Patent ID: 7757718

Claim:
A pipe, comprising: a tubular member constructed of one of a clay material or a concrete material, said tubular member having a sidewall constructed of only said clay material or said concrete material and not including a metal sleeve throughout a length of said tubular member; a bell structure attached to one end of said tubular member, where said bell structure is larger in diameter than said tubular member, said bell structure constructed of a material having a relatively low tensile strength as compared to its compressive strength, and said bell structure is characterized as being brittle, and said bell structure adapted for insertion therein of a spigot end of another similar pipe; an impact absorbing material wrapped around an outside circumferential surface of said bell structure and integrally attached thereto, said impact absorbing material having a thickness adapted to cushion said bell structure and absorb impact forces during shipment of said pipe so that said bell structure is less likely to fracture; and said impact absorbing material wrapped around said bell structure and not substantially along a length of said tubular member, and said impact absorbing material secured around said bell structure and not secured and sealed to the spigot end of the another pipe.