GB1602223A - Tube connector - Google Patents

Description

(54) TUBE CONNECTOR (71) We, PRESS COMPONENTS LIMITED, a British Company of Green Lane Walsall, WS2 8JH, England, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a Patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to means for detachably connecting two tubes together in end to end relationship.

A known tube connector for this purpose has a collar whithin which are carried two elongated part circular section parts which are connected to the collar by a bolt, the parts are of equal length and extend out of the collar equal amounts at each axial side thereof. The collar has the same external diameter as the tubes to be connected. In use, one pair of ends of the part circular section parts are inserted into one tube and the other pair into the other, axially aligned tube. The tubes are brought into engagement with opposite axial sides of the collar and the screw is then tightened. This tightening of the screw has the effect of expanding the two parts so that they press against the interior of the two tubes, thus locking them together.

There are however circumstances in which it is unnecessary to remove the connector from one of the tubes. However, the nature of the connector is such that loosening of the parts by loosening the screw allows the connector to be removed from both tube ends.

It is the object of the invention to provide a tube connector which allows removal from only one of the tubes while remaining in the other and which furthermore is simple and inexpensive to produce.

According to the invention there is provided a tube connector for connecting two tubes together in end to end relationship wherein one end of the tubes carries two elongated parts, portions of both of which extend within said tube end and further portions of which extend out of said tube end, the parts being located in the tube end, in one case by a peg engaged in a hole in the tube near said end thereof and in the other case by a screw which is engaged in an opposite aligned hole in the tube and the screw being engaged in a screw thread in said other part, the screw within the tube being arranged to abut directly against the peg, the arrangement being such that the parts can be moved towards and away from one another by the screw so as to ldck them in said one tube, as well as in another tube axially aligned with it and into which the said further portions are inserted.

Th einvention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a cross sectional side elevation view of a tube and connector constructed in accordance with th invention, and Figure 2 is an end view thereof.

The connector shown is for connecting two tubes in end to end relationship. One of the tubes is shown at 10 in the drawings.

This tube is normally mounted in an upright position and its upper end carries connector assembly comprising two elongated part cylindrical parts 11 and 12.

Each of these parts 11, 12 has its corners chamfered at 13. The part 12 is located with respect to the end of the tube 10 by means of a headed peg or rivet 14. The head of this is within the part 12 and the stem extends through a hole 15 in the tube 10 adjacent to the said end. In this example the head of the peg 14 is of countersunk form with a flat end surface.

The other part 11 is located within the tube 10 by means of a screw threaded bolt 16 with a hexagon head 17 at its outer end. This is located in a complementarily screw threaded hole 18 in the part 11 and passes through a clearance hole 19 in the tube 10. The holes 15 and 19 are co-axial.

The parts 11, 12 have portions extending into the tube 10 and portions of similar length extending out of the end thereof. The two parts 11, 12 are moreover of equal length.

Tightening of the bolt 16 causes its inner end to abut directly against the flat head of the peg 14. Such tightening has the dual effect of drawing the part 11 towards the interior wall of the tube 10 and pushing the part 12 towards the opposite interior wall of the tube 10 through the peg 14. The length of the screw is calculated so that simultaneous clamping of the parts 11 and 12 within the tube 10 takes place.

As can be seen from Figure 2, the exterior diameter of the combined shape of the two warts 11, 12 corresponds with the internal bore of the tube 10.

To connect a further tube co-axially with the tube 10 said further tube is engaged over the two parts 11, 12 when they are in their contracted position and upon tightening of the bolt 16 simultaneous clamping of the parts 11, 12 within the tube 10 as well as in said further tube takes place so that a firm connection is made between the two. Normally the parts 11, 12 as the bolt 16 and peg 14 remain permanently attached to the tube 10.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A tube connector for connecting two tubes together in end to end relationship wherein one end of one of the tubes carries two elongated parts, portions of both of which extend within said tube end and further portions of which extend out of said tube end, the parts being located in the tube end, in one case by a peg engaged in a hole in the tube near said end thereof and in the other case by a screw which is engaged in an opposite aligned hole in the tube and the screw being engaged in a screw thread in said other part, the screw within the tube being arranged to abut directly against the peg, the arrangement being such that the parts can be moved towards and away from one another by the screw so as to lock them in said one tube, as well as in another tube axially aligned with it and into which the said further portions are inserted.

2. A tube connector as claimed in claim 1 in which the peg is headed, such head being within the tube and the bolt end engages this head to force the two parts apart as the screw is tightened.

3. A tube connector as claimed in either claims 1 or 2 in which the two parts are of part circular section.

4. A tube connector substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings. - - -

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (4)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. Tightening of the bolt 16 causes its inner end to abut directly against the flat head of the peg 14. Such tightening has the dual effect of drawing the part 11 towards the interior wall of the tube 10 and pushing the part 12 towards the opposite interior wall of the tube 10 through the peg 14. The length of the screw is calculated so that simultaneous clamping of the parts 11 and 12 within the tube 10 takes place. As can be seen from Figure 2, the exterior diameter of the combined shape of the two warts 11, 12 corresponds with the internal bore of the tube 10. To connect a further tube co-axially with the tube 10 said further tube is engaged over the two parts 11, 12 when they are in their contracted position and upon tightening of the bolt 16 simultaneous clamping of the parts 11, 12 within the tube 10 as well as in said further tube takes place so that a firm connection is made between the two. Normally the parts 11, 12 as the bolt 16 and peg 14 remain permanently attached to the tube 10. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A tube connector for connecting two tubes together in end to end relationship wherein one end of one of the tubes carries two elongated parts, portions of both of which extend within said tube end and further portions of which extend out of said tube end, the parts being located in the tube end, in one case by a peg engaged in a hole in the tube near said end thereof and in the other case by a screw which is engaged in an opposite aligned hole in the tube and the screw being engaged in a screw thread in said other part, the screw within the tube being arranged to abut directly against the peg, the arrangement being such that the parts can be moved towards and away from one another by the screw so as to lock them in said one tube, as well as in another tube axially aligned with it and into which the said further portions are inserted.

2. A tube connector as claimed in claim 1 in which the peg is headed, such head being within the tube and the bolt end engages this head to force the two parts apart as the screw is tightened.

3. A tube connector as claimed in either claims 1 or 2 in which the two parts are of part circular section.

4. A tube connector substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings. - - -