Expansion Joint Configurations

Lateral Expansion Joint (Universal Bellows)

Also known as a universal expansion joint, a lateral expansion joint uses two bellows elements connected by a length of pipe to absorb sideways offset between two fixed points — movement perpendicular to the pipe run, not along it.

Lateral expansion joint schematic showing perpendicular offset between two bellows

Representative example — real Uma Bellows universal expansion joint:

Representative Uma Bellows universal expansion joint

How it works

Each of the two bellows deflects slightly; together they let the connecting pipe spool shift sideways while both bellows ends stay square to their anchor points. This is the configuration to reach for when piping has to jog around an obstruction or connect two misaligned points.

Absorbs lateral (sideways) offset between two anchor points
Requires two bellows elements and a connecting pipe spool
Common where piping must route around fixed obstructions
Sometimes called a "universal" expansion joint

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