Abstract:
The coupler with expanding fittings can be configured with an inner sleeve having an annular wall with an outwardly extending lip about an end of the sleeve. The wall of the inner sleeve can have a passage defined therein extending from adjacent the valve body and having a discharge opening adjacent the lip, or can have external threading on the outwardly extending lip. The coupler has an outer sleeve with an attached pipe flange at a first end and an inwardly extending lip at an opposing second end. The inner sleeve lip is slidably or threadingly disposed within the outer sleeve, the outer sleeve lip encircling the inner sleeve. The outer sleeve travels along the outward surface of the lip of the inner sleeve, the range of travel of the order sleeve being limited by the inwardly extending lip on the outer sleeve.

Description:
[0001]     This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/102,826, filed Apr. 11, 2005, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates generally relates to pipe fittings, and more particularly to a coupler with expanding fittings that has hydraulically or pneumatically operated or threaded flanges that extend in order to interconnect pipes and provide flow of any type of material, such as fluid, gas, solid, or any combination thereof, in any type of piping system, e.g., shipping applications, marine applications, building applications, vehicle applications, aviation applications, etc.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     Virtually every commercial, industrial, residential site, as well as every marine, aviation, train, vehicular application utilizes piping for the conveyance of materials such as liquids, gases, solids, and/or combinations thereof. The most common piping application is for water. Whether it is the water pipes in a private home, high-pressure steam lines in a power plant, saltwater cooling lines aboard a ship, or the water mains in a treatment plant, water pipes are very common.  
         [0006]     Some piping installations, such as those used in industrial or marine settings, can be very complicated. Liquids and gases are conveyed at a large variety of temperatures and pressures through an array of different kinds of pipes made from such diverse materials as cast and wrought iron, steel, stainless steel, copper, brass, lead, non-ferrous and ferrous alloys, and plastic materials. Adding to this complexity is the fact that many piping systems must be installed in cramped or confined quarters, leaving little room to perform maintenance or repair on the piping system.  
         [0007]     The work of installing and maintaining pipe systems is called pipe fitting. Valves are often used in pipe systems. A valve is a device having an orifice fitted with a suitable seating surface and a means for closing the orifice. A piping system can have as many valves as are needed to assure complete and adequate control of flow. Complete sectionalizing of a piping system is important from the standpoint of both maintenance and control. Some valves, such as globe valves, are used to throttle the flow through a pipe. Other types of valves, such as gate valves, are normally kept either fully open or fully closed. In larger piping installations, i.e., those utilizing piping of two inches or greater, the inlet and outlet of a valve are flanged. The flanges on the valve are bolted to the flanges on a pipe, usually with a gasket between the flange on the pipe and the flange on the valve.  
         [0008]     Pipe fitters and other personnel who perform maintenance and repair on piping systems often encounter serious difficulties, particularly when they have to remove and replace pipe sections and/or valves. Most piping systems are designed with some amount of flexibility through the use of compression fittings, expansion joints, slip joints and pipe bends. However, coupler with expanding fittings that would eliminate many of the difficulties in pipe systems has not been put forward. There have been numerous improvements relating to piping systems.  
         [0009]     Europe Patent Application Publication No. EP 326 645 A2, published Aug. 9, 1989, describes a high pressure pipe connection of a hydraulic fitting featuring a sealed but detachable end piece capable of resisting hydraulic pressure up to 420 bars. World Intellectual Property Organization Patent Application Publication No. WO 90/14536 A1, published Nov. 29, 1990, describes a valve for connection to a pressurized water main having a closure mechanism that is biased towards a position in which it seals with a seat in the inlet port.  
         [0010]     Japan Patent Application Publication No. JP 2-256998 A, published Oct. 17, 1990, discloses a piping repair method for replacing old pipe connections with new pipe connections by fitting an expansion joint pipe having a stopper flange into an opening at the cut part of an old pipe. Japan Patent Application Publication No. JP 3-89091 A, published Apr. 15, 1991, shows a process for the repair and replacement of water main gate valves in underwater installations wherein the connection pipe is removed from a single pipe and valves may be repaired or replaced without performing underwater work.  
