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US 12,601,428 B2Granted
Meter swivel nut
AssigneeMueller International, LLC
InventorsRyan Fairchild Larson, James Webber, Celia Kaye Atherton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A spoked swivel nut includes a nut body defining an inner nut surface, an outer nut surface, a nut front end, and a nut rear end opposite the nut front end, the nut inner surface defining a nut bore extending from the nut front end to the nut rear end, the nut inner surface further defining an annular ring groove proximate to the nut rear end and internal threading proximate to the nut front end; and a plurality of manually-engageable handle spokes extending radially outward from the nut body.
Claims21
A spoked swivel nut comprising:
- a nut body defining an inner nut surface, an outer nut surface, a nut front end, and a nut rear end opposite the nut front end, the inner nut surface defining a nut bore extending from the nut front end to the nut rear end, the inner nut surface further defining an annular ring groove proximate to the nut rear end and internal threading proximate to the nut front end, the outer nut surface defining a substantially hexagonal body portion, the substantially hexagonal body portion defining six substantially planar outer side faces;
- and
- a tightening adapter comprising an adapter body engaging the substantially hexagonal body portion of the nut body and a plurality of manually-engageable hand spokes extending radially outward from the adapter body.
A meter valve assembly comprising:
- a meter valve defining an inlet end and an outlet end opposite the inlet end;
- and
- a spoked meter swivel nut mounted to the outlet end of the meter valve and comprising a nut body and a plurality of manually-engageable handle spokes, the nut body defining an inner nut surface and an outer nut surface, the inner nut surface defining a nut bore extending from a nut front end to a nut rear end, the outlet end of the meter valve engaging the nut bore at the nut rear end, the plurality of manually-engageable handle spokes extending radially outward from the nut body;
- wherein the manually-engageable handle spokes are configured to be manually gripped to rotate the spoked meter swivel nut on the outlet end of the meter valve;
- the inner nut surface defines an annular ring groove proximate to the nut rear end;
- the meter valve assembly further comprises a snap ring mounted on and extending around an outlet portion of the meter valve, proximate to the outlet end;
- and
- the snap ring engages the annular ring groove to couple the spoked meter swivel nut to the meter valve at the outlet end.
5 more elements
A method of coupling a meter valve to a meter comprising:
- obtaining a spoked meter swivel nut comprising a nut body defining a substantially hexagonal body portion and a tightening adapter comprising an adaptor body engaging the substantially hexagonal body portion, the tightening adapter comprising at least one manually-engageable hand spoke extending radially outward from the adapter body;
- mounting the spoked meter swivel nut to a valve outlet end of the meter valve, the valve outlet end engaging a nut bore of the spoked meter swivel nut at a nut rear end of the spoked meter swivel nut;
- receiving a meter inlet end of the meter within the nut bore at a nut front end of the spoked meter swivel nut opposite the nut rear end, wherein the meter inlet end defines external threading configured to mate with internal threading of the spoked meter swivel nut;
- manually gripping at least one manually-engageable handle spoke of the spoked meter swivel nut;
- and
- manually rotating the spoked meter swivel nut to tighten the spoked meter swivel nut on the meter inlet end of the meter;
- wherein:
- the nut bore defines an annular ring groove proximate to the nut rear end;
- the meter valve comprises a snap ring mounted on and extending around the valve outlet end;
- and
- the snap ring engages the annular ring groove to couple the spoked meter swivel nut to the meter valve at the valve outlet end.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.