PRESS FITTING DEVICE, COMPONENTS AND METHOD WITH CRIMP INDICATION
A press fitting device, components and method provide one or more indicators to provide a visual indication that the fitting has been properly pressed around a pipe and that the correct amount of pressure has been provided to create a permanent seal. In embodiments, an indicator ring is retained within one or more windows of a main body component of the fitting and the indicator ring is expandable upon compression to be visible through the window(s).
1 . A fitting, comprising:
a main body component comprising an interior surface, an exterior surface, an axially inner section, an axially outer section and an axially outer edge, wherein the interior surface defines a cavity extending through the main body component along an axis, wherein the axially outer section comprises a packing cavity, and wherein the axially outer edge comprises a radially inwardly extending lip formed with a plurality of windows along a circumference thereof;
an O-ring maintained within the packing cavity;
an O-ring gland maintained within the packing cavity, adjacent to and axially outwardly of the O-ring;
a grip ring maintained within the packing cavity, adjacent to and axially outwardly of the O-ring gland;
a guard ring maintained radially inwardly of, and in fitting communication with, the grip ring; and
an indicator ring maintained at least partially between the guard ring and the grip ring, wherein the indicator ring comprises an expandable material that lies axially aligned with or inwardly of the axially outer edge and within at least one of the windows of the lip of the main body component when the indicator ring is at rest, and lies axially outwardly of the axially outer edge of the main body component when the indicator ring is compressed.
2 . The fitting of claim 1 , wherein the grip ring comprises an axially outer edge, wherein the indicator ring comprises an axially inward ledge, and wherein the axially outer edge of the grip ring is positioned against the axially inward ledge of the indicator ring.
3 . The fitting of claim 1 , wherein the grip ring comprises a radially inner surface, wherein the indicator ring comprises a radially outer surface, and wherein at least a portion the radially inner surface of the grip ring is positioned against at least a portion of the radially outer surface of the indicator ring.
4 . The fitting of claim 3 , wherein the radially outer surface of the indicator ring comprises a first segment positioned against the portion of the radially inner surface of the grip ring and a second segment positioned against a radially inner surface of the axially outer edge of the main body component.
5 . The fitting of claim 4 , wherein the axial inward ledge extends radially outwardly from the first segment to the second segment.
6 . The fitting of claim 3 , wherein the guard ring comprises a rim portion and a sleeve portion, wherein the rim portion comprises a rim radially outer surface, wherein the sleeve portion comprises a sleeve radially outer surface, wherein the rim radially outer surface is positioned against at least a portion of the radially inner surface of the grip ring, and wherein the sleeve radially outer surface is positioned against at least a portion of a radially inner surface of the indicator ring.
7 . The fitting of claim 6 , wherein the rim radially outer surface extends a rim radial distance from the axis, wherein the sleeve radially outer surface extends a sleeve radial distance from the axis, and wherein the rim radial distance is greater than the sleeve radial distance.
8 . The fitting of claim 1 , wherein the indicator ring comprises an indicator body portion and a plurality of wings extending axially outwardly of the indicator body portion, wherein each of the plurality of wings lies within a respective window of the plurality of windows.
9 . The fitting of claim 1 , wherein the grip ring is formed with a split defining a grip ring gap, and wherein the indicator ring comprises an indicator body formed with a notch extending radially outwardly thereof, wherein the notch rests in the grip ring gap when the indicator ring is at rest.
10 . The fitting of claim 1 , wherein the grip ring comprises an axially outer edge and a radially inner surface, wherein the indicator ring comprises an axially inward ledge and a radially outer surface, wherein the axially outer edge of the grip ring is positioned against the axially inward ledge of the indicator ring, and wherein the radially inner surface of the grip ring is positioned against at least a portion of the radially outer surface of the indicator ring.
11 . The fitting of claim 1 , wherein the guard ring comprises an axially outer end, wherein the axially outer end of the guard ring lies axially inwardly of the axially outer edge of the main body component.
12 . A fitting, comprising:
a main body component comprising an interior surface, an exterior surface, an axially inner section, an axially outer section and an axially outer edge, wherein the interior surface defines a cavity extending through the main body component along an axis, wherein the axially outer section comprises a packing cavity, and wherein the axially outer edge comprises a radially inwardly extending lip formed with a plurality of windows along a circumference thereof;
an o-ring maintained within the packing cavity;
a grip ring maintained within the packing cavity, axially outwardly of the O-ring;
an indicator ring maintained radially inwardly of, and in fitting communication with, the grip ring, wherein the indicator ring comprises an expandable material that lies axially aligned with or inwardly of the axially outer edge of the main body component when the indicator ring is at rest and lies axially outwardly of the axially outer edge of the main body component when the indicator ring is compressed.
13 . The fitting of claim 12 , wherein the grip ring is formed with a split defining a grip ring gap, and wherein the indicator ring comprises an indicator body formed with a notch extending radially outwardly thereof, wherein the notch rests in the grip ring gap when the indicator ring is at rest.
14 . The fitting of claim 12 , wherein the grip ring comprises an axially outer edge, wherein the indicator ring comprises an axially inward ledge, and wherein the axially outer edge of the grip ring is positioned against the axially inward ledge of the indicator ring.
15 . The fitting of claim 12 , wherein the grip ring comprises a radially inner surface, wherein the indicator ring comprises a radially outer surface, and wherein at least a portion the radially inner surface of the grip ring is positioned against at least a portion of the radially outer surface of the indicator ring.
16 . The fitting of claim 15 , wherein the radially outer surface of the indicator ring comprises a first segment positioned against the portion of the radially inner surface of the grip ring and a second segment positioned against a radially inner surface of the axially outer edge of the main body component.
17 . The fitting of claim 16 , wherein an axially inward ledge of the indicator ring extends radially outwardly from the first segment to the second segment.
18 . The fitting of claim 12 , wherein the indicator ring comprises an indicator body portion and a plurality of wings extending axially outwardly of the indicator body portion, wherein each of the plurality of wings lies within a respective window of the plurality of windows.
19 . The fitting of claim 12 , wherein the grip ring comprises an axially outer edge and a radially inner surface, wherein the indicator ring comprises an axially inner edge and a radially outer surface, wherein the axially outer edge of the grip ring is positioned against the axially inner edge of the indicator ring, and wherein the radially inner surface of the grip ring is positioned against at least a portion of the radially outer surface of the indicator ring.
20 . The fitting of claim 12 , further comprising a guard ring maintained radially inwardly of, and in fitting communication with, the grip ring.