US3722586A - Pitless well adapter - Google Patents

Abstract

In the case of a jet pump water system two round holes are cut in the well casing below the frostline. A casing fitting is attached fluid-tight to the casing around the two holes. The casing fitting has pressure and suction cylindrical recesses located beyond the inner wall of the casing, coaxial with the casing holes. Pressure and suction pipes are connected to the pressure and suction recesses and extend horizontally below the frostline into a dwelling to a pump and a water delivery conduit. A drop fitting has pressure and suction conduit necks which fit fluid-tight into the pressure and suction recesses. An inner assembly has drop and jet diffuser fittings at the top and bottom respectively of pressure and suction drop pipes. The inner assembly is lowered into the well with the pressure and suction conduit necks pointed in the direction of the conduit recesses. When the necks reach approximate alignment with the recesses an actuator automatically inserts the necks into the recesses and rigidly locks them in. Thus, the pressure and suction pipes and drop pipes are coupled fluid-tight and the inner assembly is rigidly supported. To remove the inner assembly, it is first additionally supported with a hoist, then the conduit necks are withdrawn from the recesses by a manual lift on a control cable (which reverses the actuator) and the inner assembly is lifted out with the hoist. The casing fitting and the drop fitting, which includes the actuator, comprise the invented pitless well adapter.

Description

United States Patent [191 Baker [54] PITLESS WELL ADAPTER John Gordon Baker, Wis.

[73] Assignee: Baker Manufacturing Company,

Evansville, Wis.

22 Filed: Oct.4,1971

211 Appl.No.: 186,090

[75] Inventor: Evansville,

Primary Examiner-James A. Leppink Attorney-John M. Diehl [57] ABSTRACT In the case of a jet pump water system two round holes are cut in the well casing below the frostline. A

[ 51 Mar. 27, 1973 casing fitting is attached fluid-tight to the casing around the two holes. The casing fitting has pressure and suction cylindrical recesses located beyond the inner wall of the casing, coaxial with the casing holes. Pressure and suction pipes are connected to the pressure and suction recesses and extend horizontally below the frostline into a dwelling to a pump and a water delivery conduit. A drop fitting has pressure and suction conduit necks which fit fluid-tight into the pressure and suction recesses. An inner assembly has drop and jet diffuser fittings at the top and bottom respectively of pressure and suction drop pipes. The. inner assembly is lowered into the well with the pressure and suction conduit necks pointed in the direction of the conduit recesses. When the hacks reach approximate alignment with the recesses an actuator automatically inserts the necks into the recesses and rigidly locks them in. Thus, the pressure and suction pipes and drop pipes are coupled fluid-tight and the inner assembly is rigidly supported. To remove the inner assembly, it is first additionally supported with a hoist, then the conduit necks are withdrawn from the recesses by a manual lift on a control cable (which reverses the actuator) and the inner assembly is lifted out with the hoist. The casing fitting and the drop fitting, which includes the actuator, comprise the invented pitless well adapter.

14 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMAR271973 SHEET 10F 2 u m. 51W I W.-

FIG. I

INVENTOR.

JOHN GOF\ 0N BAKER KfTORNiEY PITLESS WELL ADAPTER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention is an improvement in my prior application, Ser. No. 813,226, filed May 14, 1959, entitled Pitless Well Construction, now US. Pat. No. 3,136,362, issued June 9, 1964.

My prior invention identified above includes a channel-shaped actuator 35 for: (a) inserting the neck 18 of the drop pipe fitting 15 into the recess 19; (b) for rigidly holding the drop pipe fitting bosses 33 and 34 against the inside wall of the well casing and (c) for withdrawing drop pipe fitting from the recess 19.

In water supply systems having either shallow well or submersible motor pumps which require only one water delivery conduit, actuator 35 has generally been quite satisfactory except that on several occasions considerable force was required to withdraw the drop pipe fitting 15 from the recess 19. This difficulty is due to high friction in the sliding joints of the actuator 35 apparently resulting from manual pounding on the control rod 46. With the present invention one-half of the sliding joints have been eliminated, pivot joints have been added and undesirable friction has substantially reduced by replacing the control rod 46 with a control cable and springs.

