Patent ID: 8875376

Claim:
A method for installing a metal transition end on a length of plastic pipe having an outer diameter and an inner diameter and an open end by placing a stiffener sleeve within the inner diameter of the plastic pipe at a desired location and at a point which is circumscribed by the metal transition end, the method comprising the steps of: forming the metal transition end with an internal shoulder which creates a stepped internal diameter, the internal shoulder dividing the internal diameter into a region of lesser relative diameter and a region of greater relative diameter; wherein the length of plastic pipe has an open end portion which is slidingly received within the metal transition end, the pipe open end portion having an outermost extent which abuts against the internal shoulder formed within the internal diameter of the transition end when the metal transition end is installed on the length of plastic pipe; placing an installer apparatus over the length of plastic pipe and the metal transition end from the direction of the open end of the plastic pipe, the installer apparatus being provided with a draw rod which extends along a horizontal axis generally aligned with the open pipe end and which terminates in a segmented grip, the draw rod also having an actuating sleeve slidingly mounted thereon; temporarily mounting a metal stiffener sleeve on the segmented grip of the draw rod by using the actuating sleeve on the draw rod to radially expand the segmented grip and, in turn, grip the stiffener sleeve to thereby capture the stiffener sleeve on the segmented grip without expanding the stiffener sleeve; using the apparatus to install the stiffener sleeve within the inner diameter of the plastic pipe adjacent the open end thereof at a location circumscribed by the region of relatively greater internal diameter of the metal transition end; the installation being accomplished by the following sequential steps: first pushing the stiffener sleeve into the open end portion of the plastic pipe by extending the segmented grip and draw rod along the inner diameter of the plastic pipe in a direction away from the pipe open end; next forcing the metal transition end over the open end portion of the plastic pipe, the metal stiffener ring remaining at a location within the pipe inner diameter below the location of the metal transition end which circumscribes the pipe open end portion; next using the segmented grip and draw rod to pull the metal stiffener ring in the direction of the pipe open end, whereby the stiffener ring is positioned within the inner diameter of the plastic pipe within the region circumscribed by the region of relatively greater internal diameter of the metal transition end; moving the actuating sleeve to relax the gripping segments and withdrawing the segmented grip and draw rod in order to leave the stiffener sleeve at the previously described location, the open end portion of the plastic pipe having the same inner diameter as at the beginning of the installation method.