Pipe Joint and Related Method

A pipe joint for plastic pipe includes a bell member and a spigot member. The bell member includes a tubular plastic body wall having a radially outer side including a pair of spaced apart circumferentially extending ribs and a metal reinforcement ring located between the ribs. The tubular plastic body wall includes a circumferential plastic ring portion extending between the ribs and radially exterior of the metal reinforcement ring to encase the metal reinforcement ring within the tubular plastic body wall. A radial gap may be provided between the plastic ring portion and the metal reinforcement ring to accommodate differing thermal shrinkage rates as between the two different materials. The spigot member, which is insertable into the bell member, includes a tubular plastic body wall having an internal surface and an external surface and a longitudinal axis and metal reinforcement encased within the tubular plastic body wall. A plurality of plastic ribs extend from the external surface of the tubular plastic body wall and forming a gasket channel.