Coupling

Abstract

A coupling for attaching to an end of a tube, pipe, conduit or other round solid or hollow section. The coupling includes an inner body and a collar to be provided around the inner body. The inner body has an interior bore passing through at least a portion thereof to receive a tube and the bore has one or more interior annular protuberances extending into the bore. When the collar is provided around the inner body it applies a circumferential compressive force to deform the inner body such that the one or more annular protuberances engage the tube or the like to seal with it.

1 . A fitting assembly connected to an end of a length of tubing having a tubing wall, the fitting assembly comprising:
 a body having a socket portion, the socket portion having a forward end opening into an internal bore into which the tubing end is insertably received, the bore having a generally annular inner surface, and the body socket portion having a generally annular outer surface including an inclined portion tapering towards the body forward end, the bore inner surface having a number of teeth, one of the teeth being spaced-apart rearwardly axially from the rest of the teeth, with said rest of the teeth being disposed adjacent the body forward end; and   a generally annular collar received coaxially over the tubing, the collar having a forward end and a rearward end portion received coaxially over the outer surface of the body socket portion, the collar rearward end portion having a generally annular inner surface including an inclined portion tapering towards the collar forward end,   whereby with the collar rearward end portion having been moved over the body socket portion effecting a camming engagement of the inclined portion of the body socket portion outer surface against the inclined portion of the collar inner surface, the body socket portion is radially compressed about the tubing wherein such compression initially causes the teeth to grippingly bite into the tubing wall and thereafter to deform the tubing wall between said one of the teeth and said rest of the teeth delimiting the removal of the tubing end from the body socket portion.   
     
     
         2 . The fitting assembly of  claim 1  wherein the collar inner surface has an engagement portion located rearward of the inclined portion thereof and the body outer surface has an engagement portion located rearward of the inclined portion thereof, the collar and body engagement portions being engaged to retain the collar on the body in a preassembled arrangement of the fitting assembly when the tubing end is inserted into the internal bore of the body through the collar. 
     
     
         3 . A tubing connection comprising:
 a length of tubing having an end and a tubing wall;   a body having a socket portion, the socket portion having a forward end opening into an internal bore into which the tubing end is insertably received, the bore having a generally annular inner surface, and the body socket portion having a generally annular outer surface including an inclined portion tapering towards the body forward end, the bore inner surface having a number of teeth, one of the teeth being spaced-apart rearwardly axially from the rest of the teeth, with said rest of the teeth being disposed adjacent the body forward end; and   a generally annular collar received coaxially over the tubing, the collar having a forward end and a rearward end portion received coaxially over the outer surface of the body socket portion, the collar rearward end portion having a generally annular inner surface including an inclined portion tapering towards the collar forward end,   whereby with the collar rearward end portion having been moved over the body socket portion effecting a camming engagement of the inclined portion of the body socket portion outer surface against the inclined portion of the collar inner surface, the body socket portion is radially compressed about the tubing wherein such compression initially causes the teeth to grippingly bite into the tubing wall and thereafter to deform the tubing wall between said one of the teeth and said rest of the teeth delimiting the removal of the tubing end from the body socket portion.   
     
     
         4 . The tubing connection of  claim 3  wherein the collar inner surface has an engagement portion located rearward of the inclined portion thereof and the body outer surface has an engagement portion located rearward of the inclined portion thereof, the collar and body engagement portions being engaged to retain the collar on the body in a preassembled arrangement of the fitting assembly when the tubing end is inserted into the internal bore of the body through the collar. 
     
     
         5 . A method of making a tubing connection comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a length of tubing having an end and a tubing wall;   (b) providing a fitting assembly comprising:
 a body having a socket portion, the socket portion having a forward end opening into an internal bore for receiving the tubing end, the bore having a generally annular inner surface and the body socket portion having a generally annular outer surface including an inclined portion tapering towards the body forward end, the bore inner surface having a number of teeth, one of the teeth being spaced-apart rearwardly axially from the rest of the teeth, with said rest of the teeth being disposed adjacent the body forward end, and 
 a generally annular collar receivable coaxially over the tubing, the collar having a forward end and a rearward end portion receivable coaxially over the outer surface of the body socket portion, the collar rearward end portion having a generally annular inner surface including an inclined portion tapering towards the collar forward end; 
   (c) receiving the collar over the tubing;   (d) inserting the end of the tubing into the internal bore of the body; and   (e) moving the collar rearward end portion over the body socket portion to effect a camming engagement of the inclined portion of the body socket portion outer surface against the inclined portion of the collar inner surface and radial compression of the body socket portion about the tubing wherein such compression initially causes the teeth to grippingly bite into the tubing wall and thereafter to deform the tubing wall between said one of the teeth and said rest of the teeth delimiting the removal of the tubing end from the body socket portion.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the collar inner surface has an engagement portion located rearward of the inclined portion thereof and the body outer surface having an engagement portion located rearward of the inclined portion thereof, the collar and body engagement portions being engaged in step (b) to retain the collar on the body in a preassembled arrangement of the fitting assembly.