Patent US3844585A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3844585A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Pipe coupling
Assignee: Mueller Co
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Filing: 1973-07-10
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Granted: 1974-10-29
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Expires: 1993-07-10
Abstract
Abstract A pipe coupling for connecting an end of a service pipe or the like into a fluid distribution system such as a water system before or while the system is under fluid pressure. The service pipe may either be a flared end pipe or a flareless or smooth end pipe and it may either be made of plastic materials or a metal. The coupling comprises a first part with a passage therethrough carrying a tubular activating plug having an integral disc intermediate its ends and a cutter member and a second part with a passage therethrough movable toward the tubular activating plug for operatively moving the cutter member so that the cutter member cuts and folds a flap from the disc of the activating plug. The first part and the second part may both be made of a plastic material or metal or one of the parts may be made of a plastic material or metal.
Inventors
- 👤 R Sands
- 👤 C Floren
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 16:42
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16L; F16L29/00; F16L29/005
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
328 words
A coupling for use in connecting an end of a service pipe to a fluid distribution system before or while the system is under fluid pressure comprising: a first part and a second part movable relative toward each other, said parts each having a passage therethrough, said first part being connected to said fluid distribution system and having a counterbore in its passage, an outwardly facing annular shoulder between said counterbore and the passage of said first part, an activating plug carried in the counterbore of said first part, said plug being tubular and having a rupturable disc formed integrally therein intermediate its ends to define a first closed bottom bore facing the shoulder of said first part and a second closed bottom bore facing said second part, at least one of said first part and said activating plug being a plastic material, cooperating means on said activAting plug and the wall of said counterbore of said first part to permit said activating plug to be inserted into said counterbore and after insertion, to retain said activating plug in said counterbore against axial movement outwardly of said first part by fluid pressure in said fluid distribution system, said cooperating means for insertion of and retaining of said activating plug in said counterbore including a plurality of axially spaced teeth on the periphery of said plug, said teeth having a saw tooth configuration in longitudinal radial section with a substantially radial surface facing away from said fluid distribution system and a plurality of grooves complementary to said teeth, said grooves being in the wall of the counterbore of said first part, and a tubular cutter member carried between said first and second parts and having an arcuate cutting edge projecting forward of a noncutting forward edge and facing said disc, said cutter member being movable toward said disc when said first and second parts are moved axially toward one another to cut and fold a flap from said disc.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
328 words
A coupling for use in connecting an end of a service pipe to a fluid distribution system before or while the system is under fluid pressure comprising: a first part and a second part movable relative toward each other, said parts each having a passage therethrough, said first part being connected to said fluid distribution system and having a counterbore in its passage, an outwardly facing annular shoulder between said counterbore and the passage of said first part, an activating plug carried in the counterbore of said first part, said plug being tubular and having a rupturable disc formed integrally therein intermediate its ends to define a first closed bottom bore facing the shoulder of said first part and a second closed bottom bore facing said second part, at least one of said first part and said activating plug being a plastic material, cooperating means on said activAting plug and the wall of said counterbore of said first part to permit said activating plug to be inserted into said counterbore and after insertion, to retain said activating plug in said counterbore against axial movement outwardly of said first part by fluid pressure in said fluid distribution system, said cooperating means for insertion of and retaining of said activating plug in said counterbore including a plurality of axially spaced teeth on the periphery of said plug, said teeth having a saw tooth configuration in longitudinal radial section with a substantially radial surface facing away from said fluid distribution system and a plurality of grooves complementary to said teeth, said grooves being in the wall of the counterbore of said first part, and a tubular cutter member carried between said first and second parts and having an arcuate cutting edge projecting forward of a noncutting forward edge and facing said disc, said cutter member being movable toward said disc when said first and second parts are moved axially toward one another to cut and fold a flap from said disc.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
A coupling as claimed in claim 1 in which said teeth on said plug and said grooves in said counterbore are at least spaced inwardly of a plane through said disc.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
A coupling as claimed in claim 2 including a further tooth on the periphery of said plug spaced axially outwardly of the plane through said disc and a groove in said counterbore complementary to said further saw tooth.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
