GB2223286A

GB2223286A - Water pipe fittings

Info

Publication number: GB2223286A
Application number: GB8823048A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David John Hill; John Dudley Steven
Original assignee: Victaulic Co PLC
Current assignee: Victaulic Co PLC
Priority date: 1988-09-30
Filing date: 1988-09-30
Publication date: 1990-04-04
Also published as: GB8823048D0

Abstract

A connector for coupling a water controlling or monitoring device to a pipe line comprises inlet and outlet ports 2, 5 adapted for connection to pipes for the flow of water therethrough; a manifold body 10 including meter inlet and outlet apertures 8, 9 directed transversely to and connected respectively with the inlet and outlet ports and adapted to receive and be connected to appropriate inlet and outlet water openings at one end of a single ended device for attachment and removal thereof in a direction transverse to the inlet and outlet ports; the connector carrying a plurality of generally planar mounting faces 13, 14 each differently angled with respect to the manifold body, by means of which the connector member can be mounted on a surface adjacent the pipe line at one of a number of angles chosen for the requirements for use of the device mounted thereon. <IMAGE>

Description

Water Pipe Fittings This invention relates to water pipe fittings, and more particularly to such fittings intended to enable a controlling or monitoring device to be coupled into a water pipe for control or monitoring of the flow of water therethrough.

More particularly, although not exclusively, the invention is related to a pipe fitting by means of which a water meter may be operatively coupled to a water pipe line.

Water meters are of two general types, those in which the water flow is essentially axially through the meter, entering at one end and exiting at the other. Such meters, when coupled into a water pipe line, commonly have compression type terminal fittings, in which the meter is mounted in line with the pipe line, needing assembly or dismantling of two compression fittings for fitting in or removal. In addition cold water pipe line (typically copper tubing) must be manipulated in such a way that it is inserted or withdrawn from the terminal fitting by deflecting adjacent pipe work. This deflection may cause undesirable disturbance of adjacent fittings, or indeed may be so restricted that removal of the meter body is not easily achieved without further work.

A second common form of meter and similar water control or monitoring device is one in which there is concentric supply of water from a pipe line to the meter and back again. In this case the inlet and outlet are at one end of the device and such devices are, for convenience, hereinafter called "single ended devices" or "single ended meters" as the case may be. Meters of this kind are usually so arranged as to enable "easy release" from a mounting. Thus with such meters feed and supply pipe fittings are on a common end of the meter, frequently the base, and have an axis in the same plane, in line with the axis of the meter, thereby in principal enabling removal of the meter by disconneting the fittings and withdrawing the meter.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a connector for use with the meter or other water control or monitoring device of the latter kind which is of convenient and useful construction.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention there is provided a connector for coupling a water controlling or monitoring device to a pipe line comprising inlet and outlet ports adapted for connection to pipes for the flow of water therethrough; a manifold body including meter inlet and outlet apertures directed transversely to and connected respectively with the inlet and outlet ports and adapted to receive and be connected to appropriate inlet and outlet water openings at one end of a single ended device for attachment and removal thereof in a direction transverse to the inlet and outlet ports; the connector carrying a plurality of generally planar mounting faces each differrently angled with respect to the manifold body, by means of which the connector member may be mounted on a surface adjacent the pipe line at one of a number of angles chosen for the requirements for use of the device mounted thereon.

The invention is based upon the premise that pipe lines and domestic pipe lines in particular, are frequently mounted supported from adjacent surfaces at a fixed distance depending upon the size of their mounting lugs, from the supporting surface. By means of the invention it is possible to mount the connector by means of a judicious choice of one or other of its mounting faces such that a monitoring or controlling device when attached to the connector is at a satisfactorily disposition, as well as being safely and securely supported by the adjacent surface without distortion of the pipe line.

The connector may be provided with a chamber in the manifold body for the receipt of a non return valve which can be disposed in the path between the said outlet aperture and the said outlet port. This is particularly useful where the connector is adapted to receive a water meter and back flow of water is to be particularly avoided.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, one embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying figures in which: Figure 1 is a isometric view showing the general disposition of one embodiment of connector in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of the connector of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan view of the connector of Figure 1; and Figures 4 and 5 illustrate the connector carrying a water meter and mounted at different dispositions on a supporting surface.

Referring now to the drawings it is to be seen that the connector 1 is essentially a Tee-piece member. It is provided with an inlet port 2 having external threading 3 for connection to a nut 4 enabling connection to an inlet from a pipe line by compression of an olive 18, and similarly an output port 5 is provided axially aligned with the outlet port 2 and again externally threaded 6 for connection to a nut 7 to compress an olive 19 enabling connection to an outlet to a pipe line.

