GB2135742A

GB2135742A - A joint between two members

Info

Publication number: GB2135742A
Application number: GB08405077A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Charles Hillman; Norwood Leslie Harrison
Original assignee: Humes Ltd
Current assignee: Humes Ltd
Priority date: 1983-02-28
Filing date: 1984-02-27
Publication date: 1984-09-05
Also published as: GB8405077D0; AU2394184A

Abstract

A sealed joint between two members, e.g. pipe members 10, 10' comprises a wedge-shaped groove between opposed feces on the members and an elastic sealing member 16 received in relatively tight sealing engagement within the groove. The wedge-shaped groove is formed between a tapered face portion 13 on the end of one pipe member 10 and a substantially flat end face portion on the end of the other pipe member 10'. Alternatively both pipe members may have tapered face portions thereon between which the wedge- shaped groove is formed (Figs. 4, 5). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A joint between two members This invention relates to a joint between members, and in particular, but not exclusively, to joints between elongate pipe members such as concrete pipes. The purpose of the joint is to seal against granular material and powder (such as soil) and to restrict but not necessarily prevent the passage of fluids.

Although the invention has been particularly developed in connection with sealed joints between concrete pipes, and the following description of the preferred embodiment will be primarily directed thereto, it is also applicable in connection with joints in other situations such as between junctions boxes and lids therefor, drainage manholes and pits, where the joints between components must be sealed in the manner described above.

In some situations, particularly with pipe lines, joints between adjacent pipe sections are required to be sealed as above, and the common practice, particularly with concrete pipes, is to insert mortar up between the inside portions of the mating socket and spigot sections of the adjacent pipes. However, such a technique is time-consuming, with a high labour content and therefore costly, whilst the necessity to do so can be often overlooked by the installers, and if carried out is dependent on adequate workmanship. Furthermore, if pipe movement occurs after mortaring the joints, either accidentally or during subsequent adjustment of the pipe level and alignment, the mortar can be dislodged or damaged .

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a sealed joint between members, such as pipes, which is not subject to the above problems with existing joints.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a sealed joint between members, which joint comprises the formation of a wedge-shaped groove between opposed faces of the member to be joined, and on the outer sides thereof, and within which as elastic sealing member is received in relatively tight sealing engagement to substantially prevent the transfer of solids and to restrict the movement of fluids between said opposed faces.

The invention also envisages a pipe member the ends of which are formed to provide for the formulation of a sealed joint as defined above.

Several preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, and particularly as applied to joints between concrete pipes, and in which; Figure 1 is a perspective view partially broken of the spigot end of a concrete pipe which is to be joined with the socket of an adjacent pipe aligned therewith in end to end relationship, Figure 2 is a cross-section view of the spigot and socket ends of two pipes to be joined in accordance with present invention, Figure 3 is a cross-section view of a completed sealed joint between the pipes of Fig. 2 and in accordance with the first preferred embodiment of the invention, Figure 4 is a completed joint in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the invention, and Figure 5 is a completed joint in accordance with a third preferred embodiment of the invention.

Turning to Fig. 1 of the drawings there is shown the spigot end of a concrete pipe 10 which is to be joined with the socket end of a similar pipe 10' as shown in Fig. 2. As shown the outer circumferential end portion of the spigot end of the pipe has a tapered section 11 of sufficient taper to allow for release of the pipe from the pipe mould after moulding thereof; an annular face 12 lying in a plane transverse of the pipe; a second tapered section 13 of relatively large inclination; and a further annular face 14 also lying in a plane transverse of the pipe. The socket end of the adjacent pipe is formed internally with a tapered section 15 also to allow for release of the pipe from# the pipe mould and generally matching the tapered section 11 on the spigot with which it will be associated.

Prior to bringing the spigot and socket ends of the respective pipes together to form the joint therebetween, a sealing ring 16 of elastic material, such as rubber, and of a diameter significantly less than that of the pipes is stretched onto the end of one of the pipes, in this case the spigot end, and in some situations where considerable stretching to induce considerable stress in this ring is necessary a special tool and/or guide may be necessary to provide additional mechanical advantage and assist in positioning the ring.

When the spigot and socket ends are subsequently united as shown in Fig. 2, the annular face 12 on the spigot will bear against the end face of the socket as shown, and a gap of wedge-shaped cross-section as shown will be formed between the outer portion of the end face of the socket and the tapered and annular faces 13 and 14 of the spigot. After the spigot and socket ends are united as shown in Fig. 2, the sealing member 16 is moved to a position, such as by a rolling action, in the wedge-shaped gap in which it will seat in tight sealing engagement under the elastic force therein resulting from the stretched condition of the ring.

In the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 3 as particularly applied to a joint between 600mm diameter concrete pipes, a sealing ring of rubber and having an unstretched internal diameter of 570mm; an internal circumference of 1 791 mum; a cross-sectional diameter of 1 6mm; and a minimum rubber hardness of 701RHD, may be used. In such a case it is expected that, if the tapered section 13 has a taper of in the order of 37 , the annular face 14 is in the order of 4.4mm wide; and the wedge-shaped gap is in the order of 1 2mm deep and 1 6mm wide, an adequate seal at the joint will be produced.

When a greater sealing effect or a greater degree of flexibility is required the configuration of the socket end forming the joint may be altered, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, to provide wider wedge-shaped gaps. In the case of the embodiments of Figs. 4 and 5 the configuration of the spigot end of the pipe 10 and the tapered section 15 within the socket remain substantially unaltered, and the same numerals have been used to denote the same sections thereof as for the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 3. In the case of the embodiment of Fig. 4, a slight outwardly inclined face 17 is provided on the outermost portion of the end face of the socket to increase the width of the wedge-shaped gap which receives the larger diameter sealing ring 16', whilst in the case of the embodiment of Fig. 5, the inclination of the face is increased as at 17' and an annular face 18 is formed facing the annular section 14 on the spigot to provide a still wider wedge-shaped gap to receive a sealing ring 16" of still larger cross-sectional diameter.

Claims

1. A sealed joint between members, said joint comprising the formation of a wedgeshaped groove between opposed faces of the members to be joined, and on the outer sides thereof, and within which an elastic sealing member is received in relatively tight sealing engagement to substantially prevent the trans- fer of solids and to restrict the movement of fluids between said opposed faces.

2. A sealed joint as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the end of one member has a tapered face portion formed thereon, and the end of the other member has a substantially flat end face portion, such that, when the ends of said members are united, said wedge-shaped groove is formed between said tapered and flat face portions.

3. A sealed joint as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the angle of inclination of said tapered face portion is in the order of 37 .

4. A sealed joint as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the end of both members have tapered face portions formed thereon such that, when the ends of said members are united, said wedge-shaped groove is formed between said tapered face portions.

5. A pipe member the ends of which are formed to provide for the formation of a wedge-shaped groove to enable the formation of a sealed joint as defined in any one of Claims 1 to 4.

6. A pipe member adapted to be joined end to end with a similar pipe member, the ends of said pipe member being formed such that when united with said similar pipe member a wedge-shaped groove will be formed between opposed end faces of the pipe members on the outer sides thereof such that, in use, an elastic sealing member can be received within said wedge-shaped groove in relatively tight sealing engagement to substantially prevent the transfer of solids and to restrict the movement of fluids between said opposed faces.

7. A pipe joint substantially as hereinbefore described with. reference to Figs. 1 to 3, Fig. 4 or Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawings.

8. A pipe member substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3, Fig. 4 or Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawings.