US1174342A - Means for inserting valves in pipes. - Google Patents

Description

D. F. OBRIEN.

MEANS FOR INSERTING VALVES IN PIPES.

APPLlCATlON FILED MAR. i2, |915.

1,174,342. Patented Mar. 7,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

'rms coLunmA PLANOGRAPH C0.. WASHINGTON. D. c.

D. F. OBRIEN.

MEANS FOR INSERTING vVALVES 1N PIPES.

ARPLCATION 'FlLED MAR. l2. 1915- 151745342. Patented Mar. 7,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

'nm COLUMBIA PLANQURAPH $0., WASHINGTON. D. c.

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DENIS E. OBRIEN, OE EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

MEANS FOR INSERTING VALVES IN PIPES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Maint?, 1916.

y Application filed March 12, 1915. Serial No. 14,016.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, DENIS F. OBRIEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Grange, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Inserting Valves in Pipes, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to improvements in means for inserting valves in pipes or mains.

The object of the invention is toprovide means which will make it possible to insert a valve in a pipe or main while thelatter is under pressure, that is, without stopping the flow of water or other fluid through it.

lilith this general object in view, the invention consists in the features, details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described in connection with the drawings, and then more particularly pointed out.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an apparatus embodying the invention, the valve being ready for insertion in the main or pipe; Fig. 2 a detail longitudinal section showing the valve inserted; Fig. 3 a transverse section on the line'S-B, Fig. 2; Fig. l a detail end View; Fig. 5 is a detail, transverse sectional view with the gate closed; Fig. 6 a detail view showing the connection between the gate and its operating rod, and Fig` 7 a detail view of the head at the top of the valve spindle. v

Referring to the drawings, the main or pipe, which is shown in its condition after a piece has been cut therefrom, is indicated at l and 1, it being understood that at the commencement of operations this is one coninuous pipe.

il suitable casing is provided whereby the pipe or main at the point where the valve is to be inserted may be inclosed water tight. In order that this casing may be put in place it is made in sections arranged to be bolted together around the pipe. In the present embodiment of the invention, the casing comprises a bottom portion made in two parts, 2 and 3, and a top portion or dome, 4, provided with ay cap 5, all suitably secured together.

rl`he parts 2 and 3 of the bottom portion are joined in any suitable manner along a plane substantially parallel to the axis of the main or pipe, but above the said axis. Thisjoint may be made, for example, by providing the parts with flanges, as indicated at 6 and 7. These flanges are provided with registering slots, and to one part, as, for example, the part 2, are pivotally attached a plurality of shackle bolts 8, each of which is arranged to swing up into the corresponding registering slots of the flanges. The bolts are provided with the usual nuts, which when screwed down will hold the parts 2 and Stogether.

rIhe bottom portion, comprising the two parts 2 and 3, as above described, has a circularv opening at each end considerably larger than the main or pipe to be cut, and

Varound such opening is an outwardly extending thimble as indicated at 3a. To each thimble is detachably secured a stuffing box 9, which is made of two parts bolted together around the pipe, as will be clear from Fig. 3. Each stuffing box has a grooved rabbet to receive suitable packing, as indicated at 10, Fig. 1.

For the purpose of lightness and strength the bottom section may have a portion indicatedfat 11 made 'of sheet metal such as boiler-plate riveted in place as shown.

il sliding sleeve 12 is provided, this sleeve being made in two parts arranged to be boltedtogether around the pipe, as by providing each part with flanges, the corresponding flanges of the two parts being bolted together, as will beV clear from Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.

The sleeve 12 has an internal annular recess arranged to receive a suitable elastic packing material, as indicated at 18, Fig. 2, where a water tight connection may be maintained between the sleeve and pipewhile at the same time longitudinal movement of the sleeve along the pipe will be permitted. The outer end of the sleeve 12 is provided with a recess at 14, Fig. 2, whose outer wall is grooved, this recess being intended to receive a final packing or calking of any usual kind, when the valve` has been inserted in the main and the casing removed. The sleeve 12 is also provided with radially extending lugs, as indicated at 15, arranged to form a connection for suitable sleeve moving devices. In the present example the means for moving the sleeve longitudinally comprises a plurality of rods, two being shown, as indicated at 16, Figs. l and 3, each rod having a head 17 arranged to enter a recess in the corresponding lug 15 of the sleeve. Each rod 16 extends voutward through a stuffing box in the end of the bottom portion of the casing, as is indicated at 18, Fig. 1. The end of each rod is arranged to engage a suitable means for moving said rods. In the present example, the means for moving the rodslcomprise means for forcing said rods inward, and is shown as comprising an abutment ring '19, formed of two halves bolted to the pipe, and screw jacks 20, whose loose ends are cupped to rest on projections 21 extending from the abutment ring 19. The jack screws have heads 22 cupped to receive 'the ends of the respective rods 16, these heads being loosely mounted on the jack screws so thatthe latter may be rotated while'the 'heads are'stationary. The ends ofthe'rods `16areformed as removable heads 23, screw-threaded tothe rods and provided with a polygonal portion for engagement by a suitable wrench, whereby the heads may be unscrewed, to permit 'the removal of the rods from their respective stufling boxes.

