. consists of tvv o rings wherein each of the mating surfaces contain a groom such that a chamber 42 is formed when the two rings are joined together. Contained within chamber 42 is propellant 44. Any number of propellants may be used. Hercules &#34;Bullseye&#34; smokeless pistol powder being one.  
  An annular back up plate 46 is positioned between flare section 26 and sealing member 40.  
  Suitable detonating means 48 extend from propellant 44 through appropriate openings in sealing member and plate 46 (not shown) and out of the pipe to a suitable firing device (not shown). Detonating means 48 may include any number of methods and means for detonating propellant 44. the preferable means being tungsten wires. connected to a hcav icr wire 48. within the propellant.  
  FIG. 3 illustrates a modified version of toolless coupling device I4. therein designated by reference numeral 50. As seen, modified device 50 is just one half of device I4. It differs in that it has no collar 18 and secondly. in its application. end portion 52 is welded or otherwise secured to the end of pipe I2.  
 USE AND UTILITY OF THE INVENTION Tubular member 14 is first formed without flare section 26 so as to allow the positioning thereon of collar I8, wedge members 28-28. ring members 38-38 propellant-carrying sealing members 40-40. plates 46-46 and detonating means 48-48. Once these elements are on tubular member 14. the ends thereof can be formed into flare sections 26-26.  
  One half of coupling device 14. assembled as above described. is inserted into the end of pipe 12 and pipe 10 is drawn up over the other half until collar I8 is engaged on either side by the pipes as shown in FIG. I. Detonating means 48-48 are fed out through the joint of pipe being added on; in this case pipe 10, and connected to a power supply (not shown]. A current flows through detonating means 48-48 detonating propellant 44-44. The expanding gases drive wedge members 28-28 up tapered surfaces 22-22 and into wedging relation between pipes I0-12 and tubular member 14. As the driving force is great. such wedging is permanent and pipes 10-12 are coupled together as seen in FIG. 4.  
  Wedge members 22%18&#39; as they mo\e into wedgmg relation. breals up into segments 36 due to the increased diameter ot&#39;tuhuiar member 14 near collar IS. The breaking up of edge mem ers lil lt&#39;l&#39; is permit ted b frangible ehs 32.  
  Ring members 385%? sery e two lunctions during the firing step. First and primarily. the rings prewnt gases from rushing through the gromes between wedge segments MLSU&#39; lsee FIG. 2 t. ie. it pre ents lailure ol the sealing members in the areas ol the grooms. se condly. the rings distribute the pressure troni the burn ing propellants equally against the lmiclt ends Solo ol each segments 30-30 As propellants LL44 burn and expand. sealing members 40-40 are split apart and dri cn into sealing engagement with members 2L2? and pipe 10 12. Pressure loss is minnni/ed or pre eutcd in this manner.  
  The use ol modified coupling de\ice 5!) is the same as described abote except ith the requirement ol las tening an end thereol to an end ot a pipe The dimensions of the tubular member 1-1 at its mid section is preferably slightly less than the inner diameter of the pipe being coupled &#39;lhe length oleach half oi the tubular members 14 is preferably about two to three times the pipes inner diameter and the degree of taper is about three degrees relatitc to the longitudinal axis of the deuce.  
  The length of wedge members 18- 28 is about two thirds the inner diameter ol the pipe. Ob iousiy the taper on the wedge segments should coincide with the taper on the tubular member.  
  The abme dimensions are not limited per se. For cyamplc in one successful test using the modified eou pling device 50. the pipes being coupled had a six inch outer diameter and the and one-halt inch inner diameter. The tubular member was nine and one-hall inches long and had a wall thickness ol the-sisteenths inches. l&#39;he wedge segments were three and one hall inches long. Thirty-the grains ol Hercules Buliseye pistol powder was used. [it another test where the dimensions were the same except that l&#39;ilty grains of powder was used. e\ cry thing performed as expected except that appreciable gas leaks were noted.  
  As with dimensions. different materials may be used. Preferably. howewr. all the elements may be made from aluminum eseept ot course for the propellant and sealing member in the abo\e noted tests. annealed alu minuni. grade 6()(:l-lO was used.  
  Although not shown it will be apparent that radical structural changes can be made to the present in\ention while still retaining the ltl\C|l[ttIl\C concepts. For example. the coupling de\ ice can he made in re erse so that it could be placed on the outside of the pipes being joined. The tubular member would be tapered radially outwardly from the midpoint and the llare section would be proiecting inwardly. lhe wedge members would require some modification to aliow them to come together as they are driven inwardly toward the mid-point. Another modification not shown is to size onehall of the de\ ice to lit one diameter pipe and size the other half to (it another diameter pipe whereby pipe ofdiftercnt diameters may be coupled. Further. the de- \ice may be used to couple any type of tubular items together: e.g.. electrical conduits.  
