Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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APPARATUS FOR SEEKING OUT AND REPAIRING LEAKS
IN PIPES
Field of the Invention
_
This invention relates to apparatus for seeking out
and repairing leaks in pipes.
Background of the_Invention
Many pipes or conduits, such as sewer laterals, phone
ducts, or the like, are buried deep in the ground. Such pipes
often develop leaks and it is expensive and time consuming to
dig down from the surface and repair the leak. Attempts have
been made to repair leaks by moving grout applying apparatus
into the pipes through clean-out openings, but such devices
have not possessed all the desired characteristics, namely,
the ability to propel themselves efficiently along the pipe,
especially around bends, to precisely seek out the leak, and
to apply a repair substan~ce such as grout in an efficient
manner.
Summary of the Invention
A primary objective of the invention is to provide appara-
tus for seeking out and repairing leaks in pipes which is
simplified and inexpensive in its construction, which eEfi-
ciently propels itself along a pipe as well as being capable
of retractlng itself out of the pipe, which readily negotiates
turns in the pipe, which can isolate a section of a pipe and
air test such isolated section for leaks, and which can inject
a chemical grout in the isolated sec-tion in an efficien-t manner
for repair of the leak.
The apparatus employs an elongated flexible body
member arranged to he inserted in a pipe. The body member
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has leading and trailing end por-tions and has a length
sufficient such that an intermediate portion can span a
leak in a pipe. The leading and trailing end portions are
radially expandable, and inflating means are associated with
the body mernber for expanding -the leading and trailing end
portions Eor sealing such ends against the interior surface
of a pipe. The body member also has means Eor discharging
grout along -the intermediate portion thereof and into a leak
in the pipe. The apparatus includes pressured air inlet means
arranged to adrnit pressured air prior to admitting grout for
testing a portion of a pipe for leaks between the leading and
trailing ends. The intermediate portion of the body member
is also radialLy expandable and has longitudinal surface
passageways for guiding the flow of grout therealong. The
device employs an expandable head adjacent the leading end
which is flexibly connected to the body member. The expandable
head has an inflatable portion arranged to expand it against
the interior surface of a pipe to obtain a grip on the pipe.
A double actlng fluid operated cylinder is connected between
the body mernber and the head whereby upon selected inflation
and deflation of the head and opera-tion of the fluid opera-ted
cylinder means the body member is arranged to be pulled along
a pipe to the point to be tested for leaks, or pushed back
out of the pipe in a reverse sequence.
The invention will be better unclerstood and additional
objects and advantages will become apparent from the follow-
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ing description taken in connection with the accompanying
drawings.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Figure 1 is a perspective view of apparatus embodying
features of the invention for seeking out and repairing
leaks in pipes;
Figure 2 is a foreshortened perspective view of the
appara-tus, this view being enlarged relative to Figure l;
Figure 3 ls an enlarged cross sectional view taken
on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;
Figures 4A and 4B are composite views, with Figure 4B
forming a left-hand extension of Figure 4A, these views
being broken away to show internal structure and being fore-
shortened; and
Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the apparatus and
operating mechanism therefor.
Detailed Description of a Preferred Embodiment
With particular reference to the drawings and first
to Figures 1-4, the apparatus of the invention comprises an
elongated body member 10 having a leading end portion 12 and
a trailing end portion 14. The body member 10 may be of any
suitable leng-th depending upon the requirements thereof.
Although the device will be used on -the smaller -type pipe,
it is to be understood tha-t it can be made to accommodate
any size pipe. An overall leng-th of 6 to 8 feet will repair
rnost of the smaller laterals such as sewer laterals.
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Body member 10 is constructed of two or more sections
iOa and lOb each comprising a central tube 16 and an outer
tube 18. The tubes 16 and 18 of these sections are vulcanized
toyether at end portions thereof and clamped by clamps 24
to steel ring connectors 2Oa and 2Ob at the leading and
trailing ends, respectively, and to an intermediate steel
connector 20c between the two sections ].Oa and lOb. Any
number of sections may be employed for making up the body
member depending upon the lenyth desired.
The lead.ing and trailing ends 12 and 14, respectively,
of the body member 10 are provided with a plurality of circum-
ferential ribs 28 on their outer surfaces extending in parallel
spaced relation. The outer surface of the intermediate portion
of the body member has longitudinal ribs 30 extending in
parallel spaced relation.
