Patent ID: 8906188

Claim:
A method of fusing a first conduit portion to a second conduit portion, comprising: heating and melting at least a portion of a first terminal edge of the first conduit portion and at least a portion of a first terminal edge of the second conduit portion, wherein the first conduit portion and the second conduit portion comprise a polyvinyl chloride material; butt fusing the at least one first conduit portion and the at least one second conduit portion together by engaging the heated and melted first terminal edge of the at least one first conduit portion with the heated and melted first terminal edge of the at least one second conduit portion at an engagement interfacial pressure of about 140 psi, thereby creating a butt fused joint area therebetween, wherein the butt fused joint area is free of a coupler between the first conduit portion and the second conduit portion; and optionally removing at least a portion of a resultant external bead extending around the butt fused joint area.