Plug assembly for sealing a pressure fluid passage in a manifold or the like

Claim 1

A plug assembly for plugging the opening of a cylindrical passage comprising a generally cylindrical but out of round expansion sleeve having a socket portion, an expanding nut engageably received by said socket portion, one of said nut and socket portion being tapered such that said sleeve is radially expanded as said nut enters more deeply into said socket portion, the outer periphery of said sleeve being circumferentially continuous and uninterrupted, the engageable portions of said nut and socket being circumferentially continuous and uninterrupted, a screw element threadedly received by said nut and through a clearance opening in said sleeve, said screw element having a head engaged with said sleeve on the side thereof axially opposite said socket portion whereby threading of said screw element into said nut draws the latter more deeply into said socket portion, and the outer periphery of said sleeve being out of round by a predetermined degree to provide for an interference fit with a bore which is round in cross-section, said sleeve periphery being adapted to provide a circumferential seal with a bore in which it is mounted, said engageable portions of said nut and socket being in a circumferential sealing engagement and said nut sealing against the threads of said screw element when the latter is tightened and said sleeve is sealed within a bore.

Claim 8

The method of fabricating a plug assembly for plugging the opening of a cylindrical passage wherein said plug assembly comprises a cylindrical expansion sleeve which is circumferentially continuous and uninterrupted, and having a socket which engageably receives a tapered expanding nut, said nut being of smaller diameter than said sleeve, the engageable portions of said nut and socket being circumferentially continuous and uninterrupted, a screw element threadedly received by said nut and through a clearance opening in said sleeve, a head on said screw element engaging the side of said sleeve axially opposite said socket; said method comprising the steps of threading said screw element into said nut for tightening said nut into said socket with a predetermined force, radially compressing said sleeve until said clearance opening bottoms onto said screw element and radially deforming said sleeve whereby the outer periphery is out of round.

Claim 9

The method of fabricating a plug assembly for plugging the opening of a cylindrical passage wherein said plug assembly comprises a cylindrical expansion sleeve which is circumferentially continuous and uninterrupted, and having a socket which engageably receives a tapered expanding nut, said nut being of smaller diameter than said sleeve, the engageable portions of said nut and socket being circumferentially continuous and uninterrupted, a screw element threadedly received by said nut and through a clearance opening in said sleeve, a head on said screw element engaging the side of said sleeve axially opposite said socket; said method comprising the steps of threading said screw element into said nut for tightening said nut into said socket with a predetermined force, radially compressing said sleeve until said clearance opening bottoms onto said screw element and radially deforming said sleeve whereby the outer periphery is out of round.

Claim 13

The method of claims 7 or 9 including the step of forcing said assembly into an elongated bore to a location where the bore is to be plugged, then forceably threading said screw element into said nut until said sleeve is expanded into sealing engagement with the bore wall and the nut is radially compressed into sealing engagement with the threads of said screw element.