The inner areas or compartments between the tubes 16 and
18 comprise inflatable areas 32, and an air supply conduit
34 leads into the central tube 16 through connector 2Db.
This conduit is vulcanized at 36 into the central -tube 16
to open into the adjacent area 32. Conduit 34 also extends
forward from its connection 36 through the center connector
20c to a vulcanized connection 36a in the tube 16 of body
member section lOa and similarly opens into adjacent area 32
whereby the two sections ].Oa and lOb can be simultaneously
infla-ted and deflated.
In the manufacture of the body member 10 -the central
tubes 16 are constructed of less flexibility than the outer
tubes 18 whereby to provide longitudinal rigidity to the
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sections but at the same time the outer tubes can have
rapid expansion against the pipe. Although the central
tubes may be distorted inward somewhat during inflation,
their shape will be primarily maintained by conduits which
they enclose such as conduit 34 and others to be described.
In addition, the Jeading and trailing end portions 12 and 14
of the body member have greater flexibility -than the inter-
mediate portion of the body member whereby as will be more
apparent hereinaEter, the leading and -trailing ends can be
inflated without totally inflating the intermediate por-tion.
The center connector 20c includes fittings 42 for a
pair of conduits 44 and 46 which extend inwardly from the
trailing end of the body member through connector 20b and which
are associated with outside grout supply means and catalyst
supply means for the grout, respectively, not shown. Connec-
tor 20c has a mixing chamber 48 at the fittings 42, and such
chamber has an outlet port 50. Although conduits 44 and 46
are described as grout and catalyst conduits, one or both of
these conduits are used for admitting air under pressure prior
to admitting the grout or catalyst, for a purpose to be more
fully described hereinaEter.
Body member 10 is associated with a propelling head 54
comprising a central rigid tube 56 and an outer flexible tube
or housing 58 secured on the central tube by end clamp rings
60. Central tube 56 has a front wall 61 secured integrally
to the tube 56 as by welding. Outer tube 58 forms an in-
flatable area 62 with the central tube, and such area is
associated with a flexible conduit 64, preferably an armored
conduit leading in from the rear of the body 10 through
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connectors 20c and 20a and looped through an aperture 66
in the front wall 61 to allow longitudinal movement of the
propelling head relative to the body member 10. Conduit 64
leads from a pressure source through the trailing end of the
body member and has a fitting 68 in the central tube 56
comrnunicating with a port 70 into the inflatable area 62.
Mechanical connection between -the body rnember 10 and the
propelling head 54 is accomplished by means oE a double
acting fluid operated cylinder 72 and an elongated enlarged
coil tension spring 74 housing the cylinder. The cylinder is
secured at its front end to the spring by suitable clamp
means 76. The rearward end of the spring 74 is secured to the
connector 20a by suitable clamp means 7~. The pis-ton rod
80 of the cylinder projects forwardly and is secured, as
by nuts 82, to wall 61 of the propelling head in a push-pull
type connection. Piston rod 80 has a universal joint 84
incorporated therein which allows the propelling head to be
disposed angularly relative to the cylinder such as at bends
in a pipe, as will be more apparent hereinafter. Spring 74
allows the head to follow bends in a pipe ahead of the body
mernber 10 and at the same time provides a push pull connection,
also as will be more apparent hereinafter. Cylinder 72 has
supply conduits 86 which lead inwardly Erom the rearward end
of the body mernber and which have sui-table connection to a
controlled source of pressure. Propelling head 54 has fron-t
and rear annular bumper members 92, preEerably construc-ted
of an impact resistant plastic and tapered on their side edges
94 for providing minimum possibility of the head 54 from
hanging up in a pipe. The bumber members 92 are clamped in
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place by elongated bolts 96.
In the operation of the present apparatus, it is in-
serted in a pipe P such as through a cleanout opening
or the like, with the head 54 first. Both the propelling
head and the body member are deflated at this time. Figure
2 shows the parts in deflated condition in full lines and in
inflated condition in broken lines. When -the assembly has been
moved down manually as far as possible, the propelling head 54
and cylinder 72 are actuated as follows. The fluid operated
cylinder 72 is operated to extend its piston rod 80 to move
the propelling head 54 forwardly relative to the body member
10, the cylinder pushing rearwardly on the body member by
the compressive strength of the spring. After the piston rod
is extended, the propelling head 54 is inflated to grip -the
interior surface of the pipe and the fluid pressure to the
cylinder 72 then reversed for pulling the body member 10
up to its normally spaced position relative to the head, the
connection of the pulling force between the head and body
member comprising the spring 74. Spring 74 and universal
joint 84 are sufficiently strong to withstand these compression
and tension forces but at the same time will bend to allow
the head 54 to advance around bends or corner junctions.
