ALEXANDRIA, Va., Feb. 24 -- United States Patent no. 12,560,267, issued on Feb. 24, was assigned to Mueller International LLC (Atlanta).
"Wide range tapping sleeve" was invented by Timothy Wayne Stern (Hixson, Tenn.), David Latimore Hughes Jr. (Signal Mountain, Tenn.) and Timothy J. Mitchell (Hixson, Tenn.).
According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A tapping sleeve for a pipe element can include first and second sleeve portions, each defining a first axial end, a second axial end, a first side end, a second side end, and an arcuate portion extending between the first side end and the second side end; the second sleeve portion hingedly secured to the first sleeve portion; and a connecting element joining ...