AU2020100355A4

AU2020100355A4 - Pipe Fitting

Info

Publication number: AU2020100355A4
Application number: AU2020100355A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Walter J. Edwards
Original assignee: Bookleaf Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Bookleaf Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2019-03-20
Filing date: 2020-03-09
Publication date: 2020-04-16
Anticipated expiration: 2028-03-09

Abstract

Abstract A pipe fitting 11 having an open end 15 with a substantially cylindrical socket 17 to fittingly receive an end of a pipe, is disclosed. The substantially cylindrical socket 17 terminates in an inwardly extending annular step 21 to form a stop against which the end of the inserted pipe may abut. The fitting 11 has on the outside thereof a circumferential formation 24 located along the surface of the fitting, located proximal to the inwardly extending annular step 21 so as to indicate the position of the inwardly extending annular step 21. 4--15 7-4 4.1 FIGURE 2 1~j~7

Description

Pipe Fitting

Technical Field [0001] This invention relates to the field of plumbing and in particular waste water, sewerage, and also rain water reticulation.

Background Art [0002] The following discussion of the background art is intended to facilitate an understanding of the present invention only. It should be appreciated that the discussion is not an acknowledgement or admission that any of the material referred to was part of the common general knowledge as at the priority date of the application.

[0003] Waste water and rain water collected for drinking purposes is carried by pipework. In recent times, PVC pipework is utilised for these purposes, replacing clay pipe used in times gone by. The pipework comprises length of pipe which are often cut to the required length by the installer, and joined to fittings such as joiners, elbows and junctions. The exposed end of a pipe is inserted into a fitting, the fitting having a cylindrical or substantially cylindrical socket with an internal annular step forming a stop, to prevent the pipe being inserted too far into the fitting. Prior to the exposed end of the pipe being inserted into the socket, it may be roughened with sand paper, and/or swarf from a saw cut removed with sand paper, or alternatively any raised ridge formed by a pipe cutting tool removed with sand paper, and a pipe jointing cement applied. The pipe jointing cement comprises a solvent with a filler, which solubilises the surface of the end of the pipe and the interior of the socket, and seals the joint between the end of the pipe and the fitting.

[0004] The pipework concerned may be newly installed or the subject of repair works. In either case, it is often located in a trench, where it is buried. Components of the pipework are positioned, and it is necessary to measure the length of straight sections of pipe, so they will fit between fittings. Since the pipe locates internally within the fittings, measurement between fittings to determine the length that pipe must be cut to, in order to securely fit, can be problematic. If the pipe is cut too short, one or more joins may be less secure or compromised, and if the pipe is cut too long, it may bow and not fit within the confines of the trench.

[0005] Throughout the specification unless the context requires otherwise, the word comprise or variations such as comprises or comprising, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

2020100355 09 Mar 2020 [0006] Throughout the specification unless the context requires otherwise, the word include or variations such as includes or including, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

Summary of Invention [0007] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a pipe fitting having an open end with a substantially cylindrical socket to fittingly receive an end of a pipe, said substantially cylindrical socket terminating in an inwardly extending annular step to form a stop against which the end of the pipe may abut; said fitting having on the outside thereof a circumferential formation located along the surface of the fitting, located proximal to the inwardly extending annular step so as to indicate the position of the inwardly extending annular step. The inwardly extending annular step and the circumferential formation are disposed in a plane normal to the axial extent of the substantially cylindrical socket.

[0008] Preferably the circumferential formation may extend from the external surface of the fitting and may comprise an external annular step which may take the form an annular ridge or an annular trough. The circumferential formation may take the form of a castellated annular ridge or step, or any steep sided variation in the external surface of the fitting that can serve as a physical and visual mark against which a measuring tape end may abut, and measuring tape with distance markings may pass, to allow a measured length between spaced apart pipe fittings to be determined.

[0009] Preferably said inwardly extending annular step and said circumferential formation are disposed in a common plane.

[0010] Preferably the circumferential formation comprises an external annular step having a radial surface extending normal to the axial extent of the substantially cylindrical socket, from an external surface surrounding said substantially cylindrical socket to a circumferential surface extending away from said open end.

[0011] Preferably said inwardly extending annular step and said external annular step are disposed in a common plane.

[0012] Preferably said circumferential surface comprises an annulus terminating in a second annular step spaced from and parallel to said external annular step. With this arrangement, the circumferential portion may take the form of a flange extending from the external surface of the fitting, with two annular steps, the annular step located closer to the

2020100355 09 Mar 2020 open end of the fitting being located in the same plane as the inwardly extending annular step that forms the stop.

Brief Description of Drawings [0013] Two preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the following drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a cut-away cross-section view of a pipe fitting in the form of an elbow fitting, according to the first embodiment;

Figure 2 is a plan view of part of the pipe fitting of figure 1;

Figure 3 is a close-up cut-away section view of part of the cross-section shown in figure 1;

Figure 4 is a cut-away cross-section view of a pipe fitting in the form of a T-fitting, according to the second embodiment;

Figure 5 is a plan view of part of the pipe fitting of figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a diagram showing the first embodiment of the invention in use.

Description of Embodiments [0014] The first preferred embodiment illustrated in figures 1 to 3 is an improved pipe fitting 11 in the form of an elbow joiner for joining two 110 mm diameter pipes 13 that meet at right angles to each other. These 110 mm diameter pipes are used for rainwater collection from roof guttering and for drainage in plumbing applications, and in sewage applications.

