Patents Assigned to The Ford Meter Box Company Inc.
  • Patent number: 6322273
    Abstract: Joint restraint assembly for connecting pipes which includes a substantially annular body, at least one segment, and at least one bolt. The annular body is configured to fit around a pipe and has at least one pocket formed adjacent the pipe and at least one bore disposed through the body into the pocket. The segment is configured to fit in the pocket. The bolt extends through the bore engaging the segment abutting same against the pipe. In addition, the bolt has a stop ring formed thereon limiting the length the bolt can extend through the bore to a defined length sufficient for retaining the annular body around the pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Assignee: The Ford Meter Box Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Zachary J. Gentile, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5934334
    Abstract: Casing spacers for isolating carrier pipe mechanically, galvanically, and chemically from pipe casings. The spacers may be attached using fasteners to pipe joint restrainers or other ring structures which encircle carrier pipe. The spacers are more efficient to install in the field, provide robust mechanical structure and physical stability which does not degrade over time, provide additional protection to the pipe joints, and, because they may be attached to conventional structures instead of requiring an integral ring structure for encircling a pipe, alleviate the distribution and inventory problems encountered by conventional systems in which the casing spacer runners are attached to an integral ring structure which must conform to the carrier pipe size and the casing inner diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignee: Ford Meter Box Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick H. Gray, Jr., Stephen R. McDonald
  • Patent number: 5219001
    Abstract: A pipe repair clamp for repairing damaged piping is disclosed. The clamp includes a hollow, cylindrical slit compression gasket having axially extending end portions. The end portions define a relatively small, axially extending gap when the gasket is initially installed on a pipe to be repaired. An armor sleeve is mounted on the outside surface of a first portion of the gasket and has axially extending ends arcuately spaced unequal distances from the end faces of the gasket. A clamping band encircles the gasket and the sleeve so that tension applied to the band will exert compressive force on the gasket and sleeve. The band is in contact with a second portion of the gasket when the band and gasket are initially installed on the pipe and out of contact with third and fourth portions of the gasket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1993
    Assignee: The Ford Meter Box Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Wayne E. Rennaker
  • Patent number: 4682624
    Abstract: A self-drilling valve for tapping into water mains is disclosed. The valve provides a through bore providing a valve seat at its forward end and threaded for the remainder of its length. A cutter is located in the bore and provides a threaded head at its rearward end and a relatively long, tubular shank at its forward end. Cutting edges are provided at the forward end of the shank so that when the cutter is rotated and threaded forwardly against the surface of the water main, an opening is cut through the wall thereof. A guiding seal is positioned in the valve seat adjacent to the forward end of the cutter prior to and during the cutting operation to laterally position the forward end of the cutter during the cutting operation. Such seal remains with the cutter as the cutter is retracted so that the shank extends through the seal in all positions and does not have to re-enter the seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1986
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1987
    Assignee: The Ford Meter Box Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Clarence C. Turner
  • Patent number: 3961528
    Abstract: A combination is disclosed of a meter box having a meter connected to service pipes within it. To position the service pipes and meter within the meter box, a tubular member is positioned within the meter box and has two parallel transaxial holes through which the service pipes pass. The tubular member is held in place either by an expansible portion which causes pressure against opposing sides of the meter box, by a stake which connects between it and the floor of the meter box, or by wires suspending the tubular portion from the side walls of the meter box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 1974
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1976
    Assignee: The Ford Meter Box Company Inc.
    Inventor: Stanley W. Ford