Expansion repair coupling

Abstract

An expansion repair coupling for interconnecting two facing ends of a cut pipe comprises a tubular body, a spigot slidably and rotatably received therein and a locking mechanism to selectively lock or unlock the rotation of the tubular body relative to the spigot. An end of the spigot extends outward from the tubular body to receive a coupling that connects to one end of the cut pipe. A radially enlarged section on the spigot has a sealing mechanism that sealably engages an interior surface of the tubular body. The locking mechanism, engaged by collapsing the spigot into the tubular body or disengaged by extending the spigot therefrom, facilitates a push and twist connection at both ends of the pipe to wipe the adhesive disposed therebetween and obtain a better seal. Preferably, the locking mechanism comprises a socket having spigot engaging members that cooperatively engage socket engaging members on the spigot.

1 . An expansion repair coupling for joining spaced apart first and second pipe ends of a cut pipe, said expansion repair coupling comprising:
 a tubular body having a first end, a second end, an outer surface and an interior sealing surface, said interior sealing surface defining a bore through said tubular body;   a spigot comprising a tubular spigot body having a first end, a second end, a spigot bore through said spigot body and a radially enlarged section, said radially enlarged section comprising a sealing means for sealably engaging said interior sealing surface, said second end of said spigot being axially received in said bore of said tubular body with said sealing means slidably and rotatably engaged against said interior sealing surface and said first end of said spigot projecting axially outward from said first end of said tubular body, said radially enlarged section configured to allow rotation of said tubular body relative to said spigot when said expansion repair coupling is in an unlocked condition; and   locking means selectively interconnecting said spigot and said tubular body for preventing rotation of said spigot relative to said tubular body so as to place said expansion repair coupling in a locked condition.   
   
   
       2 . The expansion repair coupling according to  claim 1 , wherein said tubular body comprises a stop at said first end thereof, said stop configured to prevent said radially enlarged section of said spigot from exiting said first end of said tubular body. 
   
   
       3 . The expansion repair coupling according to  claim 2 , wherein said stop is defined by a reduced diameter section extending outwardly from said first end of said tubular body. 
   
   
       4 . The expansion repair coupling according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said tubular body and said spigot body are elongated. 
   
   
       5 . The expansion repair coupling according to  claim 1 , wherein said locking means is selectively engaged to place said expansion repair coupling in said locked condition by collapsing said spigot inside said tubular body. 
   
   
       6 . The expansion repair coupling according to  claim 5 , wherein said locking means interconnects said second end of said spigot with said tubular body at or near said second end of said tubular body. 
   
   
       7 . The expansion repair coupling according to  claim 6 , wherein said locking means comprises one or more longitudinally extending first engaging members at said second end of spigot and one or more second engaging members on said tubular body. 
   
   
       8 . The expansion repair coupling according to  claim 1 , wherein said locking means comprises a socket having a socket body with a first end received in said second end of said tubular body, a second end generally at said second end of said tubular body and a socket bore through said socket body, said socket bore in axial alignment with said spigot bore. 
   
   
       9 . The expansion repair coupling according to  claim 8 , wherein said socket body has a cap at said second end thereof, said cap having an inwardly facing shoulder in abutting relation with said second end of said tubular body. 
   
   
       10 . The expansion repair coupling according to  claim 8 , wherein said locking means further comprises one or more longitudinally extending spigot engaging members on a socket face at said first end of said socket body and one or more longitudinally extending socket engaging members on a spigot face at said second end of said spigot. 
   
   
       11 . The expansion repair coupling according to  claim 8 , wherein said second end of said socket body is configured to receive said second end of said cut pipe in said socket bore. 
   
   
       12 . The expansion repair coupling according to  claim 1 , wherein said sealing means comprises at least one radially outwardly opening O-ring gland on said spigot body and an O-ring disposed in said O-ring gland. 
   
   
       13 . The expansion repair coupling according to  claim 1 , wherein said outer surface is configured with a means for gripping said tubular body so as to facilitate gripping said tubular body, rotating said expansion repair coupling relative to said first end of said cut pipe and rotating said tubular body relative to said second end of said cut pipe. 
   
   
       14 . An expansion repair coupling for joining spaced apart first and second pipe ends of a cut pipe, said expansion repair coupling comprising:
 a tubular body having a first end, a second end, an exterior surface and an interior sealing surface, said interior sealing surface defining a bore through said tubular body;   a spigot comprising a tubular spigot body having a first end, a second end, a spigot bore through said spigot body and a radially enlarged section, said radially enlarged section comprising a sealing means for sealably engaging said interior sealing surface, said second end of said spigot being axially received in said bore of said tubular body with said sealing means slidably and rotatably engaged against said interior sealing surface and said first end of said spigot projecting axially outward from said first end of said tubular body, said radially enlarged section configured to allow rotation of said tubular body relative to said spigot when said expansion repair coupling is in an unlocked condition;   a socket having a socket body with a first end received in said second end of said tubular body, a second end generally disposed at or near said second end of said tubular body and a socket bore through said socket body, said socket bore in axial alignment with said spigot bore; and   locking means selectively interconnecting said spigot and said socket for preventing rotation of said spigot relative to said tubular body so as to place said expansion repair coupling in a locked condition.   
   
