Removable, snap-on saddle and tap for irrigation pipes
AssigneeDuane D. Robertson
InventorMark Mortensen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A saddle and tap for lawn and similar irrigation systems. The saddle includes a base portion that snaps on the delivery pipe of the system and a pair of threaded, upright portions that extend upwardly from it. The tap includes a piercing member, barrel section, and threaded annular nut. In operation, the barrel section helps to guide the threaded upright portions of the saddle into the threaded annular nut of the tap. Rotation of the nut then advances the piercing member into the pipe. The tap is releasably lockable on the saddle and the piercing member of the tap is provided with holes with radiused or rounded edges to prevent creating undesirable shavings as the tap is advanced through the pipe wall.
Claims33
A snap-on, resilient, one-piece pipe saddle (1) for mounting on a pipe, said saddle including:
- a base portion (11) with inner and outer surfaces (13,15) extending along and about a first axis (17), said base portion having a split (19) between the inner and outer surfaces extending along a second axis (21) spaced from and substantially parallel to said first axis (17) to form border surfaces (23) respectively extending between said inner and outer surfaces on either side of the split,
- said saddle further including at least two upright portions (25) extending outwardly from said base portion (11) on respective sides of said split (19), said upright portions extending substantially about a third axis (27) substantially perpendicular to said first axis (17),
- said resilient saddle in a relaxed position having the two border surfaces (23) of said base portion (11) substantially abutting one another and said respective upright portions (25) substantially abutting one another wherein said pipe can be passed between said upright portions (25) toward said base portion (11) to move said upright portions (25) apart from one another about said first axis (17) and said border surfaces (23) of said base portion (11) apart from one another about said first axis (17) to an open position ready to receive the pipe in said base portion (11) with said flexed, resilient saddle thereafter snapping back toward said relaxed position with said pipe received in said base portion (11) to mount said saddle on the pipe.
A removable tap and saddle combination,
- said saddle including a base portion removably mountable on a pipe having a wall with inner and surfaces, said saddle further including a hollow section mounted to said base portion and extending outwardly thereof,
- said tap having a piercing member with a hollow interior, said tap being mountable for rotation in a first direction about an axis relative to said saddle and pipe to advance the piercing member toward the base portion of said saddle and through the wall of said pipe,
- said combination further including an arrangement to releasably lock said tap on said saddle in a first, locked position with the piercing member passing through the wall of said pipe.
A pipe saddle and tap combination,
- said saddle (1) including a base portion (11) with inner (13) and outer (15) surfaces extending along and about a first axis (17), said base portion having a split (19) between the inner and outer surfaces extending along a second axis (21) spaced from and substantially parallel to said first axis (17) to form border surfaces (23) respectively extending between said inner (13) and outer (15) surfaces on either side of the split (19),
- said saddle (1) further including at least two upright portions (25) extending outwardly from said base portion (11) on respective sides of said split (19), said upright portions extending along and substantially about a third axis (27), said third axis (27) being substantially perpendicular to said first axis (17) and said upright portions (25) having exterior threads therealong,
- said tap (2) including a hollow barrel section (6) with outer and inner surfaces (6′,10) extending about and along an axis and a piercing member (4) extending from said barrel section (6) along said tap axis, said tap further including a substantially annular nut (8) with inner and outer surfaces (8′,12) extending along and about said tap axis, the inner surface (8′) of said nut being spaced outwardly of the outer surface (6′) of said barrel section and having interior threads therealong to mate with the exterior threads of said upright portions (25), said upright portions being receivable between the inner surface (8′) of said nut and the outer surface (6′) of said barrel section with said third (27) and tap axes aligned wherein rotation of said nut (8) about said aligned axes will engage said mating threads and advance the piercing member (4) toward the base portion (11) of said saddle (1).
A tap for a pipe saddle mounted on a pipe having a wall with outer and inner surfaces, said tap including a hollow piercing member (4) with a tip section (16) extending substantially along an axis, said tip section having at least one hole (14) therethrough in fluid communication with the interior of said hollow piercing member, said hole being defined at least in part by an edge (14′) extending substantially along said axis, said tap being mountable to said saddle for rotation relative to said saddle and pipe to advance the tip section including the hole and edge thereof through the outer and inner surfaces of said pipe wall to establish fluid communication through said hole between the interior of the pipe and interior of the hollow piercing member wherein said edge of said hole is rounded to substantially prevent creating shavings from said pipe as said tip section and the edge of said hole are rotated and advanced through the wall of said pipe.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.