Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
20~g77~
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FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to an adaptor for activating a valve, which activator
ineludes a soeket having at least one displaceable engageable ball plunger for gripping the
valve and partieularly relates to a service box assembly for a valve disposed in the ground
whieh utilizes said adaptor. A method of exposing a valve to reinstall an inoperable serviee
box rod in a serviee box assembly having a valve below ground level is also taught ineluding
an inct~ tion tool to loeate and m~int~in a service box rod within a service box assembly.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Service boxes eomplete with rods are widely used in the publie utility field to
provide aeeess or operation to the valve and other control components of conduits and
pipelines buried in the ground. For example, United States Patent No. 3,548,864 teaches a
curb box and a method for making the same, which is formed of mouldable synthetie
material, others are made of iron/steel.
Another arrangement is shown in United States Patent No. 3,746,034 whieh
20 relates to a eurb box whieh is installed in the ground in valve proteeting position and is
positioned vertieally so that if an upper portion of the box is sheared off or otherwise
aeeidentally removed, the rem~ining box portion will be detectable because of the presence
of a portion of the deteetable metallie means.
Yet another arrangement is shown in United States Patent No. 4,643,218 whieh
relates to a eleaner and aetuator deviee for remote aeeess valve controls.
Finally, United States Patent No. 43,056 and 380,308 teaeh a stop coek and
ease for pipes leading from street mains and a stop cock box respectively.
A common problem which utilities encounter relates to the operation of the
control valve, stop cock, curb stop, when the service box rod and/or key becomesdiseonneeted from the valve or shut-off. Traditionally, the method of connecting the service
CA 02098770 1997-08-11
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box rod and/or key to the curb stop or valve curb stop or control valve has been by means
of a fork or prong that is welded or moulded to the rod and a cotter pin or other similar pin
produced from non-corrosive material, such as brass, is used to secure the rod or key to the
valve. Very often, the non-corrosive cotter pin or pins is not used or is replaced with a
cotter pin or pins that is corrosive. Therefore, the cotter pin or pins corrodes the rod or key,
becomes disconnected from the valve, which results in the valve becoming inoperable.
Moreover, the cotter pin may also become disconnected or broken through time. Moreover,
sometimes the pins are not used to attach the rod and once operated the rod becomes
10 detached from the valve. It is an object of this invention to provide an improved adaptor
which can be utilized to quickly and efficiently repair an inoperable connection between the
rod or key and valve. It is another object of this invention to provide an alternative to the
pin connecting method by lltili7ing a displaceable engageable member.
It is another object of this invention to provide an improved method for removal of
the valve box and rod in order to reconnect the service box rod or key to the valve by
Iltili7illg a high pressure water washout and vacuum method.
It is an aspect of this invention to provide an adaptor for connecting a rod and a valve
20 disposed below ground level, said adaptor including a body member extending along an axial
length thereof for defining an axis of rotation, said body member including a socket at one
end thereof to register with said valve, said body member including at least one radially
disposed threaded hole opening into said socket, said threaded hole for threadably receiving
a displaceable engageable member extending into said socket for gripping said valve when
said socket and said displaceable engageable member is urged against said valveso as to
secure said adaptor to said valve for operating said valve and for disengagement from said
valve by solely pulling said adaptor from said valve and means at another end of said
adaptor for connection to said rod, so as to reconnect said rod to said valve.
It is a further aspect of this invention to provide an adaptor for connecting a rod and
a valve disposed below ground level, said adaptor including a body member extending along
an axial length thereof for defining an axis of rotation, said body member including a socket
at one end thereof to register with said valve, said body member including at least one
CA 02098770 1997-08-11
radially disposed threaded hole opening into said socket, said threaded hole for threadably
receiving a displaceable engageable member having a spherical member moveable radially
within said radially disposed threaded hole so as to move said spherical member radially into
said socket and grip and lock said adaptor to said valve for axial rotation of said valve solely
by urging said socket against the valve; and move radially away from said socket and valve
and release said adaptor from said valve by solely pulling said socket away from said valve
and means at another end of said adaptor for connection to said rod.
