Apparatus for providing a watertight seal for manhole pipe connections

Abstract

A resilient gasket having an outer flange positioned within a manhole opening and held by a compression band. The gasket has a central opening with an enlarged beaded periphery to encircle a pipe. A tapered intermediate section is joined to the outer flange and the beaded periphery. The intermediate section folds after insertion and clamping in an opening to form diagonally aligned annular portions defining a V-shaped yieldable gasket to maintain a watertight seal between opening and pipe, even when misaligned. A strap encircling the gasket next to the beaded periphery enhances the watertight seal between gasket and pipe. The clamping band has grooves which cooperate with projections of a piston cylinder assembly. The clamping band is formed of material impervious to the surrounding environment. The expansion assembly includes the aforementioned piston cylinder assembly which cooperates with an hydraulic jack and is positioned with its projections against the grooves of the clamping band to expand the clamping band into a locked position against the gasket flange and to apply a force directly upon the clamping band to insure proper positioning the locking of the clamping band. The hydraulic jack may also include a swingable member having a free end which moves along a curved path to follow the movement of the clamping band as it expands. The initial configuration of the gasket expedites the insertion, expansion and locking of the clamping band.