Wells – Above ground apparatus – With assembly or disassembly means
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-16
2001-11-06
Neuder, William (Department: 3672)
Wells
Above ground apparatus
With assembly or disassembly means
C166S088100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06311770
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a pitless adapter assembly. A pitless adapter is a unit designed to permit water service pipes to pass through the wall of a well-casing below the frost line to prevent entrance of contaminants, to prevent freezing of water in the pipes, and to provide full access to the water system components within the well. Pitless adapters hang the well pump from a hole drilled in the well-casing. The hole drilled in the well casing both holds up the weight of the pump and the supply pipe and water from the pump, and allows the pumped water to exit through the casing wall. Existing products require multiple attachments to be furnished as separate items when using plastic pipe for installing a pitless adapter. The majority of submersible well pumps are now installed with plastic pipe. This requires separate fittings not furnished as a package with existing products. Plastic pipe facilitates pump installation and removal because of its flexibility and does not require extending the pipe vertically thereby creating a dangerous situation, especially when the well may be hundreds of feet deep.
Even though plastic pipe is now the preferred installation method, a potential exists for the pipe coming off of the adapter. Should this occur, the well can be rendered unusable and non-repairable. The assembly disclosed and claimed herein provides a compact, ready-to-install unit which includes integral plastic pipe barbs and protected safety cable attachment device. In addition, the invention also includes a streamlined, curved internal shape which reduces water turbulence and increases flow.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a pitless adapter which is simple to install.
It is another object of the invention to provide a pitless adapter which securely retains the pump suspended therefrom.
It is another object of the invention to provide a pitless adapter which reduces turbulence and friction-induced drag within the assembly.
It is another object of the invention to provide a pitless adapter which permits connection to plastic supply pipe delivering water from the well to the pitless adapter without the need of other attachment components.
It is another object of the invention to provide an integrally-formed safety eyelet for retaining a safety cable attached to the pump in the well.
It is another object of the invention to provide an integrally-formed safety eyelet for retaining a safety cable attached to the pump in the well which is recessed into the overall dimensions of the pitless adapter and this thus protected from accidental impact.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved in the preferred embodiments disclosed below by providing a pitless adapter assembly for a water well system or the like operable by a pump suspended in the well below the pitless adapter assembly to pump underground water upwardly through a plastic supply pipe to a feed pipe through a fitting in a well casing, and comprising a housing having a generally right-angle flow path therein defined by an housing inlet and a housing outlet for interconnecting the supply pipe with the feed pipe through the well casing. The housing includes an integrally-formed eyelet for receiving and retaining a safety cable to which the pump is suspended in the well and a plurality of annular serrations formed in the walls of the housing surrounding the housing inlet for receiving and retaining an upper end of the feed pipe. Interior walls of the housing defining the flow path extend between the housing inlet and the housing outlet and are curved to provide right-angle turn which reduces turbulence in the water flowing through the housing from the supply pipe to the feed pipe.
According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the housing includes a threaded collar for receiving a matingly threaded pull pipe.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the threaded collar is integrally-formed with the housing.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the housing includes a pair of integrally-formed flanges for cooperating with a mating pair of recesses in a fitting positioned through a hole in the well casing for retaining the pitless adapter assembly in the fitting.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the flanges and recesses are adapted to be oriented in vertically-extending relation within the well casing.
Preferably, the safety eyelet is integrally formed in the housing at a juncture between the threaded collar and the housing intermediate the housing inlet and the housing outlet.
Preferably, the flanges are integrally-formed on the housing.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the annular serrations comprise a plurality of concentric, ring-shaped barbs each having a taper which progressively enlarges in the flow direction of water from the well into the housing.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the pitless adapter includes a submersible pump suspended in the well below the pitless adapter assembly and interconnected thereto by the supply pipe.
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Adams, Schwartz & Evans P.A.
Conbraco Industries, Inc.
Neuder William
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