It is another aspect of this invention to provide an adaptor for activating a valve, said
adaptor including a socket at one end thereof to register with said valve, said socket including
at least one displaceable engageable member gripping said valve when said socket is urged
against said valve so as to secure said adaptor to said valve for operating said valve and for
disengagement from said valve by solely pulling said adaptor from said valve.
It is another aspect of this invention to provide an adaptor for activating a valve, said
adaptor including a socket at one end thereof to register with said valve, said socket including
at least one ball and a spring means for urging said ball against said valve to grip said valve
when said socket is urged against said valve so as to secure said adaptor to said valve for
20 operating said valve and for pe~"~illing said ball to move relative said spring and said valve
when said socket is removed from said valve for disengagement from said valve by solely
pulling said adaptor from said valve and means at another end of said adaptor for connection
to a rod, wherein said connecting means includes a hole and said rod includes aperture means
at one end of the said rod for alignment with said hole, and a locking pin traversing said hole
and said aperture means for locking said rod to said adaptor.
It is a further aspect of this invention to provide a service box assembly for a valve
with a lug having a transverse through hole, said valve disposed in the ground, said box
assembly comprising: upper and lower tubular telescopic portions for presenting an access
30 passage from said valve to ground level; a removable cover plate to cover said access
passage; an adaptor for activating said valve, said adaptor including a body member
extending along an axial length thereof defining an axis of rotation, a socket presented at one
end of said body member to register with said valve, said body member including two
~,
CA 02098770 1997-08-11
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opposite radially disposed threaded holes opening into said socket, each said threaded hole
for threadably receiving a displaceable engageable member; a first spherical member carried
by one of said displaceable engageable members, said first spherical member projecting
radially inwardly into said socket; a second spherical member carried by said other
displaceable engageable member, said second spherical member disposed radially opposite
said first spherical member and projecting radially inwardly into said socket; said first
spherical member and said second spherical member moveable radially within said radially
disposed threaded holes so as to move radially into said socket and grip oppose ends of said
10 through hole and lock said adaptor to said valve for axial rotation of said valve solely by
urging said socket against said valve, and to move radially away from said socket and release
said adaptor from said valve by solely pulling said socket away from said valve; opposite
ends of said through hole when said socket and said first and second spherical members are
urged against said valve and for disengagement with said valve when said adaptor is removed
from said valve; and a service box rod disposed within said access passage and connected
to another end of said body member for rotating said body section and said valve about said
axis of rotation to open said valve in a first position and to close said valve in a second
posltlon.
It is yet another aspect of this invention to provide a method of repairing an
inoperable connection between a service box rod and a valve located in the ground, having
a lug with a transverse through hole comprising the steps of interposing an adaptor between
said rod and said valve said adaptor having a body member extending along an axial length
thereof for defining an axis of rotation connecting one end of said rod to one axial end of
said body member of said adaptor where said body member of said adaptor has a socket at
an axial end opposite said end connected to said rod, said body member including at least one
radially disposed threaded hole opening into said socket, said threaded hole for threadably
receiving a displaceable engageable member extending into said socket; moving at least one
spherical member carried by said displaceable engageable member radially within said
radially disposed threaded hole so as to move said spherical member radially into said socket
and grip said through hole and lock said adaptor to said valve for axial rotation of said valve
solely by urging said socket against said valve and to move said spherical member
f ~
.~,, .
CA 02098770 1997-08-11
,
~ - 3b -
radially away from said socket and release said adaptor from said valve by solely pulling said
socket away from said valve.
It is a further aspect of this invention to provide a method of repairing an inoperable
service box rod in a service box assembly having a valve below the ground by l1tili7:ing an
adaptor said method comprising the steps of creating a ground hole in the ground exteriorally
of said service box assembly by using a high-pressure water wash so as to break up said
ground and produce ground debris and vac~ ming said debris until said debris has been
10 removed around said service box assembly to said water valve; removing said service box
assembly from said hole; removing said inoperable service box rod from said valve, said
inoperable service box rod having a fork with aperture means at one end thereof; repairing
said inoperable service box rod by connecting said adaptor having a body member extending
along an axial length thereof for defining an axis of rotation, said body member having an
extension with a hole at one axial end thereof for ~lignment with said apertures of said fork,
and forcing a locking pin through said hole and said apertures, said body member of said
adaptor including a socket at another axial end thereof, said body member including at least
one radially disposed threaded hole opening into said socket for threadably receiving a
displaceable engageable member; placing said repaired service box rod into said ground hole
20 and urging said adaptor over said valve so as to move said spherical member radially within
said radially disposed threaded hole so as to move said spherical member radially into said
socket and grip and lock said valve for axial rotation of said valve solely by urging said
socket against said valve and to move said spherical member radially away from said socket
and release said adaptor from said valve by solely pulling said socket away from said valve,
and reintroducing said service box assembly into said ground hole over said rod and water
valve; filling said ground hole.
