Pipe connectors are known for fitting to the end of a pipe and allowing a further pipe or pipes, or indeed another type of fitting, to be connected to the first-mentioned pipe. In one such arrangement the pipe fitting includes a mouth portion which accommodates the pipe end. The mouth portion incorporates a seal for sealing the connector to the pipe end. Some form of annular ring is inserted into the mouth portion about the pipe end and a threaded nut is applied about the threaded outer surface of the mouth portion. The tightening of the nut causes the ring to be forced into engagement with the pipe end thereby forming a reasonably tight connection.

Although a tool is normally required to release such a known pipe connection, it is in practice possible to pull apart the connection without the use of a tool and accordingly, the connection is an insecure one. Furthermore such a known pipe connection system is relatively complicated and expensive; moreover it is not flexible in that joints cannot easily be demounted independently of other components/fittings/pipes.

According to the present invention there is provided a pipe connection system for attachment of a pipe connector to a pipe end, and disengagement therebetween, the connector having a mouth portion for accommodating the pipe end, said mouth portion incorporating means for sealing the connector to the pipe end and pipe gripping means, the pipe gripping means including inwardly directed gripping elements which are resiliently urged into engagement with the pipe end, the system including a tool for disengaging the pipe connector from the pipe end, the tool including means for locating the tool about the pipe and mouth entry means for

entering the mouth portion of the connector and engaging the gripping elements to cause them to disengage from the pipe end.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention said connector is constructed of a robust, non-toxic, non-corrosive, rustproof material such as plastics, stainless steel, brass or the like.

The present invention also provides the pipe connector and component parts thereof forming part of the pipe connection system.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 shows a pipe connector of the invention forming a straight connection between two pipes; Figure 2 shows a pipe connector of the invention interconnecting two pipes and incorporating a 90° bend; Figure 3 shows pipe connector of the invention providing a T-junction between three pipes and showing the disengaging tool forming part of the pipe connection system; Figure 4 shows elements of the pipe connector of the invention; Figure 5 shows a side view of a disengaging tool forming part of the pipe connection system of the invention; Figure 6A shows a top plan view of the tool of Figure 5; Figure 6B shows a front perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a disengaging tool forming part of the pipe connection system of the invention;

Figure 7A shows a plan view of an alternative embodiment of the invention of a pipe gripping element as depicted in part of Figure 4; Figure 7B shows a front view of Figure 7A; Figure 8 shows a front view of an alternative embodiment of the pipe connector of the invention providing connection for a single pipe; Figure 9 shows a front view of the pipe connector of the invention as depicted in Figure 8 including a pipe; Figure 1 OA shows a front perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a pipe gripping element from that depicted in Figures 4 or 7A and 7B; Figure 10B shows an alternative embodiment of the pipe connector of the invention; and Figure 11 shows Figure 1 OB including connection between two pipes.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, a pipe connection system according to the present invention includes a pipe connector such as 1,3,5,46 or 51 (see Figures 1, 2,3,8,9 and 10B respectively), in these cases for connecting two or more pipes 7 together.

Each of the pipes 7 has a smooth or constant diameter end and, to connect a pipe to another pipe or pipe fitting, a pipe connector has to be provided with means for engaging firmly the exterior surface of the end of the pipe. In the case of the present invention this is achieved by means of a pipe connector into which the pipe end is fitted. The pipe connector includes a portion 9 having a diameter just greater than that of the pipe end. Adjacent portion 9, and forming the end of the pipe connector is a mouth portion 11 of greater diameter, so that a space 13 is defined between the wall

of mouth portion 11 and the pipe 7. The wall profile of mouth portion 11 is best seen in Figure 4. There is a short sloping section 15 between mouth portion 11 and the main body portion 9 of the connector. At the free end of mouth portion 11 there is an inwardly directed annular flange 17. The inner surface of flange 17 is spaced from the outer surface of pipe 7.

Located within space 13 of mouth portion 11 is an 0-ring 19 which lies against sloping porting 15 of mouth portion 11 and provides sealing between the connector 1 and pipe 7. Between 0-ring 19 and flange 17 there is located a stainless steel pipe gripping element 21. This element is an annular or part annular ring having inwardly directed barbs or tongues 23 which, if the element 21 were not located about pipe 7, would extend inwardly so that the ends define a diameter less than that of the outer surface of pipe 7. Accordingly, with the pipe gripping element in position about pipe 7 the tongues 23 are displaced outwardly by the pipe and, in turn, are resiliently urged into engagement with the pipe surface.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention (Figure 7A), element 21 is provided with a discontiguous section 47. The discontiguous section or gap allows the element to have a limited expansion and facilitates installation of the element into a connector system. Additionally the element is adaptable for use in differently sized connectors.

