Packer for sealing lateral lines
US4484602A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 17, 1983 |
| Grant date | Nov 27, 1984 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 17, 2003 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF16L55/1283
- WIPO fieldMechanical elements
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus for detecting and sealing leaks in a sewer branch pipe including a packer member which travels along the main sewer pipe by remote control. When the packer is correctly located, the main pipe region surrounding the branch entrance is sealed off. The packer is rotated until a slot in the packer is orientated to the branch. An inflatable tube in the packer is then inflated, causing the tube to elongate and enter the branch. The remote end of the tube forms a seal against the inside of the branch so that the area of the branch near the junction with the main pipe is included in the sealed off area. Fluid can be pumped into the sealed off space to detect if a leak is present; in which case a sealant fluid is pumped into the space. Afterwards, the tube can be deflated and retracted and the traveller repositioned at the next branch. The disclosure includes a method of detecting and sealing leaks, in which an inflatable tube is used to provide a means to enter the branch, and to seal the branch away from its junction with the main pipe.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.