It is yet another aspect of this invention to provide an adaptor for activating a valve
having a lug with a transverse through hole, said adaptor having a body member extending
30 along the length thereof to define an axis of rotation; a socket presented at one axial end of
said body member to register with said valve said body member including two opposite
radially disposed threaded holes opening into said socket, each said threaded hole for
threadably receiving a displaceable engageable member; a first spherical member carried by
,d~
CA 02098770 1997-08-11
-- 3c --
one said displaceable engageable member, said first spherical member projecting radially
inwardly into said socket; a second spherical member carried said other displaceable
engageable member, said second spherical member disposed radially opposite said first
spherical member; said first spherical member and said second spherical moveable radially
within said radially disposed threaded hole so as to move said spherical member radially
into said socket and grip appropriate ends of said through hole and lock said adaptor to said
valve for axial rotation of said valve by solely urging said socket against said valve and to
move said spherical member radially away from said socket and release said adaptor from
10 said valve by solely pulling said socket away from said valve.
It is a further aspect of this invention to provide an adaptor for connecting a rod to
a valve disposed below ground level, said adaptor including a body member extending along
an axial length thereof for defining an axis of rotation, said body member including socket
means at one end thereof to register with said valve, said body member including at least one
radially disposed threaded hole opening into said socket means, said threaded hole for
threadably receiving a displaceable engageable member extending into said socket means for
gripping said valve when said socket means and said displaceable engageable member is
urged against said valve so as to secure said adaptor to said valve for operating said valve
20 and for disengagement from said valve by solely pulling said adaptor from said valve and
means at another end of said adaptor for connection to said rod, so as to connect said rod to
said valve.
It is yet another aspect of this invention to provide an adaptor having one end for
activating a valve, and another end for connection to a rod, said adaptor including socket
means at said one end to register with said valve for operating said valve; said socket means
comprising gripping means for grasping said valve when said adaptor is urged against said
valve by said rod, and for disengagement with said valve by solely pulling said rod.
It is a further aspect of this invention to provide a method of connecting a rod to a
valve located in the ground, said adaptor having a body member; by connecting one end of
said rod to one end of said body member of said adaptor where said body member of said
adaptor has socket means at another end opposite said end connected to said rod, said body
member including gripping means for grasping said valve when said adaptor is urged against
said valve by said rod, and for disengagement with said valve by solely pulling said rod.
~ ~i
2098770
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DESCRIPrION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other objects and features of the invention shall now be described
in relation to the following drawings:
Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the prior art service box assembly.
Figure 2 is a cross section perspective view of the adaptor.
10 Figure 3 is a bottom view of the adaptor.
Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the adaptor.
Figure S is a top view of the adaptor.
Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the adaptor.
Figure 7 is a full cross-sectional perspective view of a second embodiment of the adaptor.
20 Figure 8 is a bottom view of the adaptor shown in figure 7.
Figure 9 is a side elevational view of the adaptor shown in figure 7.
Figure 10 is a top view of the adaptor shown in figure 7.
Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of the adaptor shown in figure 7.
Figure 12 illustrates a truck having a high-pressure water line and vacuum hose.
30 Figure 13 shows an alternative truck having a high-pressure water line and more powerful
vacuum mechamsm.
209877t~
Figure 14 illustrates an in~t~ tion tool for inct~lling the rod/key complete with adaptor
attached.
Figure 15 illustrates a tool to cut and/or remove a cotter pin, clip or wire from the stop cock,
control valve, curb stop or valve.
Figure 16 is a side view of a fixed ball.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Like parts have been given like numbers throughout the figures.