rlihe top portion or dome 4 of the casing'is removably secured to the bottom portion in any suitable way, as, forexample, by means of slotted flanges 24 and shackle bolts 25, such as hereinbefore described as constituting the means for securing together the parts 2 and 8 of the bottom yportion of the casing. Between the top and bottom portions of the casing,'a gate or cut-off is provided whereby the interior of the top portion may be shut off from'the interior of the bottom portion.

rIhe gate constitutes an important feature of the present invention. It is constructed to be opened and closed from the outside of the casing, and is capable of movement in two directions, that is to say, longitudinally and also transversely, as more fully explained hereinafter. Inthe present invention, a seat 26 is carried by the interior wall ofthe casing, against which the gate 27 closes tightly. rllhe gate is mounted to slide longitudinally in grooves in the casing, `and is provided with inclined surfaces on its bottom, both at the front end and, alongeach side near the center and the rear end, as indicated at 28, 28 and 29, Fig. 1. rlhe incline 28 is arranged to engage inclined abutment blocks 30, Figs. 1 and 5, secured to the interior of the casing at one end. nclines 28 and 29 ofthe gate are arranged to engage the respective inclined portions 31a and 31b of track bars 31 secured to each side of the casing, the machine-portions 31b being farther down from the gate than are the machines 81a. The inclines 29 extend farther `down from the gate 'than' do the inclines 28.

`When ther-'gate is drawn b'aclr to its open position, itsl sides'rest on Ithe bottom of'the grooves while the plane of the seat-engag- B11 of the track bars 31, respectively, and

thereby the gate is lifted toward and into contact with lits seat.

For the purposes of moving the gate longitudinally and attthe same time permitting the transverse movement toward and from its seat, a stem or spindle 32 is provided, this spindle extending outward through a stuffing box 33 in the casing. rThe outer end may be provided with a handle 34. The inner end of the stem or spindle 32 is so connected to the gate as to permit the required transverse movement ofthe latter. For this purpose the inner end of the spindle 32 has a lshaped head 35 andthe bottom of the gate at its front end is provided with a corresponding T-shaped slot, whose depth is greater than Vthe vertical dimension of the spindle head.

A by-pass 36 is provided around the gate, this by-pass being controlled by a cock 37.

rlhe side walls of the top portion 4 are provided with suitable' guide mechanism, as, for example, the guide ribs indicated at 3S, Fig. 3. The bottom of the casing has a guide member 39. The valve 40 is provided with means for engaging the guide ribs 38. In the present example, the valve has at each side a pair of outwardly-extending lugs 41 (Fig. 5) arranged to receive the'corresponding rib between them. Also the bottom of the valve has a downwardly-extending guide member 42 arranged to coact with the guide member 39 at the bottom of the casing, as by grooving the upper member 42 and taperingthe lower member 39 to fit it.

The cap 5 of the dome is detachably connected to the dome by suitable means, as, for example, by flange or bolt connections which may be of the lrind hereinbefore described for the union of the dome and bottom portion of the casing. The cap is provided with two stu'liing boxes, one, 43, advantageously arranged near or at the center of the cap, and the other, 44, at one side thereof. Above the central stuffing box 43 is-placed a hollow post 45. On top of the post is placed a nut 47, provided with. suitable means for rotating it, as, for example, the handles 46. Through this nut may be threaded a valve-operating spindle 48, which is screw-threaded a considerable distance downward from its upper end, the latter being squared,'as shown in Fig. 1, in order that -it `may be held against rotation by means of a wrench. A second operating spindle, 49, may be passed throughthe stufiing'box 44, as when actuating the cutting lr'ne'chanism'whichis preferably of the type shownin 'Patent No. 587 ,091.

As this second spindle 49 must be rotated, it is provided atrits upper end with a bevel `gear 50 arranged to mesh with another bevel gear 51 mounted on a shaft 52 journaled at the `top end of a standard 51a carried by the cap 5. The shaft 52 has a squared outer end for the reception of a hand crank (not shown) and also is provided with a ratchet-wheel 53 engaged by a pawl 54 mounted on the standard, so that the operating shaft will not be accidentally rotated in a backward direction.

The valve-operating spindle 48 is connected by a suitable universal connection to the valve stem 55 of the valve which is to be inserted in the main or pipe. ferredv embodiment of the invention, the universal connection comprises links 56 pivotally connected at each end to heads 57, 58,

f respectively, each head being provided with a threaded bolt portion arranged to be threaded into holes in the ends, respectively, of the valve-operating spindle 48. and of the valve stem 55.

The valve body is provided at each end with hubs, one of which, indicated at 61, is intended to engage the end 1a of the cut pipe. The other hub 62 is of larger diameter and intended to engage the end of the sleeve.

Each hub is provided with a suitable packing device, as the gaskets, indicated at 63, 64, respectively, and has its interior provided with wedge-shaped lugs 65, which serve to center the pipe and sleeve ends respectively, and to hold in place the gaskets 63 and 64. These centering devices are an important feature of the invention.

The operation of the mechanism is as fol- ?mvs: The sleeve, 12, is bolted around the pipe, at the proper place. A suitable pipe cutting device, such, for example, as that shown in said Patent No. 587,091, is mounted around the pipe or main at the place where the valve is to be inserted. The cutting mechanism is operated until the pipe is cut partly through, whereupon` the bottom portion of the casing, comprising the two parts 2 and 3, is secured in place, inclosing the sleeve and the cutting mechanism. Gate 27 being opened, a supporting spindle is passed through the central stufiing box 43 of the dome and its end secured to the center of the cutting apparatus. The rotary operating spindle 49 is passed through the side stuffing boX of the dome and its end attached to the operating shaft of the cutting mechanism. VThe dome is then slipped into place, and secured water-tight to the casing by means of the shackle bolts 25. The abutment ring 19 is put in place, and then the cutting mechanism is operated furtherl to complete the cutting of the pipe by rotating the operating spindle through the bevel gears and shaft 52. As soon as the pipe section has been cut o', the cutting mechanism, and with it the cut section of the pipe, are

In the preelevated into the dome of the apparatus by rotating the hollow post 45, whereby the supporting spindle is drawn upward, thus lifting the cutting mechanism and pipe section into the dome. Thereupon the gate 27 is closed by pushing in the rod 32. Itwill be noted that this gate is free to move longitudinally until nearly opposite its seat, and thereafter, by further inward movenient of the rod 32, the gate rides up the respective inclines on the track lbars 31 and abutment blocks 30, so that finally the gate firmly contacts with its seat. As the seat is above the gate, any pressure of water in the bottom portion of the casing will tend to hold the gate to its seat. The by-pass cock 37 is turned to shut oif the connection between the bottom and top portions of the casing, and thereafter the dome may be detached and the cutting mechanism with the cut pipesection removed. The rotary operating spindle 49 is removed from the dome and cap, and the opening through which it passes is closed by a plug. The valve is then put in place in the dome, its projecting lugs 41 engaging the guide ribs 38. The valve stem' 55 is attached to the links 56 at the lower end of the operating spindle 48, and the dome replaced on the bottom portion of the casing. The by-pass 36 is then opened by turning the cock 37, thus admitting water to the dome and balancing the pressure on the gate 27. 4The gate may then be opened by pulling outward on the rod 32, whereupon the valve may then be lowered into position at the cut in the pipe by rotating the hollow post 45. Substantially at the time when the lugs 41 on the valve body leave the guide ribs 38, the lower guide member 42 of the valve engages the corresponding guide member 39 on the bottom of the casing. ment of the valve body with the main or pipe. The jack screws 20 may then be put in place between the abutment ring 19 and the rods 16, and operated to push the rods 16 inward, whereby the sleeve 12 is forced int-o the large hub 62 on the valve and into contact with the packing ring 64, being suitably guided and centered by the lugs 65, inside the hub 62. Further movement inward of the rods 16 slides the valve toward the section 1KL of the pipe, the end of 'this section being received in the hub 61 of the valve, and centered by the corresponding lugs 65 therein. By means of the jack screws, the valve is pushed tightly against the end 1L of the pipe, so that the packing rings 63 and 64 are both firmly compressed. In this condition, no further water can leak This insures the proper alinefrom the main into the casing, and the dome ise moved from the pipe andthe outer end of the sleeve l2 may be packed and calked in the usual manner.

In Fig. 7 is illustr'ated a head 59 provided with a squared socket which receives the squared end ot the valve spindle and is secured thereto by a machine screw 50. This head has a squared portion to receive a standard key used for operating the valve.

It will be noted that by the present construction tlie casing may be used on mains or pipes of different sizes by the use of interchangeable stuiiig boxes at each end of the bottom portion of the casing of such size as to suit the pipe to be cut. Furthermore, owing to the peculiarl construction of the valve body, the valves, although of difitereiit sizes, may be provided with laterally extending lugs ot dililerent lengths for the diiierent sizes ot valves to engage the guide ribs and with downward iro ectin uide members ot' such length as always to engage the coacting guide member at the bottoni of the casing when the valve is properly alined with the pipe.

Owing to the fact that the bottom portion of the easing is divided into two parts in a plane above the axis of the pipe, the rods 16 may engage the sleeve l2 on opposite sides,ot a diameter of the sleeve, so that a straight push on the sleeve is possible and all canting action avoided.

l/Vhat is claimed is:

1. In a valve-inserting mechanism, the combination, with a casing having a bottom portion arranged to be secured about the pipe or main, said bottom portion being provided with a downward facing seat, said bottom portion having a stutling box, ot a rod extending through said stutling box and having its end inside said stuiiing box provided with a head, a gate movable longitudinally in the casing and arranged to come opposite said seat, said gate being provided with guides engaging the head on said rod whereby a movement of the gate transverse to the rod is permitted while a longitudinal movement of the rod produces a longitudinal movement of the gate, said gate also having inclined portions, and inclined members carried by the casing and arranged to engage the inclined portions of the gate to torce the latter against the seat, substantially as described.

2. In a valve-inserting mechanism, the combination, with a casing having a bottom portion arranged to be secured to the. pipe or main, said bottom portion comprisingtwo parts joined along a plane above the axis of the pipe, a sleeve arranged to be secured to the pipe wholly within the casing, and

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sleeve-operating rods passing through the ends of the lower part of the bottoinportion and arranged to engage the sleeve.

3. In a valve-inserting mechanism, the combination, with a casing having a bottom portion and a dome, of guide mechanism inside said dome, and a valve having a casing provided with lugs arranged to engage said guide mechanism.

4. In a valve-inserting mechanism, the combination, with a casing having a bottom portion, a guide member in said bottoni portion, and a valve having a casing provided with a guide member arranged to coact with the guide member of the casing.

5. In a valve-inserting mechanism, the combination with a casing ooinprising a bottom portion, and a dome, of guide mechanism in said dome, a guide member inside the bottom of the casing, a valve having a easing provided with means for engaging the guide mechanism in the dome and with a guide member arranged to coact with the guide member at the bottoni of the casing, means for lowering the valve and its casing while guided by the guide mechanism, and means for moving the valve and its casing transversely7 when the said guide members are in engagement.

6. In a valve-inserting mechanism, the combination, with a casing, a sleeve arranged wholly within the casing and longitudinally movable on the pipe, stu'tling boxes at one end oi2 the casing, rods passing through said stutling boxes and engaging the sleeve, an abutment device arranged to be secured to the pipe outside the casing, and means arranged to react against the abutment device to Ytorce the rods inward, whereby the sleeve is moved.

7. In a valve-inserting mechanism, the combination with a casing arranged to surround the pipeand inclose its out ends, ot a sleeve wholly within the casing and sui'- rounding one end o't.' the cut pipe, a valve casing having hubs arranged to engage the end or' said sleeve and the opposite end ot' the pipe, said hubs having internal wedgesliaped lugs :tor centering the sleeve and the said Opposite pipe end, and means operable from the exterior yof the casing for pushing the sleeve into one valve casing hub and the other valve casing hub onto said opposite pipe end.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DENIS F. OBRIEN.

Witnessesz A.. VHiTE, J. F. DONOVAN.

ies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, vby addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

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