This invention relates to animal watering systems, such as used in poultry houses, and, in particular, to couplers used to rotationally align pipe segments one to another and connectors for connecting the water pipe segments to a stabilizer bar to ensure that the hang point of the water line is 180° from the drinker pin or nipple and to further prevent twisting and/or torquing of pipe segments relative to each other. Although the invention is described below in connection to poultry house watering systems it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention has applicability to piping for carrying fluid material, such as liquid, gas, or even fluidized particulate material, and, in particular to such piping which is suspended.
A typical animal watering system S, such as is used in poultry houses, is shown in FIG. 1. The watering system S includes a water regulator R which is connected to a supply of water WS to reduce the line pressure of the supply water. Watering lines WL extend from the regulator and have drinkers spaced therealong. The watering lines WL can be hundreds of feet long, and hence, are generally made of pipe segments P which are connected together. The watering lines WL are generally constructed of plastic piping, such as ABS piping. To prevent the water pipes from flexing, for example, under their own weight, the plastic water pipes are generally suspended stabilizer bars SB by means of clips C. A segment of a prior art watering system is shown in FIG. 2. This watering system employs an extruded aluminum stabilizing bar to which the clip C is rigidly fixed. The prior art clip C, used in this system is shown in FIG. 3. In this watering system, a hanger H is connected to the top of the stabilizer bar. A cable extends between the hanger H and a support beam to suspend the watering system in the animal house H. In a second watering system, the stabilizer bar is made from metal round tubing. The clip in such a system has been generally S-shaped, with a top portion of the S frictionally grasping the round tubing stabilizer bar B and the bottom of the S frictional grasping the watering line WL. In this second example, the hanger H and clip C are combined together. As discussed briefly below, neither the C-shaped clip of FIG. 3, or the S-shaped clip used with the tubular stabilizing bar prevent the pipe segments from being rotated relative to the stabilizing bar. This allows for the assembler to adjust the rotational position of the pipe segments so that the drinkers (or drinker saddles) all face downwardly.
The individual pipe segments P of the watering system S are placed in fluid communication with each other using a coupler. The coupler includes O-rings to form a fluid tight seal between two adjacent pipe segments. Generally the pipes either have the drinkers already connected thereto or have mounting blocks fixed to the pipe to receive the drinkers prior to connecting the pipes together. To assemble the pipes together to form the watering line of the watering system, the individual pipes are placed in fluid communication with each other using couplers which form a fluid tight seal between adjacent pipe segments. The couplers frictionally engage the pipe segments, and hence, adjacent pipe segments can be rotated relative to each other. Importantly, the drinkers or drinker saddles D on an individual pipe segment are all rotationally aligned. The drinker operation is sensitive to the angle at which the drinker pin is positioned. Ideally, the drinker pins are normally in a vertical position, and the drinker pins of all the pipe segments are vertical.
The ability to rotate the pipe segments in the coupler allows the assembler to rotationally align the drinkers of adjacent pipe segments, and hence, to rotationally align the drinkers along a watering line, so that all the drinker pins are substantially vertical. To maintain the rotational position of pipe segments, a second clamp C2 is provided, as seen in FIG. 2. The clamp C2 includes a nut and bolt which pull together two sections of the clamp to tightly and frictionally engage both the pipe segment P and the stabilizing bar B. To assemble a watering line, such as the watering line of FIG. 2, a stabilizing bar (or section thereof) is suspended using hangers H. The using clips C, a pipe segment is suspended from the stabilizing bar. The pipe segment is then rotated within the clips C so that the drinker saddles D face downwardly. When the proper rotational position of the pipe segment is obtained, the clamp C2 is tightened about the pipe segment. A coupler is placed on the end of the pipe segment, and a second pipe segment is added to the water line. This second pipe segment must be rotationally positioned in its clamps, and then fixed in place by means of a clamp C2. This process continues until the entire water line is completed. After the water line has been completed, the assembler must then check the rotational of the drinkers to ensure that they are all aligned. If any are out of alignment, and do not face downwardly, as is necessary, the pipe segments must be adjusted. The adjustment of one pipe segment may affect the rotational position of its adjacent pipe segments. As can be appreciated, the process of assembly a water line so that the drinkers are all properly positioned can be a time consuming and difficult procedure.
As chicks grow, they tend to peck harder on the drinker pins. This pecking can create a torque force on the pipe segments which can cause pipe segments to rotate relative to each other. In order to help prevent rotation of pipe segments relative to each other, the clips C and C2 frictionally engage the pipe segments, as noted above. Even if the clips grasped the water line tightly when the water line is assembled, over time, the frictional grip of water pipe by the clip lessens, thereby allowing for rotation of pipe segments relative to each other. Additionally, birds passing under the drinkers could rotate the pipe segments. For water systems using the tubular stabilizing bar, not only can the birds manage to rotate the pipe segments relative to each other, they can knock the pipe segments, such that they are no longer fully gripped by the S-shaped clips. In this case, the pipe segments are no longer linearly aligned, and become slightly snaked.
Another clip that is currently available is the scissors-type clip shown in FIGS. 4 and 4A. This scissors-type clip is for use with tubular stabilizer bars and includes a hanger portion to connect the clip to a cable. This scissors-type clip is movable between an open and a closed position. In the open position, the clip can be positioned about the water pipe and the stabilizer bar. The clip is then closed to independently encircle the water pipe segments and the stabilizer bar. This clip includes a boot which engages the drinker saddle to fix the rotational position of the water pipe relative to the stabilizer bar. This scissors-type clip does not frictionally grip the tubular stabilizing bar, and the stabilizing bar can rotate within the clip. Hence, the clip does not prevent pivoting of the water line about the stabilizing bar. Stated differently, the stabilizing bar can form an axle about with the water line can pivot. Hence, birds pecking at the drinkers or walking under the water line can still cause individual pipe segments to pivot relative to the other pipe segments in the water line.
Because the pipe segments can be rotated relative to each other during assembly and even during use of the drinkers by the birds, and because the mounting clip has to grasp the watering pipe so tightly, assembly of a watering line has, heretofore, been very difficult. It would be desirable to provide a coupler and a clip that will reduce the difficulty of rotationally aligning pipe segments of a watering line to make assembly of a watering line easier, and which will reduce the possibility of individual pipe segments being rotated during use of the drinkers by the birds.