Patent ID: 8474472

Claim:
A method for installing a fire sprinkler head connected to a water supply line in a desired orientation, the water supply line having an open pipe end and the fire sprinkler head having a threaded upstream end with a fitting end edge, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a pipe fitting having: (i) a body having a circular cross-section, a longitudinal axis, side walls, an open upstream end and an open downstream end, the open downstream end being sized and dimensioned to axially accept and retain an open pipe end, the downstream end having internal threads capable of accepting a male fitting having external threads which terminate at a fitting end edge, the body defining a gasket retention area located upstream of the internal threads; and (ii) an elongated gasket disposed within the gasket retention area, the elongated gasket having a pair of opposed long sides and a pair of opposed short sides, the gasket retention area comprising a circumferential notch defined in the side walls of the body and a flat gasket retention area base disposed in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body; wherein the gasket retention area and the gasket are chosen so that said male fitting, when threadedly disposed within the upstream end of the body, is capable of contacting a short side of the gasket with the fitting end edge so as to laterally distort the gasket, such that the threaded male fitting can be rotated within the downstream end of the body 360° while remaining liquid tight for pressures in excess of 300 psig; (b) attaching the body of the pipe fitting to the water supply line by attaching the upstream end of the body in fluid tight communication to the open pipe end of the water supply line; (c) threading the upstream end of the fire sprinkler head into the downstream end of the pipe fitting until the fitting end edge contacts the gasket and sufficiently presses against the gasket to effect a liquid tight seal with the gasket; and (d) further threading the upstream end of the fire sprinkler head into the downstream end of the pipe fitting up to 360° until the fire sprinkler head is disposed in the desired orientation.