  Further. it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invcntion and modifications thereto can be used to join or connect many difl&#39;crent kinds of Ill till  
 items together notu itlistanding their structure insofar as such items ha\e an opened end into which the cou&#39; pling det ice can be placed. For example. the coupling det ice is ideally suitable for ioining expansion oints to electrical conduits such as used in tubular bus bars and condnit-containing gas insulated transmission systems.  
  &#39;lhe foregoing detailed description has been gi\ en for elearness of understanding only. and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom. as some modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.  
 What is claimed is:  
  l. A tooliess pipe coupling device for coupling two ipes arranged end to end which comprises:  
 a. an elongated tubular member ha ing sections ex tending longitudinally from either side of the midpoint of the member. the walls ot said sections being tapered inwardly towards the ends thereof and adapted to slidingly receive thereon the ends ot pipe which may be coupled:  
 . a plurality of wedge segments slidably positioned around said tubular member in the vicinity of said tapered sections;  
 c. charges olpropellant positioned behind said wedge segments. and abutment means positioned behind said charges of propellant. said charges being con tained within annular sealing members which. upon the charge being detonated. press against the wedge segments and abutment means and extend across the annular space between the tubular memher and the pipe wall thereby providing a seal to re\ent the gas from the detonated charge from blowing by the wedge segments and abutment means; and  
  detonating means or detonating the propellant charges whereby the pressure developed thcrcfrom drives said wedge segments longitudinally inwardly toward the midpoint whereby the wedge segments become wedged between and thereby friction-ally couple the pipes and the tubular membcr together.  
  2. A toolless pipe coupling device for coupling two pipes arranged end to end which comprises:  
 av an elongated tubular member having tapered scctions extending longitudinally in either direction from the midpoint of said member with the taper being toward the free ends. a radially outwardly projecting flared section at each end of said member and a flattened section betwcen said tapered section and said flared sections. said tubular mem ber adapted to he slid into the opened ends of pipe which may be coupled;  
 b. a collar positioned around said tubular member at said midpoint thereof and against which said pipes abut when said tubular member slides into said opened ends;  
 c. a pair of wedge members each consisting ofa plu rality of segments coupled together by frangible webs, said wedge members slidably positioned around said tubular member adjacent said tapered sections;  
 d. a pair of ring members each positioned adjacent the back ends of said wedge members;  
 e. a pair of annular sealing members each positioned around the flattened sections on said tubular member and adjacent said ring members, said sealing members containing therein a charge of propellant;  
 f. a pair of backup plates each positioned between said sealing member and said flared section on said tubular member. said plates in conjunction with said flared section adapted to contain the pressure developed from the detonating of said propellant and said annular sealing members. which upon the of another of said items:  
 b a flared section at the end of the tapered section; e. wedging means movably positioned around said tubular member and adapted to be moved along charge. being detonated. press against the ring 5 id mpcrcd Section h and members and back p Plums and lend the back-up means positioned between said flared sec- Space between. h ubulur mcmhcr and tion and said wedgi&#39;ng means and abutment means thereby prmldmg f m f the positioned adjacent said flared section: sealing gas fmm Charge blmmg by the means positioned between said abutment means cl up P g d f &#34;9 H m and said back-up means and a charge of propellant f i i; m m contained within said sealing means and said seali it, c ere 6 8 n m mg means upon the charge being detonated. press drives said edge members lOllL&#39;llULllltllllY ll&#39;tWtll&#39;Llh against said back-up means and abutment means toward said midpoint whereby said wedge seg- I i and extend across the annular space between the ments become wedged between and therebt tric- 5 tubular member and inside wall of said another of tionall and CUlLl-\\&#39;Cltlll&#39;lgl} coupling said t\\ o pipes th b l t) t th i w ,i and said tubular member together; ltirther. as the r i z t f Q &#39;i; I v t i r i wedge segments are driven along the lltCItZttSlllgl) l k e 3 t L mm i larger diameter of the tapered sections. the lateral fi mmns wlmem Space between wedge Segments incrcusc Causing mg means for detonatmg the propellant charge he frangible webs m rupture. whereby the pressure deieloped propells said 3 A moness pipe coupling device for joining two wedging means along said tapered section hereby. items h i b l hi h comprises; said wedgmg means are wedged inbetween said tuan elongated b l member haying an d bular member and the inside wall of said another. tion and a converging tapered section extending 5 of said items into which said tapered section is axially therefrom. said end portion adapted to be placed thereby frietionally joining said two items fastened to an end of one of said items and said tatogether. pered section adapted to be slid into an open end