It has also been found that the channel-shaped actuator 35 occupies so much room in the well casing that it is not easily adapted for water supply systems using jet pumps, primarily because such systems require room for two conduits where shallow well and submersible motor pump systems require only one.

PRIOR ART The invention is an improvement over the disclosures of the following U. S. patents:

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The primary object of this invention is to simplify and improve the structure, installation and servicing of pitless well adapters and other water system components at the well.

The second object is to prevent motion in the sealed joints of a pitless well adapter due to vibration, water hammer, and/or pressure-suction oscillation.

A third object is to locate the sealing surfaces of the casing fitting radially beyond the inner wall of the well casing to avoid damage to the sealing surfaces during installation and service operations and to provide a full unobstructed opening within the casing to facilitate well screen installation and replacement.

Another object is to provide a drop fitting which is adapted to support the inner assembly without a connection to the top of the well.

An additional object is to provide an actuator for such an adapter which moves easily within the well casing yet automatically completes the installation of the inner assembly with ample force when the inner assembly is aligned with the casing fitting.

The invention possesses other objects and advantageous features as will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of apparatus embodying one form of the invention and incorporating the novel features of the invention, the section being taken along a vertical center-line of the well casing.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional taken along the line BB of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical partial sectional view showing the upper portion of the inner assembly as it is lowered into the well.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary vertical partial sectional view of the inner assembly installed with a cap on the well casing.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional taken along the line C--C in FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is an elevation view of a spring and a cam, the latter with four tangent points, and four corresponding positions of a vertical tangent line on the inside wall of the well casing.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of apparatus embodying a second form of the invention and incorporating some of the novel features of the invention the section being taken along the vertical centerline of the well casing.

FIG. 8 is a horizontal section taken along the line B B of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary vertical partial sectional view showing the upper portion of the inner assembly, of the second form of the invention, as it is lowered into the well.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary vertical partial section view of the inner assembly of the second form of the invention installed with a cap on the well casing.

There is shown in the drawings and described herein two preferred embodiments of the invention, the first as applied to a water supply system using a two-pipe jet pump-and the second as applied to a water supply system using a submersible motor pump. It is to be understood that I do not intend to limit the invention by such disclosure but aim to cover all modifications, alternative constructions and uses falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as is expressed in the claims.

TWO-PIPE JET PUMP SYSTEM Referring to FIG. 1, the tubular well casing 8 extends both downward into the water below the water table and upward above the ground level 10. Two holes 11 are cut in the well casing 8 below the frostline 9. A casing fitting 12 is clamped fluid-tight against the well casing with two U-bolts 13 and with a peripheral rubber gasket 14 around the casing holes 11. A casing fitting 12 has pressure and suction recesses 15 and 16 located radially beyond the inner wall of the casing 8 and coaxial with the casing holes 11. Pressure and suction pipes 17 and 18 are connected to the pressure and suction recesses 15 and 16 in the casing fitting 12 and extended horizontally below the frostline 9 into a dwelling to a pump and a water delivery conduit (not shown).

The drop fitting 19 has pressure and suction conduit necks 20 and 21 which fit closely into the pressure and suction recesses and 16 and are sealed therein fluidtight by rubber rings 22 and 23. Inner assembly 24 comprises pressure and suction drop pipes 27 and 28 and drop fitting 25 attached to the top of the drop pipes and a jet diffuser fitting fitted to the bottom of the drop pipes in conventional manner, not shown for simplicity.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the inner assembly 24 is installed as follows:

a. It is supported by a hoist (not shown) attached to the lift-out pipe 30 which is threaded into the top of drop fitting 25.

b. The conduit necks and 21 are oriented manually, with the lift-out pipe 30, in the direction of the conduit recesses 15 and 16.

c. The inner assembly 24 is lowered into the well casing 8.

d. When the conduit necks 20 and 21 reach approximate alignment with the conduit recesses 15 and 16, the actuator 31 automatically inserts the conduit necks into the conduit recesses and rigidly holds the drop fitting bosses 32 against the inside wall of the well casing 8. Thus, the pressure and suction pipes 17. and 18 are coupled fluid-tight to the pressure and suction drop pipes 27 and 28 and the inner assembly 24 is rigidly supported.

