Patent ID: 8007014

Claim:
A pipe joint comprising: a first pipe extending in a first axial direction and having a first axial opening at a spigot end, wherein the spigot end has an outer surface; a second pipe extending in a second axial direction and having a second axial opening at a bell end, wherein the bell end of the second pipe is fitted onto the spigot end of the first pipe, such that the first axial direction is substantially aligned with the second axial direction and the first axial opening communicates with the second axial opening; a plurality of angularly-spaced-apart holes extending substantially radially in the bell end of the second pipe; a set of radial fasteners for extending through said plurality of angular-spaced-apart holes, each given one of the radial fasteners having a surface containing a hard material which is harder than the material of the holes of the second pipe, and, has a first end for engaging the outer surface of the spigot end; wherein the second pipe is made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and the hard material comprises a substance having a hardness greater than PVC; wherein the substance is selected from the group consisting of sand, glass, and ceramics; wherein when the bell end of the second pipe is fitted onto the spigot end of the first pipe, each given one of the set of radial fasteners may be inserted into one of the plurality of angularly-spaced-apart holes until the first end engages the outer surface of the spigot end to prevent relative axial movement of the first pipe with respect to the second pipe at least in the second axial direction; wherein, when the radial fasteners are inserted into the angular-spaced-apart holes, the hard material interacts with the angular-spaced-apart hole into which the radial fastener is inserted to roughen the hole thereby creating a friction fit resisting removal of the radial fastener; and wherein the pipe joint is non-metallic.