Patent ID: 7523966

Claim:
A coupling for holding a tube therein, comprising: an outer housing having an internal bore with a circumferential side wall, a seal in said internal bore in fluid-tight engagement with said housing and positioned for fluid-tight engagement with the tube when positioned within said internal bore, a first spacer bushing retained against axial movement within said internal bore and having an axially inner side and an axially outer side, a second spacer bushing retained against axial movement within said internal bore and having an axially inner side and an axially outer side, a first gripper ring located axially outward of said seal and having radially and axially inwardly protruding circumferentially spaced gripper teeth having inner edges protruding inwardly into said internal bore sufficient to at all times engage the tube when positioned within said internal bore, said first gripper ring lying adjacent and between said axially outer side of said first spacer bushing and said axially inner side of said second spacer bushing, and a second gripper ring having radially and axially inwardly protruding circumferentially spaced gripper teeth having inner edges protruding inwardly into said internal bore sufficient to at all times engage the tube when positioned within said internal bore, said second gripper ring lying adjacent said axially outer side of said second spacer bushing, wherein said first gripper ring has an axially inner flat peripheral portion and said second gripper ring has an axially inner flat peripheral portion, and said axially outer side of said first spacer bushing has a flat peripheral portion and said axially outer side of said second spacer bushing has a flat peripheral portion, said inner flat peripheral portion of said first gripper ring being positioned in face to face contacting juxtaposition with said flat peripheral portion of said axially outer side of said first spacer bushing and said inner flat peripheral portion of said second gripper ring being positioned in face to face contacting juxtaposition with said flat peripheral portion of said axially outer side of said second spacer bushing.