At right angles to the axis of the inlet and outlet ports, meter inlet and outlet apertures 8, 9 are provided in a manifold body 10 of the connector and are so configured that the inlet (not shown) of a single end water meter 16 can be screwed into internal threading 11 within the inlet aperture 8 in such a disposition that an outlet (not shown) from the meter 16 then engages with the outlet aperture 9 of the connector. The outlet aperture 9 feeds into a chamber 12 of dimensions suitable for the receipt of a non return valve (not shown).

It is to be understood that with a meter of the kind intended to be fitted to the connector 1 incoming water will flow concentrically around the meter to the meter's input, and then flow axially from the meter down into the outlet aperture in the member.

As can most clearly be seen in Figures 4 and 5 the connector is provided with two mounting flanges 13, 14 for securing the connector, with its attached meter, to a surface 15 adjacent the water pipe line into which it is to be connected. As can be seen from Figures 4 and 5 this provides two significantly different dispositions for the meter whilst it is still, in each disposition, securely mounted on the supporting surface, and with the inlet and outlet ports 2 and 5 essentially at the same distance from the surface 6 so that the connected pipe line is not distorted.

In practical terms the connector can be so arranged to provide internal waterways of generous size therefore causing minimum pressure loss to the water flowing through the pipe work. In operation flow on the inlet side of the member can be controlled by means of a household stop cock, any back flow upon removal of the meter being controlled by means of the non return valve which can be located in the chamber 12.

A typical installation of a connector member as illustrated comprises taking a convenient section of supply pipe located downstream of the internal domestic stopcock. The section is removed and the connector 1 inserted. Suitable connections are made to the inlet and outlet ports 2 and 5, and the connector 1 is secured to the wall via the provided fixing holes 17 in one or other of the mounting flanges 13, 14. A standard single end type meter 16 is then screwed into the manifold apertures and on resumption of the water supply, metering is commenced.

It is to be seen that in operation water from the pipe line enters the manifold body 10 of the connecting member 1 and flows through it to meter inlet aperture 8.

The water then passes through the meter 16 attached to the manifold body 10 and emerges again into the meter outlet aperture 9. A non return valve located within the chamber 12 is in a position to control flow which proceeds to the outlet port 5 and returns to the supply pipe line.

It will be observed from Figures 2 and 3 that the apertured manifold 10 is offset from the line of the inlet and outlet ports 2 and 5 so that the connector may be mounted on the supporting wall surface with the pipe work at the same distance from this wall in either of the two angled positions, thus allowing standard pipe wall fittings and mountings to be used to support the pipe on either side.

The connector has advantages over alternative forms of inline meter arrangements as follows: There is an ease of removal and fixing of meter for servicing and similar requirements; 2. when fitted with a non return valve, minimal water loss occurs upon removal of the meter; 3. secure fixing can be achieved for a heavy meter, which may be fixed at various angles for ease of meter reading and removal and similar operation; 4. the connector is capable of taking meters for remote data retrieval by means for example of electronic metering; 5. the arrangement illustrated has been provided with extra large porting to give very low pressure loss in the passage of water therethrough; 6. small overall size relative to its function will cause minimal disturbance within the household premises.

The product may easily be moulded from an engineering form of plastics material. The connector may accept supply pipes of various sizes by means of the use of pipe coupling adaptors for example.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A connector for coupling a water controlling or monitoring device to a pipe line comprising inlet and outlet ports adapted for connection to pipes for the flow of water therethrough; a manifold body including meter inlet and outlet-apertures directed transversely to and connected respectively with the inlet and outlet ports and adapted to receive and be connected to appropriate inlet and outlet water openings at one end of a single ended device for attachment and removal thereof in a direction transverse to the inlet and outlet ports; the connector carrying a plurality of generally planar mounting faces each differrently angled with respect to the manifold body, by means of which the connector member can be mounted on a surface adjacent the pipe line at one of a number of angles chosen for the requirements for use of the device mounted thereon.

2. A connector as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the planes of the mounting surfaces are generally parallel to a line joining the inlet and outlet ports.

3. A connector as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 wherein the connector carries two generally planar mounting faces.

4. A connector as claimed in Claim 2, or 2 together with 3 wherein the or at least two of the mounting surfaces meet each other at an edge.

5. A connector as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the edge is generally parallel to a line joining the inlet and outlet ports.

6. A connector as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the axis of the inlet port is aligned with that of the outlet port.

7. A connector as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the manifold body is provided with a chamber for the receipt of a non return valve which can be disposed in the path between the outlet aperture and the outlet port.

8. A connector as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the inlet and outlet apertures are located adjacent each other for connection to a single ended device as hereinbefore described.

9. A connector for coupling a water controlling or monitoring device to a pipe line substantially as shown in and as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.