AU659583B2

AU659583B2 - Barbed water fitting

Info

Publication number: AU659583B2
Application number: AU72868/94A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Bradley John Edwards
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-05-19
Filing date: 1994-09-12
Publication date: 1995-05-18
Anticipated expiration: 2014-09-12
Also published as: AU7286894A

Description

P/00/01i1 2815/91 AUSTALIARegulation 3.2 Patents Act 19906

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: 1ARBFL... The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:hz..iae in.xe conne.ctixig...plumb.ing fitt.ings onat..tank.,....drx ad pip.e.s o. n m eouime..ryo a. Fa.. u fi.tilgs.... Qlt...plaa~t.i.0 an plqts. taa' aan..p..as.tc....pgppe. it~.x .I ae.aI.tQQ Jb~ .ave teen osals tocnet... j~c one. of.h1 who mu.tc..b.orreah.ino.t.e.

Ia e Chemical drums and chemical tanks as used in agriculture e.g. spray tanks, need an outlet at trie bottom while thie access hole in thie top is often tboo. small or tine. tank too deep to allow anyone to reach in aria hola a bacicnut for a fitting easily.

Pipes are connected onto by either installing a 'u2' fitting or a saddle/strap fitting. Problems can arise with both thiese methods if for example trie pipe is buriea in the ground, trie pipe must be dug up for a conside-rable distance to flex the pipe into a IT' fitting or dug around the circumference of the pipe for a saddile/strap type fitting.

Stubs of pipe can be laminated onto or welded. onto tanks, I drums or pipe, but thiese processes involve more time, cost and expertise.

These problems are overcome oy thie present invention which provides a plumbing fitting to connect onto tanks, drums or pipes.

The barbed water fitting is comprised of four components the barbed head, the front nut, the inner sleeve and an 4 ring or washer. The barbed head has tapered longditudinal slots in it and is moulded from a resilient material,, this allows the barb to be pushed. through~ a predrilled hole and to then spring open again inside thie tank, drum or pipe, where the inner sleeve wnich is pushed into thie central bore of the barbed head then holds the barb head open, this stops trie barb head from r k 3 pulling out of tne tank, drum or pipe. The barbed head has an externally threaded shaft of a smaller diameter than its head, tnis external thread engages into an internal thread of the front nui. The front nut also has a hexagonal shaped oody or 'flats' to allow the front nut to be turned with a spanner or similar tool. When tne front nut is then engaged onto the thread of the shaft of the barbed head and tightened it seals down onto the outer surface of the tank, drum or pipe with the ring or washer.

An allen or hex key or similar too1 is used to stop the barbed head from turning while the front nut is being tightened onto the tnreaaect shaft of the barbed head. The allen or hex key passes through tne bore of 15 the frontnut and engages into the oore of the oarbed head, as the barbed head has a hexagon or similar I SI °shape moulded into part of the bore through its centre. The contents of the tank can thus pass through the hollow centre of the inner sleave and through the centre of the front nut. Taps or other stanaard plumbing fittings can then be screwea into tne internal thread of the front nut, the front nut having a longer bore than the tnreadea shaft of tne Oarbea head and thus has spare thread for the other plumbing fittings to screw into.

All these operations are done from the outside of the tank, drum or pipe with standard tools and average levels of expertise.

4 In one form of the invention, the ring is retained in an ring groove moulded into the sealing face of tne front nut.

In another form of the invention tne front nut has two ring grooves in its sealing face, one close to the threaded bore through the centre of tne front nut and another groove nearer tne outer circumference of the sealing face, the inner ring groove is to j help seal onto pipe, the curvature of which is less the smaller the diameter of the ring. 'The outer ring will give a broader 'footprint' onto a relatively flat surface such as a rainwater tank, were lateral forces such as tnose encountered if a garden tap is installed into the front nut ana a garden hose is attacnea to the tap and pulled.

In another form of the invention tne nead of the barbed head has a curve in tne face that sits against the inside of a pipe so as to allow the barbed water fitting to be fitted to a pipe of a smaller *20 diameter than one with a flat inner face. The washer for this form could also oe curved or a rigid spacer with an ring groove in its face to seal onto the curved outside of the pipe and seal against tne "0' ring of the front nut.

In another form of the invention the material the components are moulded from is resistant to corrosive chemicals and/or solvents, such as fuels to allow its use on fuel tanks or drums.

