Pipe coupling with improved gasket

A pipe joint for joining a pair of adjacent pipe ends includes an improved gasket contruction. An annular radially outwardly extending flange is provided on the periphery of each pipe adjacent and spaced from the pipe end, a cylindrical coupling member is provided including at least one axial slit in the cylindrical wall thereof and a pair of annular arcuate grooves extending outwardly from the interior of the coupling member, the grooves being shaped so as to form an enclosed annular space between each flange and each arcuate groove, and a gasket for sealing the pipe joint having a pair of spaced apart O-rings shaped to be fitted over the pipe ends and compressed within the annular spaces, a connecting web extending between and joining the O-rings along only a portion of their circumferences, and a shield attached to the inner surface of the connecting web for protecting the web from the pipe ends. The connecting web is positioned under the axial slit in the coupling member. The connecting web is particularly shaped so as to form an evenly compressed, tightly sealing gasket when the pipe joint is assembled.