Pressure-tight pipe connection for a driven pipeline

摘要

A steel pipeline to be driven through an earth section without disturbing the overlying earth is made up of a plurality of serially arranged axially extending pipe sections each having a leading end and a trailing end. The leading end of each pipe section abuts the trailing end of the pipe section previously driven into the earth section. A pressure-tight pipe connection between the abutting ends of the pipe sections is formed by a steel ring secured within the trailing end of the pipe section and projecting axially out of the trailing end. The steel ring has an outside diameter smaller than the inside diameter of the section. The leading end of the next pipe section has an elastic material sealing ring secured to its inside surface with the sealing ring projecting radially inwardly beyond the outside surface of the steel ring. The steel ring contacts the sealing ring and deforms it into a pressure-tight seal when the leading end of the next pipe section abuts tightly against the trailing end of the previously driven pipe section. The pipe connection permits angular deviation between the axes of the pipe sections with stops located in the pipe section affording a shear force lock between the abutting pipe sections.