Push-fit fitting and end bushing for use therewith

A plumbing fitting couplable with a free-end portion of a pipe, comprising:

• a housing having a chamber with a chamber opening and an interior chamber wall portion with a circumferentially extending chamber groove;
• an end bushing having an end bushing interior opening sized for positioning of the free-end portion of the pipe therein and an end bushing exterior wall portion located within the chamber and having an outwardly projecting, circumferentially extending locking member sized and shaped to fit within the chamber groove to resist movement of the end bushing out of the chamber opening, the locking member being movable out of the chamber groove upon unlocking relative movement between the interior chamber wall portion and the end bushing exterior wall portion;
• a seal having a seal interior opening, the seal being located within the chamber in fluid-tight engagement with the housing and positioned for fluid-tight engagement with the free-end portion of the pipe when positioned within the seal interior opening;
• and
• a gripper ring having a gripper ring interior opening, the gripper ring being located within the chamber, the gripper ring including gripper teeth extending inwardly into the gripper ring interior opening in position for gripping engagement with the free-end portion of the pipe when positioned within the gripper ring interior opening to resist non-rotational movement of the pipe out of the chamber opening.

A plumbing fitting couplable with a free-end portion of a pipe, comprising:

• a housing having a chamber with a chamber opening and an interior chamber wall portion with a circumferentially extending chamber groove;
• an end bushing having an end bushing interior opening sized for positioning of the free-end portion of the pipe therein and an end bushing exterior wall portion located within the chamber and having an outwardly projecting, circumferentially extending locking member sized and shaped to fit within the chamber groove to resist movement of the end bushing out of the chamber opening, the end bushing interior opening having an end bushing interior wall portion sized to be engaged by the free-end portion of the pipe when within the end bushing interior opening to resist disengagement of the locking member from the chamber groove while the free-end portion of the pipe is within the end bushing interior opening;
• a seal having a seal interior opening, the seal being located within the chamber in fluid-tight engagement with the housing and positioned for fluid-tight engagement with the free-end portion of the pipe when positioned within the seal interior opening;
• and
• a gripper ring having a gripper ring interior opening, the gripper ring being located within the chamber, the gripper ring including gripper teeth extending inwardly into the gripper ring interior opening in position for gripping engagement with the free-end portion of the pipe when positioned within the gripper ring interior opening to resist non-rotational movement of the pipe out of the chamber opening.

A plumbing fitting couplable with a free-end portion of a pipe, comprising:

• a housing having a chamber with a chamber opening and an interior chamber wall portion with a circumferentially extending chamber groove;
• an end bushing having an end bushing interior opening sized for positioning of the free-end portion of the pipe therein and an end bushing exterior wall portion located within the chamber and having an outwardly projecting, circumferentially extending locking member sized and shaped to fit within the chamber groove to resist movement of the end bushing out of the chamber opening, the end bushing having an interior wall portion, and first and second axial ends, with a gap extending fully between the first and second axial ends, and extending fully between the exterior wall portion and the interior wall portion, to define a C-shape;
• a seal having a seal interior opening, the seal being located within the chamber in fluid-tight engagement with the housing and positioned for fluid-tight engagement with the free-end portion of the pipe when positioned within the seal interior opening;
• and
• a gripper ring having a gripper ring interior opening, the gripper ring being located within the chamber, the gripper ring including gripper teeth extending inwardly into the gripper ring interior opening in position for gripping engagement with the free-end portion of the pipe when positioned within the gripper ring interior opening to resist non-rotational movement of the pipe out of the chamber opening.

A plumbing fitting couplable with a free-end portion of a pipe, comprising:

• a housing having a chamber with a chamber opening and an interior chamber wall portion with a circumferentially extending chamber groove;
• an end bushing having an end bushing interior opening sized for positioning of the free-end portion of the pipe therein and an end bushing exterior wall portion located within the chamber and having an outwardly projecting, circumferentially extending locking member sized and shaped to fit within the chamber groove to resist movement of the end bushing out of the chamber opening, the end bushing having an interior wall portion, and first and second axial ends, with a gap extending only partially between the first and second axial ends, and extending fully between the exterior wall portion and the interior wall portion;
• a seal having a seal interior opening, the seal being located within the chamber in fluid-tight engagement with the housing and positioned for fluid-tight engagement with the free-end portion of the pipe when positioned within the seal interior opening;
• and
• a gripper ring having a gripper ring interior opening, the gripper ring being located within the chamber, the gripper ring including gripper teeth extending inwardly into the gripper ring interior opening in position for gripping engagement with the free-end portion of the pipe when positioned within the gripper ring interior opening to resist non-rotational movement of the pipe out of the chamber opening.

