Pipe fitting

Abstract

A pipe connection assembly including: (a) a housing; (b) a first opening disposed within the housing, the opening having an inner surface adapted to receive a first end of a first pipe element; (c) an open-ended channel disposed within a wall of the housing, the channel having a wide cross-section disposed distal to the first opening, and a narrow cross-section disposed between the wide cross-section and the first opening, the channel fluidly communicating with the first opening via the narrow cross-section; and (d) a lock pin having a backbone and a tooth extending longitudinally therefrom, the backbone adapted to be received by the wide cross-section, the tooth adapted to be received by the narrow cross-section, the pin adapted to be urged along the open ended channel, whereby a bottom edge of the tooth protrudes through the narrow cross-section into the opening.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pipe connection assembly comprising:
 (a) a housing;   (b) a first opening disposed within said housing, said opening having an inner surface adapted to receive a first end of a first pipe element;   (c) an open-ended channel disposed within a wall of said housing, said channel having a wide cross-section disposed distal to said first opening, and a narrow cross-section disposed between said wide cross-section and said first opening,   said channel fluidly communicating with said first opening via said narrow cross-section; and   (d) a lock pin having a backbone and a longitudinal tooth extending longitudinally therefrom, said backbone adapted to be received by said wide cross-section, said tooth adapted to be received by said narrow cross-section, said pin adapted to be urged along said open ended channel, whereby a bottom edge of said tooth protrudes through said narrow cross-section into said opening.   
     
     
         2 . The pipe connection assembly of  claim 1 , wherein, when said first end is disposed within said housing such that an outer diameter of said first end is juxtapositioned against said inner surface, said tooth protruding into said opening impinges upon an outer surface of said pipe element, to lock said pipe element in place, with respect to said housing. 
     
     
         3 . The pipe connection assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said lock pin has a first longitudinal end adapted to be inserted into said channel as a lead end, and a second longitudinal end adapted to trail behind said first longitudinal end. 
     
     
         4 . The pipe connection assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said lock pin has a first longitudinal end adapted to be inserted into said channel as a lead end, and a second longitudinal end adapted to trail behind said first longitudinal end, and wherein a bottom edge of said longitudinal tooth is sloped, whereby a length of said tooth at said second longitudinal end exceeds a length of said tooth disposed towards said lead end. 
     
     
         5 . The pipe connection assembly of  claim 2 , wherein said lead end has a screw contour, said screw contour adapted to freely pass through said wide cross-section. 
     
     
         6 . The pipe connection assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said inner surface has a generally circular cross-section. 
     
     
         7 . The pipe connection assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said wide cross-section of said channel has a generally circular cross-section. 
     
     
         8 . The pipe connection assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said wide cross-section of said channel has a width W 1 , and said narrow cross-section has a width W 2 , and wherein a first ratio of W 2  to W 1  is less than 0.5. 
     
     
         9 . The pipe connection assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said ratio is less than 0.3. 
     
     
         10 . The pipe connection assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said backbone of said channel has a width D, and said narrow cross-section has a width W 4 , and wherein a second ratio of W 4  to D is less than 0.5. 
     
     
         11 . The pipe connection assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 (e) a second opening disposed within said housing, said second opening having a second inner surface adapted to receive a second end of a second pipe element.   
     
     
         12 . The pipe connection assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 (e) a second opening disposed within said housing, said second opening adapted to connect to a second pipe element.   
     
     
         13 . The pipe connection assembly of  claim 12 , wherein said second pipe element includes a fire sprinkler assembly. 
     
     
         14 . The pipe connection assembly of  claim 11 , the assembly further comprising:
 (f) a second open-ended channel disposed within said wall of said housing, said second channel having a second wide cross-section disposed distal to said second opening, and a second narrow cross-section disposed between said second wide cross-section and said second opening,   said second channel fluidly communicating with said second opening via said second narrow cross-section; and   (g) a second lock pin having a second backbone and a second longitudinal tooth extending longitudinally therefrom, said second backbone adapted to be received by said second wide cross-section, said second tooth adapted to be received by said second narrow cross-section, said second pin adapted to be urged along said second channel, whereby a second bottom edge of said second tooth protrudes through said second narrow cross-section into said second opening.   
     
     
         15 . The pipe connection assembly of  claim 14 , wherein, when said second end is disposed within said housing, whereby an outer diameter of said second end is juxtapositioned against said second inner surface, said tooth protruding into said second opening impinges upon an outer surface of said second pipe element, to lock said second pipe element in place, with respect to said housing. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The pipe connection assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said housing includes a generally annular recess disposed around said opening, said recess adapted to receive a sealing element. 
     
     
         21 . The pipe connection assembly of  claim 20 , further including said sealing element. 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . The pipe connection assembly of  claim 1 , said backbone having a longitudinal length L, wherein a portion of a perimeter of said backbone has a screw contour along at least 50% of said length L. 
     
     
         25 . The pipe connection assembly of  claim 1 , said backbone having, over at least a portion of a longitudinal length between said lead end and said tooth, a screw contour around an entire perimeter of said backbone. 
     
     
         26 . A pipe connection assembly comprising:
 (a) a housing;   (b) a first opening disposed within said housing, said opening having an inner surface adapted to receive a first end of a first pipe element;   (c) an open-ended channel disposed within a wall of said housing, said channel having a wide cross-section disposed distal to said first opening, and a narrow cross-section disposed between said wide cross-section and said first opening; and   (d) a lock pin having a backbone and a longitudinal tooth extending longitudinally therefrom, said backbone adapted to be received by said wide cross-section, said tooth adapted to be received by said narrow cross-section, said pin adapted to be urged along said open ended channel, whereby a bottom edge of said tooth protrudes through said narrow cross-section into said opening.