Method of coupling a pit extension to a pit liner of a pit vault

• US 10,167,616 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2018
• Issued: 01/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mueller International LLC (Mueller Water Products Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mueller International LLC (Mueller Water Products Incorporated)
• Inventors: Floyd, Scott P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ference, James M
• Application Number:
  US15/972,887
• Publication Number:
  US 20180251963A1
• Time in Patent Office: 239 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 7/02 Public or like main pipe systems
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 7/072 Arrangement of flowmeters
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 7/095 Component holders or housings, e.g. boundary boxes

Abstract

A method of coupling a pit extension to a pit liner of a pit vault can comprise aligning an extension bottom end of the pit extension with a liner top end of the pit liner in an end-to-end facing relationship; bringing a leg of the pit extension into engagement with the pit liner proximate to the liner top end; and attaching the leg to the pit liner.

Claims

1. A method of coupling a pit extension to a pit liner of a pit vault comprising:

aligning an extension bottom end of the pit extension with a liner top end of the pit liner in an end-to-end facing relationship, the pit liner defining a liner inner surface and a liner outer surface;

bringing a leg of the pit extension into engagement with the pit liner proximate to the liner top end, wherein bringing the leg of the pit extension into engagement with the pit liner comprises engaging a tooth defined on the leg with the liner outer surface;

plastically deforming the tooth; and

attaching the leg to the pit liner.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein plastically deforming the tooth comprises deflecting the tooth radially outward relative to an extension axis defined by the pit extension.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising digging the tooth into the liner outer surface.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein aligning the extension bottom end with the liner top end comprises:

aligning an extension axis defined by the pit extension with a liner axis defined by the pit liner; and

contacting an extension bottom end surface with a liner top end surface in facing contact.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising axially overlapping an extended portion of the leg with the liner top end.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising deforming the leg.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein deforming the leg comprises elastically deforming the leg.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising guiding and centering the pit extension on the pit vault.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein guiding and centering the pit extension on the pit vault comprises engaging a transition surface defined by the leg with the liner top end of the pit liner.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein guiding and centering the pit extension on the pit vault comprises engaging the liner outer surface of the pit liner with an attachment surface portion of the leg.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the leg is a first leg, and wherein aligning an extension bottom end of the pit extension with a liner top end of the pit liner in an end-to-end facing relationship comprises positioning the liner top end between the first leg and a second leg of the pit extension.

12. A method of coupling a pit extension to a pit liner of a pit vault comprising:

aligning an extension bottom end of the pit extension with a liner top end of the pit liner in an end-to-end facing relationship, the pit extension comprising an extension body and a leg, the leg attached to an extension outer surface of the extension body;

bringing the leg of the pit extension into engagement with the pit liner proximate to the liner top end;

engaging a tooth with the pit liner, the tooth disposed on an inward-facing surface of the leg; and

attaching the leg to the pit liner.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the tooth is one of a plurality of teeth disposed on the inward-facing surface of the leg.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein engaging the tooth with the pit liner comprises engaging the tooth with a liner outer surface of the pit liner.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein engaging the tooth with the pit liner comprises digging the tooth into a liner outer surface of the pit liner.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising deforming the tooth.

17. A method of coupling a pit extension to a pit liner of a pit vault comprising:

aligning an extension bottom end of the pit extension with a liner top end of the pit liner in an end-to-end facing relationship;

bringing a leg of the pit extension into engagement with the pit liner proximate to the liner top end, a plurality of teeth attached to a bracket base, the plurality of teeth being die cut from the bracket base, the plurality of teeth and the bracket base being molded into the leg;

engaging a tooth of the plurality of teeth with the pit liner;

attaching the leg to the pit liner.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising deflecting the tooth radially outward relative to an extension axis defined by the pit extension.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the tooth is disposed on an inward-facing surface of the leg.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising axially overlapping an extended portion of the leg with the liner top end.