Permanent piercing access valve

Claim 2

In an access fitting for tapping through the wall of a fluid line, straddle nut means for sealingly engaging the fluid line prior to tapping the same and including a bore opening outwardly at one end and opening toward the line wall at the opposite end, a hollow needle in said bore for axial displacement therein toward and puncture of the line wall and having a portion tapering to a piercing end, fluid-conducting means in the bore behind and rotatably bearing against the needle and threadedly connected to the straddle nut means for displacing the needle toward and puncture of the line wall, and means in the bore surrounding the tapering portion of the needle for fluid tightly sealing the same in the bore and for preventing rotation thereof during axial displacement of the needle by said fluid-conducting means prior to and during puncture of the line wall.

Claim 3

In an access fitting for tapping through the wall of a fluid line, straddle nut means for sealingly engaging the fluid line prior to tapping the same and including a bore opening outwardly at one end and opening toward the line wall at the opposite end, a hollow needle in said bore for axial displacement therein toward and puncture of the line wall and having a portion tapering to a piercing end, fluid-conducting means in the bore behind and rotatably bearing against the needle and threadedly connected to the straddle nut means for displacing the needle toward and puncture of the line wall, and means in the bore surrounding the tapering portion of the needle for fluid tightly sealing the same in the bore and for preventing rotation thereof during axial displacement of the needle by said fluid-conducting means prior to and during puncture of the line wall.

Claim 4

In an access fitting for tapping through the wall of a fluid line, straddle nut means for sealingly engaging the fluid line prior to tapping the same and including a bore opening outwardly at one end and opening toward the line wall at the opposite end, a hollow needle in said bore for axial displacement therein toward and puncture of the line wall and having a portion tapering to a piercing end, fluid-conducting means in the bore behind and rotatably bearing against the needle and threadedly connected to the straddle nut means for displacing the needle toward and puncture of the line wall, and means in the bore surrounding the tapering portion of the needle for fluid tightly sealing the same in the bore and for preventing rotation thereof during axial displacement of the needle by said fluid-conducting means prior to and during puncture of the line wall.

Claim 5

In an access fitting for tapping through the wall of a fluid line, straddle nut means for sealingly engaging the fluid line prior to tapping the same and including a bore opening toward the line wall through an ensmalled bore portion, a hollow piercing needle in said bore for axial displacement therein toward and puncture of the line wall and having a tapering portion formed of a harder material than the material of said ensmalled bore portion and sized to be a forced fit therein prior to puncture of the line wall, said force fit of the tapered needle in said ensmalled bore portion preventing rotation of the piercing needle and effecting a fluid-tight seal of the needle with said bore portion prior to and during puncture of the line wall by the needle, and means in said bore portion threadedly connected to the straddle nut means and rotatably bearing against the piercing needle for axially displacing the needle in the bore to puncture the line wall.

Claim 6

In an access fitting for tapping through the wall of a fluid line, straddle nut means for sealingly engaging the fluid line prior to tapping the same and including a bore opening toward the line wall through an ensmalled bore portion, a hollow piercing needle in said bore for axial displacement therein toward and puncture of the line wall and having a tapering portion formed of a harder material than the material of said ensmalled bore portion and sized to be a forced fit therein prior to puncture of the line wall, said force fit of the tapered needle in said ensmalled bore portion preventing rotation of the piercing needle and effecting a fluid-tight seal of the needle with said bore portion prior to and during puncture of the line wall by the needle, and means in said bore portion threadedly connected to the straddle nut means and rotatably bearing against the piercing needle for axially displacing the needle in the bore to puncture the line wall.

Claim 7

The invention defined in claim 2 characterized in that said ensmalled bore portion is cylindrical with an interference diameter in relation to the tapered portion of the needle such that as the needle is axially displaced through the ensmalled bore portion such bore portion is reformed to the taper of the needle to effect a fluid-tight seal therewith and prevent rotation of the needle.

Claim 8

The invention defined by claim 2 characterized in that there is a chamfered seat extending between the bottom of said bore and the ensmalled bore portion providing a sealing surface, and said means in the bore for displacing the needle includes a fluid-conducting member provided with a needle-receiving socket at the inner end, and the needle includes an enlarged ball-like end rotatably received in said socket, and the exterior of the socket being adapted to bear againSt said chamfered seat to be deformed thereby against the ball-like end of the needle and effect a fluid-tight seal therewith and with the chamfered seat of the bore.

Claim 9

An access fitting comprising, in combination: a straddle nut adapted to sealingly engage the wall of a line to be tapped and provided with an external wrench-engaging surface and a threaded bore terminating at its inner end in a chamfered seat and an ensmalled cylindrical bore portion adjacent the line wall, a fitting body having an externally threaded end portion for threaded engagement in said bore and an axial passageway opening through opposite ends of the body, said bore at the threaded end of the body provided with a socket-like recess opening toward the ensmalled bore of the nut, a hollow piercing needle of harder material than the straddle nut having a ball-like enlargement adjacent one end received in said socket-like recess and a tapered portion projecting beyond the fitting body and terminating in a piercing point, said tapered portion of the needle having an interference fit with the ensmalled bore of the straddle nut before the piercing point punctures the line wall to reform the ensmalled bore of the nut to conform to the taper and grip the needle preventing rotation thereof and effecting a seal therewith, and the end of the fitting body surrounding the needle adapted to bear against said chamfered seat and limit penetration of the needle through the line wall and swage the wall of the socket-like recess into fluid-tight engagement with the ball-like enlargement of the needle while establishing a seal between the chamfered seat and such end of the fitting body.

Claim 10

An access fitting comprising, in combination: a straddle nut adapted to sealingly engage the wall of a line to be tapped and provided with an external wrench-engaging surface and a threaded bore terminating at its inner end in a chamfered seat and an ensmalled cylindrical bore portion adjacent the line wall, a fitting body having an externally threaded end portion for threaded engagement in said bore and an axial passageway opening through opposite ends of the body, said bore at the threaded end of the body provided with a socket-like recess opening toward the ensmalled bore of the nut, a hollow piercing needle of harder material than the straddle nut having a ball-like enlargement adjacent one end received in said socket-like recess and a tapered portion projecting beyond the fitting body and terminating in a piercing point, said tapered portion of the needle having an interference fit with the ensmalled bore of the straddle nut before the piercing point punctures the line wall to reform the ensmalled bore of the nut to conform to the taper and grip the needle preventing rotation thereof and effecting a seal therewith, and the end of the fitting body surrounding the needle adapted to bear against said chamfered seat and limit penetration of the needle through the line wall and swage the wall of the socket-like recess into fluid-tight engagement with the ball-like enlargement of the needle while establishing a seal between the chamfered seat and such end of the fitting body.

Claim 11

The invention defined by claim 5 characterized in that said fitting body is provided with an external wrench-engaging surface and valve means in the bore of the fitting body.