The spring allows the cylinder to move to an angular position
relative to the body member so as also to advance around bends
or the like. ThuS, head 54 and cylinder 72 will negotia-te
any normal bend in the pipe, and the body por-tion lO of
course has sufficient flexibility also to negotiate any bend.
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After the cylinder has pulled the body member up to its
normally spaced position relative to the head 54, the
propelling head 54 is deflated and the cycle repeated as
many tirnes as necessary.
When the device has reached an area suspicious of
leakage, air pressure is admit-ted to the areas 32 o-f -the
body member through conduit 34. This air pressure expands
the leading and trailing ends 12 and 14 whereby the ribs 28
provide a seal against the inner surface of the pipe. As
stated hereinbefore, these areas have less flexibllity than
the intermediate portion of the body member whereby with -the
use of a selected pressure, the leading and trailing ends 12
and 14 are expanded but the intermediate portion is not expanded
or at least only partially expanded. Air under pressure is
then admitted through one or both of the conduits 44 and 46.
Such pressured air flows out port 50 to the area along the
exterior of the body member between the leading and trailing
sections of the end rings 28, namely, in that area of the
body member having the longitudinal ribs 30. If there is a
leak in the pipe such can be readily determined by pressure
gauge means. If no such leak is found, the device i5 pro-
pelled forwardly to the next test area.
When the leak is found, the areas 32 of the body member
are fully inElated, namely, a greater pressure is applied
-than the leak testing pressure whereby the leading and trail-
ing ends 12 and 14 again seal -tiyhtly ayainst the inner surface
of the pipe and the intermediate portion alony the area of the
ribs 30 inflates against the inner surface of the pipe. A
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fully inflated condition of the apparatus is shown in Figures
3, 4~ and 4B. Figure 2 shows such inflated condition in
broken lines. In this condition, ribs 30 maintain passageways
30a along the intermediate portion of the body member even
though the latter is fully inflated. Conduits 44 and/or 46
are then disconnec-ted from -the air pressure and a sui-table
and conventional grout and catalyst then pumped through -the
conduits 44 and 46. Such grout and catalyst are mixed in
mixiny chamber 48 and then discharged through por-t 50. The
grout will travel in opposite directions from the port 50
along passageways 30a. From such spaces, the grout flows
into any opening in the pipe, and with sui-table pressure will
efficiently fill all the voids which may exist from a break
in the pipeline. Pressure to the grout and catalyst may
then be shut off and pressure to the chambers 32 released so
that the body member can retract. The assembly may then be
pulled out manually or if such cannot be accomplished, the
operating thrust of the propelling head is reversed from that.
described above so -that it will push the assembly rearwardly.
With reference to Figure 5, control means is illustrated
for operating the present apparatus. In this regard, a
main pressure line 100 leads to inflating conduit 3~ through
a solenoid operated valve 102 and pressure regulator 103 for
controlled inflation of the body member lO. The conduit 64 for
operating the propelling head 54 is connected to the main
pressure line through a solenoid operated valve 104 and
pressure regulator 105, and conduits 86 controlling operation
of the fluid operated cylinder 72 are connected to the main
pressure line through solenoid operated valves 108. ~3y suitable
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operation of the solenoid operated valves described, and
suitable pressure regulation the desired functions describea
in the above operation are accomplished. Furthermore, by
means of suitable rotating control means 110 and suitable
electrical connections to solenoid operated valves 104 and
108, the operation of the propelling head 54 and the fluid
operated cylinder 72 can be sequenced so as to provide automatic
cycling of these two parts for traveling movement of the assembly
in the pipe.
It is to be understood that the form of our invention
herein shown and described is to be taken as a preferred
example of the same and that various changes in -the shape,
size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without
departing from the spirit of our invention, or the scope of
the subjoined claims.
Having thus described our invention, we claim:
