Non-rotating gasket grp coupling structure

Abstract

The present invention relates to a coupling structure comprising a glass fibre reinforced polyester (GRP) coupling (10) for joining glass fibre reinforced polyester (GRP) pipes together. The present invention comprises the following; gasket channel (11) on the inner surface of the coupling (10), which has a channel lower right slope (111) and channel upper right slope (112) extending at an opposite angle to each other on the right side, and a channel lower left slope (113) and channel upper left slope (114) extending at an opposite angle to each other on the left side, gasket (30) located in the gasket channel (11) and connected to the gasket channel (11) by means of the lower right slope (31) and upper right slope (32) extending at an opposite angle to each other on the right side and the lower left slope (33) and upper left slope (34) extending at an opposite angle to each other on the left side to provide sealing in the coupling (10), zigzag lip (35) on the upper surface of the gasket (30), which allows the gasket (30) to surround the outer surfaces of the pipes placed in the coupling (10).

Description

[0001] Non-Rotating Gasket GRP Coupling Structure

[0002] Field of the Invention

[0003] The invention relates to glass fibre reinforced polyester (GRP) couplings for joining glass fibre reinforced polyester (GRP) pipes together, and to gaskets used as sealing elements in the coupling.

[0004] In particular, the invention relates to a coupling structure which prevents the gasket from falling out ot the coupling by eliminating the problem of rotation of the gasket in the gasket channel during the assembly of glass fibre reinforced polyester (GRP) pipes to each other.

[0005] State of the art

[0006] Today, glass fibre reinforced polyester (GRP) pipes are used in drinking water and clean water transmission lines, irrigation main transmission and network lines, sewerage lines, etc. The connection of glass fiber reinforced polyester (GRP) pipes to each other is provided by glass fiber reinforced polyester (GRP) couplings. There is a gasket inside said couplings to ensure sealing. Two types of couplings are generally used in joining GRP pipes. One of these is the full face gasket coupling called FWC. In this type of coupling, the full face gasket is installed on the round die. Glass fiber threads soaked in resin are wrapped around the outside of the gasket attached to the mold. The other one is a gasketed GRP coupling.

[0007] In the state of the art, gasket channels are opened on the inner surface of the coupling for the installation of sealing gaskets in glass fiber reinforced polyester (GRP) couplings. These channels are opened in the form of straight channels or in the form that expands towards the surface. Therefore, since the gasket channels on the inner surface of the coupling are flat or expanding towards the surface, there is a risk of the gaskets falling during installation into the channel on the coupling. In order to keep the gaskets that are prone to fall inside the coupling until the installation phase of the pipes, the gaskets are attached to the coupling using a band. Additionally, during the installation of the pipes into the coupling, the gasket may rotate within the coupling channel due to the horizontal force applied to the coupling and the structure of the gasket and since the gasket lips cannot wrap around the outer surface of the pipe, it may be possible that they cannot fulfill their sealing function. This nonconformity occurring during assembly cannot be seen during visual inspection. In order to detect the gasket rotation error, the gasket condition between the coupling and the pipe is checked using special tools. This situation brings additional workload. For this reason, there was a need to eliminate the problems encountered in the installation of glass fiber reinforced polyester (GRP) pipes in the state of the art.

[0008] The document numbered US4601495 can be cited as an example of the state of the art in the literature research. Said document relates to the pipeline system. The present invention discloses a coupling having a curved and semicircular configuration for joining oppositely presented ends of a pair of pipes and for preventing the ends of the pipes from separating relative to each other. In the center of the axial length of each half of said coupling , there is a recess into which a gasket is placed. This recess and gasket structure does not prevent the gasket from rotating within the coupling.

[0009] As a result, the above problems and the inadequacy of the existing solutions, it became necessary to carry out an improvement in the relevant technical field.

