Retaining snap ring safety adapter

• US 5,957,147 A
• Filed: 08/23/1996
• Issued: 09/28/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Paul Hubbell Jr
• Original Assignee: Paul Hubbell Jr
• Inventors: Hubbell, Paul Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Walton, George L.
• Application Number:
  US08/701,246
• Time in Patent Office: 1,131 Days
• Field of Search: 62/77, 62/292, 62/298, 62/299, 137/318, 137/319, 137/321, 137/15, 137/315, 251/215, 251/216, 251/223, 251/225, 251/330
• US Class Current: 137/15.18
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 35/00 Special arrangements used in connection with end fittings of hoses, e.g. safety or protecting devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0491 Valve or valve element assembling, disassembling, or replacing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6126 Imperforate closure removing and holding tap

Abstract

After removal of a valve cap from an in line shut off valve the Retaining Snap Ring Adapter with male threads and seat at one end, female threads and seat at the other end, a hex outer surface at the female threaded end, a longitudinal passageway down its center, is designed to be permanently installed on an in line shut off valve having a threaded moveable plug (operator) and said Adapter will not interfere with the moveable operator which opens and closes the valve when turned by a hexagonal wrench. The Retaining Ring Adapter prevents an improperly back seated operator from being ejected as a deadly missile by the normal operating pressures.

The Retaining Snap Ring Adapter having been permanently installed on the valve, the cap is returned to the valve but is now screwed onto the added Retaining Snap Ring Adapter which is essentially now part of the valve.

Claims

1. A retaining ring safety adapter for a valve under pressure, the valve including a valve housing having an internal, rotatable, threaded plug/operator therein and a threaded valve cap, comprising:

a single piece, elongated, adapter body having proximal and distal, threaded ends and, in use, carrying said valve cap at its distal threaded end, having threads and a seat at one end, threads and a seat at the other end, a longitudinal passageway through its center and a polygonal shape outer surface at the proximal threaded end, said single piece adapter body, in use, being removably attached to the valve housing and allowing the cap to be replaced or removed from said body without worrying about the plug/operator ejecting out of the valve housing, said adapter body having an intermediate wall defining an opening therethrough allowing, in use, for access to the valve and the plug/operator within the valve housing, said intermediate wall, in use, preventing the plug/operator from ejecting out of the valve housing when the cap is removed, said retaining safety adapter providing a positive mechanical means to easily and inexpensively retrofit an existing, standard-type valve while in service and under normal operating pressures (e.g. 225-250 lbs./sq. in.) or to easily and inexpensively be provided as part of an original equipment valve.

2. In a pressurized, valved system including a refrigerant under system pressure of about 225 to 250 lbs./sq. in., and further including an in-line shut off valve having a threaded plug/operator within it, with a potential of the plug/operator being ejected out of the valve under the system pressure, and a removable cap, the improvement comprising:

a retaining ring adapter being installed on said in-line shut off valve which includes said threaded plug/operator, said adapter being removably attached to the valve and allowing the cap to be replaced or removed from said adapter without worrying about the retainer ring and the plug/operator being ejected out of the valve, said adapter having an intermediate wall defining an opening therethrough for access to the valve and the retainer ring within the valve, said intermediate wall of said adapter preventing, when the cap is removed, the potential ejection of the potentially missile-like plug propelled by the system pressure of about 225 to 250 lbs./sq. in., and the loss of the refrigerant charge into the atmosphere, which may contribute to serious environmental hazard, as well as personal injury and/or even death to the servicing technician or any bystander, without said adapter interfering with the normal opening and closing of the valve.

3. A method of improving the safety of a fluid pressurized, valved system which includes a fluid under system pressure, and further includes an in-line valve having a threaded central area with a rotatable, threaded plug/operator of a certain cross-sectional size threadably held within it, with a potential of the plug/operator being ejected out of the valve missile-style under the system pressure if rotated too much, and a removable, threaded cap covering over the threaded central area of said in-line valve, comprising the following steps:

(a) removing the threaded cap from the in-line valve if it is on the in-line valve;

(b) then installing on said in-line valve an elongated retaining adapter having a distal, threaded end, a proximal threaded end and an open, internal passageway in its central portion of a cross-sectional size smaller than said certain cross-sectional size of the plug/operator, said internal passageway providing access through the passageway to the plug/operator to rotate the plug/operator to adjust its position within the in-line valve but also preventing the plug/operator from passing through said passageway;

(c) thereafter installing said threaded cap on said distal threaded end; and

(d) on subsequent occasions, removing said threaded cap from said threaded distal end of said adapter and adjusting the position of said plug/operator within said in-line valve using said passageway to get access to and rotate said plug/operator, said smaller cross-sectional size of said adapter retaining the plug/operator within the valve and preventing the missile-like ejection of said plug/operator from said in-line valve which would otherwise occur if the plug/operator was rotated too much.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the fluid pressurized system contains a refrigerant operating with a pressure of about 225 to 250 lbs./sq. in., and wherein, in step "d" there is further included the step of:

preventing the loss of the refrigerant from the system through said in-line valve which would otherwise occur if the plug/operator was rotated too much.

5. A plug/operator retaining adapter useable in a valved system including a fluid under system pressure and an in-line valve having a distal end of male threads and having a female threaded central area with a rotatable, threaded plug/operator of a certain cross-sectional size threadably held within it, with a potential of the plug/operator being ejected out of the valve missile-style under the system pressure if rotated too much, and a removable, threaded cap having female threads compatible with the male threads of the valve'"'"'s distal end, for covering over the threaded central area of said in-line valve, comprising:

a one-piece, elongated plug/operator retaining body having

a central portion,

a distal end with male threads compatible with the female threads of the cap,

a proximal end with female threads compatible with the male threads of the valve'"'"'s distal end, and

an open, internal passageway in its central portion of a cross-sectional size smaller than said certain cross-sectional size of the plug/operator, said internal passageway providing access through the passageway to the plug/operator to rotate the plug/operator to adjust its position within the in-line valve but also preventing the plug/operator from passing through said passageway;

said retaining adapter body, when in use in connection with the valve with said adapter body'"'"'s proximal end threadingly engaged with the male threads of the valve, allowing installation of said threaded cap on the body'"'"'s distal threaded end, and, on subsequent occasions, allowing the removal of the threaded cap from said threaded distal end of said adapter and the adjusting of the position of the plug/operator within the in-line valve using the passageway to get access to and rotate the plug/operator, said smaller cross-sectional size of said adapter retaining the plug/operator within the valve and preventing the missile-like ejection of the plug/operator from the in-line valve which would otherwise occur if the plug/operator was rotated too much.

6. The plug/operator retaining adapter of claim 5, wherein the certain cross-sectional size of the plug/operator has a certain diameter;

and

wherein said distal end of said adapter body comprises;

a male threaded, cylindrical section with a centrally located, open, cylindrical passageway of a certain diameter less than the certain diameter of the plug/operator; and

wherein said proximal end of said adapter body comprises;

a polygonal section, having a series of multiple, flat surfaces spaced about its exterior periphery and suitable for gripping with a wrench, with a centrally located, open, cylindrical passageway with female threads on its interior surface and a diameter greater than said certain diameter of said adapter body'"'"'s distal end and greater than the certain diameter of the plug/operator.