Patent ID: 6609731
Filing Date: 2003-08-26
Classification: E21B,F16L,Y10S

Abstract:
A connector, comprising:first and second tubular members adapted to be disposed in end-to-end relation, each member having locking grooves thereabout adjacent one end thereof, a first sleeve having one end carried about the first member for axial reciprocation with respect thereto and having its other end surrounding the one end of the second member, when the members are arranged in end-to-end relation, a second sleeve having one end carried about the first member and within the first sleeve for axial reciprocation with respect thereto, a radially expandable and contractible ring having inner and outer sides and axially spaced first and second teeth about its inner side and carried within the first sleeve so that, in a normally expanded unlocking position, the other end of the first sleeve and ring may be moved over the one end of the second member and thereby dispose the first teeth of the ring opposite the grooves of the first member and the second teeth of the ring opposite the grooves of the second member respectively, each sleeve having a cam surface on its inner side adjacent its one end which is slidable over cam surfaces about the outer side of the ring to move the ring and its teeth radially inwardly to a locking position within the grooves about the tubular members when the sleeves are moved axially toward one another, and to permit the ring to expand radially outwardly to the unlocking position when the sleeves are moved axially away from one another, and operating means connecting the other ends of the sleeves for selectively moving them axially toward and away from one another to move the ring between the locking and unlocking positions.