Valve insertion method and assembly for inserting a valve in a line

A valve assembly for insertion in a line, the valve assembly comprising:

• a valve body having two sections adapted to be assembled together over an existing pipe to form an assembled valve body;
• a gate mounted on the valve body for movement between open and closed positions of the gate;
• means for providing a seal between the assembled valve body and the pipe while enabling rotation of the gate and the assembled valve body on the pipe together as the gate is advanced toward the closed position;
• and
• means for cutting the pipe as the gate and the assembled valve body are rotated on the pipe together in order to produce a path through the pipe while at the same time rotating the gate with the assembled valve body as the gate travels through the path in the pipe to the closed position;
• wherein the means for cutting the pipe includes at least one member on the assembled valve body that is adapted to be advanced radially toward the pipe and cut the pipe as the gate and the assembled valve body are rotated on the pipe together and the gate is advanced to the closed position;
• and
• wherein the valve assembly includes a gate assembly of which the gate is a part, the gate assembly being adapted to be mounted removably on the valve body in order to enable rotation of the valve body on the pipe with the gate assembly removed from the valve body.

A method for inserting a valve in a line, comprising:

• providing a valve body that is adapted to be assembled on and rotated about an existing pipe, the valve body including a first access opening in the valve body that provides a passageway through the valve body to the pipe;
• providing first sealing means on the valve body for enabling a user to seal the first access opening while forming a cut in the pipe and to unseal the first access opening after forming the cut to enable access through the first access opening to the pipe;
• providing cutting assembly means on the valve body for cutting the pipe as the valve body is rotated about the pipe to form the cut in the pipe;
• and
• providing gate assembly means adapted to be removably mounted on the valve body for moving a valve element through the first access opening in the valve body after forming the cut, the gate assembly means including a gate assembly adapted to be mounted removably on the valve body, the gate assembly including a gate and a gate actuating mechanism that is adapted to move the gate through the first access opening between an open position of the gate and a closed position of the gate;
• (i) assembling the valve body on the pipe;
• (ii) rotating the valve body about the pipe with the cutting assembly means on the valve body and without the gate assembly means on the valve body;
• (iii)operating the cutting assembly means as the valve body and the cutting assembly means orbit the pipe together to form the cut in the pipe;
• (iv) mounting the gate assembly means on the valve body;
• and (v) operating the first sealing means in order to unseal the first access opening in the valve body and enable movement of the gate through the first access opening to the closed position of the gate.

An assembly for inserting a valve in a line, comprising:

• a valve body that is adapted to be mounted on and rotated about an existing pipe, the valve body including a first access opening in the valve body that provides a passageway through the valve body to the pipe;
• first sealing means on the valve body for enabling a user to seal the first access opening while forming a cut in the pipe and to unseal the first access opening after forming the cut to enable access through the first access opening to the pipe;
• cutting assembly means on the valve body for cutting the pipe as the valve body is rotated about the pipe to form a cut in the pipe;
• and
• gate assembly means adapted to be removably mounted on the valve body after the cut is formed for moving a valve element through the first access opening in the valve body, the gate assembly means including a gate assembly that is adapted to be mounted removably on the valve body, the gate assembly including a gate and a gate actuating mechanism that is adapted to move the gate through the first access opening between an open position of the gate and a closed position of the gate.