Abstract:
The invention concerns a method whereby after the saddle hub ( 3 ) has been placed on the pipe ( 2   a   , 2   b   , 2   c ), the open and deformable ring ( 4 ) is closed back on the pipe, the screw ( 5 ) is folded down and the screw is clamped to complete the locking of the plate ( 3 ) whereon is mounted the device ( 12, 29 ) for boring the pipe. The invention is useful for branch channel connection on a pipe ( 2   a   , 2   b   , 2   c ).

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to the mounting of a bypass saddle hub on a pipe, particularly a pipe to supply water or other fluid, liquid or gas. Importantly, the invention relates to the device to mount a saddle hub comprising two lateral attachment means. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Often, conventional saddle hubs are saddle hubs of bypass taps or systems to close pipes, equipped with two lateral attachment means disposed substantially opposite one another in such a manner as to enable the saddle hub to be tightened on the pipe with a substantially even force over the entire contact surface of the saddle hub. The saddle hub assembly and the tightening means form a ring. 
   Conventionally, the attachment means are constituted of screws and nuts that tighten the saddle hub on the pipe by means of a rein. For a given internal nominal diameter, the outer diameter varies according to the building material such as cast-iron, steel, cement, plastic materials etc. To adapt to such variations in the outer diameters with this type of attachment, it is necessary to change the ring (assembly of the saddle hub and the rein) to attach the saddle hub on the pipe. On some models of rings, the length of the threaded shaft of the screws and the shape of the saddle hub enable them to adapt themselves to small variations in the outer diameters of the pipes by more or less tightening the screws. 
   Therefore, conventional rings are constituted by two half portions, and two screws and two nuts or two tapped holes. 
   Known saddle hubs have the major disadvantage of requiring the rein and the saddle hub to be changed to adapt to large variations in the outer diameter of the pipes corresponding to different nominal diameters. Each pipe nominal diameter generally requires at least a different rein, even if the rings are of the same type. Such a plurality of rings has the disadvantage of requiring the maintenance of large stockpiles to fit to various pipes. 
   Moreover, for the large diameters, notably greater than 200 mm, conventional reins are large and cumbersome, rendering the disposition and the attachment of the saddle hub in the open trench around the pipe difficult. Therefore, the work necessary to mount to saddle hubs with conventional reins on large diameter pipes is long and tiring. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention mainly aims to allow in a simple and fast manner, the mounting of a bypass on a mains pipe or not that transports a fluid at great pressure. And this without maintaining a large stockpile of parts. 
   Toward that end, the invention has for an object a mounting device of the aforesaid type in which the tightening means is an open and deformable bracelet. The saddle hub and the bracelet form the rein; the bracelet comprises at least three attachment means disposed at regular intervals from one end of the bracelet to the other end, enabling it to adapt itself to different pipe outer diameters by tightening at least two of the three attachment means. 
   More specifically, the attachment means of the bracelet are or comprise openings configured to enable the passage and retention of the attachment means of the saddle hub. The openings are disposed at regular intervals from one end to the other of the bracelet. Disposing the openings at regular intervals allows the length of the bracelet to be trimmed according to the diameter of the pipe. 
   According to other characteristics and so that the tightening does not require more than one wrench such as a flat wrench or a socket wrench, the bracelet is pivotally mounted on the saddle hub, mounted such that a closed pull down of one end of the bracelet around a tee that constitute one of the lateral attachment means of the saddle hub, an opening of the bracelet being arranged at the end of the pull down to allow the passage of the connecting portion of the tee of the saddle hub; the bracelet is equipped with a reversible attachment means such as a screw crossing another opening located at its second end, said screw attaching the second end of the bracelet to the second attachment means of the saddle hub. 
   The closed pull downs at the end of the bracelet are disposed on the surface of the bracelet intended to be tightened on the pipe in such a manner as to pinch at least one pull down between said pipe and the outside edges of the bracelet. 
   With the aim of obtaining after preparation a rein that forms a one-piece integral assembly, the second end of the bracelet according to the invention is pulled down and closed around a mobile retaining portion having a drilled and tapped retaining portion that forms a mounted sliding nut that turns the pull down at the end of the bracelet. The screw on the one hand attaches onto the nut after having traversed the openings at the end of the pull down of the bracelet, and on the other hand, the head of the screw is pulled down and tightens itself on two fingers configured in a fork shape to constitute the second lateral attachment means of the saddle hub. The head of the screw is maintained in the attachment axis by a washer that defines a flat surface and another convex surface is mounted on the screw, the flat surface in contact with the head of the screw and the convex surface cooperate with a hollow convex imprint disposed in the hollow of said fork. 
