Coupling for rejoining sealed tubing

Abstract

A method and coupling for severing and rejoining sealed tubing without the loss of the seal especially adapted to the installation of charged refrigerant lines into the refrigerator cabinetry. The method includes the crimping of the tubing wall at the point to be severed, sealing of the crimped tube walls, as by welding, and severing of the tube through the crimp. To rejoin the ends, a rejoinder coupling is utilized having end sections receiving and sealed to the crimped tube ends. The coupling also includes an axially compressible body section within which is disposed a piercing tool having a pair of penetrating ends adapted to pierce each of the crimped tube ends upon pushing the tube ends together, the compressible body section accommodating the axial tube movement toward each other in carrying out the piercing. The piercing tool is adapted to accommodate fluid flow through the pierced opening either by one or more flow passages provided in the tool itself or by withdrawal of the piercing tool from the pierced opening in each crimped tube end. Several embodiments of the piercing tool configuration are disclosed, each of which provides a locating arrangement adapted to assure penetration of both crimped tube ends when the tube ends are pushed together. The crimp configuration produces a relatively large transverse area for penetration by the piercing tool.