Malleable press fittings
An unmachined cast body for a pipe fitting, the cast body includes a first body end and a second body end disposed opposite from the first body end, the cast body defining an axis extending from the first body end to the second body end, the cast body defining a midpoint between first body end and the second body end, a centerline of the cast body defined at the midpoint perpendicular to the axis, a first distance from the centerline to the first body end being equal to a second distance from the centerline to the second body end, an inner body surface defining a fitting bore extending through the cast body from the first body end to the second body end, and an outer body surface spaced from the inner body surface, the outer body surface defining a first frustoconical shape and a second frustoconical shape.
1. An unmachined cast body for a pipe fitting, the cast body comprising:
a first body end and a second body end disposed opposite from the first body end, the cast body defining an axis extending from the first body end to the second body end, the cast body defining a midpoint between the first body end and the second body end, a centerline of the cast body defined at the midpoint perpendicular to the axis, a first distance from the centerline to the first body end being equal to a second distance from the centerline to the second body end,
an inner body surface defining a fitting bore extending through the cast body from the first body end to the second body end, the fitting bore defining a taper on the inner body surface; and
an outer body surface spaced from the inner body surface, the outer body surface defining a first frustoconical shape and a second frustoconical shape, the first frustoconical shape intersecting the second frustoconical shape at the centerline, the outer body surface defining a groove between the centerline and the first body end, the first frustoconical shape extending between the centerline and the groove, the first frustoconical shape tapering inwards towards the axis as the first frustoconical shape extends from the centerline towards the groove, the cast body comprising a neck extending from the groove to the first body end, a portion of the outer body surface defined by the neck defining a first diameter that is smaller than a second diameter of the outer body surface of the first frustoconical shape, the second frustoconical shape defined between the centerline and the second body end, the second frustoconical shape tapering inwards towards the axis as the second frustoconical shape extends towards the second body end,
wherein the inner body surface tapers inward toward the axis from the first body end.
2. The cast body of claim 1 , wherein the first body end defines a third frustoconical shape extending between the inner body surface and the outer body surface of the neck.
3. The cast body of claim 1 , wherein:
the groove is a first groove;
the neck is a first neck;
the outer body surf ace defines a second groove between the centerline and the second body end;
the second frustoconical shape extends between the centerline and the second groove;
the cast body comprises a second neck extending from the second groove to the second body end; and
a portion of the outer body surface defined by the neck defines a third diameter that is smaller than the second diameter.
4. The cast body of claim 3 , wherein the first body end defines a third frustoconical shape extending between the inner body surface and the outer body surf ace of the first neck.
5. The cast body of claim 1 , wherein the inner body surface is defined radially inward from the outer body surface with respect to the axis.
6. The cast body of claim 1 , wherein:
a wall thickness is defined between the outer body surface and the inner body surface; and
the wall thickness of the neck is greater than the wall thickness at the groove.
7. The cast body of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the inner body surface axially positioned between the first body end and the groove defines an inner frustoconical shape that tapers inwards towards the axis as the portion of the inner body surface axially extends from the first body end towards the groove.
8. The cast body of claim 1 , wherein the outer body surface defines a shoulder extending radially inward from the first frustoconical shape to the groove with respect to the axis.
9. The cast body of claim 1 , wherein a wall thickness is defined between the inner body surface and the outer body surface, and wherein the wall thickness at and between the midpoint and the first body end is selected to control the solidification of molten metal as the cast body is cast.
10. The cast body of claim 1 , wherein at a first location on the axis, the inner body surface is a first inner distance from the axis, wherein at a second location on the axis that is spaced from the first location and proximate to the first body end, the inner body surface is a second inner distance from the axis that is greater than the first inner distance, wherein at the first location, the outer body surface is a first outer distance from the axis, and wherein at the second location, the outer body surface is a second outer distance from the axis that is less than the first outer distance, wherein the inner body surface tapers from the second inner distance to the first inner distance, wherein the outer body surface tapers from the second outer distance to the first outer distance, and wherein the taper of the inner body surface and the outer body surface is configured so that solidification of the cast body during a casting process is controlled.
11. The cast body of claim 1 , wherein at a first location on the axis, the inner body surface is a first inner distance from the axis, wherein at a second location on the axis that is spaced from the first location and proximate to the first body end, the inner body surface is a second inner distance from the axis that is greater than the first inner distance, wherein at the first location, the outer body surface is a first outer distance from the axis, and wherein at the second location, the outer body surface is a second outer distance from the axis that is less than the first outer distance, and wherein the first location on the axis is at the centerline.
12. The cast body of claim 1 , wherein a wall thickness is defined between the inner body surface and the outer body surface, wherein the wall thickness is greatest at the centerline, and wherein the wall thickness is smallest proximate to the first body end and the second body end.
13. A cast body pipe fitting, comprising:
a first body end;
a second body end disposed opposite from the first body end;
an inner body surface defining a fitting bore extending through the cast body from the first body end to the second body end, the fitting bore defining a taper on the inner body surface and the inner body surface tapers inward;
an outer body surface spaced from the inner body surface, the outer body surface defining a first frustoconical shape intersecting a second frustoconical shape, the outer body surface defining a groove proximate to the first body end, the first frustoconical shape extending to the groove; and
a neck extending from the groove to the first body end, the neck defining a diameter that is smaller than the first frustoconical shape.
14. The cast body of claim 13 , wherein the first body end defines a third frustoconical shape extending between the inner body surface and the outer body surf ace of the neck.
15. The cast body of claim 13 , wherein:
the groove is a first groove and the outer body surface defines a second groove between a centerline and the second body end;
the neck is a first neck and the cast body comprises a second neck extending from the second groove to the second body end;
the first neck defines a third diameter that is smaller than a fourth diameter at the second neck; and
the first body end defines a third frustoconical shape extending between the inner body surface and the outer body surface of the first neck.
16. The cast body of claim 13 , wherein:
at a first location on a central axis, the inner body surface is a first inner distance from the central axis and the outer body surface is a first outer distance from the central axis; and
at a second location on the central axis the inner body surface is a second inner distance from the central axis that is greater than the first inner distance and the outer body surface is a second outer distance from the axis that is less than the first outer distance.
17. The cast body of claim 13 , wherein:
a wall thickness is defined between the outer body surface and the inner body surface; and
the wall thickness of the neck is greater than the wall thickness at the groove.
18. The cast body of claim 13 , wherein a portion of the inner body surface axially positioned between the first body end and the groove defines an inner frustoconical shape that tapers inwards towards a central axis as the portion of the inner body surface axially extends from the first body end towards the groove.
19. The cast body of claim 13 , wherein the outer body surface defines a shoulder extending radially inward from the first frustoconical shape to the groove, and a wall thickness is defined between the inner body surface and the outer body surface, wherein the wall thickness is greatest at a centerline, and wherein the wall thickness is smallest proximate to the first body end and the second body end.