The invention relates to a device for tightly con¬ necting two mutually opposite pipe ends.

It is usual in practice to provide pipe ends with flange-like members in which holes are drilled for pas- sage of screw bolts when the holes are placed directly opposite each other. This results in tight connections between the pipes, wherein however quite a lot of work has to be carried out, particularly in difficult condi¬ tions if these pipes lie in the ground. If conversely use is made of socket sleeves with rubber sealing to seal the pipe ends, extra elements must then be arranged to absorb the axial forces which can occur in the pipes at high pressure, for example in bends and at T-junctions.

The invention has for its object to provide a device with which the pipe ends can be tightly connected, irre¬ spective of the material from which the pipes are manu¬ factured. For this purpose the device according to the invention is distinguished by a socket sleeve connected at one end, a tubular insert connected at the other pipe end and receiving the socket sleeve, wherein the tubular insert and the socket sleeve each have a flanged edge fixedly connected thereto which in mounted situation are mutually abutting, a divided U-shaped ring arranged round the flanged edge periphery and an element holding togeth- er the ring parts.

The pipes only have to be provided in this embodi¬ ment with a socket sleeve on one side and a tubular insert on the other side which are fixed to the head end of the pipe by means of for instance a butt weld. The join is effected by sliding together the socket sleeve and the tubular insert, wherein sealing means can option¬ ally be arranged. Finally, the mutually abutting flanges provide in the mounted situation a definitive fixing in axial direction, which can be brought about easily owing to the divided U-shaped ring.

According to another embodiment the device is dis¬ tinguished in that a socket sleeve is connected in each case to the head end of a pipe for joining, wherein each socket sleeve has a flanged edge, which edges abut mutu- ally in the mounted situation, and a divided U-shaped ring is arranged round the flanged edge periphery, around which ring an element holding together the ring parts is placed and wherein a connecting insert is inserted into the socket sleeves. In this embodiment the ends of the pipes are each provided with a socket sleeve and use is made of an insert piece for placing in the socket sleeve. The con¬ nection between the sleeves again takes place by means of the flanged edge and the divided annular parts arranged therearound.

In a preferred embodiment both ring parts of the holding element are enclosed by a second ring, whereby these can be assembled in simple manner.

Through use of a flexible element which is carried into the separating surface between the two rings the locking of the second ring in axial sense relative to the first can be obtained, which allows of an exceptionally simple assembly method as well as simple disassembly.

The socket sleeve and the tubular insert are prefer- ably manufactured of HDPE plastic which ensures a consid¬ erable tightness.

The invention is further elucidated in the figure description hereinbelow of two embodiments with reference to the drawing. In the annexed drawing: fig. 1 shows a perspective view of the device ac¬ cording to the invention with partly broken away parts, fig. 2 shows a lengthwise view, partly in section, of a second embodiment wherein each pipe end is provided with a socket sleeve.

Designated with the numeral 1 is the end of the left-hand pipe and with the numeral 2 the end of the right-hand pipe, which pipes must be mutually joined by means of the device 3 according to the invention.

The device consists of a tubular insert 4 connected to the pipe end 1, the outer periphery of this tubular insert being such that it fits into a socket sleeve 5 fixed to the right-hand pipe end 2. The length of the internal space of the socket sleeve 5 takes up the whole length of tubular insert 4. The socket sleeve is embodied with a flange 6 between the pipe end 1 and the tubular insert 4, wherein the free edge of the socket sleeve 5 is likewise provided with a protruding flanged edge 7. In a mounted situation both flanges lie with their end surfac¬ es mutually abutting.

In the socket sleeve 5 is arranged an annular chan¬ nel 8 in which can be received a sealing means in the form of a rubber sealing ring 9. In order to mutually join the flanges 6 and 7 a first ring 10 is arranged which consists of at least two parts. The separating surfaces 11 of these separate annular parts lie against each other and form a closed ring which must however by held in place by a holding element, here in the form of a second ring 12, the inner periphery of which fits closely onto the outer periphery of the first ring 10. An annular channel 14 is recessed onto the separating surface 13 between the first and second ring 10, 12, this such that a flexible element in the form of a wire 15 can be carried therethrough via an axially extending opening to the outside in the ring 12. The assembly of the device therefore takes place as follows. The pipe is made suitable for joining by butt- welding the tubular insert 4 respectively the socket sleeve 5 against the head end of the pipe 1 respectively 2.

The tubular insert 4 is then inserted into the socket sleeve 5 until the flanges 6, 7 are mutually abutting. The annular parts 10 are subsequently laid round the outer periphery of flanges 6, 7 such that the channel recessed therein comes to lie with the side walls thereof against the head ends of flanges 6, 7. An axial displacement of flanges 6, 7 respectively the tubular insert 4 and socket sleeve 5 is hereby prevented.

The integral ring 12, which is pre-arranged round one of the pipe ends, is subsequently pushed back as far as the composite ring 10, whereby the parts thereof can no longer fall apart. The axial displacement of ring 12 relative to ring 10 is prevented by introducing the flexible element into the channel 14, whereby a defini¬ tive axial locking of the device is obtained. Any tensile force exerted on the pipes 1, 2 can therefore be absorbed via flanges 6, 7 and the divided ring 10. Disassembly takes place by withdrawing the flexible element 15 out of the channel 14, whereby the ring 12 can be slid axially and the divided ring 10 taken apart.

A second embodiment is described in fig. 2, wherein the same reference numerals are used for the same compo- nents as in fig. 1.

In this embodiment each pipe end 2 is connected to a socket sleeve 5, which connection can take place in any suitable manner, for instance with a weld 2' . Each nor- mandy is embodied on the end remote from the pipe with a flanged edge 7 which have the same diameter and thick¬ ness. In this embodiment use is made of a connecting insert 4' , the length of which equals a maximum of twice the internal length dimension of the socket sleeve 5. It is herewith possible to slide the sleeves 5 fully over the insert 4' and to place the head ends of the flanged edges 7 in mutual contact. The seal between the socket sleeve 5 and the insert 4' once again takes place by means of a sealing ring 9, one of which is arranged in each case in the socket sleeve 5 so that no fluid can flow away through the space between the end surfaces of the flanged edges 7.

The flanged edges 7 are mutually connected by means of the divided ring 10, the second ring 12 for arranging therearound which is locked in axial sense by the channel part 14 formed between both rings with flexible element 15 placed therein.

Assembly and disassembly takes place in the same manner as described with reference to the embodiment of fig. 1.

The invention is not limited to the above described embodiment, wherein it is noted that for instance the second annular part 12 can be replaced by other elements, for instance a closing band or the like.