Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02449935 2003-12-16
MULTI-SETTING CONNECTOR
FOR SAP COLLECTION SYSTEM
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to sap collection
systems and, more particularly, to a connector used, for
instance, to connect one or two branch lines to a main
line.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the maple sugar industry, various sap
Collecting devices or spouts have been used to collect
sap from trees such as maple trees. These spouts are
introduced in holes defined in the trunks of the maple
trees such that sap from the maple trees drip through the
tubular spouts and are collected in various manners. For
example, originally, metal buckets were suspended from
the tree trunks below the spouts such that the maple sap
would drip into these buckets, arid then the buckets would
be manually poured into a large container mounted on a
vehicle. Obviously, this tedious task of periodic
tree-to-tree collection was costly and conduit systems
were developed for conveying the sa.p dripping from the
spouts to a series of secondary and main lines up to the
sap treatment center.
For instance, U.S. Patent No. 2,877,601 issued
to Griggs on March 17, 1959 discloses an arterial network
extending from tree to tree to the collection point. This
network is basically made up of a series of spouts, a
series of secondary or branch lines connecting the spouts
to a main conduit which itself is connected downstream to
a sap collecting center. In Griggs, the branch lines are
connected to the main line by tubes connected to the
downstream end of the branch lines and extending through
the sidewall of the main line such that sap passes
through the branch line, the tube and into the main line.
1
CA 02449935 2003-12-16
Various other connectors have been developed
for connecting branch lines to a main line, including
connectors having semi-cylindrical sidewalls adapted to
be mounted around the main line, with a tubular T member
extending outwardly from this semi-cylindrical sidewall
and in fluid communication with the main conduit by way
of a holed defined in the latter and a tubular extension
extending inwardly of the semi-cylindrical sidewall from
the T-shaped member. The outside free ends of the
T-shaped member are each adapted for connection to a
branch.line such that sap passing through the branch line
goes through the T-shaped connector and into the main
conduit. Adjustable bands, straps or metal wires are used
to secure these connectors to the main line by extending
around the semi-cylindrical wall of the connector and
around the main conduit.
The main conduits can have various diameters
and a number of different connectors are required for
accommodating such various diameters in the main lines.
For instance, the semi-cylindrical walls may be
manufactured with different radii as the flexibility
thereof is limited and cannot accommodate the various
sizes of main lines. Furthermore, the straps or bands
used to attach the connector to the main line need to
have various lengths in view of the varying
circumferences of the main lines.
STJMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an aim of the present invention
to provide a novel connector for connecting at least two
conduits together.
It is also an aim of the present invention to
provide a novel connector for connecting a main line of a
sap collection system to at least one branch line
thereof .
It is a further aim of the present invention to
provide a connector for connecting a main line of a sap
collection system to at least one branch line thereof,
2
CA 02449935 2003-12-16
the connector being adapted to be used on main lines of
various outside diameters.
It is a still further aim of the present
invention to provide a connector for sap collection
systems provided with an elongated socket for engaging a
wire or a cable such such that at least part of the sap
collection system may be suspended from the wire or
cable.
It is a still further aim of the present
invention to provide a method for mounting a connector to
an elongated member.
Therefore, in accordance with the present
invention, there is provided a connector for connecting
in fluid communication a first conduit with at least a
second conduit, comprising a clip member, a fluid
conveying member a.nd at least one strap, said clip member
being adapted to be positioned against the first conduit
with said fluid conveying member being adapted to extend
at a f first end thereof into the f first conduit and to be
connected at a second end thereof to the second conduit
such that the first and second conduits are in fluid
communication by way of said fluid conveying member, said
strap having opposed ends adapted to be connected to said
clip member for securing said clip member against the
first conduit, and said strap being detachably mounted to
said clip member.
Also in accordance with the present invention,
there is provided a connector for Connecting in fluid
Communication a first conduit with at least a second
conduit, Comprising a clip member, a fluid conveying
member and at least one strap, said clip member being
adapted to be positioned against the first conduit with
said fluid conveying member being adapted to extend at a
first end thereof into the first conduit and to be
connected at a second end thereof to the second conduit
such that the first and second conduits are in fluid
communication by way of said fluid conveying member, said
3
CA 02449935 2003-12-16
strap having opposed ends adapted to be connected to said
clip member for securing said clip member against the
first conduit, wherein said clip member and said strap
include cooperating attachment means adapted to provide
at least two different relative positions between said
clip member and said strap.
Further in accordance with the present
invention, there is provided a connector for connecting
in fluid communication a first conduit with at least a
second conduit, comprising a clip member and a fluid
conveying member, said clip member being adapted to be
positioned against the first conduit with said fluid
conveying member being adapted to extend at a first end
thereof into the ffirst conduit and to be connected at a
second end thereof to the second conduit such that the
first and second conduits are in fluid communication by
way of said fluid conveying member, mounting means being
provided for securing said clip member against the first
conduit, said clip member being provided with wire
holding means adapted to be secured to a wire or the like
for suspending said connector therefrom.
