379 patents
Page 5 of 19
Utility
Nozzle cap assembly
4 Apr 23
A nozzle cap assembly includes a body with a first curved side wall, the body defining a top end and a bottom end positioned opposite from the top end; a nut, the top end of the body positioned between the nut and the bottom end of the body; a spacer comprising a hollow body, the hollow body defining a curved outer surface, the spacer positioned between the nut and the bottom end of the body; and an antenna assembly coupled to the curved outer surface.
Jorge Isaac Ortiz, David James Carlos Dunn, Yanlong Li, Jesse Alvin Faunce
Filed: 1 Jun 22
Utility
Method of Preventing Tampering with a Hydrant
30 Mar 23
A method of preventing tampering with a hydrant includes inserting an operating stem of the hydrant through a central bore of an operating nut to mount the operating nut on the operating stem; and rotatably threading a grooved nut onto a threaded distal end of the operating stem, the grooved nut defining an indentation in an outer surface of the grooved nut, wherein: rotatably threading the grooved nut onto the threaded distal end of the operating stem comprises engaging the indentation with a mating groove tool and rotating the grooved nut with the mating groove tool.
Justin Blaine Childress
Filed: 6 Dec 22
Utility
Hydrant monitoring system
28 Mar 23
A sensing assembly includes an electronics assembly for use with a fire hydrant, the electronics assembly comprising: a sensor in fluid communication with the channel; at least one battery in electrical communication with the sensor; an antenna in electrical communication with the sensor; and a cover protecting the sensing assembly.
Timofey Sitnikov, Paul S. Gifford, Carlos Stephen Moreno, Daryl Lee Gibson
Filed: 5 Jan 21
Utility
Hydrant Nozzle Cap Adapter
23 Mar 23
A nozzle cap adapter includes an adapter ring defining a first adapter ring end, a second adapter ring end opposite the first adapter ring end, and an interior void extending from the first adapter ring end to the second adapter ring end; a nozzle connector extending from the second adapter ring end of the adapter ring, the nozzle connector configured to rotatably engage a fire hydrant nozzle; and a latch coupled to the adapter ring and configured to removably lock the nozzle cap adapter onto the fire hydrant nozzle; a gasket housing extending into the interior void and defining a gasket groove, the gasket groove facing the second adapter ring end; and a gasket disposed within the gasket groove and configured to abut an end of the fire hydrant nozzle.
Daryl Lee Gibson, Timofey Sitnikov, Paul S. Gifford
Filed: 29 Nov 22
Utility
Acoustic Sensor System
23 Mar 23
A sensor system can include a sensor module including a vibration sensor; a processor module including a power supply and a processor PCB, the processor module connected in electrical communication with the sensor module by a first cable; and an antenna module including an antenna, the antenna module connected in electrical communication with the processor module by a second cable.
Daryl Lee Gibson, Mohammad Hassan Sobhani, Andrew Wallace, Yongjun Mao, Valentin Mircea Burtea, Pocholo Laforteza, Sebastien Perrier, Bruce Robertson, Igor Gorban, Marcin Paul Kloc
Filed: 21 Sep 22
Utility
Tapping sleeve with bent ends
21 Mar 23
A method of assembling a tapping sleeve includes positioning an outlet band on a pipe element with an arcuate portion of the outlet band contacting an outer surface of the pipe element, the outlet band including a front end, a back end, a first side end, a second side end, a first bend line defined between the first side end and the second side end and extending from the front end to the back end, a second bend line defined between the first bend line and the second side end and extending from the front end to the back end, wherein the outlet band defines an arcuate portion between the first bend line and the second bend line, a first flange defined between the first side end and the first bend line, and a second flange defined between the second side end and the second bend line.
Scott P. Floyd, Charles Graham Hines, Daryl Lee Gibson
Filed: 15 Nov 19
Utility
High-resolution acoustic pipe condition assessment using in-bracket pipe excitation
21 Mar 23
Methods, systems, and computer-readable storage media for performing high-resolution assessment of the condition of pipes of a fluid distribution system using in-bracket excitation.