Figure 1 is a drawing of the prior art which shows the utilization of a service box assembly
2 which includes an upper telescoping portion 4 and lower telescoping or dog house 6 which
are adapted to slide relative to one another so as to adjust the height of the service box
assembly 2 between ground level 8 and the depth of the valve 10. The valve can be
anywhere between 8 and 9 feet below ground level or any other depth which is suitable to
the particular pipe or conduit. For example, depth of conductor pipe could be between 3 to
12 feet deep.
The common service box assembly 2 also includes a service box rod/key 12 which has a
fork/connector 14 at one end 16 thereof and a bent or zig-zag portion 18 at the other end 20
thereof. The zig-zag portion 18 is adapted to generally centre the service box rod/key 12
within the telescoping portion 4.
The service box assembly 2 presents an access passageway between ground level 8 and the
valve 10. The top of the service box assembly 2 includes a cover plate 22 which is attached
to the service box assembly 2 in a manner well-known to those persons skilled in the art.
30 A service box rod 12 is generally comprised of stainless steel or other material and is adapted
to turn the valve 10 in a manner well-known to those persons skilled in the art. In particular
the service box rod 12 includes a fork or prong 14 which is connected to one end 16 of the
2098770
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rod by means of welding or the like. The fork 14 includes two aligned apertures 24 which
are adapted to receive a cotter pin or other locking pin 26. In particular, the valve 10
includes an extension or lug 28 having a hole, depression or indent 30 therethrough for
~ligning with the apertures 24 of the fork 14 so as to receive the cotter pin 26.
Typically the subject supplier incorporates the practice to use a non-corrosive material such
as brass/stainless steel to manufacture the cotter pin or other similar pin 26 to connect the rod
12 to the valve 10. During in~t~ tion of the rod 12, it is not unusual that the currently used
brass cotter pin or other similar pin 26 or other non-corrosive material pin is lost or replaced
10 with a pin of material that corrodes such as the common nail/wire. Accordingly, when it
becomes necess~ry to operate the valve 10, the rod 12 becomes inoperable as the pin 26 has
corroded or the rod 12 is "off" the valve 10. Accordingly the valve 10 now needs to be
excavated to allow it to be exposed and to have the rod 12 reconnected to the valve 10. The
valve 10 can be located in the lawn area or a paved driveway and in either situation
expensive and extensive digging procedures have heretofore been implemented to fix the
inoperable valve 10. Normally a hole large enough to allow a person to make the repair is
required in the prior art. Such method is both time consuming and expensive as the
excavation is done by hand or by a back hoe which requires appropriate reinforcement to
prevent the ground from caving in while it is being repaired.
Furthermore, the property owner typically experiences unwanted property damage which
requires clean-up and repair as well as the possibility of extensive re-asphalting of a portion
of the driveway in order to clean-up the repair/or l~n~l~c~ping, sod, trees, flowers, etc.
Accordingly, the figures 2-6 illustrate one embodiment of the invention which illustrates an
adaptor or coupler 40 which has a socket 42 at one end thereof adapted to register with the
lug 28 of a valve 10. Moreover the adaptor includes at the other end thereof, an extension
44 having a hole 46 therethrough.
30 In particular the adaptor 40 presents a generally cylindrical body member 48 which extends
along the axial length thereof so as to define an axis of rotation 50. The hole 46 and
extension 44 is disposed radially relative said cylindrical portion 48.
209877~
~_ -- 7
The sockets 42 include at least one displaceable engageable member 52 and in an embodiment
shown in figure 2 comprises two displaceable engageable members 52. The displaceable
engageable members are adapted to grip the valve 10 and particularly the lug 28 when the
socket 42 is urged against the valve lO in a manner to be more fully described herein.
In the embodiment shown in figures 2-6 inclusive, the two displaceable engageable members
52 are displaced opposite one another radially of the axis of rotation 50.
In particular the displaceable engageable members 52 comprise a spherical member or ball
54 and a housing 56 which has a hole or bore 58 therethrough for housing a spring
. .. .
mechanism 60. The spring 60 is inserted into the bore 58 and the ball member 54 pushed
into the bore 58 and the open ends 62 are ball-pinned over in a manner well-known to those
persons skilled in the art so as to capture the ball member 54. Accordingly, the displaceable
engageable member 52 comprises a ball plunger whereby the ball 54 is adapted to be
displaced or moveable within the bore 58. The spring 60 urges the ball 54 in a biased
position as shown in figure 6. The housing 56 includes a threaded exterior 64 for threading
the displaceable engageable member 52 in suitable threadable hole 66 by engagement with
the slot 68 by means of a screwdriver or the like. Therefore the displaceable engageable
members 52 may be threaded into the housing 66 as best seen in figure 6.