To remove the inner assembly 24, it is first additionally supported with a hoist (not shown) attached to the lift-out pipe 30, then the conduit necks 20 and 21 are withdrawn from the recesses 15 and 16 by a manual lift on the control cable 33, and the inner assembly 24 is lifted out with the hoist.

Casing fitting 12, drop fitting and actuator 31 comprise the two-pipe jet pump pitless well adapter invented.

ACTUATOR Referring to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the cam 34 straddles the body of drop fitting 25 and is hinged there: with the pin 36. The peripheral surfaces of the cam 34 are constant in diameter and slightly smaller than the inner wall of the well casing 8. Two springs 37 extend from two anchors 38 to the two crank pivots 39 on the cam 34.

The inner assembly 24 is lowered into the well casing 8. When the bottom of cam 34 reaches the top of the well casing the cam 34 is rotated clockwise by manually lifting on the control cable 33. This rotation reduces the diameter of the inner assembly 24 at the drop fitting 25 allowing the drop fitting to enter the well casing. When the drop fitting is within the well casing and above the casing fitting, no pull on the control cable is necessary, and the springs 37 are near to dead-center with respect to the pin 36. The springs 37 in this position exert a small counterclockwise torque on the cam 34 which pushes the conduit necks 20 and 21 lightly against the inside wall of the well casing. In this condition the conduit necks 20 and 21 are easily oriented manually, with lift-out pipe 30, toward the conduit recesses 15 and 16 and then lowered into alignment with the conduit recesses 15 and 16.

At this point the restraint on the necks 20 and 21 of the inner wall of the well casing 8 is absent. This allows the drop fitting 25 with pin 36 to move to the right as the conduit necks 20 and 21 enter the conduit recesses 15 and 16. At the same time the cam 34 is rotated counterclockwise by the springs 37 increasing the spring moment arms with respect to pin 36. There is very little resistance to the entry of the conduit necks 20 and 21 until the rubber rings 22 and 23 on the necks 20 and 21 reach the chamfered entrances 41 and 42 of the recesses 15 and 16.

As the conduit necks 20 and 21 move further into the recesses 15 and 16, the chamfered recess entrances squeeze the rubber rings 22 and 23 thereby sealing the joints between the necks and the recesses. The increase in force required for such squeezing is provided by the increase in the moment arms of the springs 37 mentioned above. The counterclockwise rotation of the cam 34 continues until the drop fitting bosses 32 are pressing against the inner wall of the well casing 8 on the right, and the cam 34 is pressing against the inner wall of the well casing 8 at the tangent point 43 on the left shown in FIG. 4. Thus, the drop fitting is rigidly fixed within the well casing 8.

Four points A, B, C and D on the cam 34 and four corresponding positions a, b, c and d of a line of contact 44, on the inside wall of the well casing, are shown (FIG. 6). Cam 34 is shown in the position at which C is the tangent point and c is the position of the line 44.

FIG. 3 shows the position of the cam 34 when point A is the tangent point. This is the position at which the springs 37 are near deadcenter and the drop fitting 25 can be moved'up or down or rotated within the well casing with small friction and without pulling on the control cable 33.

When point B on the cam 34 is the tangent point, the conduit necks 20 and 21 have entered the conduit recesses 15 and 16 and the rubber rings 22 and 23 have reached the chamfered recess entrances 41 and 42. At this point the spring moment must of course be sufficient to squeeze the rubber rings 22 and 23 and overcome frictional resistance.

