Patent ID: 7770937

Claim:
A ball joint pipe clamp to join a first pipe having a balled end and a second pipe having a flared end that overlaps the balled end, the ball joint pipe clamp comprising: a band extending axially from a first edge to a second edge and extending circumferentially from a first end to a second end, said band having a step formed circumferentially therearound and axially between said first and second edges, said step accommodating a seam produced between the overlapping balled end and flared end, said step forming in said band an elevated side that includes said first edge and an unelevated side that includes said second edge, said elevated side having one radius and said unelevated side having another radius that is less than the radius of said elevated side; and a tightening mechanism connected to said first and second ends and having a fastener for drawing said first and second ends toward and away from each other to respectively tighten and loosen said band.