Radiator plug replacement for drain pet cock

Claim 2

A radiator plug adapted to fit a hole in the radiator wall and to serve as a valve capable of blind installation for draining the coolant from the radiator comprising in combination a valve spool having an external peripheral portion of a first diameter less than the diameter of said hole and a further external peripheral portion of a lesser diameter than said first diameter portion and a flange on each end of the spool; one of the flanges deployed in the radiator and the other of the flanges deployed outside the radiator; said spool including an axial bore-like hole penetrating one of said flanges and extending axially along a substantial portion of the length of the spool; said spool further including at least one radial hole opening from the periphery to the bore-like hole; and a compressible bushing adapted to fit tightly about a portion of the first diameter periphery of said spool to seal the radiator hole by compression against the first diameter portion and said one flange.

Claim 3

The plug of claim 1 wherein the spool has a tapered periphery connecting the regions of first diameter and lesser diameter for carrying the bushing into the rAdiator in a relaxed or uncompressed condition.

Claim 4

The plug of claim 1 wherein the bushing is made of compressible expandable material.

Claim 5

The plug of claim 1 wherein the axial distance of the first diameter portion exceeds the length of the bushing sufficiently to enable the spool to be slid through the bushing to uncover said radial hole while maintaining the bushing tightly on said first diameter portion of the spool.

Claim 6

The plug of claim 1 wherein one of said flanges includes a radially extending tab.

Claim 7

The plug of claim 1 wherein said bushing comprises an axial portion having a flanged portion protruding outwardly therefrom.

Claim 8

A radiator plug adapted to fit the drain hole in a radiator wall and to serve as a valve for closing the radiator and for opening the radiator for draining the coolant comprising in combination a valve spool having at least a first region of diameter less than that of the hole and a further region of diameter less than that of the first region; a flange on the end of the valve spool at the region of first diameter; said flange having a diameter only slightly less than that of the hole; a bushing of compressible material adapted to fit snugly about the first diameter region of the spool; said bushing comprising an axial portion adapted to be compressed between the hole and said first region and a flanged portion adapted to bear against the radiator wall about the hole; said bushing further comprising an internal tapered bore; said spool further having an axial borelike hole extending through the end opposite said first region and terminating within said first region; a radial hole communicating with said bore hole in said first region whereby said bushing is adapted to close said radial hole by covering same when the radiator plug is installed in the radiator wall but said radial hole is adapted to be uncovered by sliding movement of the valve spool inwardly of the radiator to open the hole within the radiator.

Claim 9

A radiator plug adapted to fit the drain hole in a radiator wall and to serve as a valve for closing the radiator and for opening the radiator for draining the coolant comprising in combination a valve spool having at least a first region of diameter less than that of the hole and a further region of diameter less than that of the first region; a flange on the end of the valve spool at the region of first diameter; said flange having a diameter only slightly less than that of the hole; a bushing of compressible material adapted to fit snugly about the first diameter region of the spool; said bushing comprising an axial portion adapted to be compressed between the hole and said first region and a flanged portion adapted to bear against the radiator wall about the hole; said bushing further comprising an internal tapered bore; said spool further having an axial borelike hole extending through the end opposite said first region and terminating within said first region; a radial hole communicating with said bore hole in said first region whereby said bushing is adapted to close said radial hole by covering same when the radiator plug is installed in the radiator wall but said radial hole is adapted to be uncovered by sliding movement of the valve spool inwardly of the radiator to open the hole within the radiator.

Claim 10

The plug of claim 7 wherein the axial portion of said bushing exceeds in length the radiator wall thickness at said hole whereby said flange comprises the end of the axial portion of said bushing within the radiator against the radiator wall at said hole to provide a configuration which locks the radiator plug in valve closing position due to coolant pressure within the radiator.

Claim 11

The radiator plug of claim 7 wherein said first region and said region of lesser diameter are connected by a tapered spool region.

Claim 12

The radiator plug of claim 9 wherein said other end of the spool further comprises a flange of a diameter adapted to retain the bushing against unintentional displacement from the spool.