Patent ID: 7229230

Claim:
A tube connector for internal attachment to a tube end, comprising: an anchor body having a lengthwise through-passage extending along a longitudinal axis of the anchor body and a bolt head cavity contiguous with and wider than the through-passage, the through-passage and bolt head cavity being open to a longitudinal side of the anchor body providing a longitudinal side opening, the side opening open in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the anchor body, the through-passage being a groove-shaped through-passage, one end of the anchor body comprising a tool-access opening contiguous with the bolt head cavity and the other end of the anchor body comprising a tapered portion, a bolt comprising a threaded shank located in the through-passage and extending longitudinally through the tapered end portion of the anchor body and a head located in the bolt head cavity, the bolt insertable into the anchor body from a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the anchor body via the longitudinal side opening into the through-passage, a tightening body having a lengthwise through-passage through which the shank extends and a tapered end portion facing the tapered end portion of the anchor body, a nut bearing against or formed integrally with the tightening body and threadably engaged upon the shank, and an expansion body comprising a through-passage through which the shank extends and comprising a pair of opposed inward facing ramp surfaces, one of which bears against the tapered portion of the anchor body and the other of which bears against the tapered portion of the tightening body, whereupon relative rotation between the bolt and nut, the tightening body moves toward the anchor body to expand the expansion body against an internal surface of the tube end.