   
       15 . The expansion repair coupling according to  claim 14 , wherein said locking means is at said second end of said spigot and said first end of said socket and configured to be placed in a locked condition when said second end of said spigot is pushed into said tubular body against said first end of said socket and to be placed in an unlocked condition when said first end of said socket and said second end of said spigot are separated. 
   
   
       16 . The expansion repair coupling according to  claim 15 , wherein said locking means further comprises one or more longitudinally extending spigot engaging members on a socket face at said first end of said socket body and one or more longitudinally extending socket engaging members on a spigot face at said second end of said spigot. 
   
   
       17 . The expansion repair coupling according to  claim 16 , wherein said socket has a cap at said second end of said socket body, said cap having an inwardly facing shoulder in abutting relation with said second end of said tubular body. 
   
   
       18 . The expansion repair coupling according to  claim 16 , wherein said second end of said socket body is configured to receive said second end of said cut pipe in said socket bore. 
   
   
       19 . The expansion repair coupling according to  claim 14 , wherein said sealing means comprises at least one radially outwardly opening O-ring gland on said spigot body and an O-ring disposed in said O-ring gland. 
   
   
       20 . The expansion repair coupling according to  claim 14 , wherein said outer surface is configured with a means for gripping said tubular body so as to facilitate gripping said tubular body, rotating said expansion repair coupling relative to said first end of said cut pipe and rotating said tubular body relative to said second end of said cut pipe. 
   
   
       21 . The expansion repair coupling according to  claim 14 , wherein said tubular body comprises a reduced diameter section extending outwardly from said first end thereof, said reduced diameter section defining a stop at or near said first end of said tubular body, said stop configured to prevent said radially enlarged section of said spigot from exiting said first end of said tubular body. 
   
   
       22 . The expansion repair coupling according to  claim 14 , wherein said socket comprises an adhesive well at or near said first end of said socket body. 
   
   
       23 . A method of repairing a pipe with an expansion repair coupling comprising a tubular body, a spigot having a spigot body with a first end projecting axially outward from a first end of said tubular body and a second end slidably and rotatably received in said tubular body, and a locking means selectively interconnecting said spigot and said tubular body for preventing rotation of said spigot relative to said tubular body, said method comprising the steps of:
 a. attaching a coupling to said first end of said spigot body;   b. engaging said locking means to place said expansion repair coupling in a locked condition;   c. cutting said pipe to provide a cut pipe opening, a first end of said pipe and a second end of said pipe;   d. placing adhesive material on said coupling and/or on said pipe at or near said first end thereof;   e. gripping an outer surface of said tubular body;   f. pushing said coupling onto said first end of said pipe;   g. twisting said tubular body to rotate said coupling relative to said first end of said pipe to wipe the adhesive material between said coupling and said pipe so as to secure said coupling at said first end of said pipe;   h. placing adhesive material in a bore at a second end of said tubular body and/or on said pipe at or near said second end thereof;   l. disengaging said locking means to place said expansion repair coupling in an unlocked condition; and   j. pushing said second end of said tubular body towards said second end of said pipe to receive said second end of said pipe into said bore; while twisting said tubular body to rotate said bore relative to said second end of said pipe to wipe the adhesive material between said bore and said pipe so as to seal said bore to said second end of said pipe and interconnect said first end of said pipe to said second end of said pipe.   
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said tubular body has an interior sealing surface defining said bore through said tubular body and said spigot body has a radially enlarged section comprising a sealing means for sealably engaging said interior sealing surface, said second end of said spigot being axially received in said bore of said tubular body with said sealing means slidably and rotatably engaged against said interior sealing surface, said radially enlarged section configured to allow rotation of said spigot relative to said tubular body when said expansion repair coupling is in said unlocked condition. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said engaging step is accomplished by collapsing said spigot inside said tubular body. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said locking means interconnects said second end of said spigot with said tubular body at or near a second end of said tubular body. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said locking means comprises a socket having a socket body with a first end received in a second end of said tubular body, a second end generally at said second end of said tubular body and a socket bore through said socket body, said socket bore in axial alignment with a spigot bore through said spigot body. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein said second end of said pipe is received in said socket bore. 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein said locking means further comprises one or more longitudinally extending spigot engaging members on a socket face at said first end of said socket body and one or more longitudinally extending socket engaging members on a spigot face at said second end of said spigot. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein said engaging step is accomplished by interconnecting said spigot engaging members and said socket engaging members and said disengaging step is accomplished by separating said spigot engaging members and said socket engaging members. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 23  further comprising the step of determining the length of said cut pipe opening by utilizing the length of said expansion repair coupling with said coupling attached on said spigot before said cutting step. 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said sealing means comprises at least one radially outwardly opening O-ring gland on said spigot body and an O-ring disposed in said O-ring gland.