For a given nominal inside well casing diameter, point C on the cam 34 is the tangent point for the smallest inside well casing diameter tolerated by the applicable commercial standard, and point D on the cam 34 is the tangent point for the largest inside well casing diameter tolerated by the same standard. 1

Specifically in a typical case the contact surfaces of the cam 34 on the left are each two circular arcs, the first extending from point A to point B with an angle of 20, having a center at 60, and the second extending from point B to point D with an angle of 47 .5", having a center at 61. The contact surfaces of the cam 34 on the right are also each two circular arcs which are compliments of those on the left having collinear radii forming equal diameters. The centers 60 and 61 are, as may be seen, remote from the cam surfaces and remote from pins 36 and 39.

The control cable 33 is attached to the eye 45 on the cam 34. Manual lifting of the connol cable 33 rotates the cam 34 clockwise against the forces of the springs 37. This rotation withdraws the conduit necks 20 and 21 from the conduit recesses 15 and 16 and returns the springs 37 to near dead-center positions. In this condition the inner assembly 24 can be withdrawn from the well casing with small friction. After the start of such withdrawal, no pull on the control cable is necessary.

SHALLOW WELL AND SUBMERSIBLE MOTOR PUMP SYSTEM The shallow well and submersible pump water supply system is similar to the two-pipe jet pump system described above except that the latter system as shown in FIGS. 7, 8, 9 and 10:

1. has only a horizontal delivery pipe 46 extending from the well below the frostline to the point of water delivery (not shown).

2. has only one drop pipe 47.

3. has a cam 48 hinged with pin 49 on the drop fitting 50 with only one contact surface 51 on the right for withdrawing the conduit neck 52 from the conduit recess 53, (the contact surfaces on the left being the same as those on cam 34 in the first embodiment of the invention).

4. has two springs 54 extending from the anchors 55 to the crank pivots 56 partially enclosed with contact surface 51 to avoid rubbing contact with electrical cable 57.

The foregoing description of preferred embodiments will enable those skilled in the art to devise modifications or adaptions of this invention, within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, which define the invention.

I claim:

1. In a pitless well adapter installable in a well casing having a wall defined by an interior cylindrical surface and an exterior cylindrical surface, and having:

an opening in said wall communicating with a discharge pipe, and a drop pipe extending downwardly within said casing below said opening, said adapter comprising in combination:

a casing fitting, said casing fitting disposed to be provided in sealing engagement with said exterior surface of said casing and attachable to said discharge pipe,

a drop fitting attachable to said drop pipe and engageable with said casing fitting through said opening to provide closed tubular communication from the interior of said drop pipe to the interior of said discharge pipe and to support said drop fitting and drop pipe from said casing fitting, said drop fitting attachable to a lift-out member,

said adapter characterized by an actuator for providing positive engagement of said drop fitting with said casing fitting and for providing positive disengagement of said drop fitting from said casing fitting, said actuator comprising in combination:

a cam member having two ends,

said cam member hingably connected by pin means to said drop fitting to rotate with respect to said drop fitting on a predetermined horizontal axis,

said cam member having at one of its ends two cam surface portions contactable with portions of said interior surface on the opposite side of said interior from said opening to first force said drop fitting toward and against the side of said interior opposite to the portions contacted, and to force said drop fitting into engagement with said casing fitting and then to maintain engagement of said drop fitting with said casing fitting,

- said cam member being disposed to partly straddle a portion of said drop fitting when in said first position to provide said two cam surface portions at least partly disposed on opposite sides of 5 said portion of said drop fitting,

a control member attached to said cam member intermediate said two cam surface portions and extendable upward in said casing,

said cam member having at its other end at least one cam surface portion contactable with a portion of said interior surface on the same side of said interior surface as said opening to positively disengage said drop fitting from said casing fitting in response to actuation of said control member.

2. The adapter of claim 1 further characterized by:

cam contact surfaces at one end of the cam member being two circular arcs having centers remote from all cam surfaces and remote from the axis of attachment of the cam member to the drop fitting, and

said carn contact surface at the other end of said cam member being two circular arcs which are compliments of those on the other end, having collinear radii therewith and forming equal diameters.