Still further in accordance with the present
invention, there is provided a method for mounting a
connector around an elongated member, comprising the
steps of , a) providing a clip member and a strap having
proximal and distal ends; b) connecting the distal end of
the strap to the clip member at a selected one of at
least two different relative positions with respect the
clip member for adjusting a useful length of the strap in
view of a size of the elongated member; and c) securing
the distal end of the strap to the clip member such that
the strap and clip member are securely mounted to the
elongated member.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Having thus generally described the nature of
the invention, reference will now be made to the
4
CA 02449935 2003-12-16
accompanying drawings, showing by way of illustration a
preferred embodiment thereof, and in which;
Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a multi
setting connector in accordance with the present
invention which is shown mounted around a main line, the
main line being shown in cross-section;
Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of a clip
member of the connector of Figure 1;
Fig. 3 is top plan view of the clip member of
Figure 2;
Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of the clip
member of Figure 2;
Fig. 5 is a rear elevational view of the clip
member of Figure 2;
Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of a sap
conveying member of the connector of Figure l;
Figs. 7a and 7b are respectively side
elevational and bottom plan views of either one of the
two straps of the connector of Figure 1; and
Figs. 8 and 9 are alternate straps which are
schematically shown engaged to a locking member of the
clip member.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In accordance with the present invention,
Figure 1 illustrates a multi-setting connector C which is
mounted around a main line or conduit M. The connector C
comprises a clip member 10, a sap conveying member 12 and
a pair of similar straps 14. While also referring to
Figures 2 to 5 which show the clip member 10 in detail,
the clip member 10 includes a substantially
semi-cylindrical wall 16 adapted to extend around the
outer wall of the main line M. A socket 18 integrally
extends radially outwardly of the semi-cylindrical wall
16 and defines therein a through opening 20. On an outer
surface 22 of the semi-cylindrical wall 16, there is
defined on a first side of this outer surface 22 a pair
of elongated sockets 24 through which a cable or a wire
5
CA 02449935 2003-12-16
(not shown) can extend such that the connector C may be
suspended from this cable or wire for retaining, for
instance, the main line M (and th.e branch lines) at a
distance from the ground. Tndeed, the wire or cable can
be secured such as to extend above the ground and thus
retain the main line M and secondary branch lines (not
shown) of the sap conveying network above ground. Below
the elongated sockets 24 which have the shape of a
horizontal cylinder defining a longitudinal cut-out at
its upper end, the outer surface 22 of the
semi-cylindrical wall 16 is provided with a pair of
ratchet locking members 26 which each define an opening
28 therein with a ratchet arm 30 extending in the opening
28.
On the other side of the outer surface 22 of
the semi-cylindrical wall 16, there are provided, as best
seen in Figures 2 to 4, two sets of upper and lower pairs
of clamps 32 and 34. More particularly, on each side of
the socket 18 there is provided one upper pair of clamps
32 and one lower pair of clamps 34. Each clamp 32 and 34
is shaped as an open sided ring, as best seen in Figures
2 and 3.
The clip member 10 also includes an O-ring 36
disposed in an upper part of the socket 18 and a
semi-cylindrical rubber gasket (not shown) extending
along an inner surface 38 of the semi-cylindrical wall
16.
The sap conveying member, as best seen in
Figure 6, includes a main tube 40 and a pair of secondary
tubes 42 in fluid communication with the main tube 40.
Each secondary tube 42 defines at least a pair of
consecutive frusto-conical flanges 44 such that ends of
the branch lines (not shown) can be tightly connected
around the secondary tubes 42 whereby sap conveyed by
such branch lines passes through the secondary tubes 42,
then through the main tube 40 and into the main line M.
The main tube 40 is mounted to the socket 18 of the clip
6
CA 02449935 2003-12-16
member 10 and extends, as seen in Figure 1, inwardly past
the inner surface 38 of the semi-cylindrical wall 16 of
the clip member 10. The main line M defines an opening on
its sidewall through which the main tube 40 of the sap
conveying member 12 extends for ensuring fluid
communication between the branch lines and the main line
M. The main tube 40 extends through the aforementioned
gasket (not shown) and into the main. line M.
An annular shoulder 46 of the sap conveying
member 12 is adapted to be in compressed engagement with
the O-ring 36 and cooperate with the socket 1'8 for a
tight seal between the clip member 10 and the sap
conveying member 12. The main tube 40 defines an annular
flange 48 which locks behind an enlarged area 50 of the
opening 20 of the socket 18 for sewing the sap conveying
member 12 to the clip member 10. An annular edge 52
defined by a frusto-conical free end 54 of the main tube
40 helps retain the aforementioned gasket (not shown) in
close proximity with the semi-cylindrical wall 16 and may
further engage an inside wall 56 of the main line M for
further engagement of the connector C with the main line
M (even though this is not the case in Figure 1 where the
annular edge 52 is spaced from the inside wall 56 of the
main line M) .
