Other

Universal Enterprises, Inc.

Universal Tubular Systems, Inc.

Universal Refrigeration Inc.

Ralph G Ridenour

Dennis W Kerr

Thomas H Stanton

John Schoonyan Jr

Otto Swogger

David Culler

Rita Kerr

Shawn Westrick

Barry F Manson

A conduit connection joint is formed to connect a tube and a fitting body in fluid tight relation. The joint is made by axially compressing the tube in a bore in the fitting body so as to cause formation of an outwardly extending tube bead and at least one inwardly extending tube bead. The engagement of the fitting body and the tube may be further strengthened by a retaining ridge. The retaining ridge may be formed in the fitting body to engage the outwardly extending tube bead to further hold the fitting body and tube in engaged relation.

Conduit connector and method

A conduit connection joint is formed to connect a tube and a fitting body in fixed fluid tight relation. The joint is made by compressing the tube in a bore in the fitting body so as to cause formation of at least two beads in the tube during the engagement of the tube to the bore wall. A retaining ridge may be formed in the fitting body to further hold the fitting body and tube in engaged relation.

A sanitary door handle assembly which can be readily engaged by the inner curvature of a person's wrist or forearm so as to permit hands-free inward opening of a door for sanitary passage, followed by passive, easy release. A mounting arm supports an arcuate handle in spaced relation to the face of the door. The dished side of the handle, which is engaged by the wrist or forearm, generally faces the face of the door. The free end of the handle is directed toward the outer swinging edge of the door, and a gap between the free end of the handle and the door permits the operator's hand to pass therethrough to allow for natural disengagement and passage once the door is pulled open. In a modified arrangement, a resilient member is arranged to permit deflection of the mounting arm and/or handle to accommodate the operator's engaged wrist or forearm in response to unexpected motion of the door.

Sanitary door handle assembly

A tube and fitting assembly is made by the method of relatively moving a tube into an internal bore in a fitting with the internal bore extending end-to-end in the fitting, longitudinally compressing the tube to radially expand it into engagement with the wall of the internal bore, internally threading either the tube or the fitting and with the threads being adapted to receive a second member until it is sealed fluid-tight against the tube and there is therefore no need for a fluid-tight seal between the tube and the first fitting.

Member and tube assembly

A conduit connection joint is formed to connect a tube (,) and afitting body (,) in fluid tight relation. The joint is made by axially compressing the tube (,) in a bore (,) in the fitting body (,) so as to cause formation of a first bead (,) in a bead formation area. Further axial compression of the tube (,) causes the sequential formation of an additional bead (,) in the bore (,) so as to provide engagement between the tube (,) and the fitting body (,). The engagement of the fitting body (,) and the tube (,) may be further strengthened by axially compressing and radially expanding the beads (,).

A tube assembly for a gas range includes a small aluminum manifold block, valve assemblies adapted to regulate flow of gas from the manifold block to the burners, and burner orifices adapted to control flow of gas to the burners. Aluminum valve supply tubes each have a first end staked to an associated outlet of the manifold block and a second end connected to an inlet of an associated one of the valve assemblies. Aluminum burner tubes each have a first end connected to an outlet of an associated one of the valve assemblies and a second end connected to an associated one of the burner orifices. Two or more small manifold blocks can be interconnected by aluminum manifold supply tubes. The manifold supply tube can be easily bent to position the manifold blocks in any desirable position. An igniter assembly includes a pin extending from a stem of the valve assembly and a contactless position sensor. The sensor is activated by the pin in the full-on position which in turn activates a spark module at the burner to ignite the burner.

