Fittings connectable to end portions of pipes and related methods
View Patent ↗A fitting connectable to an end portion of a pipe generally includes a housing configured for receiving at least part of the end portion of the pipe into the housing, and an insert member disposed at least partly within the housing. The insert member is configured to be received at least partly within the end portion of the pipe when at least part of the end portion of the pipe is received into the housing. A retention member is movable relative to the housing for selectively connecting the fitting to the end portion of the pipe. The retention member is movable to press at least part of the end portion of the pipe radially against at least part of the insert member to help secure the fitting to the end portion of the pipe when the end portion of the pipe is received into the housing.
1. A fitting connectable to an end portion of a pipe, the fitting comprising:
a housing formed of a rigid plastic material and configured for receiving at least part of the end portion of the pipe into the housing;
an insert member formed of a rigid plastic material and being fixedly secured to and disposed at least partly within the housing, the insert member being configured to be received at least partly within the end portion of the pipe when at least part of the end portion of the pipe is received into the housing;
the housing and insert member cooperatively defining a passageway therebetween for receiving at least part of the end portion of the pipe between the insert member and the housing when at least part of the end portion of the pipe is received into the housing;
a retention member formed of a rigid plastic material and movable relative to the housing for connecting the fitting to the end portion of the pipe, the retention member being selectively moved into the passageway between the housing and the insert member to engage at least part of the end portion of the pipe when the end portion of the pipe is received into the housing; and
the insert member and the retention member having sufficient rigidity to retain the pipe within the housing by compressing a wall of the pipe radially therebetween.
2. The fitting set forth in claim 1 , wherein the retention member includes a lever coupled to the housing for pivotal movement relative to the housing.
3. The fitting set forth in claim 1 , wherein the retention member includes a threaded tap, the housing including a correspondingly threaded portion configured to receive the threaded tap into connection with the housing to help secure the fitting to the end portion of the pipe.
4. The fitting set forth in claim 3 , wherein the tap penetrates the at least part of the end portion of the pipe to help secure the fitting to the end portion of the pipe.
5. The fitting set forth in claim 1 , wherein the retention member includes a sleeve disposed for sliding movement at least partly within the housing.
6. The fitting set forth in claim 5 , wherein the sleeve is disposed for sliding movement within the passageway between the housing and the insert member, longitudinally relative to the insert member.
7. The fitting set forth in claim 1 , further comprising one more housing and one more retention member for interconnecting end portions of at least two distinct pipes to fluidly connect the at least two pipes.
8. The fitting set forth in claim 7 , wherein the fitting is generally T-shaped and comprises three housings and three retention members for fluidly interconnecting end portions of the at least two distinct pipes to each other.
9. The fitting set forth in claim 1 , wherein the housing receives the end portion of the pipe and caps the end portion of the pipe against fluid-flow therethrough.
10. The fitting set forth in claim 1 , wherein the retention member includes a clamp positioned at least partly around an exterior portion of the housing.
11. The fitting set forth in claim 10 , wherein the clamp is movable to compress at least part of the housing against at least part of the end portion of the pipe, the housing pressing at least part of the end portion of the pipe against at least part of the insert member to help secure the fitting to the end portion of the pipe.
12. The fitting set forth in claim 1 , further comprising at least one sealing member disposed between the insert member and at least part of the end portion of the pipe for generally fluidly sealingly engaging the end portion of the pipe when at least part of the end portion of the pipe is received into the housing.
13. The fitting set forth in claim 1 , further comprising at least one sealing member disposed between the housing and the at least part of the end portion of the pipe for generally fluidly sealingly engaging an outer surface of the end portion of the pipe when at least part of the end portion of the pipe is received into the housing.
14. The fitting set forth in claim 1 , in combination with the pipe, wherein the pipe is formed of a flexible plastic material, and the insert member and the retention member deform the wall of the pipe radially against the insert member when pivoting the retention member into engagement with the pipe.
15. A fitting connectable to an end portion of a pipe, the fitting comprising:
a housing configured for receiving at least part of the end portion of the pipe into the housing;
an insert member fixedly secured to and disposed at least partly within the housing, the insert member being configured to be received at least partly within the end portion of the pipe when at least part of the end portion of the pipe is received into the housing; and
a retention member pivotally coupled to the housing for pivotal movement relative to the housing to selectively connect the fitting to the end portion of the pipe, the retention member being pivoted to engage and radially compress at least part of the end portion of the pipe against the insert member to help frictionally secure the end portion of the pipe in the housing when at least part of the end portion of the pipe is received into the housing.
