Patent Number: 055531083
Section: description

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION In accordance with this invention and as already noted above, the upper portion of the conventional water rod W including the upper end plug 12, extension tube 20, and hold down spring 23 can be eliminated, and the upper end of the water rod left open. This arrangement, however, requires other means for securing the water rod and for preventing axial movement and rotation thereof. The invention here is easily understood from FIG. 3 which illustrates the invention as applied to a simplified lower tie plate. Specifically, a lower end plug 50 is threaded as shown at 52, and is provided with a transversely oriented, diametrical slot 54 extending from the free end of the plug, axially over part of the length of the plug. At the same time, a boss 56 in the lower tie plate 57 which receives the lower end plug 50 is threaded on its interior surface, as shown at 58, and is also formed with a pair of aligned, diametrically opposed slots 60, 62. It will be appreciated that when the lower end plug 50 is threaded into the boss 56, slots 54, 60 and 62 may be radially aligned so that a key 64 can be inserted through the slots 54, 60 and 62 to lock the water rod W in the correct angular position, and to prevent further rotation thereof in either direction. By thus preventing rotational movement of the threaded end plug, axial movement of the plug is also precluded. The key 64 may then be attached to the boss 56 by a small weld to ensure that it does not come loose. While the key 64 is shown as having a rectangular shape to cooperate with similarly shaped slots 54, 60 and 62, it will be appreciated that other slot (or bore) and key arrangements are within the scope of this invention. Turning now to FIGS. 4-6, the invention is illustrated in its preferred form, utilizing reference numerals similar to those used in FIG. 3 for corresponding elements, but with the prefix "1" added. Thus, the lower end plug 150 is threaded at 152 and is provided with a transversely oriented diametrical slot 154 which extends axially through a substantial portion of the threaded end 152. The boss 156 in the lower tie plate 157 is adapted to receive the lower end plug 150 by reason of its threaded interior surface, illustrated at 158. The boss 156 is also formed with a pair of aligned diametrically opposed slots 160, 162 within a central thickened web area 165 of the lower tie plate 157. It is noted that the tie plate illustrated in FIG. 5 illustrates a pair of water rod bosses 156, 156A, and the boss 156A may also be modified to receive a threaded end plug of the type shown at 152. The assembly of the end plug 150 to the lower tie plate 157 is achieved as described above in conjunction with FIG. 3 via the use of a key 64 (not shown in FIGS. 4-6). While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.