The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 17, 1997
Filed:
Jan. 31, 1995
Richard W Conley, Oakmont, PA (US);
Kerotest Manufacturing Corp., Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Abstract
An electrofusion coupling having an encapsulated electrical resistance heating element for fusing together the ends of polyethylene conduit is converted into a valve body by drilling a bore through the wall of the coupling into the flow passage which forms a valve chamber. A valve stem is inserted through an open end of the coupling and upwardly through the bore. A lower end of the stem is retained in the valve chamber and an upper end is connected to an actuator cap for rotating the stem. A ball closure member is then inserted through an open end of the coupling into the chamber for connection to the lower end of the valve stem. Rotation of the stem in the coupling moves the valve member between open and closed positions in the chamber. Polyethylene pipe fittings supporting spring biased valve seats are pressed through the ends of the coupling to capture and center the ball closure member between the seats in the valve chamber. Current supplied to the heating element heats the thermoplastic material under pressure at the interface between the coupling and the pipe fittings to a temperature where the thermoplastic material softens and flows together to fuse the coupling to the pipe fittings. The current to the heating element is terminated and the coupling is fused to the pipe fittings to form a unitary valve body with the closure member and stem to complete the valve assembly.