Plastic dip tube locking or securing means

Claim 1

A DIP TUBE FOR INSTALLATION IN AN UPRIGHT WATER INLET NIPPLE OF A WATER HEATER, SAID TUBE COMPRISING A PLASTIC TUBULAR BODY OF A LENGTH TO EXTEND ENTIRELY THROUGH A WATER HEATER INLET NIPPLE, THE TUBE HAVING A TOP END WITH MEANS THEREAT FOR ENGAGEMENT UPON THE TOP END OF THE INLET NIPPLE TO SUSPEND THE TUBE IN THE INLET NIPPLE, AND HOLDING MEANS POSITIONED UPON THE OUTER SIDE OF THE DIP TUBE AT A LOCATION MATERIALLY CLOSER TO THE TOP END OF THE TUBE THAN TO THE BOTTOM END THEREOF FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE NIPPLE BELOW THE TOP END OF THE LATTER, THE SAID MEANS COMPRISING A ONE PIECE BODY HAVING A PART HAVING AN END FORMED TO PIERCE THE PLASTIC TUBE MATERIAL AND PASSING THROUGH THE TUBE MATERIAL AND ANCHORING THE BODY THEREON AND THE BODY HAVING A PART PROJECTING OUTWARDLY FROM THE OUTER SIDE OF THE TUBE AND HAVING AN OUTWARDLY ROUNDED SURFACE AND SAID OUTWARDLY ROUNDED SURFACE FACILITATING INTRODUCTION OF SAID BODY INTO AN INLET NIPPLE AND THE MOVEMENT OF THE BODY ALONG THE INNER SURFACE OF THE NIPPLE AND SAID PART FUNCTIONING UPON DISPOSITION OF THE DIP TUBE IN WORKING POSITION IN THE NIPPLE TO OPPOSE OUTWARD MOVEMENT OF THE DIP TUBE.