3. The adapter of claim 2 further characterized by the first of said arcs having an angle of from 17 to 26 and the second of said arcs having an angle of from 45 30 to 53.

4. The adapter of claim 1 further characterized by:

said casing fitting attachable to a supply pipe and a discharge pipe,

said drop fitting attachable to a supply drop pipe and a discharge drop pipe,

said cam member comprising two cam surface portions contactable with portions of said interior surface on the same side of said interior surface as said opening to positively disengage said drop fitting from said casing fitting in response to actuation of said control member,

said two cam surfaces disposed on opposite sides of a portion of said drop fitting.

5. The adapter of claim 4 further characterized by:

the two cam contact surfaces at one end of the cam member each lying in two end-adjoining circular arcs having centers remote from all cam surfaces and remote from the axis of the attachment of the cam member to the drop fitting, and

the two cam contact surfaces at the other end of the cam member each lying in two end-adjoining circular arcs which have the same centers as the arcs of the cam surfaces at the other end and have collinear radii therewith and form equal diameters.

6. The adapter of claim 5 further characterized by the first of said arcs having an angle of from 17 to 26 and the second of said arcs having an angle of from 45 to 53.

7. The adapter of claim 1 further characterized by said two cam contact surface portions contacting said interior surface at areas higher than said pin means,

when disposed to maintain engagement of said drop drop fitting which includes an actuator, said casing fitting being adapted for fluid-tight attachment to a tubular well casing around an aperture in said well casing, and having pressure and suction recesses adapted for fluid-tight connection to pressure and suction pipes extending horizontally from said casing fitting, said drop fitting having pressure and suction conduit necks which fit fluid-tight into said pressure and suction recesses, said drop fitting being adapted for connection to pressure and suction drop pipes, said actuator having a cam which (a) straddles the body of the drop fitting, (b) is hinged thereon with a pin, (c) has four contact surfaces the first two of which are shaped to press against the inside wall of said well casing opposite to said casing fitting and the second two shaped to press against the inner wall of said well casing opposite to the first two, said actuator also having a control cable attached to said cam between said first two contact surfaces and extending upward to a handle, and a spring extending from a crank pivot on said cam to an anchor fixed to the body of said drop fitting which constantly applies a torque on said cam, said spring torque being sufficient to insert said conduit necks into said conduit recesses when said conduit necks are aligned with said conduit recesses, said control cable being used to apply a torque on said cam, opposite to that applied by said spring, to withdraw said conduit necks from said conduit recesses when removing said drop fitting.

9. A pitless well adapter according to claim 8 in which said drop fitting has two bosses, one above and one below said conduit necks, which are pressed against the inner wall of said well casing by said first contact surfaces when said first contact surfaces are pressed against the inner wall of said well casing, opposite to said bosses, at a point above said hinge pin, by the spring torque on said cam.

10. A pitless adapter according to claim 8 in which each of said first two contact surfaces on said cam is two circular arcs the angle ratio of said arcs being from about 2.0 to about 2.4.

11. A pitless adapter according to claim 8 in which each of said second two contact surfaces of said cam is two circular arcs, which are compliments of said first two circular arcs having collinear radii forming equal diameters.

12. A pitless well adapter for shallow well and submersible motor pump water supply systems comprising a casing fitting and a drop fitting which includes an actuator, said casing fitting being adapted for fluid-tight attachment to a tubular well casing around an aperture in said well casing and having a recess adapted for fluid-tight connection to a delivery pipe extending horizontally from said casing fitting, said drop having a conduit neck which fits fluid-tight into said recess, said drop fitting being adapted for connection to a drop pipe and having two bosses, one above and one below said conduit neck, said actuator having a cam' which (a) is hinged on the body of said drop fitting with a pin, (b) has three contact surfaces, the first two of which are shaped to press against the inside wall of said well casing above said pin opposite to said casing fitting, and the third contact surface shaped to press against the inner wall of said well casing opposite to the first two contact surfaces, said actuator also having a control cable attached to said cam between said first two contact surfaces and extending upward to a handle, and a spring, extending from a crank pivot on said cam to an anchor fixed to the body of said drop fitting, which constantly applies a torque on said cam which said spring torque being sufficient (1) to press said bosses against the inside wall of said well casing to provide rigid support for said drop fitting, and (2) to insert said conduit neck into said conduit recess when said conduit neck is aligned with said conduit recess, said control cable being used toapply torque on said cam, opposite to that applied by said spring,'to withdraw said conduit necks from said conduit recesses when removing said drop fitting.