Element 21, in a yet further embodiment, as depicted in Figure 10A, is provided as a continuous ring, and is provided with a plurality of slits 52, ideally the slits are equally spaced apart and are suitably sized and shaped so as to confer flexibility to portion 53. Fashioning in this manner thus provides the gripper element with limited movement so that it can expand to accommodate a pipe being inserted into it whilst maintaining its gripping function. It is of note that this particular embodiment of a gripper element is particularly suited to instances where continuous earthing is required since it provides a continuous circular connection. Figures 10B and 11 respectively show the continuous gripper element of Figure 10A positioned in connector 51, and positioned in connector 51 including two pipes 7.

The tongues 23 of element 21 are directed both inwardly and also in a direction away from the end flange 17 of mouth portion 11. Accordingly, it is relatively easy to insert pipe 7 into the connector 1, the tongues 23 bending outwardly to accommodate the pipe 7. However, if an attempt is made to pull the pipe 7 out of the pipe connector 1, tongues 23 bite into the surface of the pipe and prevent such movement.

With reference to Figure 8, there is shown an alternative embodiment of the pipe connector of the invention; pipe connector 46 comprises a portion 9 having a diameter marginally greater than that of a pipe end. Adjacent portion 9 there is a threaded region 48 of smaller diameter than 9, the threaded region thus provides for screw fitting of the connector. At an end remote from the threaded region the connector is fashioned in a stepped manner 49, so as to provide an inwardly projecting shelf upon which element 21 can rest, additionally there is provided a lip portion 50. In assembled form, as depicted in Figure 8, the gripping element 21 is placed the shelf formed by region 49 and secured in position by lip portion 50. However, it is of note that the gripping element is allowed limited movement within space 13 so that in the instance of a pipe being inserted/pushed into the connector, as shown in Figure 9, the pipe 7 is fixedly held in position by gripping element 21 whilst threaded region 48 is free to rotate in screw fashion into an appropriate fitting (not shown). It will be appreciated that in this particular embodiment of the pipe connector of the invention, the pipe is fixedly held in position whilst connector 46 is allowed to rotate, thus enabling the connector to be demounted independently of any other connector/fitting.

Disengagement of pipe 7 from the pipe connector 1,3,5,46 or 51 is achieved by means of the tool 25 shown in Figures 5,6A and 6B. In one particular embodiment, that being the tool depicted in Figure 5 and 6A it is generally U-shaped having arms 27 and 29 interconnected by an integral bight portion 31. The end of arm 29 is bifurcated providing a pair of arms 33 which allow that end of tool 25 to be located about portion 9 of pipe connector 1 (see Figure 3).

The other arm 27 of tool 25 is provided with a split end section 35. Finger portion 37 is connected to the main body of arm 27 by means of a pin 39 allowing pivotal movement between finger portion 37 and the main body of arm 27. Spring 41 urges finger portion 37 into engagement with the body of arm 27 so that finger portion 37 adopts the position shown in Figure 6.

Finger portion 37 and the main body of arm 27 each have inner cut-out portions which define a circular hole 43, this hole being of the same diameter as that of pipe 7. Depending from the edge of hole 43 in a direction towards the other arm 29 of tool 25 is a circular flange 45. The diameter of this flange 45 is such that it will fit within the space defined between flange 17 of mouth portion 11 of connector 1 and the outer surface of the pipe 7.

To operate tool 25 to effect disengagement of pipe 7 from pipe connector 1, finger portion 37 is pivoted away from the main body of arm 27 of tool 25. This enables the tool to be fitted over the pipe 7 and pipe connector 1. With the finger portion 37 returned to the position indicated in Figure 6A, flange 45 can be introduced into the mouth portion 11 of pipe connector 1 so that the position indicated in Figure 3 is achieved. In this position flange 45 engages tongues 23 of pipe gripping element 21 causing them to be bent outwardly out of engagement with pipe 7. Pipe 7 can then be easily pulled out of pipe connector 1.

The tool 25 of Figure 6B represents an alternative embodiment, wherein the tool is provided as two separate substantially hemi-cylindrical portions 54, divided along a longitudinal axis. At one end of each portion 54 there is further provided lip portions 55. The two hemi-cylinders are joined together via a bridge member 56. Bridge member 56 allows for the two hemi-cylinders 54 to move a limited distance apart so that tool 25 can be opened, to allow fitting around a pipe, and closed around same in order to facilitate demounting. Disconnection or demounting is achieved by pushing end 57 of tool 25 into space 13 of a connector so as to release the gripping action of

element 21 on pipe 7. It is of note that tools 25 of Figures 5,6A and 6B are appropriately designed so that they can demount conventional connectors in addition to being able to demount the pipe connection system of the present invention.

However, and more importantly, conventional tools cannot demount the pipe connection system of the present invention, thus tool 25 is an important functional component of the present invention.

It will be appreciated that, without the use of a tool such as tool 25, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to remove pipe 7 from pipe connector 1. Accordingly, the pipe connection system of the present invention provides an extremely secure fitting but, at the same time, one which is very readily disassembled by the use of the simple tool described above.