A coupling as claimed in claim 3 in which said teeth and said complementary grooves are annular.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
A coupling as claimed in claim 4 including an annular groove in the counterbore of said first part adjacent the innermost one of said teeth and sealing means positioned in said annular groove and forming a seal between said plug and said first part.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
A coupling as claimed in claim 1 in which said activating plug is plastic.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
A coupling as claimed in claim 6 in which said tubular cutter member is plastic and is provided at its end and opposite its cutting end with an annular outwardly projecting flange.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
A coupling as claimed in claim 7 in which said noncutting edge of said cutter member is rounded in axial section to prevent shearing or stretching of the plastic flap in its hinge area.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
A coupling as claimed in claim 7 in which said first part and second part are made from a plastic material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
A coupling as claimed in claim 1 in which said first part and said second part are each made from metal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
A coupling as claimed in claim 1 in which said first part and said second part are each made from a plastic material.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
A coupling as claimed in claim 1 in which at least one of said first part and said second part are made from a plastic material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
45 words
A coupling as claimed in claim 1 in which said second closed bottom bore of said activating plug and facing said second part tapers inwardly toward said disc and has a minimum diameter for frictionally holding the cutter member in position prior to its use.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
99 words
A coupling as claimed in claim 1 in which said first part is a first coupling member having threads thereon and said second part is a second coupling member having threads thereon for cooperating with the threads of said first coupling member, said second coupling member having a portion of its passage flaring outwardly and facing said first coupling member and receiving a flared end of the service pipe, the flared end of the service pipe engaging and moving the cutter member when said first coupling member and said second coupling member are threaded into engagement with each other.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
A coupling as claimed in claim 14 in which said first coupling member has exterior threads and said second member has interior threads.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
47 words
A coupling as claimed in claim 1 in which said second closed bottom bore of said activating plug has a diameter adjacent said disc less than a diameter of said first closed bottom bore adjacent said disc whereby the flAp can hinge when cut from said disc.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
45 words
A coupling as claimed in claim 16 in which said cutter member has an outside diameter less than the diameter of said first closed bottom bore and wherein said cutter member is frictionally held in said second closed bottom bore prior to cutting said flap.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
285 words
A coupling for use in connecting an end of a service pipe to a fluid distribution system before or while the system is under fluid pressure comprising: a first part and a second part movable relative toward each other, said parts each having a passage therethrough, said first part being connected to said fluid distribution system and having a counterbore in its passage, an outwardly facing annular shoulder between said counterbore and the passage of said first part, an activating plug carried in the counterbore of said first part, said plug being tubular and having a rupturable disc formed integrally therein intermediate its ends to define a first closed bottom bore facing the shoulder of said first part and a second closed bottom bore facing said second part, cooperating means on said activating plug and the wall of said counterbore of said first part to permit said activating plug to be inserted into said counterbore and after insertion, to retain said activating plug in said counterbore against axial movement outwardly of said first part by fluid pressure in said fluid distribution system, said cooperating means for insertion of and retaining of said plug in said counterbore against axial movement outwardly of said first part including thread means on the periphery of said activating plug and complementary thread means on said counterbore for receiving said first-mentioned thread means, and a tubular cutter member carried between said first and second parts and having an arcuate cutting edge projecting forward of a noncutting forward edge and facing said disc, said cutter member being movable toward said disc when said first and second parts are moved axially toward one another to cut and fold a flap from said disc.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
285 words
