Patent ID: 8356672

Claim:
A marine riser string, comprising: a plurality of riser joints connected together, each of the riser joints comprising: a pipe having a longitudinal axis, a box on one end and a pin on an opposite end; the pin having an external grooved profile formed thereon; the box having a cylindrical wall containing a plurality of windows spaced circumferentially around the wall; a plurality of locking segments, each carried by the box within one of the windows for movement from an unlocked position radially inward to a locked position in engagement with the profile of the pin of an adjacent one of the riser joints; a ring carried by and encircling the box, the ring being in cooperative engagement with the segments for causing the segments to move to the locked position in response to axial movement of the ring in a first direction relative to the segments; and wherein the box is free of any hydraulic cylinders permanently mounted thereto for moving the ring axially.