Patent ID: 8292331

Claim:
A pipe coupling comprising: an anchoring member, said anchoring member having a first end, said anchoring member having a second end; said anchoring member having a plurality of longitudinal supports, said plurality of longitudinal supports including, at least, a first longitudinal support, a second longitudinal support, and a third longitudinal support; said plurality of longitudinal supports each having a respective first end, and said plurality of longitudinal supports each having a respective second end; said second longitudinal support being situated between said first and third longitudinal supports, with said respective first ends of said first and third longitudinal supports being beside said first end of said second longitudinal support, and with said respective second ends of said first and third longitudinal supports being beside said second end of said second longitudinal support; a first web connecting said first longitudinal support to said second longitudinal support; a first slot, said first slot extending from a first side of said first web entirely through said anchoring member first end so as to render said first ends of said first and second longitudinal supports independently movable relative to one another to accommodate variable mutual separation distance; a second slot, said second slot extending from a second side of said first web entirely through said anchoring member second end so as to render said second ends of said first and second longitudinal supports independently movable relative to one another to accommodate variable mutual separation distance, said second slot being of smaller length than said first slot; a second web connecting said third longitudinal support to said second longitudinal support; a third slot, said third slot extending from a first side of said second web entirely through said anchoring member first end so as to render said first ends of said third and second longitudinal supports independently movable relative to one another to accommodate variable mutual separation distance; a fourth slot, said fourth slot extending from a second side of said second web entirely through said anchoring member second end so as to render said second ends of said third and second longitudinal supports independently movable relative to one another to accommodate variable mutual separation distance, said third slot being of smaller length than said fourth slot so that said first and second webs are arranged offset with respect to each other; an annular housing member configured to at least in part circumferentially surround over said anchoring member in an annular arrangement; and, a pipe seal configured to seal pipe, said pipe seal disposed under said anchoring member.