US1960710A - Gas main stopper - Google Patents

Description

May 29, 1934. H. L. PEDEN GAS MAIN STOPPER Filed July 21, 1933 INVENTOR Hu k L. Baden @w Q1 ATTORNEYS Patented May 29, 1934 UNITED STATES 1,960,710 7 GAS MAIN STOPPER Hugh L. Peden, Bronxville, N. Y., assignor to Safety Gas Main Stopper (30., Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 21, 1933, Serial No. 681,451

11 Claims.

This invention has general reference to gas main stoppers of the type such as shown in prior United States Letters Patent, Nos. 1,627,502, granted May 3, 1927, and 1,695,187, granted December 11, 1928, which stoppers include an expansible stopper body which is normally contracted to a substantially elongated oval for insertion through -fa tap hole in the gas main and which is subsequently expanded to a substantially circulari-form and swung transversely to a position so that its periphery intimately fits the bore of the main to stop the flow of gas therethrough.

The present invention has particular reference to an improved means for handling and manipulating the stopper body to effect its insertion and emplacement'in the main and its expansion and movement to an effective position for stopping the flow of gas, as well as to facilitate its subsequent contraction and withdrawal from the main.

The invention aims for some of its principal objects to provide an improved manipulating and handling means for a stopper body of the indicated character, by virtue of which the insertion and setting of the stopper element is in each use automatically caused to be uniformly moved to a proper position within the main to stop the flow of :gas and this without requiring any particular skill or experience on the part of the operator; which renders the device capable of more expeditious setting and removal so as to save the amount of gas wasted; which more effectively maintains its set position; which is neither complicated nor cumbersome in its construction and hence is easier to handle and manipulate; which is; comparatively inexpensive to produce and which is highly eflicient for .its intended purpose.

With the above recited and other objects in view, reference is made to the following specification and accompanying drawing in which there has been disclosed several preferred embodiments of the invention, while the appended claims are intended to cover variations and other modifications thereof which fall within their scope.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side view illustrating a stopper constructed in accordance with the invention, during the initial stages of its insertion in the gas main.

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the handle member shown in longitudinal section and illustrating in full lines the device in its fully applied and set position.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on a plane indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side view of a modified adaptation of the invention.

Fig. 5' is an edge view thereof.

Referring to the drawing by characters of reference, A designates an expansible gas main stopper body of any of the usual types such as shown in the prior patents above referred to and which body in the present disclosure consists of a spring framed diaphragm normally inherently contracted to a substantially elongated oval form as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing to admit of its insertion through the tap hole B of a gas main C. It is understood that after insertion the body A is subsequently expanded to a substantially circular form and swung to a position so that its periphery intimately fits the bore of the main to stop the flow of gas therethrough.

The present invention has to do with an improved means for handling and manipulating the stopper body A and which means consists of a cross sectionally channel-shaped handle bar 10, the lower end of which is connected by a link 12 to the stopper body A, the link having pivotal con- 1 nection at 13 with the stopper body and pivotal connection at 14 with the lower end of the handle bar. The handle bar is formed with suitable stops 15 and 16 which limit the swinging of the link upwardly and downwardly. Intermediate its ends, the handle bar is formed with spaced furcations or lugs 17 and 18 to engage over and receive therebetween an edge of the tap hole B so as to properly position the handle with reference to the main C. The upper furcation or lug 17 has threaded, therethrough, a thumb screw or other suitable form of clamping screw 19 by virtue of which the handle is secured in set position on the main with the lower end extending through the tap hole B. It will be observed that when so positioned and locked, the lower end of the handle bar 10 is properly spaced above the bore of the main while the link 12 permits the lower end of the stopper body A to drop into contact with the inner periphery or bore of the gas main.

In order to provide means for swinging the stopper body A and expanding the same, a flexible element or cable 20 is employed which is attached to an arm 21 pivotally carried by and connected at 22 to the upper end of the stopper body A or at a point diametrically opposite the pivotal connection 13 of the link therewith so that it is freely swingable with the arm 21. The cable is trained around a guide or sheave 23 and thence extends upwardly through the groove defined by .the channel-shaped handle bar 10 and through a guide opening or bore 24 formed at the upper end of the handle bar 10. The free end of the cable or flexible element 20 is provided with a bail like pull handle 25. Obviously, after the stopper body A has been inserted and the handle bar 10 secured to the main C, in the position shown in Fig. 2, an upward pull on the cable 20 will cause the stopper body A to be swung from the with the bore of the main until it assumes an angular or canted position approximately 12or= 15 from a position perpendicular to the axis of the main. The arm 21 serves as a stop to limit the swinging of the body A so as to avoid any tendency of the stopper body being swung past center. After the stopper body A has been moved to a full sealing position, it may be locked and thus retained by suitable means such as a thumb screw 26 which is movable into impinging engagement with the cable 20.