         [0011]     Japan Patent Application Publication No. 5-196175 A, published Aug. 6, 1993, describes a joint pipe with metal piece for fitting hydraulic piping that enables one kind of a joint pipe to be adapted to a plurality of types of hydraulic piping. Japan Patent Application Publication No. 6-346498 A, published Dec. 20, 1994, discloses a member for connecting a gate valve that abuts the flange surface of the internal valve of a vacuum type sewage system.  
         [0012]     Japan Patent Application Publication No. JP 7-110072 A, published Apr. 25, 1995, shows a gate valve wherein the generation of corrosion and rust can be prevented in the valve body by applying an inner layer of corrosion proof resin. Germany Patent Application Publication No. DE 43 38 663 C1, published Jun. 8, 1995, describes a process for exchanging drill fittings on gas pipes or household water mains while maintaining the seals between the pipelines and fittings.  
         [0013]     Japan Patent Application Publication No. JP 7-190276 A, published Jul. 28, 1995, describes a connection structure for a gate valve accomplished by connecting a reception port processing piece to an inserting side pressing piece by a connecting member. Europe Patent Application Publication No. EP 1 029 987 A1, published Aug. 23, 2000, shows a service connection at a public water main supply wherein the valve closure element is a spring-loaded ball pressed against a sealing seat in the valve housing.  
         [0014]     Japan Patent Application Publication No. JP 2001-021078 A, published Jan. 1, 2001, shows a hydraulic fitting having an inexpensive general purpose hydraulic pressure sensor integrated in to the fitting. Japan Patent Application Publication No. JP 2004-125090 A, published Apr. 22, 2004, describes an installation and construction method for a butterfly valve wherein the butterfly valve is in constant water.  
         [0015]     None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus, a coupler with expanding fittings solving the aforementioned problems is desired.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0016]     The present invention is a coupler with expanding fittings. The coupler with expanding fittings is designed to eliminate the cost and labor of interconnecting pipes and/or valves in any type of piping system. The coupler with expanding fittings is very cost efficient, since it enables a pipe to be installed without cutting and welding on a piping installation to fit a pipe having a fixed distance between flanges in a pipe run. The expanding fittings may be used in combination with any type of pipe known in the art.  
         [0017]     In a first embodiment, the coupler with expanding fittings is configured with an inner sleeve having an annular wall with an outwardly extending lip about an end of the pipe. The wall of the inner sleeve has a passage defined therein extending from adjacent the valve body and having a discharge opening adjacent the lip. The coupler has an outer sleeve with an attached pipe flange at a first end and an inwardly extending lip at an opposing second end. The inner sleeve lip is slidably disposed within the outer sleeve, the inner sleeve lip encircling the inner sleeve. The outer sleeve travels along the outward surface of the lip of the inner sleeve, the range of travel of the outer sleeve being limited by the inwardly extending lip on the outer sleeve.  
         [0018]     In a second embodiment, the coupler with expanding fittings is configured with an inner sleeve having an annular wall with an outwardly extending lip about an end of the sleeve. The outwardly extending lip has external threading formed therein. The coupler has an outer sleeve with an attached pipe flange at a first end, an inwardly extending lip at an opposing second end, and an internally threaded wall disposed between the first end and the second end. The internally threaded wall is in threaded engagement with the inner sleeve. Rotation of the outer sleeve results in changing the distance between ends of the coupler, the range of travel of the outer sleeve being limited by the inwardly extending lip on the outer sleeve.  
         [0019]     These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0020]      FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a coupler with expanding fittings according to the present invention.  
         [0021]      FIG. 1B  is a sectional view of the coupler with expanding fittings shown in  FIG. 1A .  
