US2842163A

US2842163A - Ring inserts for dip tubes

Info

Publication number: US2842163A
Application number: US412417A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frank V Boylan
Original assignee: MARINE CONTROLS LAB
Current assignee: MARINE CONTROLS LAB; MARINE CONTROLS LABORATORIES
Priority date: 1954-02-25
Filing date: 1954-02-25
Publication date: 1958-07-08
Anticipated expiration: 1975-07-08

Description

July 8, 1958 F. v. BOYLAN RING INSERTS FOR DIP TUBES Filed Feb. 25, 1954 FIG.2.

jhvenf or Frank V. Boylan By/Q/ RING INSERTS FOR DIP TUBES Frank V. Boylan, New Orleans, La., assignor to Marine Controls Laboratories, New Orleans, La., :1 registered parmership of Louisiana Application February 25, 1954, Serial No. 412,417

8 Claims. (Cl. 138-47) This invention relates generally to means for coupling tubular members together and is directed particularly to the application of such means to storage water heaters.

In storage type hot water heaters commonly known as automatic storage type heaters, the introduction of cold water into the heater tank is customarily made through the top of the tank or boiler by means of a tube or pipe which extends to or terminates adjacent to the bottom of the tank so that as hot water is withdrawn, usually through the top of the tank, no intermingling of the cold water coming in, with the outflowing hot water will occur.

The conventional construction of such storage type water heaters embodies an inlet tank nipple which is secured in the top of the tank and this nipple has extending downwardly therethrough the pipe by which the incoming cold water is conducted to the bottom of the tank, such pipe being known in the tradeas a dip tube. These dip tubes are generally made of brass or steel and are of such size as to readily slide down through the inlet tank nipple and have upon their top ends a flange or flared portion which rests upon the top of the nipple to hold the tube in position.

It has been found that advantages are to be derived from the use of dip tubes made of a suitable plastic and in order to maintain such plastic tubes in position or, in other words, to prevent the plastic tubes from falling through the tank inlet nipple, the upper ends of such plastic tubes have been enlarged and maintained in such enlarged condition for engagement with the top end of the water inlet tank nipple in order to prevent the tube from passing through into the tank.

In many localities it is now required that hot water pipes, particularly in residences, be of copper and accordingly copper sweat fittings are employed for coupling the water conducting copper pipe with the water inlet tank nipple by the employment of an adapter fitting which is screwed onto the nipple over the enlarged or bulged end of the plastic tube. The required connection of the pipe with the copper adapter is then accomplished in the customary manner by the use of a torch by which to solder the pipe to the adapter. This use of heat results in the softening of the plastic dip tube so that thebulged end thereof is no longer maintained in place and the tube falls through the tank nipple into the tank.

In the light of the foregoing, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved means of maintaining the end of the plastic dip tube expanded or enlarged in such a manner that even though the tube may become softened when heat is applied to the surrounding adapter, the means for maintaining the bulge in the end of the tube will not be destroyed and consequently the tube will maintain the required position in the nipple.

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therefore, when inserted in the end of the tube, increases the diameter of the latter to an extent which prevents it from passing through the inlet tank nipple. Use has been previously made of an inserted ring member for this purposebut such ring members are so formed that when the plastic tube becomes softened, by application of heat to the surrounding pipe in the manner above set forth, the inserted ring will not maintain its position as the weight of the plastic tube causes the ring to slip out than the inside diameter of the plastic tube and which,"

of the end of the tube and the tube thus falls into the water tank. i

A further and more specific object of the invention is to provide an insert ring of new and novel form which, when placed in the end ofthe dip tube, will lock itself to the wall of the tube so that even though the substance of the tube may become softened the inserted ring will not escape and accordingly the tube is permanently held in position.

The foregoing objects are attained through the provision of an annulus adapted to position in an end of the plastic tube and having an outside diameter materially greater than the inside diameter of the tube whereby a portion of the tube wall is forced outwardly to form an annular flange or head having a diameter'greater than the inside diameter of the tank inlet nipple through which the tube extends, means being provided for effecting a non-slipping engagement between the annulus and the wall of the tube whereby the annulus is prevented from slipping out of position in the event ,of softening of the tube through the application of heat or for any other reason.

In one embodiment of the invention, the annulus is in the form of a thin metal ring of conical form, the edge of the ringof larger circumeference being provided with teeth which, when the ring is placed in the end of a plastic tube, with the edge of larger circumference directed outwardly toward the adjacent end of the tube, will penetrate the wall of the tube and thus hold the annulus in position.

