摘要 |
PCT No. PCT/GB94/02074 Sec. 371 Date Mar. 20, 1996 Sec. 102(e) Date Mar. 20, 1996 PCT Filed Sep. 23, 1994 PCT Pub. No. WO95/09318 PCT Pub. Date Apr. 6, 1995A pipe connector for attachment to a plain end pipe includes a housing (2) for location over the pipe end, an annular recess (4) formed in the inner surface of the housing, an inlet (10) for feeding a fluid under pressure into the recess, a sealing ring (6) in the recess, having at least three arcuate gripper elements (14) bonded thereto, the gripper elements having aligned recesses at the radially inward surfaces in which an O-ring seal (16) is mounted. After a pipe end is placed within the housing, fluid is pumped into the annular space (8) between the housing and seal ring (6), which pushes the seal ring and attached gripper elements radially inwardly to engage the pipe, the O-ring seal (16) forming a tight seal against the pipe. The plurality of gripper elements can conform to a pipe which is not perfectly round. |