Pipes and tubular conduits – With closures and plugs – Laterally insertable
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-11
2003-12-02
Brinson, Patrick (Department: 3752)
Pipes and tubular conduits
With closures and plugs
Laterally insertable
C138S094000, C251S326000, C137S269000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06655413
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
Buildings and houses have pipe lines that need to be pressure tested in order to verify that the various joints in the pipe line do not leak. Such lines include water lines and drainage lines. This testing is typically done by hooking up a source of pressurized air or water to the line and filling the line. Because an open line will not hold the pressure for testing, the end(s) of each line must be capped or plugged prior to introducing the pressurized air or water. This is troublesome, and there is thus a need for an easier way to block the line for testing.
Further the line must frequently be tested in an intact state, after all joints have been fully assembled. If a single joint, or a series of joints are tested, this testing requires plugs to be introduced into the interior of the pipe via temporary openings which must be later closed and sealed. The current methods of achieving these temporary seals introduce significant and undesirable complications, including leaks, or spills. Moreover, several methods of temporarily sealing the line involve introducing inflatable balloon-like devices into the pipe via a fitting opening, inflating the balloon inside the line to seal the line for testing, and then removing the balloon and screwing a sealing cap into the opening through which the balloon was inserted. If the balloon is defective or over-inflated it can rupture and explode, with the potential for damage to the line or serious injury to the plumber. There is thus a need for a simpler, easier and safer way to temporarily block plumbing pipes for testing.
Moreover, current methods of introducing the pressurized fluid into the pipeline may require the plumber to do so from a location remote from the test and then return to the point of the test, or it may require two persons to accomplish the filling and testing. There is thus a need for a better way to pressurize and test lines, or portions of lines, by a single person at a single location.
SUMMARY
The above and other objectives are achieved by providing a method and apparatus for pressure testing a pipe line wherein a fitting is inserted into the pipeline by attaching ends of the pipeline, or intermediate adapters, to opposing sides of the fitting to define a flow path through the fitting extending along a longitudinal axis. Where it is intended that the fitting is to be attached by inserting pipe ends into the fitting, a female socket is provided for each of the two pipe ends. Preferably, an internal boss is provided that extends around a circumference of the flow path and extends radially inward toward a centerline of the fitting a distance corresponding to the wall thickness of the mating male ends of the pipes so the pipes and boss define a periphery of the flow path through the fitting. A recess is formed in the boss to sequentially receive two slides. The boss is optional, and the recess could be formed in the wall of the fitting. An externally accessible port allows a test slide to be inserted into the recess, with the test slide sealing against the walls defining the recess to form a fluid-tight seal for pressure testing the line. The test slide is removed after completion of the pressure testing, and a finish slide is inserted into the recess, again via the external port. The finish slide has an opening located and configured to coincide with the flow path through the male ends of the pipes, while the portion of the finish slide surrounding the opening blocks the recess and thus provides a substantially uniform, cylindrical flow path through the fitting. At the same time, the finish slide is configured to seal the external port against leakage.
There is thus advantageously provided a pressure testing kit for testing the pressure in a pipe line. The kit can include various parts, but preferably includes a main fitting having at least one end adapted to connect to an end of a pipe or another fitting, each of which will be referred to here as a pipe. This allows alignment of a fluid passage of the adjoined pipe with a fluid passage extending through the main fitting. The main fitting has formed therein a port opening on an exterior side of the fitting and aligned with a recess extending around a circumference of the fluid passage in the main fitting. A first test slide is sized and configured to be removably inserted into the port and recess to block the flow of fluid through the main fitting. This first test slide is preferably re-usable, and is thus preferably, but optionally, included in the kit. The kit also preferably, but optionally, includes a second finish slide that is sized and configured to be inserted into the port and recess. The finish slide has an opening there through corresponding in size and shape to the fluid passage through the main fitting, to allow flow through the finish slide and the main fitting when the finish slide has been inserted into the port and recess. Preferably, the first test slide is provided with a fluid passage having a first end opening onto a surface of the slide exterior to the main fitting when the slide is inserted into the port and a second end opening into the fluid passage of the main fitting when the slide is inserted into the port. The first end is in fluid communication with a fitting configured and sized to receive an end of a hose supplying the pressurized fluid, such as an air hose or a garden hose. Alternatively, the fluid passage could be formed in a side of the fitting rather than being formed in the slide.
The invention makes use of a finish slide to seal the port used for inserting the test slide, to block the recess and to provide an acceptable contour through the fitting for fluid flow. There is thus provided a finish slide sized to be sealingly received in a recess. The finish slide has walls defining an opening located and configured to substantially coincide with the fluid passage and to block the recess when the slide is inserted into the port and recess.
The finish slide can also comprise a slide body having walls defining a circular opening corresponding to a first diameter of the fitting. The walls have a length measured along the longitudinal axis corresponding to the first distance, so that when the finish slide is inserted through the port into the recess, the walls defining the opening cooperate with the walls on opposing sides of the recess to provide a fluid passage having a substantially uniform diameter over the length of the fitting as measured along the longitudinal axis. The finish slide preferably has a flanged end located a predetermined distance from the opening in the slide, the distance being selected so that when the flange engages a portion of the fitting the opening is aligned with the fluid passage preferably to achieve a desired minimum amount of interruption of the flow through the fluid passage.
There is thus advantageously provided sealing means for sealing the recess while providing a substantially unobstructed flow passage at the location of the recess, the sealing means being inserted into the recess through the port. There is further advantageously provided testing means insertable through the port, prior to installing the finish sealing means, for blocking the flow of fluid through the fluid passage sufficiently to allow pressure testing of the pipe line. The testing means preferably includes sealing means to prevent or inhibit the flow of pressurized fluid through the port in the side of the fitting even as the testing means is partially removed from a position fully blocking the flow of fluid through the fitting. Further, a fill port preferably extends from outside the fitting to the fluid passage passing through the inside of the fitting and having a coupling adapted to connect to a source of pressurized fluid to pressurize the pipe line for testing. The fill port can be located on the testing slide, or on a side of the fitting.
There is also advantageously provided a method for use in pressure testing a pipe line. The method connects a pipe fitting having a fluid passage extending there through with an at lea
Brown Larry D.
Condon Duane R.
Hart Dennis L.
Kendall Thomas L.
Randolph Scott W.
Brinson Patrick
Securus Inc.
Stetina Brunda Garred & Brucker
LandOfFree
Method and apparatus for pressure testing pipe lines does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method and apparatus for pressure testing pipe lines, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method and apparatus for pressure testing pipe lines will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3147467