Patent ID: 8820363

Claim:
A plug for temporarily plugging a lateral line from a lateral opening in a main pipeline, the plug having a distal end which in use is inserted in the lateral line and a proximal end which in use is positioned closer to a flow path in the main pipeline than the distal end, the plug comprising: a one piece fitting tube having a proximal end and a distal end, the fitting tube being sized and shaped for being inserted distal end first at least partially in the lateral line, the fitting tube having a deformable portion and a through hole extending through the fitting tube from a proximal end of the fitting tube to a distal end of the fitting tube, the fitting tube having a thread on an inner surface of the through hole; and a wedge sized and shaped to be at least partially receivable in the through hole of the fitting tube from the distal end of the fitting tube, the wedge having an external thread corresponding to the thread on the inner surface of the through hole of the fitting tube for threadably engaging the fitting tube, the wedge including a head constructed for deforming the deformable portion of the fitting tube outward to plug the lateral opening, the head having a proximal portion having a lesser width than a distal portion of the head; and whereby in use the wedge is inserted in and in threaded engagement with the through hole of the fitting tube from the distal end of the fitting tube and rotation of the wedge causes axial movement of the wedge with respect to the fitting tube toward the flow path of the main pipeline and causes the head of the wedge to deform the deformable portion of the fitting tube outward to plug the lateral line.