Abstract:
A saddle assembly is secured about a liquid conduit by its contoured base portion and a half clamp and threaded fasteners. A pipe or nipple is received in a gasketed bell-end outlet and is retained against separation by respective components and devices.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    Reference is made to my Provisional Application No. 60/170,228, filed Dec. 10, 1999, entitled “Saddles With Gasketed Bell-End Portions”. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Saddles for liquid conduits, such as those utilized between a main line conduit and lateral lines of irrigation systems, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, comprise a saddle member  10  secured about a main line conduit  12 , and secured by a lower half-clamp  14  and threaded fasteners. The saddle has a threaded opening portion  15  to receive a threaded end portion of pipe  16  for connection for a lateral conduit extending from the main line. An opening  18  is drilled in the main conduit  12  for passage of water into pipe  16 . The lower securement may typically be formed by a clamp casting, by heavy wire or by a continuation of a U-bolt.  
           [0003]    Such saddles generally do not encircle the main conduit completely. Bolt members  19  may typically be welded to a lower clamp  14 , resulting in a gap or space between the upper and lower clamping components.  
           [0004]    Utilization of pipes formed of plastic, such as PVC, can result in substantial distortion, with resultant premature failure and leakage.  
           [0005]    The present invention addresses such problems of the prior art by the provision of a gasketed bell-end member extending outwardly as a part of the saddle, and secured by engagement with a lower clamp member disposed about the main conduit.  
           [0006]    Respective embodiments of the invention utilize respective components and devices for securing the pipe to the saddle to prevent disengagement.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]    [0007]FIG. 1 shows a prior art saddle assembly;  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a central portion of the saddle arrangement of FIG. 1;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 3 is an elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the saddle assembly of the invention;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken at line  4 - 4  in FIG. 3;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 5 is a top view of the saddle assembly of FIG. 6;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 6 is an elevational view of another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 7 is a partial side view of the saddle assembly of FIG. 6;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 8 shows another embodiment of saddle assembly according to the invention;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 9 is a side view of the saddle assembly of FIG. 8;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 10 is an elevational view of another embodiment of the invention wherein an integral half-clamp is provided on a bell-end; and  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 11 is a sectional view of the integral half-clamp and bell-end portion of FIG. 10.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0018]    The invention provides novel saddle assemblies for mounting on liquid conduits, such as main lines of irrigation systems and the like.  
         [0019]    The saddle is contoured to fit about a normally upper portion of such conduit and is secured by a clamp member secured to the saddle and extending about the conduit.  
         [0020]    Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the invention provides a gasketed bell-end outlet extending outwardly from the saddle. Different embodiments have differing structural arrangements for retaining a pipe nipple in engagement with the gasketed outlet.  
         [0021]    As shown, a saddle  20  has a bell-end portion  22  extending from a base  24  which is arcuate to fit about a normally upper portion of a conduit or main line  26 .  
         [0022]    A bell-end  28  defines a groove or race  28  wherein is mounted an annular resilient gasket seal  30 . A pipe or nipple  32  is insertable into the saddle bell-end by simply urging it thereinto. The pipe may typically be connected to a lateral line extending from a main conduit or line  26  and may be connected with a lateral valve.  
         [0023]    The pipe is readily orientable by rotation relative to the bell-end to orient it in any desired direction, as is typically required for irrigation systems lateral lines. No valve member is required in many irrigation assemblies.  
         [0024]    The bell-end structure may typically be formed integrally with the saddle base  24 , as shown. An annular seal  34  is disposed between an annular shoulder  36  of the saddle base and the conduit to provide sealing between the main conduit  26  and the bell housing.  
         [0025]    In this embodiment, wings  37  extend from the bell-end  28  for the purpose of engaging any of a variety of locking connections or members (not shown), an example of such member being indicated in FIG. 8.  
         [0026]    T-hook members  38  extend from a lower clamp member to engage shoulders  40  at an end portion of the saddle, as shown, thus enabling relative pivotal movement between the members. The opposite end portion of the saddle has a lug  42  threadedly secured by a threaded fastener and nut to a lug  44  of the lower clamp  46 . This arrangement requires only one securement bolt.  
         [0027]    Pipe insertion deforms the gasket  30  radially outwardly for easy pipe entry and insertion.  
         [0028]    The gasket seal  30  provides a unique advantage in that it rolls over to a limited degree to provide a gripping action to resist or prevent pipe  32  from being disengaged from the bell-end  28 .  
         [0029]    Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, an embodiment of the invention is shown which has some features in common with the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4, and like features bear like reference numbers. An annular, slotted ring  50  is cast integrally with the nipple or pipe or is welded thereto. Diametrically opposite slots  52  allow insertion of the pipe past the wings  37  of the bell-end by appropriate rotation of the pipe relative to wings. The pipe may be inserted into the saddle, then rotated to prevent the pipe from dislodging from the bell-end. The ring  50  coacts with the wings  37  to secure the pipe relative to the bell-end and gasket.  
         [0030]    Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, an embodiment  60  of the invention has wings  62  similar to wings  37  of the embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7. Outwardly extending lugs engage bracket arms  64  which extend from clamp rings  66 ,  68  and are secured together by threaded fasteners. The outer lug portions of wings  62  are received in openings  63  of the bracket arms  64 . The pipe  70  is thus secured against disengagement from the bell-end and seal. The ring  50  coacts with the wings  37  to secure the pipe relative to the bell-end and gasket.  
         [0031]    [0031]FIGS. 10 and 11 show an embodiment wherein a modified bell-end  80  has formed integrally therewith a half-clamp  82 , which is secured by threaded fasteners to a separate half-clamp  84 , as shown. Integral half-clamp  82  enables ready insertion of a pipe  86  by one person by the positioning of the pipe end portion adjacent to the inner side  88  of the integral half-clamp  82 , such positioning serving to position the pipe for insertion into the bell housing. The integral half-clamp is similar to the integral half-clamp of my co-pending application Ser. No. 09/444,223, filed Nov. 19, 1999. entitled “Fitting With Half Clamp For Pipe”.  
         [0032]    It will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made from the preferred embodiments discussed above without departing from the scope of the present invention, which is established by the following claims and equivalents thereof.