Tube couplers

Claim 1

A COUPLING COMPRISING: TWO OPPOSED PIPES, EACH PIPE HAVING OUTWARDLY FLARING EXTERIOR END SURFACES AND UNBROKEN PLANAR END WALLS SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE PIPE IN DIRECT CONTACT WITH ONE ANOTHER; A COMPRESSIBLE SEALING SLEEVE SURROUNDING SAID FLARED PIPE ENDS; A FLEXIBLE FIXING BAND FOR LOCATION PERIPHERALLY ABOUT THE ENTIRE CIRCUMFERENCE OF SAID SEALING SLEEVE, SAID FIXING BAND HAVING A PLURALITY OF AXIALLY EXTENDING FINGERS ABOUT EACH END THEREOF, SOME OF SAID FINGERS OF EACH END OF SAID BAND HAVING OUTWARDLY TURNED EXTREMITIES AND SOME OF SAID FINGERS AT EACH END OF SAID BAND HAVING INWARDLY TURNED EXTREMITIES TO LOCATE THE ENDS OF SAID SLEEVE WITHIN SAID FIXING BAND; OPPOSED INDEPENDENTLY SECURABLE RING TIGHTENING CLIPS CARRIED BY SAID BAND FOR ENGAGING SAID FINGERS AGAINST SAID SLEEVE, SAID OUTWARDLY TURNED EXTREMITIES BEING OPERATIVE TO PREVENT SAID RING CLIPS FROM SLIPPING OFF SAID FIXING BAND UPON TIGHTENING THEREOF, SAID FLEXIBLE BAND HAVING A NORMALLY FLAT CONFIGURATION THEREALONG PRIOR TO TIGHTENING SAID CLIPS AND OF A LENGTH SUFFICIENT TO BE LOCATED PERIPHERALLY ABOUT SUBSTANTIALLY THE ENTIRE CIRCUMFERENTIAL LENGTH OF SAID SEALING SLEEVE WHEREBY SAID PIPE ENDS ARE MOVED LONGITUDINALLY INTO COEXTENSIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH ONE ANOTHER UPON TIGHTENING SAID RING CLIPS.