16. The fitting set forth in claim 15 , wherein the retention member includes a lever having a clamp and an arm, the arm pivotally moving the clamp to engage the end portion of the pipe and apply pressure against at least part of the end portion of the pipe when at least part of the end portion of the pipe is received into the housing.
17. The fitting set forth in claim 16 , wherein the housing includes an opening through which at least part of the clamp of the retention member extends to engage the end portion of the pipe when at least part of the end portion of the pipe is received into the housing.
18. The fitting set forth in claim 15 , wherein the insert member and retention member are formed of a material having sufficient rigidity to deform the pipe radially against the insert member when pivoting the retention member into engagement with the pipe.
19. The fitting set forth in claim 15 , wherein the retention member does not extend through the end portion of the pipe when engaging the end portion of the pipe.
20. The fitting set forth in claim 15 , in combination with the pipe, wherein the pipe is formed of a flexible plastic material, and the insert member and the retention member are formed of a relatively rigid plastic material which compresses and deforms a wall of the pipe upon pivoting the retention member into engagement with the pipe.
21. The fitting set forth in claim 20 , wherein the pipe has a smooth cylindrical exterior surface extending throughout the end portion of the pipe being received within the housing.
22. The fitting set forth in claim 20 , wherein the pipe has a central longitudinal axis extending therethrough and the retention member is constructed to pivot about an axis parallel with the central axis of the pipe.
23. The fitting set forth in claim 15 , wherein the retention member is constructed to pivot between a first position in which the fitting is disconnected from the end portion of the pipe and a second position in which the fitting is connected to the end portion of the pipe, the retention member pivoting from the first position to the second position to engage the end portion of the pipe and apply radial pressure against at least part of the end portion of the pipe to help frictionally secure the fitting to the end portion of the pipe.
24. A fitting in combination with a pipe, the combination comprising:
a generally flexible pipe having a tubular end portion with a central axis extending therethrough;
a housing configured with an open space for receiving at least part of the end portion of the pipe into the housing;
an insert member fixedly secured to and disposed at least partly within the housing, the insert member being configured to be received at least partly within the end portion of the pipe when at least part of the end portion of the pipe is received into the housing;
a retention member which selectively moves relative to the housing to constrict the size of the open space within the housing and engage at least part of the end portion of the pipe when the end portion of the pipe is received into the housing, the retention member and insert member being formed of a material having greater rigidity than the pipe so as to radially compress at least part of the end portion of the pipe against the insert member when the retention member is moved into engaging relation with the end portion of the pipe; and
at least one sealing member positioned about a surface of the insert member and configured for engaging a surface of the end portion of the pipe in sealing relation upon insertion of the insert member into the end portion of the pipe.
25. The fitting set forth in claim 24 , wherein the retention member includes a lever coupled to the housing for pivotal movement relative to the housing about an axis extending parallel with the central axis of the pipe.
26. The fitting set forth in claim 24 , wherein the retention member includes a sleeve disposed for sliding movement at least partly within the housing.
27. The fitting set forth in claim 24 , wherein the retention member includes a threaded tap, and wherein the housing includes a correspondingly threaded portion configured to receive the threaded tap into the housing to help secure the fitting to the end portion of the pipe.
28. The fitting set forth in claim 27 , wherein the housing includes internal threads and the retention member includes external threads configured to mate with the internal threads of the housing.
29. The fitting set forth in claim 27 , wherein the housing includes external threads and the retention member includes internal threads configured to mate with the external threads of the housing.
30. The fitting set forth in claim 27 , wherein the insert member includes an opening for receiving at least part of the tap into the opening when the tap is received into the housing.
31. The fitting set forth in claim 27 , wherein the tap includes a hollow portion and an inlet for receiving a fluid into the hollow portion.
32. The fitting set forth in claim 31 , wherein the insert member has a fluid passageway extending therethrough and the tap is configured to penetrate a wall of the end portion of the pipe and extend into the passageway of the insert member, thereby establishing fluid communication between the end portion of the pipe and the hollow portion of the tap.
33. The fitting set forth in claim 32 , wherein the tap engages an outer surface of the end portion of the pipe after penetrating the wall of the end portion of the pipe to, at least partially, fluidly seal a point of coupling of the tap with the end portion of the pipe.
34. The fitting set forth in claim 31 , wherein the tap includes a connector fluidly connected to the hollow portion of the tap.
35. The fitting set forth in claim 24 , wherein the at least one sealing member includes an elastomeric O-ring.
36. The fitting set forth in claim 24 , wherein at least one sealing member is disposed between the housing and the end portion of the pipe for generally fluidly sealingly engaging an outer surface of the end portion of the pipe when at least part of the end portion of the pipe is received into the housing.