Patent ID: 9039046
Filing Date: 2015-05-26
Classification: F16L,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A coupling comprising: an annular gasket, the annular gasket including at least one sealing surface directed radially inwardly and an outer surface directed radially outwardly; at least one segment, each segment being approximately semi-circular and including at least one inner surface, at least one outer surface, a first end, and a second end, each segment including a fastener pad protruding proximate to each end, each fastener pad defining a fastener hole, the first end including a first shoulder and a tongue and the second end including a second shoulder and a groove, the first shoulder including a first bottom surface and the second shoulder including a second bottom surface, the first bottom surface offset from a horizontal axis of the coupling in a first direction with the coupling in an assembled and tightened condition, the second bottom surface offset from the horizontal axis in a second direction opposite the first direction with the coupling in the assembled and tightened condition, the first bottom surface non-coplanar with the second bottom surface with the coupling in the assembled and tightened condition, each tongue including an inner surface and a leading edge and protruding circumferentially from each first end, the leading edge including a mating surface parallel to an axial direction of the coupling, the inner surface of each tongue adapted to contact the outer surface of the annular gasket, each groove defined circumferentially in each second end, each groove sized to accept the tongue of a one of the at least one segment; and at least one fastener, wherein at least one portion of a shaft portion of the fastener is sized to engage at least one fastener hole in at least one segment.