Apparatus for forming a pipe fitting

Abstract

A pipe fitting includes a polymeric body molded into and fixedly connected to a metallic body, so that the metallic body extends around the polymeric body. The polymeric body extends around and is contiguous with a passageway of the pipe fitting, and at least partially defines a first opening of the passageway that is for being mated to a polymeric pipe. The metallic body extends around and is contiguous with the passageway, and at least partially defines a second opening of the passageway that is for being mated to a metallic pipe.

1 . An apparatus for forming a pipe fitting from at least a first body that extends around a passageway and defines at least two openings to the passageway, the apparatus comprising:
 a mold and a jig, with the jig including a receptacle for holding the first body in a predetermined position, and the mold and the jig being mounted for there being relative movement therebetween between a molding configuration and a loading configuration, wherein:
 in the loading configuration, the mold and the jig are positioned so that:
 if the receptacle is empty, the first body can be placed in the receptacle, and 
 if the pipe fitting is in the receptacle, the pipe fitting can be removed from the jig; and 
 
 in the molding configuration, the mold is in the passageway so that a chamber is defined between the first body and the mold, with the first body extending around the chamber and the chamber extending around the mold, and the mold engaging the first body so that:
 the chamber has:
 a first end that is proximate a first opening of the openings to the passageway, and 
 a second end that is located at an interposed position that is within the passageway, between the first opening and a second opening of the openings of the passageway, and distant from the second opening of the passageway, and 
 
 the mold substantially isolates the chamber from the portion of the passageway that is between the interposed position and the second opening of the passageway; and 
 
   a gate positioned for injecting molding material into the chamber during the molding configuration.   
     
     
         2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the gate is positioned for injecting the molding material into the chamber at an injection point, the injection point is positioned between the first and second ends of the chamber, and the injection point is distant from each of the first and second ends of the chamber. 
     
     
         3 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the injection point is closer to the second end of the chamber than to the first end of the chamber. 
     
     
         4 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the gate is part of the jig. 
     
     
         5 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the receptacle includes a polygonal envelope for engaging and extending around the first body. 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the receptacle further includes an cylindrical envelope for engaging and extending around the first body, and the cylindrical envelope is adjacent the polygonal envelope. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the receptacle includes a cylindrical envelope for engaging and extending around the first body, and the gate extends through the envelope.