         [0022]      FIG. 2A  is a perspective view of the coupler with expanding fittings according to the present invention, wherein the coupler is interconnected to a pipe with a fixed flange.  
         [0023]      FIG. 2B  is a sectional view of the coupler with expanding fittings shown in  FIG. 2A .  
         [0024]      FIG. 3A  is a perspective view of the coupler with expanding fittings according to the present invention, wherein the coupler is interconnected to a globe valve that is interconnected to a coupler with a fixed flange.  
         [0025]      FIG. 3B  is a sectional view of the coupler with expanding fittings shown in  FIG. 3A .  
         [0026]      FIG. 4A  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the coupler with expanding fittings according to the present invention, wherein the coupler is connected to a globe valve that is interconnected to another coupler with expanding fittings according to the present invention.  
         [0027]      FIG. 4B  is a sectional view of the coupler with expanding fittings shown in  FIG. 4A .  
         [0028]      FIG. 5  shows a prospective view an alternative embodiment of a coupler with expanding fittings according to the present invention.  
         [0029]      FIG. 6A  shows a sectional view of the coupler of  FIG. 5  in a retracted position.  
         [0030]      FIG. 6B  shows a sectional view of the coupler of  FIG. 5  in an extended position.  
         [0031]      FIG. 7A  is a perspective view of the coupler of  FIG. 5 , wherein the coupler is interconnected to a pipe with a fixed flange.  
         [0032]      FIG. 7B  is a sectional view of the coupler with expanding fittings shown in  FIG. 7A .  
         [0033]      FIG. 8A  is a perspective view of the coupler with expanding fittings of  FIG. 5 , wherein the coupler is interconnected to a globe valve that is interconnected to a coupler with a fixed flange.  
         [0034]      FIG. 8B  is a sectional view of the coupler with expanding fittings shown in  FIG. 8A .  
         [0035]      FIG. 9A  use a perspective view showing another alternative embodiment a coupler with expanding fittings according to the present invention.  
         [0036]      FIG. 9B  is a section view of the coupler of  FIG. 9A .  
         [0037]      FIG. 10A  is a perspective view of a globe valve equipped with the coupler of  FIG. 5  at one end and the coupler of  FIG. 9A  at the other end.  
         [0038]      FIG. 10B  is a sectional view of the embodiments of the coupler of  FIG. 10A . 
     
    
       [0039]     Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0040]     The present invention is a coupler with expanding fittings. The coupler with expanding fittings has hydraulically or pneumatically operated or threaded flanges that extend in order to interconnect pipes and provide flow of any type of material, such as fluid, gas, solid, or any combination thereof, in any type of piping system, e.g., shipping applications, marine applications, building applications, vehicle applications, aviation applications, etc. The coupler with expanding fittings can be used with piping systems using pipe made of any type of material, such as cast and wrought iron, steel, stainless steel, copper, brass, lead, non-ferrous and ferrous alloys, plastic materials, combinations thereof, etc.  
         [0041]     The layout of most piping systems is not designed to precise tolerances. After a piping system has been constructed, it often takes pipe fitters or mechanics considerable time, effort and cost to place valves in the system. Frequently pipes must be cut, flanges welded in place, or inserts added to interconnect pipes and/or install a valve.  
         [0042]     Referring to the drawings,  FIGS. 1A and 1B  show a coupler with expanding fittings, a first embodiment of which is designated generally as  10  in the drawings, that allows a pipe fitter to easily interconnect a pipe with another piping element, such as a valve, pipe angle, T-fitting, etc. The end to end distance of the coupler  10  can be easily adjusted so that the coupler  10  may be installed quickly and efficiently between a pipe and another piping element. The coupler  10  can be interconnected between pipe mains and pipe elements in systems designed for the delivery of a liquid, a gas, a solid, or combinations thereof. The coupler  10  includes an inner sleeve  26  and an outer sleeve  36 . The inner sleeve  26  has a predetermined length and the relative position of the outer sleeve  36  is controlled by hydraulic or pneumatic pressure. Hydraulic or pneumatic pressure is applied through a hydraulic or pneumatic fitting  30  in the inner sleeve  26 . Hydraulic fluid or a compressible gas can be added to the hydraulic or pneumatic fitting  30  on the inner sleeve  26  through a hydraulic or pneumatic line  32  attached to a hydraulic or pneumatic hand pump  34 . Hydraulic or pneumatic line  32  may also be attached to a compressed gas source instead of hand pump  34 .  