In another embodiment of the invention, the annulus may be formed of round wire having the surface around the major circumference thereof serrated in a suitable manner to form teeth which maybe disposed at a desired angle for penetrating engagement in the inner surface of the tube in which the annulus is positioned. In either embodiment, the outside or overall diameter of the annulus is proportioned with respect to the inside diameter of the inlet tank nipple so as to increase the outside diameter of the end of the tube in which the annulus is placed to a greater radius than the radius of the nipple so that the portion of the tube of greater diameter will engage against the end of the nipple for suspension therefrom.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of the specification with the understanding that the invention is not confined to a strict conformity with the showing of the drawing but may be changed or modified within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing: I

Fig. 1 is a sectional view through a portion of the top of a storage water heater tank and through the tank nipple and copper pipe adaptor showing a plastic dip tube in position in association with a securing annulus constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the annulus and upper end portion of the plastic tube being in section.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on an enlarged scale through the upper end of the water inlet tank nipple together with an end of a plastic dip tube and one embodiment of the securing annulus therein.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale, corresponding to Fig. 2, but showing the application of another embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of the embodiment of the annulus shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of another embodiment of the invention as illustrated in Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of a fragmentary detail of the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 5.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 10 in Fig. l designates a body representing a portion of the top of a water receptacle or tank such, for example, as an automatic storage type hot water tank. As is well known and as has been previously explained, such tanks are conventionally equipped in the top wall, with a short upstanding nipple 12 with which is connected in a suitable manner a cold water inlet pipe.

As has also been set forth, there is conventionally employed a pipe or tube, defined as a dip tube, which is run downwardly through the nipple 12 and has its lower end in close proximity to the bottom of the tank so as to conduct cold water into the lower part of the tank and away from the hot Water outlet which is usually at the top.

The structure here illustrated is shown as having applied to the nipple 12 a copper adaptor 14 which is threaded onto the nipple and in which is sweat fitted an end of a copper pipe 16 which is connected with the water supply system for the tank.

The numeral 18 designates the plastic dip tube which is run downwardly into the tank through the nipple 12 and which is of an outside diameter only slightly less than the inside diameter of the nipple so as to fit fairly snugly therein.

After the dip tube 18 has been inserted into the nipple 12, the top end of the tube is enlarged to form an encircling flange or bead 18 which has an outside diameter greater than inside diameter of the nipple 12 so that the bead will rest upon the inner edge 12 of the nipple in the manner illustrated.

in order to stifien the head 18' and maintain the same in position to prevent the plastic tube slipping down into the tank, there is provided a suitable annular securing member which has an outside diameter materially greater than the inside diameter of the tube 18, whereby when the annular securing member is inserted into the end of the plastic tube 18, it will force the wall of the tube outwardly to form the bead 18' as 7 shown.

In the illustration of the embodiments of the invention, the securing member is shown as having an outside diameter greater than the outside diameter of the tube 18 and approximately equal to the inside diameter of the nipple 12. However, where the tube 18 is of an outside diameter closely approaching the inside diameter of the nipple, the inserted securing member may be relatively smaller, the only requirement being that it be of a sutficient diameter to force outwardly a head 18' of a proper diameter to engage on the top end of the nipple and thus prevent the tube from slipping downwardly.

One embodiment of the securing member is illustrated particularly in Figs. 2 and 4 where such member is generally designated by the reference character M. In this embodiment, the member M is in the form of a tapered or substantially conical washer formed of relatively thin material, preferably metal, the body wall 20 being inclined outwardly from the bottom edge 21, which is the portion of the member of smaller diameter, to the upper or top edge 22 which is the portion of greater diameter or circumference.

The top edge portion of the body 20 is formed to 4 provide the encircling array of upwardly and outwardly directed teeth 23.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the member M generally is in the form or design of a crown, the top edge of which has the teeth 23 and when the member is forced into the end of a tube of elastic material such as plastic or the like, with the toothed edge directed outwardly or located nearest to the end of the tube 18, the end edge portion 18" will bend or curl inwardly across the points of the teeth 22.

It will be seen from the foregoing that when the member M is placed in the elastic tube in the manner described and illustrated the points of the teeth 22 will be pressed into the inner wall of the tube and thus any tendency of the tube to slip downwardly through the nipple 12 will be resisted by reason of the fact that the securing member cannot enter the nipple with the thickness of the tube 18 interposed between the toothed edge of the member and the wall of the nipple. Likewise, the body of the tube 18 cannot slide down across the toothed edge of the member M since any downward movement of the out-pressed rib portion 18' of the tube will cause the points of the teeth 22 to be forced or embedded firmly into the material of the tube.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 3, 5 and 6, the securing member is designated M and, as shown, is in the form of an annulus formed of wire of suitable weight or gauge. This wire annulus, like the member M, has an overall or outside diameter materially greater than the inside diameter of the tube 18 and, in fact, is here illustrated as having an outside diameter greater than the overall diameter of the tube 18 and closely approaching the inside diameter of the nipple 12.