   These characteristics increase the resistance of the attachment means while allowing a large clearance of the screw and the bracelet. They avoid the congestion of two half portions of the conventional reins with screws, thick reins and the dismantling into several parts, which engender the risk of losing and confusing different rein elements of different sizes with parts that look alike. 
   So as to obtain a waterproof seal upon attaching the connection of loaded pipes, the bypass saddle hub of the pipe notably loaded, defines the substantially in its center an outlet tube having an axis that is radial with respect to the axis of the pipe. A supple gasket formed of a flowing material such as rubber is attached in a housing and a sleeve is adjusted in the tube, a second gasket is placed in the continuation of the sleeve in contact with the attachment means of the bypass connection, by means, for example of a tapping, the two gaskets and the sleeve presenting an internal diameter that is appreciably higher than the diameter of the drilling to form a bypass in the pipe. The use of the two gaskets and of the sleeve allows the mounting to be more or less tightened relative to the ring according to the diameter of the pipe. 
   Elongated openings longitudinally disposed relative to the length of the bracelet allow placing said bracelet by rotation of a quarter turn after the penetration of the T. 
   To resist aerial corrosion and grounds corrosion, the saddle hub is notably made of bronze, the bracelet mainly comprising a band of non-corrodible material that may be sectioned to a length suitable to encircle the pipe. The non-corrodible bands may be coated with an inert material such as a composition having a powdered epoxy base. The bands of the bracelet may also be made of plastic material. 
   These coated corrosion-proof bands stand up very well to all chemical corrosion of pipes having a ferrous base. 
   The saddle hub, rein, screw, washer and nut resist the aerial corrosion that they are subjected to while in stock before they are fitted onto the pipe. This bracelet resists more than one thousand hours in a salty fog without any corrosion. 
   The Invention also has for an object a method to mount a device for the mounting of an auxiliary bypass pipe on a supply water pipe which is loaded or not, characterized in that said pipe having such a diameter, lower than the distance separating the two lateral attachment means of the saddle hub, largely equal to the distance separating the two lateral attachment means of the saddle hub that is greater than the distance separating the two lateral attachment means of the saddle hub, the method including following at least the successive steps:
         preparation of a ring such as defined above, the bracelet being dimensioned according to the diameter of the pipe,   presentation and shaping of the ring on the pipe,   tightening of the assembly in its operating position,   screwing and tightening of the mounting device on the saddle hub,   mounting, in a waterproof manner, of a boring machine having a drill on the upper tube of the chamber of the mounting device,   boring the pipe,   removing the boring machine,   locking the mounting device,   connecting the bypass system to the auxiliary pipe.       

   The invention also has for object a pipe bypass comprising a body and a saddle hub, the body and the saddle hub being implemented as a single piece assembly or an integral assembly and comprising at least two lateral attachment means, the attachment means being radial with respect to the axis of the body of the tap, being disposed substantially opposite one relative to the other and being equipped with a mounting device on the pipe, characterized and that said device is such as described above. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A nonrestrictive example of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings annexed herewith in which: 
       FIG. 1  represents in a vertical sectional schematic a ring corresponding to the invention attached to pipes having three different outer diameters; 
       FIG. 2  represents a saddle hub according to the invention as seen from above, with its bracelet on the pipe; 
       FIG. 3  is a corrosion-proof band, part of an open-ended bracelet according to the invention; 
       FIG. 4  schematically represents a mounting by means of a tap with a device according to the invention. 
       FIG. 5  shows a ring gasket according to the invention as seen in a half sectional view. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The ring  1  fitted onto the pipes  2   a ,  2   b ,  2   c  of different outer diameters represented in  FIG. 1  comprises a saddle hub  3 , a corrosion-proof metal band  4  forming an open and deformable bracelet. A tightening screw  5  fixed to a metallic nut  7  bound to the band  4  revolves on a washer  6  in the shape of a half-sphere. The saddle hub  3  includes an axial tube  8  provided with an intermediary sleeve  9  adjacent to the two gaskets  10 ,  11 . A tap  12  of the fluid circulating in the pipe  2   a ,  2   b ,  2   c  is screwed on the saddle hub  3  by means of its threaded end  13 . 