         [0043]     The flanges  38  and  62  can be bolted to a flange of another pipe or pipe element (not shown) using nuts  16  and bolts inserted through the aligned holes  20  in the flanges  38  and  62  and holes in the other flange. The pipe fitter or mechanic can then use the hydraulic or pneumatic hand pump  34  to adjust the outer sleeve  36  over the inner sleeve  26  so that the flange  38  meets the flange of the other pipe element. A user may reverse the order of installing the coupler  10  to suit the particular piping system.  
         [0044]     The internal configuration of the coupler  10  with expanding fitting is shown in  FIG. 1B . The inner sleeve  26  has a hydraulic or pneumatic fitting  30  that leads to a hydraulic fluid or compressible gas passage  44  within the wall of the inner sleeve  26 . The hydraulic fluid or pneumatic passage  44  leads to a void space  46  or cavity having an annular or cylindrical cross section. The void space  46  is a space formed by the exterior of the inner sleeve  26 , the interior of the outer sleeve  36 , the inward wall of the sleeve lip  40 , and the inward wall of the sleeve lip  42 . Additional components of the coupler  10  include a coil spring  48 , an outer sleeve lip seal  50  and an inner sleeve lip seal  52 . The coil spring  48  is placed between the outward wall of the sleeve lip  42  and an inwardly extending portion  39  of the flange  38 . The outer sleeve lip seal  50  is attached to the inner face of the outer sleeve lip  40 . The inner sleeve lip seal  52  encircles the sleeve lip  42 .  
         [0045]      FIG. 1B  shows the outer sleeve  36  extended. When no hydraulic fluid or compressible gas is added to the void space  46 , the coil spring  48  expands to push the outer sleeve  36  and flange  38  outward. In the event of failure of the hydraulic or pneumatic fitting  30  or either the outer sleeve lip seal  50  or the inner sleeve lip seal  52 , so that hydraulic or pneumatic pressure is lost, the coupler  10  is in the extended position as a safety feature.  
         [0046]     The coupler  10  with expanding fittings may come in a variety of sizes. For exemplary purposes only, the flanges  38  may be dimensioned and configured to be attached to pipe flanges associated with two, four, six, eight, ten inch pipe as well as metric and non-standard pipe sizes. As previously described, the coupler  10  with expanding fittings may be used to interconnect pipes and provide flow of any type of material, such as fluid, gas, solid, or any combination thereof, in any type of piping system, e.g., shipping applications, marine applications, building applications, vehicle applications, aviation applications, etc.  
         [0047]      FIGS. 2A and 2B  show a coupler  100  with expanding fittings that allows a pipe fitter to easily interconnect a pipe  112  with another pipe  160  equipped with the coupler  100  at one end. The end to end distance of the coupler  100  can be easily adjusted so that the coupler  100  may be installed quickly and efficiently between the pipe  112  and the pipe  160 . The pipes  112  and  160  can provide for the flow of a liquid, a gas, a solid, or combinations thereof. The coupler  100  has an inner sleeve end  126  of pipe  160  and an outer sleeve  136 . The inner sleeve end  126  of pipe  160  has a predetermined length and the relative position of the outer sleeve  136  is controlled by hydraulic or pneumatic pressure. Hydraulic or pneumatic pressure is applied through a hydraulic or pneumatic fitting  130  in the inner sleeve end  126  of pipe  160 . Hydraulic fluid or compressible gas can be added to the hydraulic or pneumatic fitting  130  on the inner sleeve end  126  of pipe  160  through a hydraulic or pneumatic line  132  attached to a hydraulic or pneumatic hand pump  134 . Hydraulic or pneumatic line  132  may also be attached to a compressed gas source instead of hand pump  134 .  