Although the figures illustrate the use of two displaceable engageable members 52, it should
be noted that only one displaceable engageable member 52 is necessary for the operation of
the invention as described herein. In other words one displaceable engageable member 52
or ball plunger 52 may be utilized. Alternatively, the second ball 54 may be fixed as shown
in figure 16.
Accordingly, when it is discovered that a rod 12 is inoperable to operate the valve 10 the rod
12 is required to be removed from the service box assembly 2. Thereafter the extension 44
is designed to fit between the forks 14 of the rod 12 and the apertures 24 of the fork 14 is
30 aligned with the hole 46 of extension 44. Thereafter a suitable non-corrosive cotter pin or
other locking pin may be driven through the apertures 24 and hole 46 of the adaptor 48.
209877~
- 8 -
Accordingly an adaptor 48 is connected at the other end to the service box rod 12 so as to
retrofit an inoperable service box rod. Thereafter any dirt or debris around the valve is
removed and the retrofitted service box rod with adaptor 48 placed down over the valve 10
in the manner whereby the socket 42 is urged against the lug 28 whereby the ball(s) 54 of
the displaceable engageable members 52 are pushed and forced over the lug so as to register
with the hole, depression or indent 30 of the lug 28. In particular, the socket 42 is
dimensioned so as to receive the lug 28. Moreover, as the socket 42 is urged over the lug
28, the ball(s) 54 of displaceable engageable members 52 contact the outside edges of lug 28
and upon further urging the ball(s) 54 push against the springs 60 so as to cause the ball(s)
54 to move within the bores 58 and thereby ride over the lug 28 until the ball(s) 54 register
with the hole 30. Once the ball(s) 54 register with the hole, depression or indent 30, the
ball(s) 54 are pushed by the springs 60 so as to register with the hole 30 and grip the lug 28
as best seen in figure 6.
Accordingly, if for some reason the rod 12 must be removed, it may be simply pulled away
from the valve 10 for disengagement whereby, again, the ball(s) 54 would move within their
respective bores 58 so as to clear the lug 28 and then spring back once the socket cleared the
lug 28. By urging the socket against the valve 10 the adaptor is firmly secured to the valve
10 by means of the displaceable engageable members 52 so as to repair the inoperable valve.
20 Moreover it has been found that good positive securement of the adaptor 40 is capable even
if the valve 10 is not at a horizontal angle and instead is disposed at an incline from the
vertical or horizontal plane.
An alternate embodiment is shown in figures 7-11 inclusive, which include parts which are
essentially the same as shown in figures 2-6 except that the adaptor 40 is connected to the rod
12 by means of 11tili7ing a connection with the hole 70 so as to fit within the hole 70 and be
secured by the pin. Other methods of connection could include welding, threaded
engagement, or other suitable means, for an engagement with a service box rod/key 12 which
does not include the fork 14 but rather includes an end which is engageable with the hole 70.
30 In the arrangement shown in figure 7 the hole 70 is orientated and disposed along the axis.
A locking pin 72 is utilized in extension 74 as shown in figure 7. In one arrangement the
2098770
g
diameter of one end of the rod is dimensioned so as to fit within the hole 70 and be secured
by the pin.
The adaptor 40 shown in figure 7 may be utilized as a new part to be included in a service
box assembly whereby the rod 12 is connected to the adaptor 40 so as to be placed in new
in~t~ tion or alternatively, the embodiment shown in figure 7 may be utilized to retrofit or
repair inoperable valves. However, it should be noted that the adaptor 40 shown in figures
2-6 has been designed so as to enable a person to retrofit a service box rod while the adaptor
shown in figure 7 may be utilized during the manufacture of new rods connected to the
10 adaptor 40.
Figure 12 illustrates a method of exposing a valve to reinstall an inoperable service box rod
in a service box assembly having a valve below ground level.
