Protective closure

A protective closure including: a closed-cell foam plastic plug of a first density, for resilience and flexibility in insertion into a water pipe for shipping and storage, and in removal therefrom for installation; and a cap of a second, higher density for limiting the extent of the insertion of the plug into the pipe; with the cap including a scooped-out handle or similar grasping construction for pulling on the cap to remove the plug from the pipe.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to the field of public health and, more 
particularly, to water distribution systems, both for residential and 
commercial users. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
As is well known and understood, water pipes transported to a construction 
development site are typically dumped along the road, and allowed to lie 
there for some time until their subsequent installation. As is also well 
known and understood, such pipes are similarly stacked, lying on the 
ground, at the warehouse, storage area, and loading dock at the 
manufacturing facility until such time as they are loaded onto the freight 
cars or trucks, for delivery to the location of the construction project. 
As will be appreciated, during all this time and until actual 
installation, the water pipes remain open--attractive to rats and other 
rodents, for example, and susceptible to the collection of mud and other 
debris. A focus on public health makes it evident that this is a situation 
to be avoided, with a need for some type of protective closure to seal off 
both the bell end and spigot end of the pipes until installation. 
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide such a 
protective closure. 
It is another object of the invention to provide such a protective closure 
that is highly water tight and dirt and debris proof. 
It is an additional object of the invention to provide a protective closure 
that can fit both the bell end and spigot end of a water pipe, although 
they be of different inside diameters. 
It is also an object of the invention to provide such a closure which will 
be retained in place by friction, yet which can be easily removed by hand. 
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a protective closure 
of this type, which is not affected by extreme variations in temperature, 
in going from hot to cold and vice versa. 
It is an additional object of the invention to provide this kind of 
protective closure in a manner that limits its insertion into the water 
pipe, to thus make removal easier when it is time for the pipe 
installation to be made. 
It is yet a further object of the invention, to provide a protective 
closure of this nature which is waterproof, flexible, easily insertible 
into the water pipe and easily removable therefrom. 
It is a further object of the invention, obviously, to provide such a 
protective closure which can be easily and inexpensively manufactured. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
These and further objects of the invention will be seen to be attained by 
the use of a protective closure including a plastic plug of a first 
density, for resilience and flexibility in insertion into the water pipe 
for shipping and storage, and in removal for installation. As will be 
seen, the protective enclosure also incorporates a cap of a higher 
density, for limiting the extent of the insertion of the plug into the 
pipe. To facilitate the removal of the plug from the pipe, the cap end 
will be seen to include a scooped handle or similar construction for ease 
of pulling. 
In a preferred embodiment to be described, both the plug and cap of the 
enclosure are composed of a closed-cell polyethylene foam--although in an 
alternative embodiment, a hard sheet plastic may be utilized instead for 
the cap. In such preferred embodiment, the plug will be seen to have a 
diameter slightly greater than the inside diameter of the water pipe, 
while the cap is of even greater diameter. In such a configuration, the 
density of the closed-cell foam plastic plug permits a squishing or 
squashing of the protective closure inside the water pipe, to be held in 
place thereby by friction, while the higher density of the cap serves as a 
limiter to insertion of the entire protective closure further into the 
pipe itself.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
In the drawing, the protective closure 10 for the water pipe 12 
incorporates a closed-cell foam plastic plug 14 at one end, and a cap 16 
at an opposite end of a diameter 18 greater than the diameter 20 of the 
plug 14. Such plug 14 is preferably composed of a closed-cell polyethylene 
foam, as is the cap 16--although in an alternative construction, the cap 
16 may be instead composed of a hard sheet plastic. In either 
construction, the plug 14 is selected of a first density, for resilience 
and flexibility, in allowing the plug 14 to be squished, squashed, or 
otherwise inserted into the water pipe 12 even though the diameter 20 of 
the plug may be greater than the inside diameter 22 of the pipe 12. As 
will be understood from FIG. 5, the diameter 18 of the cap 16 is selected 
to allow the closure 10 to seat wholly within the pipe 12 at its bell end 
48 and to close off the pipe 12 at its spigot end 50. 
As will be readily apparent, the protective closure of this construction 
thus makes the water pipe 12 both water tight and dirt proof with the 
closure inserted at both ends 48 and 50, to protect it against rats, 
rodents, mud and other types of debris while the pipe is in storage, 
awaiting delivery to the construction site--and further, while the pipe is 
laying along the road, awaiting installation. In a typical manufacture, 
the cap 16 is selected of a thickness 26 less than the thickness 28 of the 
plug 14--and preferably several times less, for simplicity of manufacture 
and reduction of cost--for example, 1/2 inch as compared to 2 inch. With 
the cap 16 constructed of a higher density, there is a limiting to any 
inadvertent forcing of the closure 10 further into the pipe 12 at its bell 
end 48 or into the pipe 12 at its spigot end 50. 
FIGS. 1, 2a and 2b also illustrate a preferable manner, cooperating with 
the cap 16, for pulling the plug 14 from the water pipe 12 when the pipe 
is to be installed. Shown by the reference numeral 30, a scooped-out 
handle is provided in the cap 16, offset and spaced apart from its center 
32, and preferably scooped to a depth 34 greater than the thickness 26 of 
the cap 16 to extend into the plug 14, as with a depth 1 inch as 
contrasted with the thickness 26 of 1/2 inch. The offset, scooped-out 
handle 30 will be understood to allow a grasping by a worker, a movement 
of the closure back and forth to eventually loosen, and free, the closure 
from the friction with the inside diameter 22 of the pipe 12 and its 
subsequent, easy removal. In one construction of the closure 10 for an 8 
inch ductile iron pipe, the scooped-out handle 30 may be of a length 38 of 
some 21/2 inches and a width 40 of some 3/4 inches. 
FIGS. 3 and 4 show alternative means to cooperate with the cap 16 to free 
the closure 10 from the friction of the inner diameter 22 of the pipe 12 
in allowing for its easy removal. In FIG. 3, a pair of finger-holes 42 are 
shown, still offset from the center 32 of the cap 16, and of a diameter of 
1 inch, spaced apart a like 1 inch amount. In FIG. 4, on the other hand, 
an offset handle 44 is shown, within a groove 46 cut into the cap 16. 
Thus, in FIG. 5, grasping the scooped-out handle 30, the finger-holes 42, 
or the offset handle 44--whichever the situation--will enable a rocking or 
shifting movement of the closures inserted at the ends 48 and 50, to 
release them from the pipe 12 once inserted. With the closed-cell foam 
plastic of dual densities for the plug 14 and the cap 16--or with the hard 
sheet plastic cap in an alternative construction--, the protective closure 
of the invention will be seen to expand along with the pipe 12 as 
temperatures increase, and to contract with the pipe 12 when temperatures 
fall. In such manner, the closure of the invention will be noted to 
continue to be both moisture and debris resistant to protect the pipe 
under all conditions in storage, in transport, and when dumped to lie on 
the ground at the road, awaiting ultimate installation at the construction 
site, whichever end of the pipe the closure may be inserted at. 
While there have been described what are considered to be preferred 
embodiments of the present invention, it will be readily appreciated that 
modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing 
from the teachings herein, of having a closure utilizing a first density 
foam plastic plug to be squeezed into a water pipe of smaller inside 
diameter--and to be held in place there by friction--and a higher density 
plastic cap, both to limit further insertion and as a means of grasping 
the closure to be removed when desired. For at least such reason, 
therefore, resort should be had to the claims appended hereto for a true A 
understanding of the scope of the invention.