Bruce Robertson, Valentin Mircea Burtea, Sebastien Perrier, Joseph Butterfield
Filed: 29 Dec 20
Utility
Completion Plug and Fitting
16 Mar 23
A plug can include a body defining a top body end and a bottom body end, the body defining an outer surface extending between the top body end and the bottom body end and a plug recess extending into the body from the outer surface; and a locking mechanism including a locking bar, the locking bar rotationally fixed relative to the body, the locking mechanism reconfigurable between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration, the locking bar positioned at least partially within the plug recess, at least a portion of the locking bar extending outward from the plug recess in the locked configuration.
Mohammad Unnus Qasim, Yixin Li, Timothy Wayne Stern
Filed: 14 Sep 21
Utility
Pipe Stopper Assembly
9 Mar 23
A pipe stopper assembly includes a stopper fitting defining a fitting channel, the stopper fitting configured to be mounted to a pipeline; and a pipe stopper positioned in the fitting channel and comprising an expandable stopper body and a pressure assembly, the expandable stopper body configurable in an expanded configuration and a contracted configuration, the pressure assembly configurable in an open configuration and a closed configuration; wherein, in the open configuration, the expandable stopper body is biased to the expanded configuration, and in the closed configuration, the expandable stopper body is biased to the contracted configuration; and wherein, in the expanded configuration, fluid is prohibited from flowing through the fitting channel, and in the contracted configuration, fluid is permitted to flow through the fitting channel.
James Webber, Mohammad Unnus Qasim
Filed: 14 Nov 22
Utility
Method of Using a Pipe Stopper
9 Mar 23
A method of using a pipe stopper to stop fluid flow through a pipeline includes providing the pipe stopper, the pipe stopper comprising an expandable stopper body and a pressure assembly, the expandable stopper body configurable in an expanded configuration and a contracted configuration, the pressure assembly configurable in an open configuration and a closed configuration and comprising a housing cavity; lowering the expandable stopper body of the pipe stopper into a pipe channel of the pipeline in the contracted configuration; orienting the pressure assembly in the open configuration, wherein an upper portion of the housing cavity is in fluid communication with an atmosphere external to the pipeline and a lower portion of the housing cavity is in fluid communication with the pipe channel; and biasing the expandable stopper body to the expanded configuration to block fluid flow through the pipe channel.
James Webber, Mohammad Unnus Qasim
Filed: 14 Nov 22
Utility
Pipe Stopper
9 Mar 23
A pipe stopper includes an expandable stopper body defining a stopper cavity and configurable in an expanded configuration and a contracted configuration; a pressure assembly comprising a pressure housing and a piston, the piston slidably engaged with a housing cavity of the pressure housing, the piston operatively connected to the expandable stopper body; and a locking assembly comprising a locking rod and a locking device, a lower end of the locking rod disposed within the housing cavity, the locking rod further comprising a rod engagement mechanism, the locking device comprising a locking engagement mechanism; wherein the locking device is configurable in a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration, and wherein, in the locked configuration, the locking engagement mechanism engages the rod engagement mechanism to lock the expandable stopper body in the expanded configuration.
James Webber, Mohammad Unnus Qasim
Filed: 14 Nov 22
Utility
Infrastructure monitoring devices, systems, and methods
28 Feb 23
An infrastructure monitoring assembly includes a nozzle cap defining an internal cavity; an antenna positioned at least partially external to the internal cavity; and the antenna covered with a non-metallic material.
Gregory E. Hyland, Robert Paul Keefe, Marietta Edmunds Zakas, Clayton Robert Barker
Filed: 15 Oct 20
Utility
Hydrant monitoring system
28 Feb 23
A sensing assembly assembly for use with a fire hydrant having a stem includes a sensor in fluid communication with a water supply; at least one battery in electrical communication with the sensor; and an antenna in electrical communication with the sensor; wherein at least a portion of the sensing assembly is located within an interior cavity of the stem.