Under the old method it was nPces~ry to excavate around the service box which required
~igging of a huge hole. In the embodiment shown in figure 12, it is only necessary to dig
a round hole sufficiently large enough to clear the service box. typically, a hole of
approximately 12 inches in diameter would be sufficient. Accordingly, in the embodiment
shown in figure 12 a pick (not shown) may be utilized to cut through the top layer of asphalt
20 in a driveway or the like and thereafter a high pressure water wash-out tool 80 may be
utilized which has sufficient force to "cut" or push gravel, dirt or the like from around the
service box assembly 2. Thereafter a vacuum hose 82 may be utilized to vacuum up the
loose debris which has been loosened by the high pressure water wash-out 80. This operation
is continued until the dirt around the service box assembly 2 has been removed down to the
valve 10. Thereafter the service box assembly 2 can be removed so as expose the valve 10.
The rod 12 is also removed in the manner well-known to those persons skilled in the art. If
the cotter pin 26 has been corroded or not used, the rod 12 may be easily removed. If
however a portion of the cotter pin 26 is still intact or if the rod 12 is still partially or fully
connected to the valve 10, a suitable tool (as shown in figure 15) to remove the pin 26 may
30 be utilized so as to disengage or dislodge the rod 12 from the valve 10. Thereafter the rod
12 as shown in figure 2 having the fork 14 may be utilized to connect to the adaptor shown
in figure 1 as described above. The rod 12 may then be lowered into the service box
209877U
- 10 -
assembly 2 such that the adaptor 40 registered as over the valve 10 and rod/key and in
particular the socket 42 is urged against the lug 28 in a manner described above whereby the
displaceable engageable means 52 register with the valve 10 as described above. The service
box assembly 2 may then be lowered over the rod 12 and over the valve 10 in a manner well
known to those persons skilled in the art.
Alternatively, the inct~ tion tool as shown in figure 14 may be utilized should the valve 10
be too deep to connect the rod/key 12 to the valve 10.
10 The in~t~ tion tool as shown in figure 14 includes a clamping mechanism 90 which is
connected to a first pulley assembly 92 adapted to activate the clamping mechanism 90 so as
to clamp the end 20 of the rod 12 to fixedly secure same. A second pulley assembly 94 may
be utilized which is connected to the first pulley assembly 92 by means of a pulley chain or
the like 96. In particular the second pulley assembly 94 is activated so as to turn first pulley
assembly 92 by means of the chain 96 so as to clamp the end 20 of the rod 12. The insertion
tool is then inserted into the access passage defined by the service box assembly 2 so that the
adaptor 40 can engage in the valve 10 as described above. Once the engagement has taken
place, the second pulley assembly 94 is deactivated so as to cause the first pulley assembly
92 to move and unclamp the clamping mechanism 90 from the end of the rod 12. Thereafter
20 the insertion tool may be removed from the ground and the curb box/valve box 4 placed over
the rod/key 12. Thereafter the hole around the service box assembly 2 may be filled in. If
the small twelve inch diameter hole is located in the driveway only a small portion of asphalt
will be neces~ry to repair the excavation, likewise if in a lawn area, only a small portion of
sod will be necessary to repair the excavation.
Figure 15 illustrates a tool 100 which includes a wire cutter portion 102 and wire cutter pivot
point 104, and second pivot point 106, with handles 108. The handles include adjustable
extending sleeves 110 which may be utilized to extend the length of the handles 108 by
moving handle portions 112 within the extending sleeve 110.
By utili7ing the invention described herein an inoperable service box rod may be quickly,
efficiently and cost-effectively repaired with minim~l damage to the property or the owner.
2098~7 1~
Furthermore by utilizing the high pressure water and vacuum method, repair or excavating
may take place by means of a "no dig"/"trenchless" excavating method.
Although the preferred embodiments as well as the operations and use have been specifically
described in relation to the drawings it should be understood that variations to the preferred
embodiments could easily be achieved by a person skilled in the arts without departing from
the spirit of the invention. Accordingly the invention should not be understood to be limited
to the exact form revealed by the drawings. For example the drawings refer to a water
valve, although the invention extends to other valves such as gas, oil, or any other valve for
10 fluid, gas or liquids.
