초록 ▼

Pipeline repair and leak sealing are effected by unrolling a tube, using an inflatable mandrel disposed inside the tube, to radially expand a stretchable and circumferentially continuous gasket or sealant sleeve into flush contact with the pipeline interior. Before actuation, the tube is constrained

Pipeline repair and leak sealing are effected by unrolling a tube, using an inflatable mandrel disposed inside the tube, to radially expand a stretchable and circumferentially continuous gasket or sealant sleeve into flush contact with the pipeline interior. Before actuation, the tube is constrained in a rolled-up condition by a shrink-wrap sleeve of plastic film that may be sealed at its ends to an interior film sleeve in order to protect the tube against moisture. When fully expanded, the tube includes longitudinally-extending edges that overlap and are secured together by adhesive issued from a rupturable package disposed proximate one of the edges so as to be caused to burst as the edges approach overlapped positions. An outer sleeve of scrim material surrounds the tacky or gum-like gasket sleeve to facilitate handling and movement of the assembly in the pipeline. When the tube and gasket sleeve are expanded, the scrim material becomes embedded in the tacky gasket sleeve material which thereby protrudes through the scrim interstices to assure proper sealing and compression of the gasket sleeve against the pipeline interior wall.

대표청구항 ▼

Apparatus for use inside a pipeline having a known inside circumference and diameter in order to repair the pipeline wall and seal leaks therein, said apparatus comprising: a gasket sleeve of sticky stretchable material having a gummy consistency that sticks to the pipeline wall, said gasket sleeve

Apparatus for use inside a pipeline having a known inside circumference and diameter in order to repair the pipeline wall and seal leaks therein, said apparatus comprising: a gasket sleeve of sticky stretchable material having a gummy consistency that sticks to the pipeline wall, said gasket sleeve having opposite longitudinally-spaced ends and a circumferentially continuous intermediate section, said gasket sleeve having an outer circumference and diameter smaller than said known inside circumference and diameter of said pipeline; radially expandable means disposed within said gasket sleeve for controllably radially expanding and circumferentially stretching said gasket sleeve while urging said gasket sleeve into abutting and sticking contact with the inside of said pipeline; wherein said radially expandable means comprises a tube having an interior surface, an exterior surface and a longitudinal slit extending the entire tube length to define first and second longitudinally-extending separate edges, said tube being constrainable in a partially rolled-up condition about a longitudinal axis such that the outside diameter of the tube is substantially smaller than the diameter of said sleeve when unstressed, and such that said first edge is rolled inwardly of said second edge, said tube being pre-stressed to assume an unrolled condition when radially unconstrained, said tube in said unrolled condition having an outside circumference and diameter at least as large as said known circumference and diameter of said pipeline; and selectively removable constraining means for radially constraining said tube in said rolled-up condition; wherein said selectively removable constraining means comprises a constraining sleeve of filmy material surrounding the rolled up tube between said tube and said gasket sleeve in order to constrain said sleeve in a rolled-up condition in the absence of forces applied interiorly of said tube to radially expand said tube, said constraining sleeve being sufficiently structurally weak to rupture in response to radial expansion of said tube due to said interiorly applied forces, wherein said filmy material has a much lower coefficient of friction than said gasket sleeve to thereby minimize frictional opposition to unrolling said tube.