Patent ID: 7537248
Filing Date: 2009-05-26
Classification: B29C,F16L,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A combination seal and restraint system capable of both joining and sealing a female plastic pipe to a mating male plastic pipe having an interior surface and an exterior surface, the seal and restraint system comprising: a sealing ring formed as an elastomeric body, the sealing ring being integrally installed within a groove formed in a belled end of the female pipe during the manufacture of the belled pipe end; a companion restraint mechanism for the elastomeric sealing ring which allows movement of the mating male pipe relative to the belled end of the female pipe in a first longitudinal direction but which restrains movement in a second, opposite relative direction, the restraint mechanism comprising a ring shaped housing which is also integrally installed within the belled pipe end during manufacture and which has a circumferential interior region and a companion gripping insert which is contained within the circumferential interior region of the housing, the gripping insert having an exterior surface and an interior gripping surface with at least one row of gripping teeth; wherein the gripping insert is a ring shaped member having at least one circumferential slit in the circumference thereof which allows the gripping insert to be temporarily compressed and installed within the circumferential interior region of the housing in snap-fit fashion after the ring shaped housing has been integrally installed within the belled pipe end during manufacture of the female pipe; wherein a removable spacer is temporarily placed in the at least one circumferential slit in the gripping insert, whereby the gripping insert is spread apart an additional, preselected amount once the insert is received within the circumferential interior region of the housing; wherein the amount the gripping insert is spaced apart is selected to cause the gripping insert to be initially received more closely within the housing circumferential interior region, whereby the teeth of the gripping insert are initially concealed in the housing circumferential interior region.