Patent ID: 8371617

Claim:
An expansion joint for a pipe system comprising: a first pipe section defining a first passageway having a longitudinal axis; a second pipe section defining a second passageway having a longitudinal axis; a deformable section interconnecting the first and second pipe sections so that the first and second passageways are fluidly connected, the deformable section being constructed to deform upon relative movement of the first and second pipe sections with respect to each other; a first mount secured to the first pipe section in the first passageway, wherein the first mount includes a hub defining a passage, and a plurality of braces extending radially from the hub of the first mount and secured in the first passageway; a second mount secured to the second pipe section in the second passageway, wherein the second mount includes a hub defining a passage, and a plurality of braces extending radially from the hub of the second mount and secured in the second passageway; and a flexible tension member tethering the first and second mounts to each other to limit a linear separation between the first and second pipe sections, the flexible tension member extending through the deformable section and within the respective passages defined by the hubs of the first and second mounts, wherein each of the first and second mounts includes a plurality of braces secured to the first and second pipe sections in the corresponding first and second passageways, and wherein the expansion joint further comprises stiffening members for each of the first and second mounts, the stiffening members extending between adjacent braces of each of the first and second mounts.