Now referring mainly to Figures 7a and 7b, each
strap 14 includes an elongated flat body 58 provided, in
the illustrated embodiment, with three transversally
oriented cylindrical male anchors 60 which extend
outwardly past the longitudinal edges of the flat body
58, as best seen in Figure 7b. The flat body 58 also
defines a series of transversally defined and equally
spaced apart parallel ratchet teeth 62 adapted to
cooperate with the ratchet arm 30 provided in the locking
member 26 of the clip member 10. The flat body 58 also
includes a finger engaging extension 64. Markings 66 are
provided on the flat body 58 for each of the cylindrical
male anchors 60 for assisting and identifying which of
7
CA 02449935 2003-12-16
the male anchors 60 should be engaged with the upper and
lower clamps 32 and 34 depending on the outside diameter
of the main line M. In Figure 7b, the markings are for
main lines M having %", 1" and 1 11/".
In use, the sap conveying member 12 and the
clip member 10 are fixedly secured together with the clip
member 10 being ready to be positioned around the main
line M and with the secondary tubes 42 of the sap
conveying member being ready for connection to the branch
lines. It is understood that there could be a single
secondary tube 42 or more than two such tubes in addition
to the pair of secondary tubes 42 shown in the drawings
as this depends on the number of branch lines to be
connected to the main line M by way of the present
connector C. The elongated sockets 24 are also ready to
be engaged to an overhead cable or wire for suspending
the connector C anal the main line M therefrom and thus at
a distance from the ground.
As to the straps 14, they are each selectively
connected to the clip member 10 at various positions
thereon in view of the outside diameter of the main line
M. Indeed; one or two of the male anchors 60 will be
engaged with one or both of the pairs of upper and lower
clamps 32 and 34. For instance, for a longest effective
or usseful length of the straps 14, the distal male
anchor 68 of each strap 14 will be engaged with a
respective pair of lower clamps 34 and this to
accommodate a large diameter main line M. For a much
smaller diameter main line M, the proximal male anchor 72
will be engaged with the pair of upper clamps 32. Between
these two settings, there are two intermediate positions,
namely a first intermediate position where the distal
male anchor 68 is engaged with the upper clamps 32 and
with the intermediate male anchor 70 being engaged with
the lower clamps 34, and a second intermediate position
where the intermediate male anchor 70 is engaged to the
upper clamps 32 and the proximal male anchor 72 is
8
CA 02449935 2003-12-16
engaged with the lower clamps 34. Obviously, the number
and the positions of the clamps 32 and 34 could be varied
as there could be a single pair of clamps for each strap
14 as well as more than two pairs of clamps therefor.
Similarly, each strap 14 could be provided with more or
less than three cylindrical anchors 60.
Also, the detachable connection between the
straps 14 and the clip member 10 could take other forms
than the disclosed and illustrated co-acting male anchors
60 and upper and lower clamps 32 and 34. For instance,
the clip member 10 could define one or more outwardly
extending members, for instance circular, while the
straps 14 would define holes, for instance circular for
engagement with the aforementioned outwardly extending
members.
The distal end of the strap 14 defining the
ratchet teeth 62 is then engaged through a respective one
of the ratchet locking members 26 such that the ratchet
teeth 62 engage the ratchet arm 30 of the locking member
26. The finger extension 64 is gradually brought closer
to the locking member 26 while the ratchet teeth 62
slide, ratchet-like, through the opening 28 in the
locking member 26 until the strap 14 tightly secures the
clip member 10 to the main line M. The engagement of the
ratchet teeth 62 with the ratchet arm 30 subsequently
prevents the strap from loosening in a well known manner.
To tighten the strap 14 around the main line M, a user
can grasp either manually or with a tool (e. g. pliers)
the finger engaging extension 64 of the strap 14 and the
locking member 26 of the clip member 10 such as to bring
these two components closer together until the clip
member 10 is firmly secured to the main line M.
It is also noted that the straps 14 could be of
different lengths to accommodate various diameters of
main lines M. The detachability of the straps 14 from the
clip member 10 allows, asides from various relative
positions therebetween, for the straps 14 to be replaced
9
CA 02449935 2003-12-16
in the event that they are damaged or in the event that
they have to be cut for removing the connector C~from the
main line M, whereby new straps 14 can be used with the
same clip member 10 thereby avoiding for the complete
connector C to have to be discarded. A tool may be used
to pry the ratchet arm 30 away from the strap 14 to thus
disengage the ratchet teeth 62 of the strap 14 from the
ratchet arm 30 for removing or loosening the strap 14
with respect to the locking member 26 of the clip member
10. Figures 8 and 9 show variant straps 14' and 14" of
different lengths than strap 14, each with a single male
anchor 60 (although there could obviously be more such
made anchors)
