Line stopping and valve inserting apparatus and method

Claim 1

IN LINE-STOPPING OR VALVE-INSERTING APPARATUS INCLUDING A FITTING MEMBER ADAPTED TO BE SECURED ON A PIPE LINE TO DEFINE AN ENCLOSURE THEREABOUT PROVIDED WITH AN ACCESS OPENING, AND A CLOSURE MEMBER INSERTABLE INTO THE OPENING, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED LOCKING RECESSES IN TOW OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE PERIPHEAL EDGE OF THE ACCESS OPENING; A PLURALITY OF CORRESPONDING ELONGATED RECESSES IN THE PERIPHERY OF THE CLOSURE MEMBER; A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED LOCKING ELEMENTS CARRIED BY THE CLOSURE MEMBER WITHIN, AND MOVABLE OUTWARDLY OF, SAID PERIPHERAL RECESSES THEREIN; MEANS DEFINING BORES IN THE CLOSURE MEMBER EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM THE BOTTOM OF EACH OF SAID RECESSES THEREIN; STEM MEANS ON EACH OF SAID LOCKING ELEMENTS EXTENDING INTO SAID CORRESPONDING BORES; O-RING SEALING MEANS ON EACH OF SAID STEM MEANS BETWEEN EACH OF SAID STEM MEANS AND THE WAL OF THE CORRESPONDING BORE; A PLURALITY OF CLOSE-END SOCKETS IN THE CLOSURE MEMBER EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM THE TOP THEREOF, SAID BORES TERMINATING WITHIN SAID SOCKET; MEANS CARRIED BY THE CLOSURE MEMBER AND OPERABLE FROM THE TOP THEREOF INCLUDING CAM MEANS IN EACH OF SAID SOCKETS ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID STEM MEANS FOR ADVANCING SAID ELEMENTS INTO, AND RETAINING THE LATTER IN LOCKING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CORRESPONDING RECESSES IN SAID ACCESS OPENING EDGE; SEALING MEANS CARRIED BY ONE OF THE MEMBERS FOR ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN THE OPPOSED SURFACES OF SAID OPENING EDGE AND THE PERIPHERY OF THE CLOSURE MEMBER OUTWARDLY OF SAID RECESSES TO EFFECT A SEAL BETWEEN THE MEMBERS; AND EACH OF SAID LOCKING ELEMENTS HAVING A CAM SURFACE WHICH ENGAGES WITHIN SAID LOCKING RECESSES AND CAM THE LOCKING ELEMENTS OUT OF SAID LOCKING RECESSES WHEN SAID CAM MEANS IS DISENGAGED.