13. A pitless adapter according to claim 12 in which each of said first two contact surfaces on said cam is two circular arcs the angle ratio of said arcs being from about 2.0 to about 2.4.

14. A pitless adapter according to claim 12 in which said third contact surface of said cam is two circular arcs, which are complimentsof the two circular arcs of said first two contact surfaces.

' v 1: a: I

Claims (14)

1. In a pitless well adapter installable in a well casing having a wall defined by an interior cylindrical surface and an exterior cylindrical surface, and having: an opening in said wall communicating with a discharge pipe, and a drop pipe extending downwardly within said casing below said opening, said adapter comprising in combination: a casing fitting, said casing fitting disposed to be provided in sealing engagement with said exterior surface of said casing and attachable to said discharge pipe, a drop fitting attachable to said drop pipe and engageable with said casing fitting through said opening to provide closed tubular communication from the interior of said drop pipe to the interior of said discharge pipe and to support said drop fitting and drop pipe from said casing fitting, said drop fitting attachable to a lift-out member, said adapter characterized by an actuator for providing positive engagement of said drop fitting with said casing fitting and for providing positive disengagement of said drop fitting from said casing fitting, said actuator comprising in combination: a cam member having two ends, said cam member hingably connected by pin means to said drop fitting to rotate with respect to said drop fitting on a predetermined horizontal axis, said cam member having at one of its ends two cam surface portions contactable with portions of said interior surface on the opposite side of said interior from said opening to first force said drop fitting toward and against the side of said interior opposite to the portions contacted, and to force said drop fitting into engagement with said casing fitting and then to maintain engagement of said drop fitting with said casing fitting, said cam member being disposed to partly straddle a portion of said drop fitting when in said first position to provide said two cam surface portions at least partly disposed on opposite sides of said portion of said drop fitting, a control member attached to said cam member intermediate said two cam surface portions and extendable upward in said casing, said cam member having at its other end at least one cam surface portion contactable with a portion of said interior surface on the same side of said interior surface as said opening to positively disengage said drop fitting from said casing fitting in response to actuation of said control member.

2. The adapter of claim 1 further characterized by: cam contact surfaces at one end of the cam member being two circular arcs having centers remote from all cam surfaces and remote from the axis of attachment of the cam member to the drop fitting, and said cam contact surface at the other end of said cam member being two circular arcs which are compliments of those on the other end, having collinear radii therewith and forming equal diameters.

3. The adapter of claim 2 further characterized by the first of said arcs having an angle of from 17* to 26* and the second of said arcs having an angle of from 45* to 53*.

4. The adapter of claim 1 further characterized by: said casing fitting attachable to a supply pipe and a discharge pipe, said drop fitting attachable to a supply drop pipe and a discharge drop pipe, said cam member comprising two cam surface portions contactable with portions of said interior surface on the same side of said interior surface as said opening to positively disengage said drop fitting from said casing fitting in response to actuation of said control member, said two cam surfaces disposed on opposite sides of a portion of said drop fitting.

5. The adapter of claim 4 further characterized by: the two cam contact surfaces at one end of the cam member each lying in two end-adjoining circular arcs having centers remote from all cam surfaces and remote from the axis of the attachment of the cam member to the drop fitting, and the two cam contact surfaces at the other end of the cam member each lying in two end-adjoining circular arcs which have the same centers as the arcs of the cam surfaceS at the other end and have collinear radii therewith and form equal diameters.

