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In a method of forming a branch connection in a fluid carrying pipe (3) by attaching to the pipe (3) a saddle unit (1) incorporating a cutting member (11) capable of being operated to cut a hole in the pipe wall, the cut is effected so that it extends only partly around the circumference of a circle

In a method of forming a branch connection in a fluid carrying pipe (3) by attaching to the pipe (3) a saddle unit (1) incorporating a cutting member (11) capable of being operated to cut a hole in the pipe wall, the cut is effected so that it extends only partly around the circumference of a circle so as to form a tongue (18), and the tongue is bent into the pipe while remaining connected to the adjoining part of the pipe wall.

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1. A device for forming a branch connection in a pipe, the device comprising: (a) a saddle member having a fluid passage in it and arranged to be secured to the surface of the pipe with an end of the passage closed by said pipe surface when the saddle member is placed thereon, said saddle member

1. A device for forming a branch connection in a pipe, the device comprising: (a) a saddle member having a fluid passage in it and arranged to be secured to the surface of the pipe with an end of the passage closed by said pipe surface when the saddle member is placed thereon, said saddle member having a groove therein for longitudinal reception of a portion of the length of the pipe; (b) sealing means for forming a fluid-tight seal between the surface of the pipe and the adjacent surface of the saddle member around the end of the passage; (c) a backing member having a groove therein for longitudinal reception of a portion of the length of the pipe, the groove in the backing member opposing the groove in the saddle member with said portion of the pipe received in said grooves; (d) means to urge the saddle member and backing member toward one another with the portion of the pipe received in the opposed grooves, (e) a cutting element carried by one of said members and capable of rotation relative to such member about an axis transverse to the pipe axis, said cutting element having a cutting edge offset from said axis of rotation, said cutting element being further capable of simultaneous movement toward the axis of the pipe causing said cutting edge to progressively cut through the wall of the pipe in a circular path; (f) said one member including means to depress a portion of the pipe in said path once its saddle member and backing member are urged together so that as the cutting edge progressively cuts around said path it will cut from a beginning at one point on said path to an end at another point on said path spaced from said first point, with a relatively small part of said wall uncut to form a part- circular tongue joined to the remainder of the pipe wall by a narrow web between said points; (g) the cutting element being capable, on further movement toward said pipe axis, of depressing the tongue inwardly while leaving it attached to the remainder of the pipe by the narrow web. 2. A device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the cutting element is tubular and has the cutting edge thereof at an open end of the same so that the device provides a branch connection with the interior of the pipe upon depressing of the tongue inwardly and so that the depressed tongue is not freely deposited in the interior of the pipe where it might interfere with the flow of fluid through the pipe. 3. A device according to claim 1, wherein both members are formed of a relatively rigid molded plastic material. 4. A device according to claim 1, wherein the saddle member includes a spigot within the groove of the saddle member such that when the two members are urged together the spigot forms a depression in the pipe wall under the path of the cutting edge of the cutting element. 5. A device according to claim 4, wherein the spigot is so located that it forms the depression under part of the path near to the side of the pipe. 6. A device according to claim 4, wherein the spigot is constituted by a projection integral with the saddle member. 7. A device according to claim 1, wherein the saddle member includes a valve for controlling the flow of the liquid from the pipe into the branch connection in use. 8. A device according to claim 7, wherein the body of the valve is securable to the saddle member by screw threads. 9. A device according to claim 8, wherein the valve body carries the cutting element such that as the valve body is secured to the saddle member it produces the rotational and inward movement of the cutting element. 