   The saddle hub  3  comprises two lateral attachment means  14 ,  15 , the attachment means  14  is a tee whose cylindrical end  16  defines an axis that is parallel to the axis of the pipe. The other lateral attachment means  15  is disposed opposite to the attachment means  14 . An end  17  of the band  4  is locked down around the end  16  of the tee of the saddle hub  3 , the other end of the band  18  is locked down around the cylindrical nut  7 . The screwing of the screw  5  in the nut  7  maintains the ring tight against the pipe. If the pipe  2   a  is of small diameter, the tightened nut  5  is pulled down toward the axis of the tube  8 . The tube  8  defines a radial axis relative to the axis of the pipe, a lower housing  19  of the pipe facilitates the fitting of the lower gasket  10  compressed in the housing  19  between the sleeve  9  and the surface of the pipe  2   a . The lower gasket  10  insures a waterproof seal between the pipe  2   a  and the sleeve  9 . If the saddle hub  3  is attached on a pipe  2   b  of average external diameter, the screw  5  turns onto the washer in the shape of a half sphere  6  and is more opened than it would otherwise be when attaching the saddle hub  3  on a pipe  2   a  of smaller diameter. The lower gasket  10  conforms to the surface of the pipe  2   b . Even though the outer pipe  2   b  having an outer diameter that is greater than the pipe  2   a  sinks less deeply in the tube  8 , the waterproof seal between the pipe  2   b  and the sleeve  9  is insured by a stronger tightening of the tap on the saddle hub. This tightening causes the compression of the sleeve  9  on the gasket  10 . In this manner, a waterproof seal is maintained between the sleeve  9 , the gasket  10 , and the pipe  2   b . In the case wherein the saddle hub  3  is attached to a pipe having a large diameter  2   c , the screw  4  pivots more and the tap is itself further tightened in such a manner as to push the sleeve  9  on the lower gasket  10  until a waterproof seal is formed between the gasket  10  and the sleeve  9 . 
   The saddle hub  3  is always maintained on the tightened on the pipe  2   c  and the lower gasket  10  also maintains a waterproof seal between the pipe  2   c  and the sleeve  9 . The tap  12  is screwed into the tube  8  with the threading  20 . The tap  12  compresses the upper gasket  11  on the sleeve  9  and is locked by locking screw  21 . The upper gasket  11  insures a waterproof seal between the tap  12  and the sleeve  9 . 
   As shown more particularly in  FIG. 2 , the attachment means  15  of the saddle hub  3  is constituted by two fingers that form a fork. The shaft of the screw  5  passes by the groove  22  formed between the two fingers of the fork  15 . 
   The lateral opening of this groove allows the rotation and the passage of the threaded shaft of the screw that is already engaged in the cylindrical nut  7 . A spherical hollow imprint arranged in the hollow of the fork  15  forms the housing of the washer  6  by allowing it to function as a kneecap while providing high traction for the screw  5 . 
   The end of the saddle hub in the shape of the fork  15  allows the rapid mounting thereof without having to remove the screw of its cylindrical nut, thereby avoiding the loss of any part, the ring assembly being a single piece unit at the moment of mounting. 
   Two tapped borings are disposed radially with respect to the tube  8  into the upper portion of the saddle hub  3 . These borings receive a locking screw  21  that prevents the loosening of the tap  12  with respect to the saddle hub  3  during manipulations of the tap  12 . 
   The leaf band  4  comprises openings  24  disposed at regular intervals from one end to the other, such as shown in  FIG. 3 . These openings  24  are elongated and disposed longitudinally with respect to the length of the band  4 . The shapes and positions of the openings  24  enable the threading of the end  17  of the band on the tee  14  and to attach it by rotation and clamping down. These openings also allow the passage of the shaft of the screw  5 , the cylindrical nut  7  in the direction of the saddle hub  3  and the end of the shaft that passes the cylindrical nut  7 . 
   According to another embodiment, some of the openings need not be elongated. 
     FIG. 4  represents a mounting of a main conduit of a bypass tap having a valve of the type having a vertical maneuvering axis  12 . The constituent elements of the attachment device are identified by the same reference numerals as are the corresponding elements of the attachment device represented in  FIGS. 1 to 3 . The supply to tube  8  is attached in a waterproof manner on the pipe  2  by tightening the band  4  on the lateral attachment means  14 ,  15  of the ring  1 . The tube  8  emerges in an open chamber  26  in the upper portion of the body of the tap  25 . In its upper portion, the open chamber  26  emerges into two tubes, a lateral tube  27  and a vertical tube  28 . 
