Patent ID: 7469936

Claim:
A coupling for creating a fluid-conducting connection between a pipe and a stub, said stub being free of a pipe-supporting extension over which the pipe is to be slid, said coupling comprising: a coupling body having a forward end for being secured to the stub, a rearward end for receiving the pipe, and an internal bore therethrough; stub securing means for securing the forward end of the coupling body to the stub; a gripper located within the internal bore of said coupling body for gripping said pipe; gripper retaining means for retaining said gripper within said coupling body during handling of the coupling body; pipe-supporting means located within the internal bore of said coupling body for providing internal support for an end section of the pipe being engaged by the coupling; gripper engaging means for causing the gripper to grip the pipe; and sealing means for creating a seal between the stub and the pipe; wherein: the pipe-supporting means is an insert having a rigid support tube at its rearward end, said support tube being adapted to be said within the end section of the pipe; the support tube is sized such that its exterior surface closely fits within the pipe; the insert has at its forward end an inner web to be inserted within the stub; the inner web is sized to fit closely within the stub; the sealing means for creating a seal between the stub and the pipe includes a forward seal mounted on an exterior surface of said inner web to create a seal between the inner web and the stub when the inner web is slid within the stub; the forward seal is a O-ring; the insert has a radially outwardly projecting annular rib extending from a forward end of the support tube; said annular rib has a forward face adapted to abut against a rearward end of said stub, and a rearward surface adapted to abut against a forward end of said pipe; and said insert has an outer web extending rearwardly from an outer end of said annular rib.