10. A device for forming a branch connection in a pipe, the device comprising: (a) a saddle member having a fluid passage in it and arranged to be secured to the surface of the pipe with an end of the fluid passage closed by said pipe surface when the saddle member is placed thereon, said saddle member having a groove therein for longitudinal reception of a portion of the length of the pipe; (b) sealing means for forming a fluid-tight seal between the surface of the pipe and the adjacent surface of the saddle member around the end of the passage; (c) a backing member having a groove therein for longitudinal reception of a portion of the length of the pipe, the groove in the backing member opposing the groove in the saddle member with said portion of the pipe received in the opposed grooves; (d) means to urge the saddle member and backing member toward one another with the portion of the pipe received in the opposed grooves; (e) a cutting element carried by one of the members and capable of rotation relative to such member about an axis transverse to the pipe axis, said cutting element having a cutting edge offset from said axis of rotation, said cutting element being further capable of simultaneous movement toward the axis of the pipe for causing said cutting edge to progressively cut through the wall of the pipe in a circular path; (f) said axis of rotation of said cutting element being spaced from said pipe axis so that as said cutting edge progressively cuts around said path, it will cut from a beginning at one point on said path to an end at another point on said path spaced from first point, with a relatively small part of said wall uncut to form a part-circular tongue joined to the pipe wall by a narrow web between said points, the cutting edge accordingly forming a cut in the pipe which starts at the side thereof at which the axis of rotation of the cutting element is spaced from the pipe axis, and continues through the pipe wall and exits the pipe at the same side thereof, but spaced from the entry to the cut; (g) the cutting element being capable, on further movement toward said pipe axis, of depressing the tongue inwardly while leaving it attached to the remainder of the pipe by the narrow web. 11. A device as set forth in claim 10, wherein the cutting element is tubular and has the cutting edge thereof at an open end of the same, so that the device provides a branch connection with the interior of the pipe upon depressing of the tongue inwardly and so that the depressed tongue is not freely deposited in the interior of the pipe where it might interfere with the flow of fluid through the pipe. 12. A device according to claim 10, wherein both members are formed of a relatively rigid molded plastic material. 13. A device according to claim 10, wherein the saddle member incorporates a valve for controlling the flow of the liquid from the pipe into the branch connection in use. 14. A device according to claim 13, wherein the body of the valve is securable to the saddle member by screw threads. 15. A device according to claim 14, wherein the valve body carries the cutting element such that as the valve body is screwed into the saddle member it produces the rotational and inward movement of the cutting element. 16. A method of forming a branch connection in a fluid carrying pipe by squeezing a longitudinal portion of the pipe between a groove in a saddle member and an opposed groove in a backing member and turning in one of said members a cutting element sealingly rotatable in a fluid passageway in that member, the cutting element being turned about an axis transverse to the pipe axis, the cutting element having a cutting edge spaced from the axis of rotation of the cutting element and the cutting element simultaneously moving toward the axis of the pipe as it rotates forcing the cutting edge to progressively cut through the wall of the pipe in a circular path, the axis of rotation of said cutting element being offset from said pipe axis so that as the cutting edge progressively cuts around the path it will cut from a beginning at one point on said path to an end on another point on said path spaced from said first point with a relatively small part of said wall uncut to form a part-circular tongue joined to the remainder of the pipe wall by a narrow web between said points, the cutting edge accordingly forming a cut in the pipe which starts at the side thereof at which the axis of rotation of the cutting element is spaced from the pipe axis, and continues through the pipe wall and exits the pipe at the same side thereof, but spaced from the entry to the cut, further operation of the cutting element depressing the tongue inwardly while leaving the tongue attached to the pipe by said narrow web. 17. A method of forming a branch connection in a fluid carrying pipe by squeezing a longitudinal portion of the pipe between a groove in a saddle member and an opposed groove in a backing member such that a portion of the pipe is depressed, and turning in one of said members a cutting element sealingly rotatable in a fluid passageway in that member, the cutting element being turned about an axis transverse to the pipe axis, the cutting element having a cutting edge offset from the axis of rotation of the cutting element, and the cutting element simultaneously moving toward the axis of the pipe as it rotates, forcing the cutting edge to progressively cut through the wall of the pipe in a circular path, the depressed portion of the pipe being in said path, so that as the cutting edge progressively cuts around said path it will cut from a beginning at one point on said path to an end at another point on said path spaced from said first point with a relatively small part of said wall uncut to form a part-circular tongue joined to the remainder of the pipe wall by a narrow web between said points, further operation of the cutting element depressing the tongue inwardly while leaving the tongue attached to the pipe by said narrow web.