Timofey Sitnikov, Paul S. Gifford, Carlos Stephen Moreno
Filed: 25 Nov 20
Utility
Mechanical joint restraint
31 Jan 23
A method of using a mechanical joint restraint includes inserting an end of a pipe length into a gland bore of a gland, a ring bore of a gripping ring, and a gasket bore of a gasket, the gland, the gripping ring, and the gasket together forming the mechanical joint restraint; inserting at least a portion of the gasket of the mechanical joint restraint into a socket of a piping element; inserting the end of the pipe length into the socket of the piping element; and drawing the gland towards a flange of the piping element to compress the gasket into sealing engagement with the piping element and the pipe length.
Aurelian Ioan Furcoiu, David Edward Woollums
Filed: 17 Apr 19
Utility
Pipe Coupon Extraction Tool
19 Jan 23
A pipe coupon extraction tool includes a rod defining a first end, a second end, and a central axis; and a spring bar defining a first end and a second end, the spring bar rotatably secured to the rod, a surface of the spring bar configured to be angled with respect to the central axis when the pipe coupon extraction tool is engaged with a pipe coupon.
Timothy J. Mitchell, David Latimore Hughes, JR.
Filed: 15 Sep 22
Utility
Acoustic Pipeline Condition Assessment at Resolution Down to Pipe Stick
19 Jan 23
Methods, systems, and computer-readable storage media for providing high-resolution assessment of the condition of pipes of a fluid distribution down to the individual pipe stick.
Valentin Mircea Burtea, Joseph Butterfield, Bruce Robertson, Sebastien Perrier
Filed: 19 Jul 21
Utility
Revolver bypass valve
17 Jan 23
A bypass valve includes a base defining a base sealing surface, the base defining an upstream utility bore, a downstream utility bore, a meter inlet bore, and a meter outlet bore each extending into the base sealing surface; and a selector defining a selector sealing surface and a front surface, a primary passage and a secondary passage defined within the selector between the selector sealing surface and the front surface, the primary passage being isolated from the secondary passage, the selector defining at least one primary passage bore extending into the selector sealing surface and connected in fluid communication with the primary passage, the selector defining at least one secondary passage bore extending into the selector sealing surface and connected in fluid communication with the secondary passage.
Tomas Peleckas, Timothy Wayne Stern, Rock Allen Powell, Jr.
Filed: 14 Jan 21
Utility
Hydrant monitoring system
17 Jan 23
A sensing assembly assembly for use with a fire hydrant having a stem includes a sensor in fluid communication with a water supply; at least one battery in electrical communication with the sensor; and an antenna in electrical communication with the sensor; wherein at least a portion of the sensing assembly is located within an interior cavity of the stem.
Timofey Sitnikov, Paul S. Gifford, Carlos Stephen Moreno
Filed: 25 Nov 20
Utility
Infrastructure monitoring devices, systems, and methods
17 Jan 23
An infrastructure monitoring assembly includes a nozzle cap defining an internal cavity; an antenna positioned at least partially external to the internal cavity; and the antenna covered with a non-metallic material.
Gregory E. Hyland, Robert Paul Keefe, Marietta Edmunds Zakas, Clayton Robert Barker
Filed: 15 Oct 20
Utility
Insert valve cut warning system
10 Jan 23
A cut warning system can include a valve sleeve defining a cavity, the valve sleeve defining a bottom sealing surface within the cavity; a pipeline extending through the cavity; a drilling machine including a shell cutter, the shell cutter defining a bottom edge, the drilling machine configured to axially advance the shell cutter from a pre-engagement position towards the bottom sealing surface, the pipeline positioned between the shell cutter and the bottom sealing surface in the pre-engagement position; and a signaling element positioned within the cavity, the signaling element configured to produce a signal when the shell cutter reaches a post-engagement position, the bottom edge being axially positioned between the pipeline and the bottom sealing surface.
Timothy J. Mitchell, Samantha Ellen Covington, David Latimore Hughes, Jr.
Filed: 27 Aug 21