         [0048]     The flange  138  can be bolted to a flange  114  of pipe element  112  using nuts  116  and bolts  118  inserted through the aligned holes  120  in the flange  138  and corresponding holes in the flange  114 . The pipe fitter or mechanic can then use the hydraulic hand pump  134  or a compressible gas source to adjust the outer sleeve  136  over the inner sleeve and  126  of pipe  160  so that the flange  138  meets the flange  114  of the pipe element  112 . Pipe  160  may have a fixed flange  162  at a distal end opposite coupler  100 . The flange  162  can be bolted to a flange  172  of another pipe  170  using nuts  182  and bolts  180  inserted through the aligned holes in the flange  162  and holes in the flange  172 . The pipe fitter or mechanic can then use the hydraulic end pump  134  or a compressible gas source to adjust the outer sleeve  136  over the inner sleeve end  126  of pipe  160  so that the flange  138  meets the flange  114  of the pipe element  112 . A user may reverse the order of interconnecting the pipes  112  and  160  to suit the particular piping system.  
         [0049]     The internal configuration of the coupler  100  with expanding fitting is shown in  FIG. 2B . The inner sleeve end  126  of pipe  160  has a hydraulic or pneumatic fitting  130  that leads to a hydraulic or pneumatic fluid passage  144  within the wall of the inner sleeve end  126  of pipe  160 . The hydraulic or pneumatic fluid passage  144  leads to a void space  146  or cavity having a cylindrical cross section. The void space  146  is a space formed by the exterior of the inner sleeve end  126  of pipe  160 , the interior of the outer sleeve  136 , the inward wall of the outer sleeve lip  140 , and the inward wall of the inner sleeve lip  142 . Additional components of the coupler  100  include a coil spring  148 , an inner sleeve lip seal  150  and an outer sleeve lip seal  152 . The coil spring  148  is placed between the outward wall of the inner sleeve lip  142  and an inwardly extending portion  139  of the flange  138 . The outer sleeve lip seal  152  is attached to the inner face of the outer sleeve lip  140 . The inner sleeve lip seal  150  encircles the inner sleeve lip  142 .  
         [0050]      FIG. 2B  shows the outer sleeve  136  fully extended. When no hydraulic fluid or compressible gas is added to the void space  146 , the coil spring  148  fully expands to push the outer sleeve  136  and flange  138  outward. In the event of failure of the hydraulic or pneumatic fitting  130  or either the inner sleeve lip seal  150  or the outer sleeve lip seal  152 , so that hydraulic or pneumatic pressure is lost, the coupler  100  is in the fully extended position as a safety feature.  
         [0051]     The coupler  100  with expanding fittings may come in a variety of sizes. For exemplary purposes only, the flange  138  may be dimensioned and configured to be attached to pipe flanges associated with two, four, six, eight, ten inch pipe as well as metric and non-standard pipe sizes. As previously described, the coupler  100  with expanding fittings may be used to interconnect pipes and provide flow of any type of material, such as a liquid, a gas, a solid, or any combination thereof, in any type of piping system, e.g., shipping applications, marine applications, building applications, vehicle applications, aviation applications, etc.  