Burner box without manifold return

A tube and fitting assembly for pressurized fluids is provided which may provide a fluid-tight seal up to the bursting pressure of the tube at relatively high temperatures. The tube and fitting assembly includes a malleable tube and a fitting having a first portion forming an external surface, a second portion radially larger than the first portion to form an abutment facing the first portion, and a recess formed within the abutment and facing the first portion. A gasket formed of a high temperature material is provided in the recess. An end of the tube is radially inwardly compressed on the external surface of the fitting and extends into the recess to the gasket. The tube is assembled to the fitting by placing the tube over the first portion of the fitting and the external surface and gripping the tube with jaws having an inward nose projection of a small axial extent at about the forward end of the fitting. The fitting and the tube are longitudinally moved relative to the jaws to longitudinally compress the tube ahead of the nose projection to deform the tube radially inward against the fitting. A portion of the tube is extended into the recess to form a seal between the tube and the fitting by expanding the tube longitudinally into the recess during the step of relative longitudinal movement or by inserting the tube longitudinally into the recess during the step of placing the tube over the first portion of the fitting. Also disclosed are variants of the assembly and method having auxiliary seal members and sleeves used in cooperation with very thin wall tubes.

Tube fitting and assembly method

Method of making a tube and fitting assembly

Tube fitting

A flare-tube assembly is provided that includes a tube having a flare at a forward end thereof which angles outwardly and rearwardly and is generally S-shaped in cross-section. The flare-tube assembly also includes an inverted flare fitting which has external threads, an opening extending therethrough, and a shoulder encircling the opening at a forward end of the fitting. The shoulder has a recessed portion near an outer diameter of the shoulder which is inwardly arcuate in cross-section. The tube extends through the opening with the shoulder of the fitting facing a rear side of the flare. During installation, the fitting is torqued such that the shoulder of the fitting first engages and compresses an outer portion of the flare to form a seal at the outer portion. Upon further torquing, the shoulder of the fitting engages the entire surface of the flare to compress the entire flare.

Flare-tube assembly

A malleable tube is assembled to a rigid fitting by placing the end of the tube over one end of the fitting which has a barb with a locking face facing away from the end of the fitting and a sloping face facing the end of the fitting, the tube is gripped with jaws which have an inward nose projection of a small axial extent and this nose projection grips the tube at about the end of the fitting, force is applied between the fitting and the jaws to relatively move the fitting and tube longitudinally into the jaws until the nose projection has relatively moved past the barb on the fitting.

A tube-fitting assembly includes a formed tube, first and second threaded fitting members, and a sealing member. The tube has a first annular bead near an end of the tube and a second annular bead outboard of the first annular bead. The first threaded fitting member surrounds the tube and has a radially inwardly extending first shoulder inboard of the first and second annular beads. The second threaded fitting member has an annular second shoulder at an acute angle to a longitudinal axis of the tube. The second fitting member surrounds the end of the tube and is in threaded engagement with the second threaded member such that the second shoulder engages an outboard side of the second bead to establish a first seal between the tube and the second fitting member against leakage of fluid pressure. The sealing member is a washer or O-ring which surrounds the tube and engages the tube and at least one of the first and second threaded fitting members to establish a second seal against leakage of fluid pressure at temperatures which may relax the second fitting member and break the first seal. In a preferred embodiment the sealing member is made of silicone to maintain the second seal at the relatively high-temperatures.

High-temperature, double-bead, tube-fitting assembly

A heat-dissipating extender is provided in a joint between a sealed-gas burner having a burner fitting and a gas supply tube having a tube fitting. The heat-dissipating extender includes a body having a first end, a second end, and an interior passage extending between the first end and the second end for passage of the gas from the tube to the burner. The first end has a first fitting interfitting with the burner fitting to provide a seal against leakage of fluid pressure. The second end has a second fitting interfitting with the tube fitting to provide a seal against leakage of fluid pressure. The body is adapted for dissipating heat to provide a substantial temperature differential between the first end and the second end when heat is applied to the burner fitting at the first end during operation of the burner so that the tube connection at the second end remains sealed. The extender is formed from a material having a low thermal conductivity such as stainless steel and has a plurality of grooves to form radially extending ribs.

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Mansfield, OH, United States of America

Ralph G Ridenour