SPRINKLER MOUNTING AND PIPE CONNECTOR

• US 3,735,928 A
• Filed: 12/02/1971
• Issued: 05/29/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Clifford L. Ballard, Thomas E. Watts
• Original Assignee: Clifford L. Ballard, Thomas E. Watts
• Inventors: Watts, Thomas E., Ballard, Clifford L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Callaghan, Thomas F.
• Application Number:
  US05/203,965
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• Field of Search: 285/5,6,305,404 239/213,212,267 137/344
• US Class Current: 239/267
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/658 the spraying apparatus or its outlet axis being perpendicular to the flow conduit
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/146 the securing element being a rigid pin, screw or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 41/021 T- or cross-pieces F16L41/025, F16L41/026, F16L41/028 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 285/901 Cap closures

Abstract

A T-coupling for anchoring and supporting a vertical upstanding spray pipe having its upper end provided with an appropriate sprinkler head. The T-coupling comprises an elongated hollow body having a pair of horizontally aligned branches and a complemental upstanding vertical branch. The vertical branch supports the spray pipe. The respective horizontal branches are basically alike in that the outer end of each branch has diametrically opposite notches. These notches open outwardly and provide keyways. They also define upper and lower half portions which in turn are provided with paired keeper holes for L-shaped keeper pins. The notched horizontal branches serve to accommodate attachable and detachable fittings. One fitting comprises a sleeve and has diametrically opposite positioning and retaining lugs which are removably lodged in the keyways and held in place by the keeper pins. One fitting serves as a connector for the coacting end portion of a pipeline which delivers and feeds water to the coupling. The other fitting is provided with a flanged closing head and constitutes a closing plug for that end of the coupling with which it is cooperable.

Claims

1. An area spraying sprinkler device comprising a T-coupling embodying an elongated hollow body having horizontal axially aligned branches and a complemental vertically disposed upstanding screw-threaded branch, a vertical spray pipe having a lower screw-threaded end screwed into and communicating with said upstanding branch and having an upper end provided with a sprinkler head, each horizontal branch having horizontal diametrically opposite notches which are open at their outer ends and which provide companion keyways, said notched branches embodying upper and lower semi-circular half-portions, a first adapter fitting comprising a sleeve provided on a median peripheral surface with an outstanding rib, said rib being of an outside diameter less than the outside diameter of said horizontal branches and constituting a limit stop for said adapter fitting, said fitting having an insertable inner end portion which is capable of being fitted telescopically into a selected one of the aforementioned horizontally elongated branches, said inner portion being provided at diametrically opposite points with outstanding horizontal lugs, said lugs constituting keys and said keys being removably keyed in their respectively cooperable keyways, said half portions being provided with aligned keeper holes, and vertically disposed manually insertable and removable L-shaped keeper pins, said keeper pins having long leg portions removably fitted into their respectively cooperable keeper holes and cooperatively engaging the respectively adjacent lugs in a manner to retain the lugs in a given keyed position.

2. The area spraying and sprinkler device defined in and according to claim 1 and, in combination, a second adapter fitting comprising a sleeve which is capable of being telescopingly fitted into the bore of a selected one of said branches, said sleeve being provided at diametrically opposite points with horizontal outstanding lugs, constituting keys, said keys being removably lodged and retained in the respectively cooperable keyways, said sleeve being provided at an outer end with an enlarged imperforate head whereby to thus provide a closing plug for the associated branch, said head being of a diameter smaller than the outside diameter of the coordinating branch.

3. The area spraying and sprinkler device defined in and according to claim 2, and wherein diametrically opposite top and bottom peripheral surface portions of said adapter sleeves are provided with relieved and flattened surface portions which, when in use, function to bleed off and drain trapped water from the hollow body portion of the coupling when the supply of water is turned off.

4. The area spraying and sprinkler device defined in and according to claim 3, and wherein the underneath half-portion of each branch is bevelled upwardly and outwardly in a manner to provide selectively usable skids, the latter permitting skidding of the overall assembly either forwardly or rearwardly, at will.