A plumbing fitting couplable with a free-end portion of a pipe, comprising:

• a housing having a chamber with a chamber opening and an interior chamber wall portion with a circumferentially extending chamber groove;
• an end bushing having an end bushing interior opening sized for positioning of the free-end portion of the pipe therein and an end bushing exterior wall portion located within the chamber and having an outwardly projecting, circumferentially extending locking member sized and shaped to fit within the chamber groove to resist movement of the end bushing out of the chamber opening, the end bushing having an interior wall portion, and first and second axial ends, with a groove having a depth extending only partially between the first and second axial ends, and extending only partially between the exterior wall portion and the interior wall portion;
• a seal having a seal interior opening, the seal being located within the chamber in fluid-tight engagement with the housing and positioned for fluid-tight engagement with the free-end portion of the pipe when positioned within the seal interior opening;
• and
• a gripper ring having a gripper ring interior opening, the gripper ring being located within the chamber, the gripper ring including gripper teeth extending inwardly into the gripper ring interior opening in position for gripping engagement with the free-end portion of the pipe when positioned within the gripper ring interior opening to resist non-rotational movement of the pipe out of the chamber opening.

A plumbing fitting couplable with a free-end portion of a pipe, comprising:

• a housing having a chamber with a chamber opening and an interior chamber wall portion;
• an end bushing having an end bushing interior opening sized for positioning of the free-end portion of the pipe therein and an end bushing exterior wall portion located within the chamber, one of the interior chamber wall portion and the end bushing exterior wall portion having a circumferentially extending groove, and the other of the interior chamber wall portion and the end bushing exterior wall portion having an outwardly projecting, circumferentially extending locking member sized and shaped to fit within the groove to resist movement of the end bushing out of the chamber opening;
• a seal having a seal interior opening, the seal being located within the chamber in fluid-tight engagement with the housing and positioned for fluid-tight engagement with the free-end portion of the pipe when positioned within the seal interior opening;
• and
• a gripper ring having a gripper ring interior opening, the gripper ring being located within the chamber, the gripper ring including gripper teeth extending inwardly into the gripper ring interior opening in position for gripping engagement with the free-end portion of the pipe when positioned within the gripper ring interior opening to resist non-rotational movement of the pipe out of the chamber opening, the end bushing interior opening having an end bushing interior wall portion sized to be engaged by the free-end portion of the pipe when within the end bushing interior opening prior to the locking member being moved out of the groove to resist unlocking relative movement between the interior chamber wall portion and the end bushing exterior wall portion moving the locking member out of the groove while the free-end portion of the pipe is within the end bushing interior opening.

A plumbing fitting couplable with a free-end portion of a pipe, comprising:

• a housing having a chamber with a chamber opening and an interior chamber wall portion;
• an end bushing having an end bushing interior opening sized for positioning of the free-end portion of the pipe therein and an end bushing exterior wall portion located within the chamber, one of the interior chamber wall portion and the end bushing exterior wall portion having a circumferentially extending groove, and the other of the interior chamber wall portion and the end bushing exterior wall portion having an outwardly projecting, circumferentially extending locking member sized and shaped to fit within the groove to resist movement of the end bushing out of the chamber opening, the locking member being movable out of the groove upon unlocking relative movement between the interior chamber wall portion and the end bushing exterior wall portion;
• a seal having a seal interior opening, the seal being located within the chamber in fluid-tight engagement with the housing and positioned for fluid-tight engagement with the free-end portion of the pipe when positioned within the seal interior opening;
• and
• a gripper ring having a gripper ring interior opening, the gripper ring being located within the chamber, the gripper ring including gripper teeth extending inwardly into the gripper ring interior opening in position for gripping engagement with the free-end portion of the pipe when positioned within the gripper ring interior opening to resist non-rotational movement of the pipe out of the chamber opening.