I In another form of the invention extension tubes could be used to allow its use in tanks or drums with a thicker wall section tnan the standard thread. length >1 allows, such as in concrete tanks. These extension tubes could have an internal threaa to engage onto the tnareaded shaft of trie barbed head. on one end, and an external thread on the otner end to allow the front nut to oe screwed onto tne otner end.

In another form of tne invention tne barbed nead has a'lip' moulded on the inner edge of the bore on tnhe barb end to stop the inner sleeve from falling into the tank, drum or pipe.

To assist with understanding tne invention, reference will. now be made to the acr-omanying drawings which show one example of the invention.

FIG. I shows one example of a barbed head according to this invention. Side Sectional view.

FIG. 2 shows one example of a barbed. nead according to this invention, Eiind view.

FIG. 3 shows one example of a front nut according to this invention, Side view, Sectional.

FIG. 4 shows one example of a front nut. acco~rding to this invention, Eind view.

FIG. 5 shows one example of an inner sleeve according to this invention.

FIG. 6 shows the application of such a barbed water fitting to a water tank. Side sectional view.

1~ -II F Refering to FIG. I it can be seen that the barbed head according to this invention, has an externally threaded shaft I. the barbed head also nas a hollow centre or bore 2. part of whicn is shaped for tne engagement of an allen key 3. the barbed neads barb has longditudinal tapered slots 4. The back of the barb 5. stops the barbed head pulling out.

Refering to FIG 2 it can be seen tnat the barb nead has slots equally spaced around the head I. It can also IO be seen that the barbed head is hollow to allow the insertion of the inner sleeve and the passage of the contents of tne tank.

Refering to FIG. 3 it can be seen that the front nut has an internally threaded bore I. and nas two ring i 15 grooves in its sealing face 2.

Refering to FIG. 4 it can be seen that the front nut has an internally threaded bore I. and has a hexagonally shaped body 2.

Refering to FIG. 5 it can be seen tnat the inner sleeve is a hollow, rigid tube.

Refering to FIG. 6 it can be seen that the barbed water fitting is installed in a water tank I. the barbed head 2. is through the tank wall, the inner sleeve 3. is in position holding the barbed head out. The external thread of the barbed head shaft is screwed into the internal thread of the front nut 4. the rings are in contact with the face of the tank, the front nut j 6.has spare tnread 7. for othar fittings to screw into.

f.

I

The contents of tine tank 8. can pass through the bore of thne inner sleeve.

By the use of a barbed water fitting of tnis type.

the contents of a tank, drum or pipe can be accessed recourse to difficult methonds, another persons help or unusual tools and the expertise needied, to use 4 them.

It will be realised. that tlie barbed water fitting according to this invention is not restricted to the JO form shown, it may have any of the previously explained.

options as long as the fitting can be attached to a tank, drum or pipe from tnhe outside.

131

Claims

2. A device to connect plumbing fittings onto, a said tank, drum or pipe as claimed in claim I. in which said frontnut has two ring grooves in said sealing face with one of a smaller diameter than the other.
3. A device to connect plumbing fittings onto, a said tank, drum or pipe as in claim I. in which the seal between said tank, drum or pipe and said frontnut is achieved with a washer moulded to suit the curvature IO of said tank, drum or pipe.
4. A device to conneqt plumbing fittings onto a said tank, drum or pipe as i L to 3. wherein the said central bore of the said barbed head has a lip moulded in it. ashe said ba- end to prevent the said inner sleeve from falling into tne said tank, drum or pipe. 4:5. A device to connect plumbing fittings onto a said tank, drum or pipe as i.s\claims I. to 4. which is moulded from a material resistant to degradation by fuels and chemicals.
6. A device to connect plumbing fittings onto a said S' tank, drum or pipe substantially as herein described with reference to tne accompanying drawings. 30/1/95 <r c 1 Os ABSTRACT A barbed water fitting for the connection onto tanks drums or pipe is disclosed.. It consists of a barbed head moulded of plastic, the barb has slots in it to. allow the head to be pusnhed through a predrilled hole. An inner sleeve(3) holds tne barb out once inserted. A frontnut has an internal tnread whlien engages onto the external tnread of tne oarbea Lead's snaft (4) The front nut also has an ring or washer on tne sealing face against tne tank the remaining internal thread of the front nut is than used to connect other plumbing fittings to, so as to access, the contents of the tank. The barbed head is held from turning by the insertion of an allen key, througn the front nut, tne front nut is then tightened onto the seal against the tank. This device can be used to access the contents Aof the tank as all installation is executed from outside the tank. A If i IIA" riLE