Patent ID: 8061388
Filing Date: 2011-11-22
Classification: F16L

Abstract:
1. A method of assembling a tubular plumbing segment for sealingly securing between and in fluid communication with opposing and spaced apart portions of a plumbing installation, comprising the steps of: providing a tubular plumbing segment formed of plumbing segment material and having a plumbing segment interior and a substantially smooth and continuous plumbing segment interior surface; providing a barrier plug having a plug upper surface and a plug lower surface, and having a plug circumferential surface for adhering to the plumbing segment interior surface and sized in plug diameter to fit into the plumbing segment; introducing a column of water onto the plug upper surface for a sufficient duration that the plug can no longer support the weight of the column of test water and therefore dislodges such that the plumbing installation is opened for operation; and then hydraulically compressing the plug to plasticly deform the plug such that the plug upper surface and the plug lower surface are brought closer to each other and the plug diameter is thereby expanded into gripping and sealing relation with the segment interior surface until dislodged by a plug dislodgement triggering means.