[0010] Purpose of the Invention

[0011] The present invention relates to a non-rotating gasket GRP coupling structure which eliminates the abovementioned disadvantages and brings new advantages to the relevant technical field.

[0012] The main purpose of the present invention is to provide a coupling structure which prevents the gasket from falling out of the coupling by eliminating the problem of rotation of the gasket in the gasket channel during the assembly of glass fibre reinforced polyester (GRP) pipes to each other.

[0013] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a coupling configuration that eliminates the problems encountered in assembly by means of tight fitting the gasket into the angled gasket channel opened in the glass fibre reinforced polyester (GRP) coupling. Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a coupling arrangement which eliminates the need for the tape used to hold the gaskets in the coupling until the pipe assembly stage.

[0014] Another purpose of the present invention is to introduce a coupling structure that eliminates labor and time losses in detecting the rotation problem of the gasket within the coupling channel.

[0015] In order to fulfil all the purposes mentioned above and which may arise from the detailed description, the present invention is a coupling structure comprising a glass fibre reinforced polyester (GRP) coupling for joining glass fibre reinforced polyester (GRP) pipes together, characterized by comprising the following:

[0016] - gasket channel on the inner surface of the coupling, which has a channel lower right slope and channel upper right slope extending at opposite angles to each other on the right side, and a channel lower left slope and channel upper left slope extending at opposite angles to each other on the left side,

[0017] - gasket located in the gasket channel and connected to the gasket channel by means of the lower right slope and upper right slope extending at an opposite angle to each other on the right side and the lower left slope and upper left slope extending at an opposite angle to each other on the left side to provide sealing in the coupling,

[0018] - zigzag lip on the upper surface of the gasket, which allows the gasket to surround the outer surfaces of the pipes placed in the coupling.

[0019] The structural and characteristic features of the present invention will be understood clearly by the following drawings and the detailed description made with reference to these drawings. Therefore the evaluation shall be made by taking these figures and the detailed description into consideration.

[0020] Figures to Help Understanding the Invention

[0021] Figure 1 : Sectional perspective view of the coupling structure of the present invention. Figure 2: Sectional front view of the coupling structure of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 3a: Front view of the gasket belonging to the coupling structure of the present invention. Figure 3b: Perspective view of the gasket belonging to the coupling structure of the present invention.

[0023] Description of the Part References

[0024] 10. Coupling

[0025] 11. Gasket channel

[0026] 111. Channel lower right slope

[0027] 112. Channel upper right slope

[0028] 113. Channel lower left slope

[0029] 114. Channel upper left slope

[0030] 20. Stopper

[0031] 30. Gasket

[0032] 31. Lower right slope

[0033] 32. Upper right slope

[0034] 33. Lower left slope

[0035] 34. Upper left slope

[0036] 35. Lip

[0037] 36. Base holder

[0038] Detailed Description of the Invention

[0039] In this detailed description, the preferred embodiments of the coupling structure of the present invention are described only for clarifying the subject matter in a manner such that no limiting effect is created.

[0040] Figures 1 and 2 show the views of the coupling structure of the present invention. Accordingly, the coupling structure in its most basic form comprises the following; glass fiber reinforced polyester (GRP) coupling (10), which connects glass fiber reinforced polyester (GRP) pipes together, stopper (20), which is located on the middle inner surface of the coupling (10) and prevents the pipes placed inside the coupling (10) from hitting each other, gasket (30) located on both sides of the inner surface of the coupling (10) and providing sealing by covering the outer surface of the pipes. The coupling (10), which constitutes the main structure of the coupling structure subject to the invention, is arranged in a circular form to enable a pair of glass fibre reinforced polyester (GRP) pipes to be joined end to end.