   A boring machine  29  is mounted on the body  25  along the axis of the tube  28  of the open chamber  26  and of the tube  8 . A shutter  30  is mounted on the tap  12  facing the lateral tube  27 . The shutter is constituted of a screw  31  guided in a sheath  32  the screw displacing a shutter head  33  which can enter into the sheath  32  prolonged by a cross piece  34 . The head of the shutter may also leave the sheath  30  to shutter in a waterproof manner the upper portion of the chamber  26 . 
   The attachment and the mounting according to the invention of a main tap are carried out in the following manner, a band  4  pierced at regular intervals with elongated openings is trimmed to a predetermined length to correspond to the outer diameter of the water inlet pipe. The band is coated of a material constituted by a base of epoxy powder, which rounds off the sharp edges. An end of the band  4  is introduced in the tee  14  by an elongated opening from the end of the band  4 . A rotation locks the band on the tee  14 . The cylindrical nut  7  is placed at the other end of the band  4 . The two ends are locked down, an elongated opening constituting an opening with respect to each end. The screw  5  locks the nut  7  by way of the second opening from the end of the band  4 , second opening that forms the end opening from the locking down of the edge of the end  18  of the band. The saddle hub  3 , the band  4  forming the bracelet and the screw  5  now forming a single assembly, the bracelet may pivot with respect to the saddle hub  3  on the cylindrical portion of the tee  16 . 
   A single person is sufficient to place the ring  1  on the pipe  2 , to close the bracelet around the pipe, to place and tighten the screw  5  in the groove  22  that tightens and immobilizes the ring on the pipe  2 . The tap  12  is screwed onto the saddle hub  3  in the embodiment in which the saddle hub  3  and the tap  12  are constituted by separate pieces. The boring machine  29  and the shutter  30  are mounted on the tap  12 . Then, the pipe  2  is pierced, after which the drill of the boring machine is brought back up. The head of the shutter  33  is advanced and insures a watertight seal of the upper portion of the open chamber  26 . The boring machine  29  is removed. A stopper closes the tube  28 . The head of the shutter is backed up and closing the tap  12  allows the shutter to be taken off, followed by the mounting of the principal pipe  2   a ,  2   b ,  2   c  to an auxiliary bypass pipe. 
   According to another embodiment, the saddle hub  3  and the body  25  of the tap  12  of the bypass pipe are configured as a single assembly presenting an inlet configured to be attached in a waterproof manner onto the pipe  2   a ,  2   b ,  2   c , said inlet tube emerging in an open chamber comprising in its upper portion a lateral outlet tube  27 , the chamber  26  comprising in an upper vertical tube  28  configured to be closed receiving in a waterproof manner a boring machine  29 . 
   According to another embodiment, the waterproof seal between the ring and the pipe  2  is insured by a one-piece lipped gasket such as is shown in  FIG. 5 . The lower surface  35  of the gasket is concave with a radius of curvature at least equal to the radius of curvature of the pipe  2 . Its peripheral portion  36  presents an edge  37  that separates it into at least two surfaces  38 ,  39 . The upper surface  40  of the gasket is provided with a radius of curvature that gives it a convex appearance. The peripheral surfaces and upper surfaces  38 ,  39 ,  40  of the lipped gasket are configured to lodge themselves within the and imprint foreseen in the sole of the saddle hub  3 . The internal portion  41  that delimits the hollow of said gasket and presents an open angle separating at least two surfaces  42 ,  43  of different slopes. The upper inside surface  42  having an orientation towards the top and the lower inside face  43  having an orientation toward the bottom and the pressure of the fluid P 1  passing in the hollow of the lipped gasket may be decomposed into two constituent components of which one component P 2  is directed toward the top of the imprint and another component P 3  is directed toward the surface of the pipe  2  by way of the external surfaces of the gasket. The gasket is configured to maintain the waterproof seal with the pipes  2   a ,  2   b ,  2   c  of various diameters by varying the intensity and placement of the pressure and the compression on the pipe  2   a ,  2   b ,  2   c  whatever its diameter. 
   Although the presents invention has been described with respect to very particular structures, the invention is not limited thereby and one may make numerous variations such as for example different combinations of the embodiments represented in the drawings or described hereinabove without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
   The reference numbers inserted after the technical characteristics in the claims are for the sole purpose of facilitating the comprehension of the claims and in no way limit the scope thereof.