Patent ID: 6976509

Claim:
A method and apparatus for sealing the opposed ends of a length of plastic pipe and pressurizing the interior bore of the plastic pipe so that the user has immediate confirmation that the integrity of the pipe has been maintained when the pipe is readied for installation, comprising: a plurality of plugs, each plug having a flexible and compressible plug body, a tapered insertion end and an opposite base end, a hole extending into the plug body from the base end and coaxial therewith, and a flange at the base end for restraining the insertion of the plug body into the bore of pipe; a plug insertion tool for inserting a plug into each end of the pipe having a handle and a push rod extending from the handle with the diameter of the push rod being less than the diameter of the hole in the body of the plug; a cylindrical, elongated needle shield for placement over the end of the pipe to facilitate the pressurization of the interior bore of the pipe after the plugs have sealed both ends of the pipe; a disc-shaped needle-positioning member mounted at an end of the needle shield and having a centrally located threaded aperture; a manually operable air pressure gun interconnected to a pressurized air source and having a needle through which pressurized air is delivered to the interior bore of the pipe; wherein the plugs are inserted at both ends of the pipe by the plug insertion member for sealing the interior of the pipe and the needle shield is concentrically placed over one end of the pipe for aligning the air pressure gun with the plug so that the needle can be directed through the hole of the plug for perforating the plug body, forming a temporary slot, and discharging pressurized air directed from the air pressure gun through the needle and into the bore thereby pressurizing the pipe and as the needle is withdrawn the plug body collapses and closes the temporary slot formed through the plug body by the needle perforation and subsequent withdrawal.