Water Valve Manipulation Device

A water valve manipulation device includes a socket wrench that has a shaft which is elongated to a length of at least 2.0 meters. The socket wrench can be extended down an access conduit to engage a test whip on a buried water line to facilitate a worker standing on the ground to manipulate the test whip. A gear box is attached to the socket wrench and the gear box has an output shaft that is oriented perpendicular to the socket wrench to engage a corporation valve on the water main. An input shaft is attached to the gear box such that the input shaft drives the gear box when the input shaft is rotated. The input shaft has a length sufficient to expose the engaging knob when the socket wrench is extended down the access conduit thereby facilitating the worker standing on the ground to close the corporation valve.

(b) CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

Not Applicable

(d) THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not Applicable

Not Applicable

Not Applicable

(g) BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention.

The disclosure relates to water valve devices and more particularly pertains to a new water valve device for removing a test whip from a buried water line. The device includes a socket wrench that is elongated to extend into a conduit to engage a test whip on a buried water line. The device includes a gear box which has an output shaft that engages a corporation valve and an input shaft that extends upwardly along the socket wrench which can be rotated drive the gear box for closing the corporation valve.

The prior art relates to water valve devices including a variety of water valve wrenches that each at least includes a T-handle and a wrench head disposed on the T-handle for engaging a nut of a buried water valve. In no instance does the prior art disclose a socket wrench for engaging a test whip on a water line and a gearbox attached to the socket wrench which has an output shaft that engages a corporation valve on the water line to close the corporation valve and an input shaft that extends along the socket wrench for driving the gearbox.

(h) BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a socket wrench that has a shaft which is elongated to a length of at least2.0meters. The socket wrench can be extended down an access conduit to engage a test whip on a buried water line to facilitate a worker standing on the ground to manipulate the test whip. A gear box is attached to the socket wrench and the gear box has an output shaft that is oriented perpendicular to the socket wrench to engage a corporation valve on the water main. An input shaft is attached to the gear box such that the input shaft drives the gear box when the input shaft is rotated. The input shaft has a length sufficient to expose the engaging knob when the socket wrench is extended down the access conduit thereby facilitating the worker standing on the ground to close the corporation valve.

(j) DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As best illustrated inFIGS.1through6, the water valve manipulation device10generally comprises a socket wrench12that has a shaft14which is elongated to a length of at least2.0meters thereby facilitating the socket wrench12to be extended down an access conduit16to engage a buried water line18. The buried water line18may be a municipal water main, for example, or other type of buried water line that would commonly be serviced or inspected by municipal inspectors or construction worker24s. The socket wrench12has a socket20for insertably receiving a test whip22attached to the buried water line18. In this way the socket wrench12facilitates a worker24who is standing on the ground26to manipulate the test whip22. Thus, the common practice of excavation to expose the buried water line18does not have to be performed to facilitate access to the test whip22.

The socket wrench12has a top end28, a bottom end30and an outside surface31extending between the top end28and the bottom end30; the socket20extends into the bottom end30and the socket20has a bounding surface32. The bounding surface32has a plurality of intersecting sides34that are arranged to form a repeating series of peaks36and valleys38thereby facilitating the socket20to engage a twelve point nut associated with the test whip22. Furthermore, the socket20may have a functional diameter of115/16 inches to fit the typical size of test whips that are employed in municipal water supply systems. The outside surface31has an upper portion40, a lower portion42and a sloped portion44which slopes between the upper portion40and the lower portion42. The lower portion42has a diameter that is greater than a diameter of the upper portion40and the sloped portion44is positioned closer to the bottom end30than the top end28.

A handle46extends through the socket wrench12and the handle46is oriented transverse with the socket wrench12. In this way the handle46can be gripped by the worker24for rotating the socket wrench12. The handle46extends through the outside surface31of the socket wrench12at a point that is spaced from the top end28of the socket wrench12. A gear box48is attached to the socket wrench12and the gear box48has an output shaft50that is oriented perpendicular to the socket wrench12. In this way the output shaft50can engage a corporation valve52on the water line18.

The gear box48is attached to the lower portion42of the outside surface31of the socket wrench12such that the gear box48is positioned adjacent to the bottom end30of the socket wrench12. The output shaft50has a distal end54with respect to the gear box48and the output shaft50has a slot56extending from the distal end54toward the gear box48. In this way the slot56can insertably receive a knob58of the corporation valve52. The output shaft50extends along a line that is oriented perpendicular to an axis extending through the top end28and the bottom end30of the socket wrench12. The gear box48has an input60that is directed toward the top end28of the socket wrench12. The gear box48has a first gear62that is attached to the input60such that the input60rotates the first gear62and the gear box48has a second gear64that is attached to the output shaft50. Furthermore, the first gear62enmeshes the second gear64at a right angle thereby transferring rotational torque applied to the input60to the output shaft50.

An input shaft66is attached to the gear box48such that the input shaft66drives the gear box48when the input shaft66is rotated. The input shaft66has an engaging knob68that is disposed on the input shaft66thereby facilitating the engaging knob68to be engaged by a tool70, such as an open end wrench, employed by the worker24. The input shaft66has a length that is sufficient to expose the engaging knob68when the socket wrench12is extended down the access conduit16. In this way the input shaft66facilitates the worker24standing on the ground26to close the corporation valve52.

The input shaft66has a lower end72and an upper end74and the lower end72is mechanically engaged to the input60of the gear box48. The input shaft66is oriented parallel to the socket wrench12having the upper end74being spaced downwardly from the handle46. A lower surface76of the engaging knob68is attached to the upper end74of the input shaft66. The engaging knob68has a plurality of outside surfaces78which intersect each other at right angles such that the engaging knob68has a rectangular shape.

In use, a corporation valve52and a test whip22are typically installed on a new water line18when the new water line18is installed. A conduit16, such as a cardboard tube, is placed around the corporation valve52and the test whip22and the new water line18is backfilled with dirt. The socket wrench12is lowered into the conduit16to facilitate the socket20to engage the test whip22and to facilitate the output shaft50to engage the knob on the corporation valve52. The input shaft66is rotated, with a wrench or other similar type of tool, in order to rotate the output shaft50to close the corporation valve52. The handle46is gripped when the corporation valve52is closed and the handle46is forcefully manipulated to rotate the socket wrench12in a counterclockwise direction to loosen the test whip22. In this way the test whip22can be removed from the new water line18without having to excavate the new water line18to facilitate the worker24to access the test whip22.