Clamp assembly

1. A clamp assembly comprising:

a band having a length sized to wrap about a joint;

a plurality of retainer segments attached to the band to engage a peripheral flange of a pair of tube ends at the joint;

a first threaded fastener connected to the band at a first location; and

a second threaded fastener sized to engage the band at a second location to extend to the first threaded fastener to fasten to the first threaded fastener upon rotation of the second threaded fastener to tighten the band and the plurality of retainer segments to clamp the joint;

wherein the first threaded fastener further comprises a barrel nut with a threaded aperture formed transversely through a cylindrical body of the barrel nut;

wherein the band further comprises a loop formed at the first location;

wherein the barrel nut is pivotally retained within the loop;

wherein a slot is formed transversely through the loop;

wherein the barrel nut further comprises an enlarged diameter about a central region of the cylindrical body sized to be received within the slot for retention of the barrel nut within the loop; and

wherein the threaded aperture is formed through the central region.

2. The clamp assembly of claim 1 wherein the loop surrounds a majority of the barrel nut so that the barrel nut can pivot within the loop; and

wherein the barrel nut further comprises a radial projection extending along a length of the cylindrical body to limit rotation of the barrel nut relative to the loop.

3. The clamp assembly of claim 1 wherein the loop is further defined as a first loop;

wherein the band further comprises a second loop formed at the second location;

wherein the clamp assembly further comprises a trunnion retained in the loop; and

wherein the second threaded fastener further comprises a bolt with a shank with an externally threaded region extending through the trunnion to engage the barrel nut.

4. The clamp assembly of claim 3 wherein the bolt further comprises a head that is oversized relative to the shank; and

wherein the clamp assembly further comprises a collar retained on the shank between the head and the externally threaded region.

5. The clamp assembly of claim 4 wherein the collar is attached to the trunnion to retain the bolt to the clamp assembly.

6. The clamp assembly of claim 1 wherein the second threaded fastener further comprises a bolt with a shank with an externally threaded region.

7. The clamp assembly of claim 6 wherein the externally threaded region comprises:

an initial threaded region with a first outer diameter within the threads sized to engage the first threaded fastener; and

a subsequent threaded region with a second outer diameter greater than the first outer diameter sized to engage the first threaded fastener with an interference fit to retain the bolt to the first threaded fastener.

8. The clamp assembly of claim 6 wherein the band further comprises a loop formed at the second location; and

wherein the clamp assembly further comprises a trunnion retained in the loop to receive the bolt.

9. The clamp assembly of claim 8 wherein the bolt further comprises a head that is oversized relative to the shank; and

wherein the clamp assembly further comprises a collar retained on the shank between the head and the externally threaded region.

10. The clamp assembly of claim 9 wherein an outer diameter of the externally threaded region is greater than an inner diameter of the collar to retain the collar upon the shank.

11. The clamp assembly of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of retainer segments include a recess that is open centrally inward and tapered decreasing radially outward to engage and clamp tapered flanged tube ends.

12. A method of manufacturing a clamp assembly comprising:

installing a cylindrical collar on a shank of a bolt;

forming threads in the bolt with an outside diameter greater than an inner diameter of the cylindrical collar to retain the cylindrical collar on the bolt; and

pressing the cylindrical collar onto a trunnion on a clamp assembly to retain the cylindrical collar and the bolt on the clamp assembly.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

installing the trunnion to a first end of a band with a plurality of retainer segments; and

installing a barrel nut to a second end of the band.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

forming a loop in the second end of the band with a transverse slot through the loop; and

forming the barrel nut with an enlarged central region sized to extend into the transverse slot to retain the barrel nut within the loop.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

forming a loop in the second end of the band to partially enclose an outer diameter of the barrel nut; and

forming a lengthwise projection along the barrel nut to engage the loop to limit a pivotal range of the barrel nut within the loop.

16. A method of assembling a joint comprising:

wrapping a band manufactured according to the method of claim 13 , about a pair of tube ends;

engaging the bolt to the barrel nut; and

tightening the bolt to constrict the band and the plurality of retainer segments to clamp the pair of tube ends.