         [0052]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  show a coupler  210  with expanding fittings that allows a pipe fitter to easily interconnect a pipe  212  and a globe valve  222  interconnected to a coupler  210  with a fixed flange  238 , and another pipe  212 . The end-to-end distance of the coupler  210  can be easily adjusted so that the coupler  210  may be installed quickly and efficiently between the pipe  212  and the globe valve  222 . The globe valve  222  is conventional. The outlet pipe  228  on the globe valve  222  has a conventional fixed flange. The pipes  212  can provide flow of liquid, gas, solid, or combinations. The coupler  210  includes an inner sleeve  226  and an outer sleeve  236 . The inner sleeve  226  has a predetermined length and the relative position of the sleeve  236  is controlled by hydraulic or pneumatic pressure. Hydraulic or pneumatic pressure is applied through a hydraulic or pneumatic fitting  230  in the inner sleeve  226 . Hydraulic fluid or compressed gas can be added to the hydraulic or pneumatic fitting  230  on the inner sleeve  226  through a hydraulic or pneumatic line  232  attached to a hydraulic hand pump  234  (as shown) or a compressed gas source.  
         [0053]     The flange  238  can be bolted to the flange  214  of the left pipe element  212  using nuts  216  and bolts  218  inserted through the aligned holes  220  in the flange  238  and holes in the flange  214 . The pipe fitter or mechanic can then use the hydraulic or pneumatic hand pump  234  or a compressible gas source to adjust the outer sleeve  236  over the inner sleeve  226  so that the flange  238  meets the flange  214  of the pipe element  212 .  
         [0054]      FIG. 3B  shows the inner sleeve  226  attached to the globe valve  222 , which has an outlet, pipe  260  (as shown in  FIG. 6 ) with a fixed flange  262  at a distal end. The flange  262  can be bolted to a flange  214  of another pipe  212  using nuts  216  and bolts  218  inserted through the aligned holes in the flange  214  and holes  264  in the flange  262 . The pipe fitter or mechanic can then use the hydraulic or pneumatic hand pump  234  or a compressible gas source to adjust the powder sleeve  236  over the inner sleeve  226  so that the flange  238  meets the flange  214  of the pipe element  212 . A user may reverse the order of interconnecting the pipes  212 , the globe valve  222 , and the pipe  260  to suit the particular piping system. The inner sleeve  226  has a hydraulic or pneumatic fitting  230  that leads to a hydraulic or pneumatic fluid passage  244  within the wall of the inner sleeve  226 . The hydraulic or pneumatic fluid passage  244  leads to a void space  246  having a cylindrical cross section. The void space  246  is a space formed by the exterior of the inner sleeve  226 , the interior of the outer slave  236 , the inward wall of the outer sleeve lip  240 , and the inward wall of the inner sleeve lip  242 . Additional components of the coupler  210  include a coil spring  248 , an inner sleeve lip seal  250  and an outer sleeve lip seal  252 . The coil spring  248  is placed between the outward wall of the inner sleeve lip  242  and the inward wall  239  of the flange  238 . The inner sleeve lip seal  250  is attached to the inner face of the outer sleeve lip  240 . The outer sleeve lip seal  252  encircles the inner sleeve lip  242 .  
         [0055]      FIG. 3B  shows the outer sleeve  236  fully extended. When no hydraulic or pneumatic fluid is added to the void space  246 , the coil spring  248  fully expands to push the outer sleeve  236  and flange  238  outward. In the event of failure of the hydraulic or pneumatic fitting  230  or either the inner sleeve lip seal  250  or the outer sleeve lip seal  252 , so that hydraulic or pneumatic pressure is lost, the coupler  210  is in the fully extended position as a safety feature.  
         [0056]     The coupler  210  with expanding fittings may come in a variety of sizes. For exemplary purposes only, the flange  238  may be dimensioned and configured to be attached to pipe flanges associated with two, four, six, eight, ten inch pipe as well as metric and non-standard pipe sizes. As previously described, the coupler  210  with expanding fittings may be used to interconnect pipes and provide flow of any type of material, such as fluid, gas, solid, or any combination thereof, in any type of piping system, e.g., shipping applications, marine applications, building applications, vehicle applications, aviation applications, etc.  
