FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to connection fittings which allow for various plumbing pieces to be arranged into a number of orientations, particularly in relation to a connection fitting which allows valves or pipes to be arranged in a preferred orientation to the manifold of a pump and to a mechanism which enables this.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Water pumps such as for recirculating water systems are generally included at an angle to the vertical to keep bearings covered by water. This means that the manifolds of such pumps are also angled to the vertical. As a result, fittings attached to such manifolds also are at an angle to the vertical. This presents problems where it is required or preferred that the fittings be parallel to a vertical surface such as a wall. Incorporation of angles into fittings requires substantial modification or additional components, which increases cost of manufacture.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] An approach which enables the aforementioned problems to be overcome has been developed. According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a connection fitting for use in conjunction with a plurality of plumbing pieces, being pipes, tubes, valves, manifolds or the like, so that a pair of such plumbing pieces when connected by the connection fitting can be positioned at one of a plurality of orientations with respect to each other, said orientations being selectable. [0004] According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a mechanism for enabling the selective orientation of a pair of plumbing views or a plumbing piece and a pump manifold.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0005] According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a connection fitting which includes a tubular body, a first end of the tubular body being provided with means for connection to a plumbing piece, the second end of the tubular body being insertable into or receivable within the bore of a second plumbing piece, the tubular body being provided with a circumferential channel and a plurality of recesses, opening into said circumferential channel, spaced at regular intervals around said circumferential channel, said circumferential channel and recesses being capable of interacting with retaining means provided in or on the second plumbing piece, said retaining means being spaced at regular intervals around the circumference of said second plumbing piece, corresponding to the spacing of the plurality of recesses around said circumferential channel, and biasing means opposing insertion of said connection fitting into the bore of the second plumbing piece.

[0006] According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a mechanism for orienting a plumbing piece with respect to a second plumbing piece or a pump manifold in one of a plurality of predetermined orientations, said mechanism including a connection fitting, said connection fitting having a tubular body provided at a first end with means for connection to a first plumbing piece, the second end of the tubular body being inserted into, or received within, the bore of a second plumbing piece, said tubular body also being provided with a circumferential channel with a plurality of recesses opening there into, said plurality of recesses being spaced at regular intervals around said circumferential channel, said circumferential channel and/or recesses receiving retaining means projecting inwardly of the bore of the second plumbing piece, said retaining means being spaced around the circumference of the bore of the second plumbing piece at intervals corresponding to the spacing of the plurality of recesses, the bore of the second plumbing piece containing biasing means opposing or resisting insertion of the connection fitting into the bore of the second plumbing piece, at least one of the retaining means being adjustable so as to allow rotation of the connection fitting around the longitudinal axis of its tubular body so as to permit one of a number of predetermined orientations of the connection fitting with respect to the second plumbing piece to be achieved.

[0007] Preferably, the means for connection at the said first end of the tubular body of the connection fitting are oriented at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the tubular body. Alternatively, the tubular body may include a bend, subject to the requirement that the geometry of the bend does not unduly affect fluid flow through the connection fitting.

[0008] The means for connection at the said first end of the tubular body of the connection fitting may take the form of an annular plate which can abut an outlet or inlet manifold of a pump and which can be secured thereto by a nut interacting with said outlet or inlet manifold.

[0009] The retaining means provided on the second plumbing piece may take the form of a plurality of projections extending inwardly of the bore of the second plumbing piece. Preferably at least one of the plurality of projections is formed by the shaft of a screw. Preferably at least one of the screws is a screw having a security head. Preferably the shaft of said screw with a security head protrudes into the circumferential channel or recess on the connection fitting but not so far as to prevent relative movement of the connection fitting with respect to the second plumbing piece. Preferably when the connection fitting is connected to a second plumbing piece being a valve said screw with a security head holds the valve internals in place and does not need to be adjusted except for valve disassembly. Preferably the others of the plurality of projections are adjustable and may be formed by the shafts of screws extending into the bore of the second plumbing piece, and into the circumferential channel and/or recesses of the tubular body, and more preferably those screws may be screwed in or out to increase or decrease their interaction with the circumferential channel and/or recesses, to respectively prevent or allow the connection fitting to be moved with respect to the second plumbing piece.

[0010] Preferably the biasing means is a compression spring retained within the bore of the second plumbing piece. Preferably the compression spring is seated on a shoulder within the bore of the tubular body of the connection fitting.

[0011] Preferably to alter the orientation of the connection fitting with respect to the second plumbing piece, the at least one of the plurality of adjustable projections are adjusted to decrease their interaction with the circumferential channel and/or recesses on the tubular body of the connection fitting. Preferably the decrease of interaction between the adjustable projections and the circumferential channel and/or recesses results from screwing out screws, the shafts of which form the plurality of adjustable projections. The connection fitting is then pushed further into the bore of the second plumbing piece, against the biasing means. This moves the plurality of recesses inwardly with respect to the opening of the bore of the second plumbing piece and releases them from interaction with the plurality of projections. The connection fitting is then rotated around the axis of its bore and that of the second plumbing piece until a desired new orientation of recesses and projections is achieved. The connection fitting is then allowed to move outwardly with respect to the opening of the bore of the second plumbing piece under the influence of the biasing means. The projections then engage with the recesses and the adjustable projections can then be adjusted to lock the connection fitting in the new orientation. Preferably, this is achieved by screwing in screws, the shafts of which form the plurality of adjustable projections. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0012] In order that the present invention may be more clearly understood a preferred embodiment is described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0013] Figure 1 is a one side view of a connection fitting according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0014] Figure 2 is another side view of the preferred embodiment of

