1. A pipe joint in which a spigot formed on a first pipe is inserted into a socket formed on a second pipe, 5 the pipe joint comprising: a groove formed on an inner surface of the socket; a lock ring housed in the groove; an engaging portion that is formed on an outer surface of the spigot and is engageable with the lock 10 ring from a deeper portion of the socket; a distal end portion formed on the spigot; a deep end face formed in the socket; and a spacer that is mounted between the distal end portion of the spigot and the deep end face of the 15 socket and is for limiting the movement of the spigot in an insertion direction, wherein the spacer has a cylindrical body sandwiched between the distal end portion of the spigot and the deep end face of the socket, a contact portion 20 in contact with the deep end face of the socket at an end portion of the body in a pipe axial direction, a centering contact face in contact with the inner surface of the socket, and a separating face that is separated from the deep end face of the socket in a 25 removing direction along which the spigot is removed from the socket, a gap surrounded by the separating face of the spacer, the deep end face of the socket, and the inner surface of the socket is formed, the gap lies outside the contact portion of the spacer in a radial direction, and 5 the separating face of the spacer faces the deep end face of the socket in the pipe axial direction and is formed between the contact portion and the centering contact face in the radial direction. 10 2. The pipe joint as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spacer has a projection that projects outward from an outer circumference of the body in the radial direction, the centering contact face is formed on an outer 15 circumference of the projection, the separating face is formed on the projection and is tilted in the removing direction of the spigot toward the centering contact face from the contact portion, and 20 the contact portion is formed at a boundary portion between an end face of the body of the spacer that faces the deep end face of the socket and the separating face. 25 3. The pipe joint as claimed in claim 2, wherein the projection is formed at a plurality of locations in the pipe axial direction of the body of the spacer, the separating face is formed on the projection at a deepmost position of the socket, the centering contact face is formed on the outer circumference of each of the projections, and 5 between the projections opposed to each other in the pipe axial direction, a concave portion is formed so as to be recessed inward in the radial direction.

4. The pipe joint as claimed in one of claims 1 to 10 3, wherein the contact portion lies between a position corresponding to an outer surface of the body of the spacer in the radial direction and a position corresponding to an inner surface of the body in the radial direction. 15

5. A spacer provided in the pipe joint as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spacer is divided into a plurality of arc-shaped dividing pieces in a circumferential 20 direction, and ends of the dividing pieces adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction are connected to each other. 25 6. A dividing piece constituting the spacer as claimed in claim 5, wherein the dividing piece has connecting portions on both ends in the circumferential direction.

We claim:
1. A pipe joint in which a spigot formed on a first
pipe is inserted into a socket formed on a second pipe,
5 the pipe joint comprising:
a groove formed on an inner surface of the socket;
a lock ring housed in the groove;
an engaging portion that is formed on an outer
surface of the spigot and is engageable with the lock
10 ring from a deeper portion of the socket;
a distal end portion formed on the spigot;
a deep end face formed in the socket; and
a spacer that is mounted between the distal end
portion of the spigot and the deep end face of the
15 socket and is for limiting the movement of the spigot
in an insertion direction,
wherein the spacer has a cylindrical body
sandwiched between the distal end portion of the spigot
and the deep end face of the socket, a contact portion
20 in contact with the deep end face of the socket at an
end portion of the body in a pipe axial direction, a
centering contact face in contact with the inner
surface of the socket, and a separating face that is
separated from the deep end face of the socket in a
25 removing direction along which the spigot is removed
from the socket,
a gap surrounded by the separating face of the spacer, the deep end face of the socket, and the inner
surface of the socket is formed,
the gap lies outside the contact portion of the
spacer in a radial direction, and
5 the separating face of the spacer faces the deep
end face of the socket in the pipe axial direction and
is formed between the contact portion and the centering
contact face in the radial direction.
10 2. The pipe joint as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
spacer has a projection that projects outward from an
outer circumference of the body in the radial
direction,
the centering contact face is formed on an outer
15 circumference of the projection,
the separating face is formed on the projection
and is tilted in the removing direction of the spigot
toward the centering contact face from the contact
portion, and
20 the contact portion is formed at a boundary
portion between an end face of the body of the spacer
that faces the deep end face of the socket and the
separating face.
25 3. The pipe joint as claimed in claim 2, wherein the
projection is formed at a plurality of locations in
the pipe axial direction of the body of the spacer, the separating face is formed on the projection
at a deepmost position of the socket,
the centering contact face is formed on the outer
circumference of each of the projections, and
5 between the projections opposed to each other in
the pipe axial direction, a concave portion is formed
so as to be recessed inward in the radial direction.
4. The pipe joint as claimed in one of claims 1 to
10 3, wherein the contact portion lies between a position
corresponding to an outer surface of the body of the
spacer in the radial direction and a position
corresponding to an inner surface of the body in the
radial direction.
15
5. A spacer provided in the pipe joint as claimed in
claim 1,
wherein the spacer is divided into a plurality of
arc-shaped dividing pieces in a circumferential
20 direction, and
ends of the dividing pieces adjacent to each other
in the circumferential direction are connected to each
other.
25 6. A dividing piece constituting the spacer as
claimed in claim 5,
wherein the dividing piece has connecting portions on both ends in the circumferential direction.