US Patent Issued to EBAA Iron on June 30 for "Gripping wedge for pipe joint restraint" (Texas Inventors)

ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 16 -- United States Patent no. 12,669,197, issued on June 30, was assigned to EBAA Iron Inc. (Eastland, Texas).

"Gripping wedge for pipe joint restraint" was invented by Michael L. Lundstrom (Eastland, Texas) and Nathan Kidd (Eastland, Texas).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A gripping wedge adapted to be received within a housing of a pipe joint restraint and contacted by a torque screw to set the gripping wedge against a pipe restrained by the pipe joint restraint. The gripping wedge defines first, second, and third planes, each of which is perpendicular to others, and includes a projection, a groove, and a ledge. The projection is curved in the first and third planes and...