FITTING FOR CONNECTING A MAIN PIPE LINER TO A BRANCH CONDUIT

• US 20200132234A1
• Filed: 10/30/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: INA Acquisition Corporation (Aegion Corp.)
• Original Assignee: INA Acquisition Corporation (Aegion Corp.)
• Inventors: Bontus, George, Baxter, Rick, Sinclair, Ben, Lohr, George, Antanavige, Dave, Semet, Dennis, McKeefrey, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 11,774,025 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 15/04 with additional sealings
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 39/00 Joints or fittings for double-walled or multi-channel pipes or pipe assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 41/08 Joining pipes to walls or pipes, the joined pipe axis being perpendicular to the plane of the wall or to the axis of another pipe F16L41/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 41/12 using attaching means embracing the pipe
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 55/1108 fixed by screwing or by means of a screw-threaded ring
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 55/165 a pipe or flexible liner being inserted in the damaged section

Abstract

A fitting for connecting a branch conduit to a liner installed in a main pipe is configured to mechanically connect to the branch conduit as it is inserted into the branch conduit from inside the main pipe. The mechanical connection is established without rotating the fitting. The fitting can include a body having an outer shaft section for being received in the branch conduit and an inner flange section for opposing the liner within the main pipe. The fastener include one or more teeth that extend radially from the exterior of the shaft section. The teeth can be secured to the shaft section by deforming portions of the fitting body against the teeth. The flange section supports a gasket for sealing against the liner when the fitting is installed. The flange section can include a rim that maintains the gasket in the proper position.

Claims

1. A fitting for connecting a branch conduit to a liner installed in a main pipe, the fitting comprising:

a fitting body having an inner end portion and an outer end portion spaced apart along an axis and defining a passage extending through the fitting body from the inner end portion through the outer end portion, the fitting body being configured to be inserted into the branch conduit to position the fitting at an installed position in which the fitting connects the liner to the branch conduit and the passage provides fluid communication between the interior of the liner and the branch conduit; and

a fastener connected to the fitting body, wherein the fastener is configured to establish a mechanical connection between the fitting and the branch conduit as the fitting body is inserted into the branch conduit without rotating the fastener a complete revolution about the axis, and wherein the mechanical connection secures the fitting body at the installed position.

2. A fitting as set forth in claim 1, wherein the fastener comprises a tooth protruding from the fitting body.

3. A fitting as set forth in claim 2, wherein the tooth is configured to be resiliently bent as the fitting body is inserted into the branch conduit and wherein the tooth is configured to press against the branch conduit as it resiliently rebounds in the installed position.

4. A fitting as set forth in claim 2, wherein the tooth slopes radially outward from the fitting body and toward the inner end portion from the fitting body.

5. A fitting as set forth in claim 2, wherein the tooth has inner and outer major surfaces, a radially outer edge, and first and second side edges that are angularly spaced apart about a circumference of the fitting body.

6. A fitting as set forth in claim 5, wherein the radially outer edge of the tooth is ground to define a sharp angle with at least one of the inner and outer major surfaces.

7. A fitting as set forth in claim 6, wherein the sharp angle comprises a sharp right angle.

8. A fitting as set forth in claim 2, wherein the fastener further comprises a mounting portion engaged with the fitting body, wherein the mounting portion is oriented transverse to the tooth.

9. A fitting as set forth in claim 8, wherein the fitting body comprises a swaged region securing the mounting portion of the fastener to the fitting body.

10. A fitting as set forth in claim 2, wherein the fastener is secured to the fitting body without any of a discrete mechanical fastener, an adhesive bond, and a thermal bond.

11. A fitting as set forth in claim 1, wherein the fastener comprises a plurality of teeth protruding from the fitting body at locations spaced apart about the circumference of the fitting body.

12. A fitting as set forth in claim 11, wherein each of the teeth extends radially outward from the outer end portion of the fitting body.

13. A fitting as set forth in claim 1, wherein the fitting body comprises a flange section defining the inner end portion and a shaft section defining the outer end portion.

14. A fitting as set forth in claim 13, further comprising a compressible gasket extending around the shaft section and seated against the flange section.

15. A fitting as set forth in claim 14, wherein when the fitting is in the installed position, the gasket is configured to form a fluid seal about the fitting body between the fitting body and the liner.

16. A fitting as set forth in claim 15, wherein the mechanical connection is configured to hold the gasket in compression between the flange and the liner when the fitting is in the installed position.

17. A fitting as set forth in claim 16, wherein the gasket is resiliently compressible such that when the fitting is in the installed position the gasket imparts a spring force on the flange section that urges the fitting body inward along the axis away from the liner, wherein the fastener is configured such that the urging of the fitting body inward along the axis strengthens mechanical engagement between the fastener and the branch conduit.

18. A fitting as set forth in claim 17, wherein the fastener comprises a tooth oriented to bear against the branch conduit in response to the spring force.

19. A fitting as set forth in claim 13, wherein the flange section has a perimeter and comprises a rim portion that extends axially from the perimeter toward the outer end portion of the fitting body.

20. A fitting as set forth in claim 19, wherein the rim portion extends circumferentially around a perimeter of the gasket.

21. A fitting as set forth in claim 19, wherein the rim portion has a height along the axis of the fitting body and the gasket has a height along the axis of the fitting body and the height of the rim portion is less than the height of the gasket.

22. A fitting as set forth in claim 19, wherein the rim portion is configured to contain the gasket so that an entirety of the gasket is radially inboard of the perimeter of the flange section when the gasket is compressed.

23. A fitting as set forth in claim 1, further comprising an outer gasket extending around the shaft section at a location spaced apart along the axis from the fastener toward the outer end portion of the fitting body, the outer gasket being configured to form a seal between the shaft section and the branch conduit when the fitting body is at the installed position.

24. A rehabilitated pipe system comprising the main pipe, the liner, the branch conduit, and the fitting set forth in claim 1, wherein the fitting is at the installed position.

25. A rehabilitated pipe system as set forth in claim 24, wherein the branch conduit comprises a brass corporation stop.

26. A rehabilitated pipe system as set forth in claim 24, wherein the branch conduit comprises a pipe saddle mounted on the main pipe.

27. A method of connecting a branch conduit to a liner installed in a main pipe, the method comprising:

positioning a fitting comprising a fitting body and a fastener connected to the fitting body in an interior of the liner; and

inserting the fitting body into the branch conduit without rotating the fastener a complete revolution about an axis of the fitting body,

wherein after performing said step of inserting the fitting body, the fastener mechanically connects the fitting to the branch conduit at an installed position in which the fitting connects the liner to the branch conduit.

28. (canceled)

29. A fitting for connecting a branch conduit to a liner installed in a main pipe, the fitting comprising:

a fitting body having an axis, the fitting body comprising a shaft section defining an outer end portion of the fitting body and a flange section defining an inner end portion of the fitting body, the inner and outer end portions being spaced apart along the axis and the flange section extending radially outward from the shaft section with respect to the axis, the fitting defining a passage extending through the fitting body from the inner end portion through the outer end portion, the shaft section being configured to be inserted into the branch conduit to position the fitting at an installed position in which the shaft section is received in the branch conduit and the flange section is received in the main pipe and opposes the liner, the flange section having a perimeter and a rim portion at the perimeter, the rim portion comprising a wall extending along the axis toward the outer end portion of the fitting body; and

an annular compressible gasket extending around the shaft section and seated against the flange section radially inboard of the rim portion such that the rim portion overlaps a radially outward facing surface of the annular compressible gasket with respect to the axis of the fitting body.