The member M is illustrated as being formed of wire material of circular cross section although it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to material of this form.

-In order to firmly maintain the securing member M in engagement with the inner wall of the plastic tube, the outermost circumferential face or surface is provided, in a suitable manner, with teeth 24 which are here illustrated as being elongated in the direction of the circumference of the member. These teeth 24 may be produced in any desired form, as by serrating the outer surface of the member as at 24' in Fig. 5 or they may be provided as one or two or more rows of separate out-struck portions of the metal of the ring as indicated at 24", in Fig. 6, or the surface of the ring may be grooved circumferentially along one or more paths as desired. In any case, the outwardly directed edges thus produced will be pressed, when the annular member is inserted into the end of the plastic tube 18, firmly against the wall of the tube and will bite thereinto so that any tendency of the tube to slip downwardly between the ring and the surface of the nipple will be effectively prevented.

While the illustration and description of the present invention have been confined to its application to an automatic storage type hot water heater, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to such use but may be used in any other construction where it may be desirable to retain a tube of semi-rigid material in a suspended condition in another surrounding body, in the manner illustrated.

I claim:

1. The combination with a tube of elastic material and of substantially uniform wall thickness, of an annulus positioned in an open end of said tube and having an outside diameter greater than the inside diameter of the tube and maintaining the open end of the tube stretched to an increased diameter to form an encircling head or collar.

2. A dip tube of elastic material such as plastic and the like, and an annular member disposed in an open end thereof and concentric therewith, said member having an outside diameter greater than the inside diameter of the tube and eflfecting and maintaining the open end of the tube in a radially stretched condition to provide by such stretching an encircling rib, and means for effecting a nonslipping connection between the annular member and the wall of the tube.

3. The invention according to claim 2, wherein said means comprises teeth carried by the annular member and directed outwardly for engagement in the inner wall of the tube.

4. In a tank structure of the character stated having a vertical nipple opening downwardly thereinto, a tube of semi-rigid stretchable material adapted to extend through said nipple, and means for retaining said tube suspended in and from the nipple comprising an annulus of a greater outside diameter than the inside diameter of the tube and engaged in an end of and stretching the tube to an outside diameter greater than the inside diameter of the nipple.

5. A dip tube of elastic material such as plastic and the like, an annular member disposed in an open end thereof and concentric therewith, said member having an outside diameter greater than the inside diameter of the tube and maintaining the open end of the tube in a radially stretched condition to provide by such stretching an encircling rib, and means carried by the annular member having contact with the inner surface of the open end of the tube and effecting a non-slipping connection between the annular member and the said inner surface of the open end of the tube.

6. The invention according to claim 5 wherein the open end of the tube is defined by a terminal edge of the tube which is disposed adjacent to and spaced axially outwardly of the tube from the annular member and the inside diameter of both the annular member and the terminal edge of the tube being at least as great as the inside diameter of the tube inwardly of the annular member.

7. For use in an elastic dip tube, a rigid annular body adapted for insertion into an open end of such elastic tube to stretch the tube to an increased outside diameter, said annular body being formed of wire and having teeth thereon and therearound on the periphery thereof, said teeth being in the form'of serrations and projecting outwardly for engagement with the inside surface of the tube in which the ring is fitted to secure the ring against slipping.

8. For use in an elastic dip tube, a rigid annular body adapted for .insertion into an open end of such elastic tube to stretch the tube to an increased outside diameter, said annular body being formed of wire and having thereon and there-around on the periphery thereof one or more rows of separate outstruck portions forming outwardly projecting teeth for engagement with the inside surface of the tube in which the ring is fitted to secure the ring against slipping.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 743,401 Sherman Nov. 3, 1903 '1,097,701 Yount May 26, 1914 2, ,8 9 Landis June 20, 1939 2,241,355 Maclachlan May 6, 1941 2,310,877 Sperry Feb. 6, 1943 2,538,375 Montgomery Jan. 16, 1951 2,616,729 Hansen Nov. 4, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 566,612 Great Britain Ian. 5, 1945 OTHER REFERENCES Publication, Waldes Truarc, copyright ed. 1947, pages 4 and 7. (Copy in Div. 29 287,, Split Ring Digest.)