A locking pipe joint assembly, comprising: a center body connector (20; 120) having an outer surface (23; 421), an axial end wall surface (49; 158), and an interior surface (71; 170) forming a cavity (73; 424) extending through the body connector (20; 120) along a center body connector axis; a retaining cap (34; 130) having a radially extending wall and an axially extending wall, with each of the radially extending and axially extending walls (907; 195) having respective inner and outer surfaces (930, 932; 931, 933), wherein the retaining cap axially extending wall is adapted to threadedly engage the center body connector (20; 120) such that the center body connector axis and the retaining cap axis are coaxial; and a first packing arrangement (50; 150) engaged with the retaining cap inner surface of the axially extending wall and the body connector interior surface (71; 170), whereupon as the retaining cap (34; 130) threadedly engages the center body connector (20; 120), the first packing arrangement (50; 150) is compressed, wherein the first packing arrangement (50; 150) comprises at least one sealing member (24; 124) and a sealing ring retainer (26; 126), wherein the sealing ring retainer (26; 126) has an axially outer surface having a support ridge positioned radially inwardly of a radially exterior outer tip, wherein the axially outer surface includes a lower edge surface extending axially inwardly and radially outwardly from a radially interior outer tip, and further includes an upper edge surface extending axially inwardly and radially inwardly from the support ridge such that the upper edge surface meets the lower edge surface at a notch; characterized in that the center body connector (20; 120) further comprises a flange (77; 177) formed so as to extend radially inwardly from the interior wall surface (71; 170) and a block (52; 125) extending radially outwardly from the outer surface (23; 421), wherein the block (52; 125) is formed with at least one opening having an inner surface, and in that the retaining cap (34; 130) further comprises a bolt retaining block (92; 192) formed with and extending radially outwardly from the axially extending wall outer surface, with the bolt retaining block (92; 192) forming a bolt retaining cavity (98; 198), wherein the retaining cap axially extending wall inner surface forms a cavity (96; 196) extending through the retaining cap (34; 130) along a retaining cap axis. a center body connector (20; 120) having an outer surface (23; 421), an axial end wall surface (49; 158), and an interior surface (71; 170) forming a cavity (73; 424) extending through the body connector (20; 120) along a center body connector axis; a retaining cap (34; 130) having a radially extending wall and an axially extending wall, with each of the radially extending and axially extending walls (907; 195) having respective inner and outer surfaces (930, 932; 931, 933), wherein the retaining cap axially extending wall is adapted to threadedly engage the center body connector (20; 120) such that the center body connector axis and the retaining cap axis are coaxial; and a first packing arrangement (50; 150) engaged with the retaining cap inner surface of the axially extending wall and the body connector interior surface (71; 170), whereupon as the retaining cap (34; 130) threadedly engages the center body connector (20; 120), the first packing arrangement (50; 150) is compressed, wherein the first packing arrangement (50; 150) comprises at least one sealing member (24; 124) and a sealing ring retainer (26; 126), wherein the sealing ring retainer (26; 126) has an axially outer surface having a support ridge positioned radially inwardly of a radially exterior outer tip, wherein the axially outer surface includes a lower edge surface extending axially inwardly and radially outwardly from a radially interior outer tip, and further includes an upper edge surface extending axially inwardly and radially inwardly from the support ridge such that the upper edge surface meets the lower edge surface at a notch; characterized in that the center body connector (20; 120) further comprises a flange (77; 177) formed so as to extend radially inwardly from the interior wall surface (71; 170) and a block (52; 125) extending radially outwardly from the outer surface (23; 421), wherein the block (52; 125) is formed with at least one opening having an inner surface, and in that the retaining cap (34; 130) further comprises a bolt retaining block (92; 192) formed with and extending radially outwardly from the axially extending wall outer surface, with the bolt retaining block (92; 192) forming a bolt retaining cavity (98; 198), wherein the retaining cap axially extending wall inner surface forms a cavity (96; 196) extending through the retaining cap (34; 130) along a retaining cap axis.