17. A clamp assembly comprising:

a band having a length sized to wrap about a joint;

a plurality of retainer segments attached to the band to engage a peripheral flange of a pair of tube ends at the joint;

a first threaded fastener connected to the band at a first location; and

a second threaded fastener sized to engage the band at a second location to extend to the first threaded fastener to fasten to the first threaded fastener upon rotation of the second threaded fastener to tighten the band and the plurality of retainer segments to clamp the joint;

wherein the first threaded fastener further comprises a barrel nut with a threaded aperture formed transversely through a cylindrical body of the barrel nut;

wherein the band further comprises a loop formed at the first location;

wherein the barrel nut is pivotally retained within the loop;

wherein the loop is further defined as a first loop;

wherein the band further comprises a second loop formed at the second location;

wherein the clamp assembly further comprises a trunnion retained in the loop;

wherein the second threaded fastener further comprises a bolt with a shank with an externally threaded region extending through the trunnion to engage the barrel nut;

wherein the bolt further comprises a head that is oversized relative to the shank; and

wherein the clamp assembly further comprises a collar retained on the shank between the head and the externally threaded region.

18. The clamp assembly of claim 17 wherein the collar is attached to the trunnion to retain the bolt to the clamp assembly.

19. A clamp assembly comprising:

a band having a length sized to wrap about a joint;

a plurality of retainer segments attached to the band to engage a peripheral flange of a pair of tube ends at the joint;

a first threaded fastener connected to the band at a first location; and

a second threaded fastener sized to engage the band at a second location to extend to the first threaded fastener to fasten to the first threaded fastener upon rotation of the second threaded fastener to tighten the band and the plurality of retainer segments to clamp the joint;

wherein the second threaded fastener further comprises a bolt with a shank with an externally threaded region; and

wherein the externally threaded region comprises:

an initial threaded region with a first outer diameter within the threads sized to engage the first threaded fastener, and

a subsequent threaded region with a second outer diameter greater than the first outer diameter sized to engage the first threaded fastener with an interference fit to retain the bolt to the first threaded fastener.

20. A clamp assembly comprising:

a band having a length sized to wrap about a joint;

a plurality of retainer segments attached to the band to engage a peripheral flange of a pair of tube ends at the joint;

a first threaded fastener connected to the band at a first location; and

a second threaded fastener sized to engage the band at a second location to extend to the first threaded fastener to fasten to the first threaded fastener upon rotation of the second threaded fastener to tighten the band and the plurality of retainer segments to clamp the joint; and

wherein the first threaded fastener further comprises a barrel nut with a threaded aperture formed transversely through a cylindrical body of the barrel nut;

wherein the band further comprises a loop formed at the first location;

wherein the barrel nut is pivotally retained within the loop;

wherein the loop surrounds a majority of the barrel nut so that the barrel nut can pivot within the loop; and

wherein the barrel nut further comprises a radial projection extending along a length of the cylindrical body to limit rotation of the barrel nut relative to the loop.

21. A clamp assembly comprising:

a band having a length sized to wrap about a joint;

a plurality of retainer segments attached to the band to engage a peripheral flange of a pair of tube ends at the joint;

a first threaded fastener connected to the band at a first location; and

a second threaded fastener sized to engage the band at a second location to extend to the first threaded fastener to fasten to the first threaded fastener upon rotation of the second threaded fastener to tighten the band and the plurality of retainer segments to clamp the joint; and

wherein the first threaded fastener further comprises a barrel nut with a threaded aperture formed transversely through a cylindrical body of the barrel nut;

wherein the band further comprises a loop formed at the first location;

wherein the barrel nut is pivotally retained within the loop;

wherein the second threaded fastener further comprises a bolt with a shank with an externally threaded region;

wherein the band further comprises a loop formed at the second location;

wherein the clamp assembly further comprises a trunnion retained in the loop to receive the bolt;

wherein the bolt further comprises a head that is oversized relative to the shank; and

wherein the clamp assembly further comprises a collar retained on the shank between the head and the externally threaded region.

22. The clamp assembly of claim 20 wherein the radial projection is received within a gap within the loop to limit rotation of the barrel nut relative to the loop.

23. The clamp assembly of claim 21 wherein the collar is attached to the trunnion to retain the bolt to the clamp assembly.