The foregoing construction and arrangemen applies to stoppers for the smaller sizes of mains but where the stoppers are used in connection with the larger sizes of mains, it may be found desirable to provide a winding drum on which the cable is wound to obtain the necessary leverage to operate the device. In this instance, the upper end of the handle bar 10, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, is fashioned to provide a drum housing 30 within which is journaled, for rotation on a shaft 31, a cable winding drum 32, to which the free end of the cable is attached. A crank handle 33 is secured to the shaft 31 and a set screw 34 is threaded through one side of the drum housing 30 to impinge against thev side of the drum for locking the same against retrograde movement so as to hold the cable in a wound up condition when the stopper body A is in full sealing position. In this instance also, the handle bar 10 may be provided with a lateral projecting handle 35. In other respects, the construction and operation of the complete stopper device is identical with that of the previously described form of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A gas main stopper including in combination with a stopper body comprising a framed diaphragm normally contracted to a substantially elongated oval for introduction to the main through a tap hole and expansible to a circular form for stopping the flow of gas through the main; means for handling and manipulating the stopper body to effect its emplacement and expansion within the main, said means comprising a handle bar and a cable connected respectively with the stopper body adjacent diametrically opposite points of its periphery. Y

2. In a gas main stopper, the combinationwith a stopper body of the character set forth, means for handling and manipulating the stopper body to effect its emplacement and expansion within the main, said means comprising a handle bar and a flexible element connected respectively to the stopper body adjacent diametricallyopposite points of its periphery.

3. In a gas main stopper, the combination with a stopper body of the character set forth, means for handling and manipulating the stopper body to effect its emplacement and expansion within the main, said means comprising. a handleban a link connection between the lower .end ofthe handle bar and the lower end of the stopper body and a flexible element connected with the upper end of the stopper body and having guided association with the handle bar. p

4'. A gas main stopper including an expansible body member, a bar pivotally connected to the body member and a, flexible element attached to said body memberjjandfguidedjibyj saidib'ar for drawing said body member from a contracted position lengthwise of the main to an expanded sealing position substantially transversely of the ain.-

5:"Agasmain stopper including an expansible body member, a bar pivotally connected to the body m meer me ns rer anchoring the bar to the main and a flexible element attached to said body member and guided by said bar for drawing said body member-from'a 'contracted position lengthwise of the main to an expanded sealing position substantially transversely thereof.

, 6. A gasmain-stQpper including; an expansible body: member}. aybanmiygtally' -C'OIlI,1Clied$t0Mthe body memben means for anchorinez'thebargto the main and a-flexible element attached tosaid body: member zandiguidedvbysaid bar ioradrawing said. body member from a contracted position -;length; wise of the;mai-n;to-anexpanded sealing. position substantially transversely thereofyand means for locking the" flexible elementagainst movement with reference to the-bar so as to retain thebody. member in its expanded sealing-positiQn.-.q. 4.11

.7, A gas main stopper. including,anrexpansible body member, a bar pivotally connected: to said body .memberganda flexible element attached to the body member and. guided by said-bar ier draw: ing said body member from a contracted position lengthwise of the main to jan expanded seali e'. position substantially "transversely-of the main, and'means forilimiting the drawing 03 the; body member toitsexpandedsealing position, 7

8. A gas main stopper including an expansible body mam-barge .bar pivotally 1 1nt6d2.: Q Said body member and -a;-flexibl.e. element attach to the bodymember and gnidedbyzsa-id ban iordrawe ingsaid body member from: a contracted position lengthwise of the 'main-tofan expanded sealing positionv substantial-1y transversely of ,,the main, and meansfor limiting the. drawing of .the body member to itszexpanded sealing position, said meansconsistingofapstop-ontthe flexible element engageablewiththe-bar.- Jt 1 9i A gas =main stopper including-anexpansibie body member; a'bar pivotally connectedto said body member, a flexible Element-attached at one end tosaid body -member;vguide means on said bar member vthroughivvhich the flexibleeleIn-ent isrtrained; and aehandlex-at, the free end oizsaid flexible element; '11.. l

10. A gas main stopper including an expansi-ble' body' member,;a bar piyotally connected to said a body member, %a.flex-ible element attached; at one endto said bodyimemb er; guide mt i lfi pqnsaid bar memberthrougnwhieh-the flexib em is trained, a' winding gdrunr carried, by; the ,par 7 and to; :whichdrum the ifiexible element is attached. and acrank handleiior turning'the winding drum;

11. A gas main stopper includingan gexpansible body member, abar ;pivotally .connec,tedg to said body member; I. aflexible element; attachedat one end to said-bodyzmemben; guidejmeanszonnfi id bar member through which the flexible element-is trained. a winding drmnicarried'byr he bar. and to which druinztheieilexible element attached-,- a; crank handle for turning the winding drum, and means for locking the winding driun againstturn ingmove'ment a I

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