Internal pipe seal
A pipe sealing assembly for sealing a connection between a pair of pipes. The sealing assembly includes a generally cylindrical seal or gasket having a pair of axially spaced sealing portions joined by a bridge portion. Each sealing portion has a plurality of compressible sealing ridges, as well as an annular expansion band seat capable of receiving the expansion band of an expansion band assembly that is used to sealingly compress each sealing portion against a respective inner surface of a pipe. Additionally, each sealing portion may include a hollow section which houses the expansion band assembly, and may be provided with a small slit for installing the expansion band assembly and allowing access to the expansion mechanism of the expansion band assembly during installation, or a separate cover member for enclosing the expansion band assembly.
1. A sealing assembly, comprising:
a cylindrical seal, comprising:
a pair of axially-spaced, annular sealing portions, at least one of said pair of sealing portions including an expansion band seat and a wall section defining an annular hollow space proximate said expansion band seat, said wall section including an access into said annular hollow space extending around only a portion of a circumference of said wall section; and
a bridge portion joining said sealing portions; and
at least one expansion band assembly received within said hollow space, said expansion band assembly comprising:
an expansion band received within said expansion band seat; and
an expansion mechanism.
2. The sealing assembly of claim 1 , wherein said expansion band includes a pair of end portions, and said expansion mechanism further includes a drive mechanism, comprising:
a pair of block members each having a threaded bore therethrough, said block members removably engaged with respective end portions of said ring; and
a bolt including oppositely-threaded ends respectively threaded within said bores of said block members, wherein rotation of said bolt in a first direction causes said block members to be simultaneously driven apart from one another to thereby expand said ring.
3. The sealing assembly of claim 1 , wherein said access in said wall section comprises a slit, said slit defining a pair of end portions of said wall section.
4. The sealing assembly of claim 3 , wherein said end portions are in tight abutting engagement with one another.
5. The sealing assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said sealing portions is formed with a ramped portion adjacent said clamping band seat.
6. The sealing assembly of claim 1 , wherein each sealing portion further includes a series of compressible, annular sealing ridges.
7. The sealing assembly of claim 1 , wherein said expansion mechanism is disposed proximate said access and said expansion band is contained within said annular hollow space, such that said expansion mechanism is accessible through said access and said expansion band is inaccessible through said wall section.
8. The sealing assembly of claim 1 , wherein said access extends between 5 degrees and 90 degrees around said circumference of said wall section.
9. The sealing assembly of claim 1 , wherein said access faces radially inwardly.
10. The sealing assembly of claim 1 , wherein said wall section of at least one of said pair of sealing portions comprises a cover member.
11. The sealing assembly of claim 10 , wherein said cover member and an adjacent one of said pair of sealing portions comprises a snap-fit structure for snap-fitting attachment of said cover member to said sealing portions.
12. The sealing assembly of claim 11 , wherein said snap-fit structure includes barbed ends of said cover members that are received within grooves of said sealing portions.
13. The sealing assembly of claim 10 , wherein each said expansion band includes a pair of end portions, and each said expansion mechanism further includes a drive mechanism, comprising:
a pair of block members each having a threaded bore therethrough, said block members removably engaged with respective end portions of said ring; and
a bolt including oppositely-threaded ends respectively threaded within said bores of said block members, wherein rotation of said bolt in a first direction causes said block members to be simultaneously driven apart from one another to thereby expand said ring.
14. The sealing assembly of claim 10 , wherein each sealing portion further includes a series of compressible, annular sealing ridges.
15. The sealing assembly of claim 10 , wherein at least one of said sealing portions is formed with a ramped portion adjacent said clamping band seat.
16. The sealing assembly of claim 10 , in combination with a pair of pipes sealingly connected by said sealing assembly, wherein said slits are formed on portions of said wall sections that are disposed away from a direction of fluid flow through said pipes.