[0015] The pipe fitting 11 has two open ends 15, each open end 15 having a substantially cylindrical socket 17 into which an end 19 of the pipe 13 is fitted. Each cylindrical socket 17 terminates in an inwardly extending annular step 21 which forms a stop against which the end 19 of the pipe 13 may abut, limiting the extent that the end 19 of the pipe 13 may intrude into the fitting 11. Extending between opposed inwardly extending annular steps 21 are the walls 23 forming a closed conduit extending from one cylindrical socket 17 to the other, for the pipe fitting 11.

[0016] Each cylindrical socket 17 has, on the outside of the pipe fitting 11, a circumferential formation 24 extending from the external surface 25 of the cylindrical socket 17 of the pipe fitting 11, located proximal to the inwardly extending annular step 21. The circumferential formation 24 is located in the same plane as the inwardly extending annular

2020100355 09 Mar 2020 step 21, so as to indicate on the outside of the cylindrical socket 17, the position of the inwardly extending annular step 21. The inwardly extending annular step 21 and the circumferential formation 24 are disposed in a plane normal to the axial extent 27 of the cylindrical socket 17.

[0017] The circumferential formation 24 comprises an external annular step 29 having a radial surface 31 extending normal to the axial extent 27 of the cylindrical socket 17, from the external surface 25 surrounding the cylindrical socket 17 to a circumferential surface 32 extending away from the open end 15 of the cylindrical socket 17. The circumferential surface 32 terminates in a second annular step 33 having a radial surface 35 located extending parallel to the external annular step 29; thus the circumferential formation 24 is provided as an annulus extending around the external surface 25 of the cylindrical socket 17, with the external annular step being located in the same plane as the inwardly extending annular step 21. The height of the external annular step 29 and the height of the second annular step 33 is nominally 1 mm, and the width of the circumferential surface 32 / circumferential formation 24 is nominally 1 mm.

[0018] While the particular embodiment illustrated here is embodied in a 90° elbow joiner (actually 88°), other embodiments incorporating the invention can include fittings in the form of 135° pipe joiners, straight joiners, tee junctions and y-connectors, and others as is known in the field of plumbing.

[0019] The second preferred embodiment is a pipe fitting 37 in the form of a tee-fitting, having three open ends 15, each open end 15 having a substantially cylindrical socket 17 into which an end 19 of the pipe 13 is fitted. Each cylindrical socket 17 and the outside of the fitting 37 in proximity to the cylindrical socket has the same features as the cylindrical sockets 17 of the fitting 11 of the first embodiment, with the exception that the external surface 25 of the upper cylindrical socket 17' is provided with a helical thread 42 so that a threaded cap may be fitted close the fitting 37. Such a threaded cap can be removed for maintenance purposes.

[0020] Other features illustrated in both embodiments include an injection mould date stamp 39 and a recessed panel 41 onto which information may be printed or a label attached.

[0021] Referring to figure 6, pipe fittings 11 having the circumferential portion 23 of the invention may be located in predetermined positions 43, 45 on a site. Where two opposed pipe fittings 11 and 11' are to be joined by a length of pipe 13, one person may locate the end 47 of a measuring tape 49 against the radial surface 31 of the external annular step 29, and the other person may run the measuring tape 49 out to the opposed pipe fitting 11' and

2020100355 09 Mar 2020 measure the distance to the radial surface 31 of the external annular step 29. The external height of the annular step 29 is sufficient to abut the typically angled end 47 of a retractable measuring tape, and sufficient to be visible to the user measuring at the opposed pipe fitting 11'. The distance between the radial surfaces 31 of opposed pipe fittings 11 and 11', being opposed radial surfaces, is measured, and a length of pipe can be cut according to that measurement. The exposed external surface of the ends of the pipe, and/or the cylindrical socket 17 is coated with PVC pipe cement and inserted into the cylindrical socket, up to the stop in the case of the first joint being made, and as far as possible into the cylindrical socket for the second joint being made at the opposite end of the pipe 13.

[0022] The provision of the external circumferential portion avoids the need for a pipe installer to insert a measuring tape into the socket, which could introduce debris into the joint, and takes the guesswork out of the measurement at the other end, at the opposed pipe fitting.

[0023] It should be appreciated that the scope of the invention is not limited to the particular embodiment described herein, and that changes may be made, such has having the anulus comprising the circumferential portion straddle the plane of the inwardly extending annular step 21 which forms a stop against which the end of the pipe may abut. Changes may be made to pipe fitting diameters without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

The Claims Defining the Invention are as Follows

1. A pipe fitting having an open end with a substantially cylindrical socket to fittingly receive an end of a pipe, said substantially cylindrical socket terminating in an inwardly extending annular step to form a stop against which the end of the pipe may abut; said fitting having on the outside thereof a circumferential formation located along the surface of the fitting, located proximal to the inwardly extending annular step so as to indicate the position of the inwardly extending annular step.
2. A pipe fitting as claimed in claim 1 wherein the circumferential formation comprises an external annular step which may take the form an annular ridge or an annular trough.
3. A pipe fitting as claimed in claim 1 wherein the circumferential formation comprises a castellated annular ridge or step.
4. A pipe fitting as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein said inwardly extending annular step and said circumferential formation are disposed in a common plane.
5. A pipe fitting as claimed in claim 1 wherein the circumferential formation comprises an external annular step having a radial surface extending normal to the axial extent of the substantially cylindrical socket, from an external surface surrounding said substantially cylindrical socket to a circumferential surface extending away from said open end.
6. A pipe fitting as claimed in claim 5 wherein said inwardly extending annular step and said external annular step are disposed in a common plane.
7. A pipe fitting as claimed in claim 5 or 6 wherein said circumferential surface comprises an annulus terminating in a second annular step spaced from and parallel to said external annular step.