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US3847392A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Adjustable drop or riser nipple

Assignee: CV Industries Inc
•
Filing: 1972-11-08
•
Granted: 1974-11-12
•
Expires: 1992-11-08
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Abstract

Abstract An adjustable drop or riser nipple for sprinkler systems and the like, comprising short, telescoping inner and outer lengths of pipe having interposed between them a locking sleeve which acts against an expansible, resilient sealing ring so as to lock the telescoping pipes in any of various adjusted positions and also seal the same to each other. The locking sleeve has an exposed end which is acted on by an operable nut threaded onto a juxtaposed end of the inner one of the lengths of pipe. The inner pipe at its other or inner end has fixedly attached to it an annular abutment shoulder which engages one end of the resilient sealing ring. The other end of the sealing ring is engaged by the locking sleeve in such a manner that when the sleeve is forcibly axially shifted by the act of tightening the operable nut, it causes radial expansion or deformation of the sealing ring, resulting in the latter tightly gripping both the inner and outer pipes to not only lock these in any adjusted position but also to seal the same tightly to each other and prevent leakage of liquid. An exposed end of the outer pipe has an inwardly extended locking bead or shoulder of smaller diameter than the abutment shoulder on the inner pipe, whereby the latter is held captive and cannot inadvertently drop from or be removed from the outer pipe. The exposed end of the inner pipe mounts the usual sprinkler head and heat-responsive valve normally provided on automatic fire-extinguishing sprinkler systems. The telescopic arrangement enables adjustment of the nipple assemblage for length, so that it can be readily used where false or acoustic ceilings are being installed in existing factory or industrial structures. The adjustment and tightening of the nipple is readily effected from a location below the installed false or acoustic ceiling.

Inventors

  • 👤 E Horwinski

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-07 18:54
CPC Classifications
A; A62; A62C; A62C37/00; A62C37/08; A62C37/09

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim 343 words
An extensible and retractable nipple for a building fire protection system to connect a sprinkler head assembly at the underside of a dropped ceiling to a water supply pipe in which water is to be maintained under continuous pressure, said nipple comprising a telescoping inner length and outer length of pipe adapted to depend from such supply pipe, said inner pipe having an exteriorly threaded lower end portion extending from the lower end of said outer pipe and being adapted to threadedly support a sprinkler head assembly having internal threads on its said lower end portion, said inner pipe being movable axially of said outer pipe to permit positioning of such attached sprinkler head assembly in selected positions relative to the distance below such supply pipe of the underside of the dropped ceiling, the upper end portion of said inner pipe being disposed within said outer pipe, the upper end portion of said outer pipe being adapted for connection to the water supply pipe, an elongated locking sleeve telescopingly interposed between said pipes, said sleeve having a lower end at said lower end portion of said inner pipe and an upper end disposed within said outer pipe, said inner pipe upper end including an outward shoulder affixed thereto adjacently above said upper end of said sleeve, a resilient sealing ring disposed between said pipes and in the space between said shoulder and said upper end of said sleeve, nut means threadedly engaged on said threaded lower end portion of said inner pipe above such sprinkler head assembly for moving said locking sleeve axially upwardly to squeeze said ring between said upper end of said sleeve and said shoulder thereby to expand said ring against said pipes to lock said inner pipe against movement with respect to said outer pipe and effect a seal therebetween, said nut means being located on said lower end portion of said inner pipe adjacent such sprinkler head assembly where it is accessible for adjustment below such dropped ceiling when said inner pipe is extended from said outer pipe.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 343 words
An extensible and retractable nipple for a building fire protection system to connect a sprinkler head assembly at the underside of a dropped ceiling to a water supply pipe in which water is to be maintained under continuous pressure, said nipple comprising a telescoping inner length and outer length of pipe adapted to depend from such supply pipe, said inner pipe having an exteriorly threaded lower end portion extending from the lower end of said outer pipe and being adapted to threadedly support a sprinkler head assembly having internal threads on its said lower end portion, said inner pipe being movable axially of said outer pipe to permit positioning of such attached sprinkler head assembly in selected positions relative to the distance below such supply pipe of the underside of the dropped ceiling, the upper end portion of said inner pipe being disposed within said outer pipe, the upper end portion of said outer pipe being adapted for connection to the water supply pipe, an elongated locking sleeve telescopingly interposed between said pipes, said sleeve having a lower end at said lower end portion of said inner pipe and an upper end disposed within said outer pipe, said inner pipe upper end including an outward shoulder affixed thereto adjacently above said upper end of said sleeve, a resilient sealing ring disposed between said pipes and in the space between said shoulder and said upper end of said sleeve, nut means threadedly engaged on said threaded lower end portion of said inner pipe above such sprinkler head assembly for moving said locking sleeve axially upwardly to squeeze said ring between said upper end of said sleeve and said shoulder thereby to expand said ring against said pipes to lock said inner pipe against movement with respect to said outer pipe and effect a seal therebetween, said nut means being located on said lower end portion of said inner pipe adjacent such sprinkler head assembly where it is accessible for adjustment below such dropped ceiling when said inner pipe is extended from said outer pipe.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 41 words
The combination according to claim 1 wherein said outer pipe is provided at its said lower end portion with internal stop means cooperative with said ring and shoulder to maintain said inner pipe captive against downward removal from said outer pipe.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 16 words
The combination according to claim 1 wherein the inner wall of said outer pipe is cylindrical.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 16 words
The combination according to claim 2 wherein the inner wall of said outer pipe is cylindrical.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US402600A Cited
US1334007A Cited
US2521127A Cited
US2683499A Cited
FR1008020A Cited
US2721089A Cited
US3084869A Cited
US3194316A Cited
US3083914A Cited
US3421782A Cited
US3451483A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1977-11-11 1978-05-13 1978-11-12 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1981-11-11 1982-05-13 1982-11-12 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1985-11-11 1986-05-13 1986-11-12 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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