Pipe joint system

Claim 1

A pipe joint system comprising: a. elongate adjacent tubular members having interfitting male and female portions, said female portion having an elongate substantially cylindrical inner surface terminating in an elongate tapered seat, said male portion having an elongate tapered seat end and a cylindrical part extending therefrom corresponding to the inner surface and seat of the female portion, said cylindrical surfaces having suitable clearance therebetween for longitudinal movement of the male portion within said female portion for effecting coupling therewith, said cylindrical surface of the female portion being of a length to provide alignment support for said seats when engaged; b. interengaging locking means on said male and female portions for retaining said male portion within said respective female portion and for effecting longitudinal movement of said male portion within said respective female portion and for effecting longitudinal movement of said male portion within said respective female portion in response to relative rotative movement of said male and female portions after interengaging of said locking means, said interengaging locking means including: 1. a plurality of lugs circumferentially spaced around said male portion and spaced from said seat thereof, said lugs extending radially outwardly from said cylindrical surface of said male portion; 2. a like plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinal passages extending into said female portions from a free end thereof for receiving said respective lugs therein and having surfaces for engagement by said lugs; 3. a like plurality of circumferential passages extending from one side of said respective longitudinal passages, said circumferential passages being spaced from the free end of said female portion and with each having a side surface toward said free end disposed at an angle with the longitudinal axis of the respective tubular member, said angled passage side surfaces being spaced from the seat in the female member a distance substantially corresponding to the spacing of the lugs from the male seat whereby relative rotative movement of said male and female portions with said lugs engaged with said respective angled passage side surfaces effects movement of the male portions inwardly of the female portion forcing said seats into seating engagement; c. a way extending circumferentially from each of said longitudinal passages in a direction opposite from said first named circumferential passages, said ways being spaced from the free end of said female portions; d. a lug receiving pocket extending circumferentially from each of said ways to receive said respective lug therein upon relative rotative movement of said male and female portions for moving said lugs through said ways and into said respective lug receiving pockets, said lug receiving pockets each having a longitudinal dimension substantially greater than the longitudinal thickness of said respective lug received therein, whereby said pockets allow relative longitudinal movement of said male and female portions; e. sealing means engaging said male and female portions for mechanically sealing the joint during said relative longitudinal movement; f. a collar slidably mounted on said male portion; g. a plurality of projections extending from said collar and received within said longitudinal passages of said female portions; and h. means for securing said collar on said male portion while said projections are positioned within said longitudinal passages thereby restraining relative rotation of the respective male and female portions to avoid separation thereof.