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:
Sep. 11, 2001
Filed:
Jan. 09, 2001
Mark A. Morgan, Tulsa, OK (US);
TDW Delaware, Inc., Wilmington, DE (US);
Abstract
A closure for an opening extending through a tubular member, the opening having a first cylindrical surface of a first internal diameter and a second cylindrical surface of an enlarged internal diameter providing a circumferential ledge, and, in the second cylindrical surface an increased internal diameter circumferential slot, the closure being formed of a cylindrical plug removably positioned within the tubular member and in engagement with the circumferential ledge and including an expandable snap ring having a collapsed and an expanded condition and receivable when in the expanded condition within the circumferential slot to capture the plug between the circumferential ledge and the snap ring. In one embodiment the snap ring is a unitary circumferential member having opposed, spaced apart first and second ends and wherein the snap ring is radially inwardly collapsed by moving the first and second ends towards each other. In another embodiment the snap ring is formed of first and a second leaf portions, each portion having a first end and a second end, each leaf portion being hinged to the plug body adjacent the first end thereof, the leaf portions being radially positioned by moving the second ends thereof towards or away from each other.