6. The adapter of claim 5 further characterized by the first of said arcs having an angle of from 17* to 26* and the second of said arcs having an angle of from 45* to 53*.

7. The adapter of claim 1 further characterized by said two cam contact surface portions contacting said interior surface at areas higher than said pin means, when disposed to maintain engagement of said drop fitting with said casing fitting, to provide rigid non-wobbly engagement.

8. A pitless well adapter for a two-pipe jet pump water supply system comprising a casing fitting and a drop fitting which includes an actuator, said casing fitting being adapted for fluid-tight attachment to a tubular well casing around an aperture in said well casing, and having pressure and suction recesses adapted for fluid-tight connection to pressure and suction pipes extending horizontally from said casing fitting, said drop fitting having pressure and suction conduit necks which fit fluid-tight into said pressure and suction recesses, said drop fitting being adapted for connection to pressure and suction drop pipes, said actuator having a cam which (a) straddles the body of the drop fitting, (b) is hinged thereon with a pin, (c) has four contact surfaces the first two of which are shaped to press against the inside wall of said well casing opposite to said casing fitting and the second two shaped to press against the inner wall of said well casing opposite to the first two, said actuator also having a control cable attached to said cam between said first two contact surfaces and extending upward to a handle, and a spring extending from a crank pivot on said cam to an anchor fixed to the body of said drop fitting which constantly applies a torque on said cam, said spring torque being sufficient to insert said conduit necks into said conduit recesses when said conduit necks are aligned with said conduit recesses, said control cable being used to apply a torque on said cam, opposite to that applied by said spring, to withdraw said conduit necks from said conduit recesses when removing said drop fitting.

9. A pitless well adapter according to claim 8 in which said drop fitting has two bosses, one above and one below said conduit necks, which are pressed against the inner wall of said well casing by said first contact surfaces when said first contact surfaces are pressed against the inner wall of said well casing, opposite to said bosses, at a point above said hinge pin, by the spring torque on said cam.

10. A pitless adapter according to claim 8 in which each of said first two contact surfaces on said cam is two circular arcs the angle ratio of said arcs being from about 2.0 to about 2.4.

11. A pitless adapter according to claim 8 in which each of said second two contact surfaces of said cam is two circular arcs, which are compliments of said first two circular arcs having collinear radii forming equal diameters.

12. A pitless well adapter for shallow well and submersible motor pump water supply systems comprising a casing fitting and a drop fitting which includes an actuator, said casing fitting being adapted for fluid-tight attachment to a tubular well casing around an aperture in said well casing and having a recess adapted for fluid-tight connection to a delivery pipe extending horizontally from said casing fitting, said drop having a conduit neck which fits fluid-tight into said recess, said drop fitting being adapted for connection to a drop pipe and having two bosses, one above and one below said conduit neck, said actuator having a cam which (a) is hinged on the body of said drop fitting with a pin, (b) has three contact surfaces, the first two of which are shaped to press against the inside wall of said well casing above said pin opposite to said casing fitting, and the third contact surface shaped to press against the inner wall of said well casing opposite to the firSt two contact surfaces, said actuator also having a control cable attached to said cam between said first two contact surfaces and extending upward to a handle, and a spring, extending from a crank pivot on said cam to an anchor fixed to the body of said drop fitting, which constantly applies a torque on said cam which said spring torque being sufficient (1) to press said bosses against the inside wall of said well casing to provide rigid support for said drop fitting, and (2) to insert said conduit neck into said conduit recess when said conduit neck is aligned with said conduit recess, said control cable being used to apply torque on said cam, opposite to that applied by said spring, to withdraw said conduit necks from said conduit recesses when removing said drop fitting.

13. A pitless adapter according to claim 12 in which each of said first two contact surfaces on said cam is two circular arcs the angle ratio of said arcs being from about 2.0 to about 2.4.

14. A pitless adapter according to claim 12 in which said third contact surface of said cam is two circular arcs, which are compliments of the two circular arcs of said first two contact surfaces.

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