[0041] In order to ensure the sealing of the pipes in the coupling (10), a gasket channel (1 1 ) is opened for the connection of the gasket (30) into the coupling (10). These gasket channels (11 ), which are opened on both sides of the inner surface of the coupling

[0042] (10), ensure that the gasket (30) is connected to the coupling (10) in a tight fit. Accordingly, as shown in Figures 3a and 3b, there are lower right slope (31 ) and upper right slope (32) extending at right angles to each other on the right side of the gasket (30) and lower left slope (33) and upper left slope (34) extending at right angles to each other on the left side. In the gasket channel (11 ), in accordance with the structural form of the gasket (30), the channel right lower slope (1 11 ) and channel right upper slope (112) extending at an opposite angle to each other on the right side and the channel left lower slope (1 13) and channel left upper slope (1 14) extending at an opposite angle to each other on the left side are formed.

[0043] The lower right slope (31 ) and upper right slope (32) on the right side of the gasket (30) are located in the lower right slope (1 1 1 ) and upper right slope (1 12) of the gasket channel (11 ) and the lower left slope (33) and upper left slope (34) on the left side of the gasket (30) are located in the lower left slope (113) and upper left slope (1 14) of the gasket channel (11 ). Thus, the gaskets (30) are connected to the gasket channel

[0044] (11 ) with a tight fit and the gaskets (30) are prevented from rotating and dislodging during the assembly of the glass fibre reinforced polyester (GRP) pipes into the coupling (10).

[0045] The upper surface of the gasket (30) has zigzag shaped lips (35). These lips (35) enable the gasket (30) to surround the outer surfaces of the pipes placed in the coupling (10). Thus, a complete sealing can be achieved in the gasket (30). The number of lips (35) on the gasket (30) may vary depending on the length of the gasket (30).

[0046] The lower surface of the gasket (30) has a base holder (36) in a recessed form to prevent the gasket (30) from slipping from the bottom of the gasket channel (1 1 ) in the coupling (10). The assembly of the coupling structure subject to the invention is as follows;

[0047] The gasket (30) is connected to the gasket channel (11 ) in the coupling (10) in a tight fit and with its lips (35) facing outwards. Then, glass fiber reinforced polyester (GRP) pipes are attached to both sides of the coupling (10) and by applying pushing force to the pipes or coupling (10), the pipes are pushed forward to the stopper (20). Meanwhile, the lip (35) parts of the gaskets (30) inside the gasket channel (1 1 ) surround the outer surface of the pipes. In this way, the assembly of the pipes into the coupling (10) is completed. The coupling structure subject to the invention can be used as a repair sleeve as well as joining glass fiber reinforced polyester (GRP) pipes together. In this case, there is no stopper (20) in the coupling (10).

Claims

CLAIMS1. A coupling structure comprising a glass fibre reinforced polyester (GRP) coupling (10) for joining glass fibre reinforced polyester (GRP) pipes together, characterized by comprising the following;- gasket channel (11 ) on the inner surface of the coupling (10), which has a channel lower right slope (11 1 ) and channel upper right slope (112) extending at opposite angles to each other on the right side, and a channel lower left slope (113) and channel upper left slope (114) extending at opposite angles to each other on the left side,- gasket (30) located in the gasket channel (11 ) and is connected to the gasket channel (1 1 ) by means of the lower right slope (31 ) and upper right slope (32) extending at an opposite angle to each other on the right side and the lower left slope (33) and upper left slope (34) extending at an opposite angle to each other on the left side, with a tight fit in order to provide sealing in the coupling (10), zigzag lip (35) on the upper surface of the gasket (30), which allows the gasket (30) to surround the outer surfaces of the pipes placed in the coupling (10).

2. The coupling structure according to claim 1 , characterised in that; the said gasket (30) comprises a base holder (36) in the form of a recessed protrusion on the lower surface of said gasket (30) which prevents the same from slipping from the base of the gasket channel (1 1 ) in the coupling (10).

3. The coupling structure according to claim 1 , characterised by comprising; a stopper (20) located on the centre inner surface of the coupling (10) and preventing the pipes inserted in said coupling (10) from hitting each other.

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