         [0057]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  show another example of a coupler  300  with expanding fittings that allows a pipe fitter to adjust the distance between flanges on a valve so that a valve may be installed quickly and efficiently. A globe valve  322  is interconnected to either end of a coupler  300  with expanding fittings. Each coupler  300  is interconnected to a liquid, gas, solid, or combinations thereof, pipe main  312  or other pipe run. The globe valve  322  is conventional, except that the inlet pipe  326  and the outlet pipe  328  on the globe valve  322  do not have conventional fixed flanges. The valve body can be a globe valve, a gate valve, or other type of valve. Both the inlet pipe  326  and the outlet pipe  328  are connected to the globe valve  322  by valve flanges  338  connected to an outer sleeve  336  that slides on the exterior of the respective pipes. The relative position of the outer sleeves  336  to inlet pipe  326  an outlet pipe  328  is controlled by threading.  
         [0058]     The valve flange  338  is bolted to the flange  314  on the liquid, gas, solid, or combinations thereof main  312  using nuts  316  and bolts  318  inserted through the aligned holes  320  in the liquid, gas, solid, or combinations thereof main flange  314  and the valve flange  338 . The pipe fitter or mechanic then uses the hydraulic or pneumatic hand pump  334  or a compressible gas source to adjust the outer sleeve  336  over the inlet pipe  326  so that the valve flange  338  meets the opposite liquid, gas, solid, or combinations thereof main flange  314 . A user may reverse the order of installing the coupler  300  with expanding fittings to suit the particular piping system. It is also contemplated that the coupler  300  with expanding fittings may be equipped with expanding fittings either only on the inlet pipe  326  or only on the outlet pipe  328 , in which case the other pipe can have a conventional fixed flange fitting.  
         [0059]     The internal configuration of the valve with expanding fitting  300  is shown in  FIG. 4B . Both the inlet pipe  326  and the outlet pipe  328  feature threads  342  that engage with inner threads  352  on the inside of outer sleeve  336 . A void space  346  is a space formed by the exterior of the inlet pipe  326  (or outlet pipe  328 ), the threaded interior of the outer sleeve  336 , the inward wall of the inlet pipe  326  or outlet pipe  328  sleeve lip, and threads  342 . Additional components of the coupler  300  can include a coil spring  348 . The coil spring  348  is placed between the outward wall of inlet pipe  326  or outlet pipe  328  and the inward wall of the valve flange  338 . The outer sleeve threads  352  engage with the threads  342  on the outward end of inlet pipe  326  or outlet pipe  328 .  
         [0060]     The inlet pipe  326  shows an outer sleeve  336  that is fully extended. When the inlet pipe  326  has been rotated to fully extend the outer sleeve  336 , the optional coil spring  348  biases to lock the outer sleeve  336  in a fixed position. The outlet pipe  328  has an outer sleeve  336  that is fully compressed. When a user of the coupler  300  adjusts the outlet pipe  328  to fully compress the sleeve, the optional coil spring  348  biases the lock the outer sleeve  336  in a fixed position. The threads can be formed of carbon, self lubricating plastic, self lubricating rubber, or other suitable sealing material.  
         [0061]     The coupler  300  with expanding fittings may come in a variety of sizes. For exemplary purposes only, the valve flanges  338  may be dimensioned and configured to be attached to the pipe flanges associated with two, four, six, eight, and ten inch pipe as well as metric and non-standard pipe sizes. As previously described, the expanding fittings may be used in combination with any type of valve known in the art, and for any type of piping system, e.g., shipping applications, marine applications, building applications, vehicle applications, aviation applications, etc.  
         [0062]      FIGS. 5 through 6 B show an alternative embodiment of the coupler  400  similar to the embodiment as shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B . The two major differences of this alternative embodiment are that there is no biasing coil spring  48  as shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B , and the hydraulic or pneumatic fluid passage  44  of  FIGS. 1A and 1B  has been redesigned to a short axial passage rather than a passage formed in a longitudinal direction through the inner sleeve.  
         [0063]      FIG. 5  shows the coupler  400  having an inner sleeve  426  connected to an inner sleeve flange  420  having through holes  422  for connecting to other pipe hardware. An outer sleeve  436  is slidingly affixed over inner sleeve flange  426  on a first end and is connected to an outer sleeve flange  438  at an opposite end having through holes  440  for connecting to other pipe hardware. Hydraulic or pneumatic hand pump  434  is connected to the coupler  400  via a hydraulic or pneumatic line  432  that attaches to a hydraulic or pneumatic fitting  430  on the outer sleeve  436 .  
         [0064]      FIGS. 6A and 6B  show a sectional view of the alternative embodiment in a collapsed or pre-expanded configuration in  FIG. 6A , and an expanded configuration and  FIG. 6B . In these figures, an outer sleeve gasket  442  and an inner sleeve gasket  444  are disposed between the outer sleeve  436  and the inner sleeve  426  to prevent hydraulic or pneumatic fluid from escaping from a hydraulic or pneumatic fluid chamber  446 . When the coupler  400  is desired to be expanded, hydraulic or pneumatic fluid is forced through the hydraulic or pneumatic fitting  430  into the hydraulic fluid chamber  446  causing the hydraulic or pneumatic fluid chamber  446  to force the inner sleeve  426  away from the outer sleeve  436 , thereby extending the coupler  400 .  
         [0065]      FIGS. 7A and 7B  demonstrate how coupler  400  may be interposed between a first pipe  450  and a second pipe  452 . The through holes in each end of the flanges  420  and  438  of coupler  400  mate reciprocally with corresponding through holes  440  and  442  when the coupler  400  is expanded. Conventional fastening hardware bolts  460  and nuts  462  may then be used to fasten the coupler  400  between pipes  450  and  452 .  
         [0066]      FIGS. 8A and 8B  show the coupler  400  of  FIGS. 5 through 7 B connected to a globe valve  500  in similar manner to  FIGS. 3A and 3B . In this embodiment, the inner sleeve  426  of  FIGS. 5 through 7 B is now integrally connected at a lower portion  502  of the globe valve  500 .  
         [0067]      FIGS. 9A through 10B  show an additional alternative embodiment of the present invention as illustrated by coupler  600 . Coupler  600  differs from the embodiment shown in  FIG. 4B  in that it does not have a biasing spring  348  and a hydraulic or pneumatic actuating chamber  346 . Coupler  600  has an inner rotatable sleeve  602  threaded on opposing ends that mate with a first outer sleeve  604  and a second outer sleeve  606 . Each outer sleeve has an internally threaded portion designed to receive the threaded portion of the inner rotatable sleeve  602 . The first and second outer sleeves  606  and  604  have integrally attached mounting flanges  608  and  610 , respectively, through which fastening through holes  612  and  614  are designed to receive fastening hardware. The threaded portions  618  of the inner rotatable sleeve  602  and first and second outer sleeves  604  and  606  are designed to cause the first and second outer sleeves  604  and  606  to move away from each other when the inner rotatable sleeve  602  is turned in one direction, and to move toward each other when the inner rotatable sleeve  602  is turned in the opposite direction. A turning attachment point  616  is designed to receive any type of tool or attachment means necessary to rotate the inner rotatable sleeve  602  and a desire direction. For example, a pipe whose inner diameter is sufficient to fit over the turning attachment point  616  may be positioned as a lever to assist in turning the inner rotatable sleeve  602 .  
         [0068]      FIGS. 10A and 10B  illustrate the hydraulically or pneumatically actuated coupler  400  of  FIGS. 5 through 8 B and the threaded rotatable sleeve coupler  600  of  FIGS. 9A and 9B  attached to a globe valve  500  in a manner similar to  FIGS. 3A through 4B .  
         [0069]     While the invention has been described with references to its preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teaching of the invention without departing from its essential teachings.