Patent EA-001700-B1 (EA)
Title: Tubular connection
Inventor: CURRY PETER JAMES
IPC: E02B17/00
Filed: 1998-12-04
Abstract: 1. A tubular connection comprising a first tube and a second tube, one having a part insertable into the other in an axial direction, the first tube having a first circumferential recess and a second circumferential recess, the second tube having a first set of resilient biased latching means latchingly engageable in the first recess and a second set of resiliently biased latching means latchingly engageable in the second recess and corresponding abutments on the first recess and first set so that when mutually engaged axial movement is prevented in a first said axial direction and when the second recess and second set are mutually engaged axial movement is prevented in a second said axial direction opposite the first direction. 2. A connection as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one of the sets of latching means is provided with unlatching means. 3. A connection as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the tubes each have interacting primary abutment surfaces separate from the latching means arranged so as to limit movement in the direction of insertion. 4. A connection as claimed in claim 3 wherein one said primary abutment surface is provided on a ring attached to one said tube by means of a resilient interconnecting member. 5. A connection as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein each latching means of the first set extends on one said axial direction and each latching means of the second set extends in the other said axial direction opposite the first set. 6. A connection as claimed in claim 5 wherein the individual latching means of the first set extend between the individual latching means of the second set. 7. A connection as claimed in any of the claims 1 to 6 wherein the individual latching means of the first set are interconnected to individual latching means of the second set so that movement of any or all of the first set radially inwards or outwards causes similar movement of the second set. 8. A connection as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the individual latching means of the first set are arranged to bear on adjacent individual latching means of the second set so that movement of said individual latching means of the first set causes similar movement of the adjacent individual latching means. 9. A tubular connection comprising a first tube and a second tube, the first tube and second tube at least partially interfitting, the first tube having a circumferential recess, the second tube having a set of latching means biased to latchingly engage with the recess by inward movement, the latching means being provided with means to cause radially outward unlatching movement so that by relative axial movement of the tubes they can be disconnected. 10. A tubular connection as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein each latching means comprises a radially movable latching head fixed to a resilient longitudinal element at one end of the element, the other end of the element being fixed to one of the tubes. 11. A tubular connection as claimed in claim 10 wherein the latching head has a chamfered outer extremity so that on insertion of one said tube into the other contact with the head causes radially outward movement of the head. 12. A tubular connection as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein means are provided to prevent one tube rotating about its axis relative to the other on mutual interengagement with the other tube. 13. A tubular connection as claimed in claim 10 or 11 having unlatching means to unlatch at least one set of latching means, said unlatching means including means to retract each individual latching head simultaneously. 14. A pair of piles having a tubular connection as claimed in any of claims 1 to 11.