A plumbing fitting couplable with a free-end portion of a pipe, comprising:

• a housing having a chamber with a chamber opening and an interior chamber wall portion;
• an end bushing having an end bushing interior opening sized for positioning of the free-end portion of the pipe therein and an end bushing exterior wall portion located within the chamber, one of the interior chamber wall portion and the end bushing exterior wall portion having a circumferentially extending groove, and the other of the interior chamber wall portion and the end bushing exterior wall portion having an outwardly projecting, circumferentially extending locking member sized and shaped to fit within the groove to resist movement of the end bushing out of the chamber opening, the end bushing interior opening having an end bushing interior wall portion sized to be engaged by the free-end portion of the pipe when within the end bushing interior opening to resist disengagement of the locking member from the groove while the free-end portion of the pipe is within the end bushing interior opening;
• a seal having a seal interior opening, the seal being located within the chamber in fluid-tight engagement with the housing and positioned for fluid-tight engagement with the free-end portion of the pipe when positioned within the seal interior opening;
• and
• a gripper ring having a gripper ring interior opening, the gripper ring being located within the chamber, the gripper ring including gripper teeth extending inwardly into the gripper ring interior opening in position for gripping engagement with the free-end portion of the pipe when positioned within the gripper ring interior opening to resist non-rotational movement of the pipe out of the chamber opening.

A plumbing fitting couplable with a free-end portion of a pipe, comprising:

• a housing having a chamber with a chamber opening and an interior chamber wall portion;
• an end bushing having an end bushing interior opening sized for positioning of the free-end portion of the pipe therein and an end bushing exterior wall portion located within the chamber, one of the interior chamber wall portion and the end bushing exterior wall portion having a circumferentially extending groove, and the other of the interior chamber wall portion and the end bushing exterior wall portion having an outwardly projecting, circumferentially extending locking member sized and shaped to fit within the groove to resist movement of the end bushing out of the chamber opening, the end bushing having an interior wall portion, and first and second axial ends, with a gap extending fully between the first and second axial ends, and extending fully between the exterior wall portion and the interior wall portion, to define a C-shape;
• a seal having a seal interior opening, the seal being located within the chamber in fluid-tight engagement with the housing and positioned for fluid-tight engagement with the free-end portion of the pipe when positioned within the seal interior opening;
• and
• a gripper ring having a gripper ring interior opening, the gripper ring being located within the chamber, the gripper ring including gripper teeth extending inwardly into the gripper ring interior opening in position for gripping engagement with the free-end portion of the pipe when positioned within the gripper ring interior opening to resist non-rotational movement of the pipe out of the chamber opening.

A plumbing fitting couplable with a free-end portion of a pipe, comprising:

• a housing having a chamber with a chamber opening and an interior chamber wall portion, the interior chamber wall portion having a first locking member;
• an end bushing having an end bushing interior opening sized for positioning of the free-end portion of the pipe therein and an end bushing exterior wall portion located within the chamber, the end bushing exterior wall portion having a second locking member, the first and second locking members being in locking engagement to resist movement of the end bushing out of the chamber opening when the end bushing exterior wall portion is within the interior chamber wall portion, the end bushing interior opening having an end bushing interior wall portion sized to be engaged by the free-end portion of the pipe when within the end bushing interior opening prior to the first and second locking members being moved out of locking engagement to resist unlocking relative movement between the interior chamber wall portion and the end bushing exterior wall portion moving the first and second locking members out of locking engagement while the free-end portion of the pipe is within the end bushing interior opening;
• a seal having a seal interior opening, the seal being located within the chamber in fluid-tight engagement with the housing and positioned for fluid-tight engagement with the free-end portion of the pipe when positioned within the seal interior opening;
• and
• a gripper ring having a gripper ring interior opening, the gripper ring being located within the chamber, the gripper ring including gripper teeth extending inwardly into the gripper ring interior opening in position for gripping engagement with the free-end portion of the pipe when positioned within the gripper ring interior opening to resist non-rotational movement of the pipe out of the chamber opening.

A plumbing fitting couplable with a free-end portion of a pipe, comprising:

• a housing having a chamber with a chamber opening and an interior chamber wall portion, the interior chamber wall portion having a first locking member;
• an end bushing having an end bushing interior opening sized for positioning of the free-end portion of the pipe therein and an end bushing exterior wall portion located within the chamber, the end bushing exterior wall portion having a second locking member, the first and second locking members being in locking engagement to resist movement of the end bushing out of the chamber opening when the end bushing exterior wall portion is within the interior chamber wall portion, the end bushing having an interior wall portion, and first and second axial ends, with a gap extending fully between the first and second axial ends, and extending fully between the exterior wall portion and the interior wall portion, to define a C-shape;
• a seal having a seal interior opening, the seal being located within the chamber in fluid-tight engagement with the housing and positioned for fluid-tight engagement with the free-end portion of the pipe when positioned within the seal interior opening;
• and
• a gripper ring having a gripper ring interior opening, the gripper ring being located within the chamber, the gripper ring including gripper teeth extending inwardly into the gripper ring interior opening in position for gripping engagement with the free-end portion of the pipe when positioned within the gripper ring interior opening to resist non-rotational movement of the pipe out of the chamber opening.