A coupling for use in connecting an end of a service pipe to a fluid distribution system before or while the system is under fluid pressure comprising: a first part and a second part movable relative toward each other, said parts each having a passage therethrough, said first part being connected to said fluid distribution system and having a counterbore in its passage, an outwardly facing annular shoulder between said counterbore and the passage of said first part, an activating plug carried in the counterbore of said first part, said plug being tubular and having a rupturable disc formed integrally therein intermediate its ends to define a first closed bottom bore facing the shoulder of said first part and a second closed bottom bore facing said second part, cooperating means on said activating plug and the wall of said counterbore of said first part to permit said activating plug to be inserted into said counterbore and after insertion, to retain said activating plug in said counterbore against axial movement outwardly of said first part by fluid pressure in said fluid distribution system, said cooperating means for insertion of and retaining of said plug in said counterbore against axial movement outwardly of said first part including thread means on the periphery of said activating plug and complementary thread means on said counterbore for receiving said first-mentioned thread means, and a tubular cutter member carried between said first and second parts and having an arcuate cutting edge projecting forward of a noncutting forward edge and facing said disc, said cutter member being movable toward said disc when said first and second parts are moved axially toward one another to cut and fold a flap from said disc.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
50 words
A coupling as claimed in claim 18 in which an annular cutout is provided on the inner end of said activating plug, said cutout defining with a complementary annular cutout in said counterbore, a chamber, and an O-ring in said chamber for sealing between said plug and said first part.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
237 words
A coupling for use in connecting an end of a service pipe to a fluid distribution system before or while the system is under fluid pressure comprising: a first part which is an elongated member having a passage therethrough and a second part which is an annular member carried within the passage of the elongated member, said first part being connected to said fluid distribution system and having a counterbore in its passage, an outwardly facing annular shoulder between said counterbore and the passage of said first part, an activating plug carried in the counterbore of said first part, said plug being tubular and having a rupturable disc formed integrally therein intermediate its ends to define a first closed bottom bore facing the shoulder of said first part and a second closed bottom bore facing said second part, means to retain said activating plug in said counterbore against axial movement outwardly of said first part by fluid pressure in said fluid distribution system, a tubular cutter member carried between said first and second parts and having an arcuate cutting edge projecting forward of a non-cutting forward edge and facing said disc, said cutter member being movable toward said disc to cut and and fold a flap from said disc, and stab means for insertion into the passage of said first part for engaging and moving said second part into engagement with and movement of said cutter member.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
237 words
A coupling for use in connecting an end of a service pipe to a fluid distribution system before or while the system is under fluid pressure comprising: a first part which is an elongated member having a passage therethrough and a second part which is an annular member carried within the passage of the elongated member, said first part being connected to said fluid distribution system and having a counterbore in its passage, an outwardly facing annular shoulder between said counterbore and the passage of said first part, an activating plug carried in the counterbore of said first part, said plug being tubular and having a rupturable disc formed integrally therein intermediate its ends to define a first closed bottom bore facing the shoulder of said first part and a second closed bottom bore facing said second part, means to retain said activating plug in said counterbore against axial movement outwardly of said first part by fluid pressure in said fluid distribution system, a tubular cutter member carried between said first and second parts and having an arcuate cutting edge projecting forward of a non-cutting forward edge and facing said disc, said cutter member being movable toward said disc to cut and and fold a flap from said disc, and stab means for insertion into the passage of said first part for engaging and moving said second part into engagement with and movement of said cutter member.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
46 words
A coupling as claimed in claim 20 in which said elongated member includes means to grip and seal with a smooth end of the service pipe and in which said stab means is the service pipe when the service pipe is stabbed into the elongated member.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
112 words
A coupling as claimed in claim 21 in which said elongated member outwardly of said counterbore is provided with a first annular groove of greater diameter than said counterbore, a second counterbore also of greater diameter than said first counterbore, but of less diameter than said first annular groove to provide an annular shoulder facing said first counterbore, said second counterbore having intermediate its ends a frusto-conical shaped annular groove, and said annular member being a split ring initially carried in said frusto-conical shaped annular groove and being capable of being cammed inwardly thereby when moved axially, said ring being moved along said counterbore until it snaps into said first annular groove.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-10-28 | 1978-04-29 | 1978-10-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-10-28 | 1982-04-29 | 1982-10-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-10-28 | 1986-04-29 | 1986-10-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |