Nibco Incorporated

Derek Oldsen

David Bobo

James Lafortune

David Andrew Bobo

James A LaFortune

Ken Rinkenberg

Paul Frische-Mouri

Robert B Kelsey

Ken A Rinkenberg

David Phelps

A plumbing fitting includes a housing defining a socket with an internal annular shoulder for sealably receiving a cartridge. A two-piece cylindrical cartridge has semi-cylindrical interlocking halves that lockably engage a grab ring positioned between the interlocking halves of the cartridge. The grab ring has inwardly projecting annularly spaced tines for gripping and holding a fluid conduit inserted into the housing and cartridge past the grab ring. The cartridge includes a ring seal positioned against the annular shoulder and internal wall of the socket for sealably coupling the cartridge to the socket and sealably coupling a fluid conduit to the cartridge. The cartridge may be held within the housing socket by a crimped-over end. Also, an integral release ring may be coupled to the cartridge, such that a separate tool is unnecessary to disconnect a fluid conduit from the fitting.

Clam shell push-to-connect assembly

A housing for receiving a fluid conduit has an internal annular shoulder. A cylindrical first cartridge is positioned in the housing and has an internal annular groove and an outer annular groove. An O-ring in the internal annular groove provides a seal with a fluid conduit. A second O-ring is positioned within the outer annular groove to provide a seal between the first cartridge and the housing. A gripping ring is positioned adjacent and in contact with the first cartridge and has inwardly projecting annularly spaced tines for gripping and holding a fluid conduit inserted into the housing. A second cylindrical cartridge is positioned adjacent the gripping ring on a side opposite the first cartridge. The housing includes a lip at one end to engage the second cartridge for holding the first and second cartridges and the gripping ring against the annular shoulder in the housing.

Push-to-connect fitting

A universal self-locking push-to-connect plumbing insert assembly provides flexibility to an installer to use the assembly in the field with a variety of different plumbing fittings for coupling conduits to such fittings. The assembly comprises first and second interlocking cartridges holding a dual function gripping ring. The gripping ring has inwardly projecting tines for gripping and holding a fluid conduit and outwardly projecting tines for holding the assembly within a plumbing fitting. A sealing ring is captively held by the first cartridge and is positioned to seal the insert assembly to a plumbing fitting when inserted therein and also seal a conduit extended into the assembly. In one embodiment, the assembly further includes a release ring held within the second cartridge for selectively engaging the inwardly projecting tines of the gripping ring to allow a fluid conduit to be removed from the insert assembly.

Self-locking push-to-connect insert

Growing community of inventors

Bristol, IN, United States of America

Derek Oldsen