Figure 1;

[0015] Figure 3 is a sectional view along 3-3 of Figure 1;

[0016] Figure 4 is a sectional view along 4-4 of Figure 2;

[0017] Figure 5 is a side view of the preferred embodiment of Figure 1 in association with a tubular portion of a valve in a first orientation;

[0018] Figure 6 is a sectional view along 6-6 of Figure 5; and

[0019] Figure 7 is a side view of the preferred embodiment of Figure 1 in association with the tubular portion of the valve in a second orientation;

[0020] Figure 8 is a pair of schematic views showing a pump (in outline only) attached to the preferred embodiment of Figure 1, with the preferred embodiment being in two orientations;

[0021] Figure 9 is a partially exploded view of the preferred

embodiment and the tubular portion of a valve;

[0022] Figure 10 is a close up view of a locking screw for use with the preferred embodiment and tubular portion of a valve; [0023] Figure 11 is a close up view of a screw with a security head for use with the preferred embodiment and tubular portion of a valve;

[0024] Figure 12 is a perspective view of the initial step in altering the orientation of the preferred embodiment with respect to a valve;

[0025] Figure 13 is a perspective view of the rotational step in altering the orientation of the preferred embodiment with respect to a valve;

[0026] Figure 14 is a perspective view of the release step in altering the orientation of the preferred embodiment with respect to a valve;

[0027] Figure 15 is a perspective view of the final (locking) step in altering the orientation of the preferred embodiment with respect to a valve.

[0028] The numeral 10 designates generally a connection fitting according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. The preferred embodiment is adopted for connecting a plumbing piece such as, in the present instance, a valve to a pump, in the drawings not all integers of the valve are shown. Connection fitting 10 is provided at its proximal end with a pump connection face 12, said pump connection face 12 being oriented at angle to the longitudinal axis 14 of the bore 16 of the tubular body 18 forming the major part of the connection fitting 10. A circumferential groove 20 is provided adjacent the distal end of tubular body 18 to receive an O-ring 19 to provide sealing between the connection fitting and the internal surface 28 of the bore 40 of a valve 30. In use pump connection face 12 of the connection fitting 10 is coupled to a pump inlet or outlet by means of a pump connection nut 22.

[0029] A circumferential channel 24 extends round the outside of the connection fitting and a plurality of recesses 26 extends distally, i.e., in the direction toward the valve, therefrom. The plurality of recesses 26, here two in number, are spaced evenly around the circumference of the outside of the tubular body 18.

[0030] A screw 32 with a security head extends inwardly of the longitudinal axis of the bore of the valve and the end 38 of its shaft 34 is received within a recess 26 connected to circumferential channel 24. The screw shaft 34 is not inserted so far into the circumferential channel 24 or recess 26 so as to have end 38 thereof engage either the inner surface 36 of the circumferential channel 24 or the inner surface 36' of the recess 26. However, the screw shaft 34 does extend sufficiently far into the circumferential channel 24 or recess 26 as to prevent ejection (by the biasing means) or removal of the connection fitting 10 from the bore 40 of the valve 30. This ensures that the internal components in the valve 30 are retained within bore 40.

[0031] A biasing means within the bore of the valve 30 is provided by compression spring 42 which here is positioned between the proximal end of a thermostatic element 44 and a shoulder 46 within the bore 16 of connection fitting 10.

[0032] Locking screw 48 is provided with a conventional head such as a Phillips head. The shaft 50 of locking screw 48 extends into the

circumferential channel 24 and/or recess 26. In a locked orientation (not shown here) the end of shaft 50 engages the inner surface 36' of a recess 26 and prevents movement of the connection fitting 10 with respect to the valve 30. Locking screw 48 can be loosened by unscrewing.

[0033] To alter the orientation of the pump connection face the locking screw 48 is loosened. This results in the end of the shaft 50 no longer engaging the inner surface 36' of recess 26. The connection fitting 10 is pushed into bore 40 of the valve 30 or manifold against the face of the compression spring 42. The shafts 34 and 50 of the screws then move out of the recesses 26 and into the space defined by circumferential channel 24. In such a situation the connection fitting 10 can be rotated about its longitudinal axis 14 with the ends of screw shafts 38 and 50 being able to be moved along the circumferential channel 24. When the connection fitting 10 has been rotated through 180° the connection fitting 10 can be released and the compression spring 42 will force it outwardly of the bore 40 of the valve 30. As a result the shafts of the screws can enter the recesses, albeit with the connection fitting 10 and pipe connection face 12 in a new orientation with respect to the valve 30. Locking screw 48 can then be screwed in to engage inner surface 36' of recess 26 and lock the connection fitting in place.

[0034] The complete disclosures of any patents, patent documents, and publications cited herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety as if each were individually incorporated. Various modifications and alterations to this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention. It should be understood that this invention is not intended to be unduly limited by the illustrative embodiments and examples set forth herein and that such examples and embodiments are presented by way of example only with the scope of the invention intended to be limited only by the claims set forth herein as follows.

[0035] Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

[0036] The reference in this specification to any prior publication (or information derived from it), or to any matter which is known, is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgment or admission or any form of suggestion that that prior publication (or information derived from it) or known matter forms part of the common general knowledge in the field of endeavour to which this specification relates.