Coupling for plain end pipes

Claim 1

A coupling for coupling two pipe sections in end-to-end alignment, comprising a resilient sealing sleeve adapted to surround and engage the adjacent end portions of aligned pipe sections, a flexible reinforcing band wrapped around the sealing sleeve overlaying upon the outer surface of said sleeve, the ends of said band overlapping and slidable over one another, said band comprising a strip of non-metallic material having low frictional surfaces, said band having a pair of channels formed integral therewith, said channels extending circumferentially of said band and axially spaced from one another so as to respectively locate the channels to the outside of the respective adjacent endportions of aligned pipe sections, said channels open in the region of the overlapping ends of said band for enabling access to the ends of straps disposed in said channels, a strap contained in each of said channels, each strap having its opposite ends accessible from the outside of said band for attachment to tension-applying means, and adjustable means attached to the opposite ends of each of said straps for applying tensional forces to said straps to contract the effective circumferential extent of each of said straps, whereby restraint of readjustment of said straps in relation to said sealing sleeve is alleviated during tensioning of the straps.