Northwest Pipe Company
Pipe joint

Abstract:

A pipe joint has male and female couplers with interfitting features that join pipe sections together when the male coupler is positioned within the female coupler. The couplers can be separate rings or formed in the ends of lengths of pipe. Typically, a male coupler is at one end of a length of pipe and a female coupler is at the opposite end of the pipe. The interfitting features can include three or more ridges or teeth of a first coupler (a male coupler) and the same number of ridges or teeth of a second coupler (a female coupler) each tooth being positioned in a respective transition region of the coupler. Ramp surfaces of the couplers are positioned at opposite sides of each tooth. The ramp surfaces have respective slopes, and the interfitting features are designed to reduce the forces required to push the couplers together into a locked engagement.