Apparatus for and method of making a service line connection through a fitting

An assembly for forming a hole in a main comprising:

• a fitting having a through bore, said fitting at one end of said through bore being adapted to be secured to the exterior of the main where the hole is to be formed;
• a cutter member having a cutting end for cutting a coupon from the main;
• a tubular tapping tool having a tapered end portion with an exterior cutting thread thereon of predetermined lead, said cutter member extending through said tubular tapping tool and having its cutting end projecting from the tapered end portion thereof;
• means detachably securing said cutter member to said tapping tool whereby said cutter member and said tapping tool may be rotated and advanced simultaneously with said cutter member preliminarily cutting a coupon from the main and then said tubular tapping tool enlarging and forming the hole in the main, said means detachably securing said cutter member to said tubular tapping tool including a non-circular socket in the end of said tapping tool and a complementary non-circular enlargement on said cutter member for reception into said non-circular socket;
• and,
• means for removing the cutter member axially from said tapping tool after the hole has been formed in the main so that the tapping tool remains partially in said hole and partially in the bore of said fitting to thereby assist in retaining the fitting on said main.

A method of forming a hole in a main through a through bore in a fitting at least temporarily secured to the main, the fitting having a hollow tapping tool with a threaded tapered cutting portion and an annular shaped coupon cutter member extending through and out of the tapping tool, the steps comprising:

• advancing and rotating simultaneously the cutter member and tapping tool toward the main with the cutter member making initial engagement and cutting from the main a coupon;
• continuing the rotation of the cutter member and the tapping tool with the threaded tapered cutting portion progressively forming and enlarging the hole from which the coupon was cut;
• and,
• then slidably and axially retracting the cutter member with the cut coupon therein from the tapping tool and the fitting while leaving the tapping tool inserted in the hole and in the fitting so as to provide a mechanical fastening means between the main and the fitting to increase resistance of the fitting from twisting about the axis of the main or moving parallel to the axis of the main.