WO2003078888A1 - Apparatus for transporting equipment along a conduit - Google Patents
Apparatus for transporting equipment along a conduit Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO2003078888A1 WO2003078888A1 PCT/GB2003/001021 GB0301021W WO03078888A1 WO 2003078888 A1 WO2003078888 A1 WO 2003078888A1 GB 0301021 W GB0301021 W GB 0301021W WO 03078888 A1 WO03078888 A1 WO 03078888A1
- Authority
- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- conduit
- rotatable
- magnetic
- magnet
- liner
- Prior art date
Links
Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16L—PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16L55/00—Devices or appurtenances for use in, or in connection with, pipes or pipe systems
- F16L55/26—Pigs or moles, i.e. devices movable in a pipe or conduit with or without self-contained propulsion means
- F16L55/28—Constructional aspects
- F16L55/30—Constructional aspects of the propulsion means, e.g. towed by cables
- F16L55/32—Constructional aspects of the propulsion means, e.g. towed by cables being self-contained
Definitions
- the invention relates to apparatus for passing along a conduit, and particularly to apparatus for transporting equipment along the interior of a conduit.
- conduits are often of magnetic material, and have side or branch pipes, there being a ferrule connection or ferrule, between the conduit and branch pipe. Moreover, the conduits are often lined with a liner such as a polyethylene liner.
- a robotic workstation is often used to prepare the bore of a ferrule prior to liiiing the conduit with a polyethylene liner and another robotic workstation is used to place a connector through the liner into the ferrule from within the liner after it has been installed in the conduit.
- the success of both these processes relies on accurate positioning of the work-heads by the robotic units.
- Conventional techniques for positioning the workstations such as winching from the surface, cannot provide sufficient control.
- Another conventional technique is to use wheels or caterpillar tracks driven by on-board motors to position the units. The difficulty here is that the polyethylene presents a low coefficient of friction to the driving wheels which reduces the motive force available to move the workstation along the pipe.
- apparatus for transporting equipment along the interior of a conduit comprising a rotatable device by which the apparatus is driven along the conduit, and which device has enhanced frictional engagement with the conduit whereby the apparatus can be transported and positioned as desired in the conduit.
- the conduit may have magnetic properties and the device may comprise a wheeled magnetic device. This provides the apparatus with an increased tractive effect so that accurate transport and positioning is achievable.
- the or each wheeled device may comprise two circular members of magnetic material between which is mounted a magnet, suitably a permanent ring magnet, which may preferably comprise a rare earth magnet. This provides a powerful magnet.
- the two circular members may comprise soft iron pole piece members. This provides for an enhanced magnetic, and hence tractive, effect.
- Each pole piece member may have an external non-magnetic driving cover element. This provides for ease of movement, particularly when the driving cover element may comprise a rubber tyre-like member.
- the apparatus may include an on-board motor, suitably an electric motor, connected to the rotatable device by a gear train. This provides for a self- contained apparatus with its own motive power.
- the apparatus may mount equipment which may comprise means to prepare the bore of a ferrule of the conduit, suitably a ceramic cutter or alternatively an upstanding finger for penetrating a liner of a pre-lined conduit.
- equipment which may comprise means to prepare the bore of a ferrule of the conduit, suitably a ceramic cutter or alternatively an upstanding finger for penetrating a liner of a pre-lined conduit.
- Apparatus for transporting equipment along the interior of a conduit, such as a mains water pipe, is hereinafter described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.
- Fig. 1 is a schematic elevational view of apparatus according to the invention
- Fig. 2 is a perspective view of part of a practical embodiment of the apparatus.
- Figs. 3 and 4 are respective side elevational and plan views of a further embodiment of apparatus according to the invention.
- apparatus 1 in the form of a tractor unit 2 for transporting equipment 3 along the interior of a conduit 4 such as a mains water pipe, the tractor unit 2 comprising a rotatable device by which the apparatus 1 is driven along the conduit, and which device 2 has enhanced frictional engagement with the conduit 4 whereby the apparatus 1 can be transported and positioned as desired in the conduit 4.
- a conduit 4 such as a mains water pipe
- the conduit 4 is usually an iron pipe, which may have a polyethylene liner 5, and the enhanced frictional engagement of the apparatus 1 with the conduit 4 or liner 5 is in the embodiment(s) achieved using a magnetic tractive unit 2.
- a magnetic tractive unit 2 This comprises in the preferred embodiment a ring magnet 6, the most powerful being a permanent magnetic made of rare earth mixtures, mounted between two rotatable devices in the form of soft iron pole pieces or wheels 7, around the circumference of which is trained a cover element in the form of a rubber tyrelike element 8.
- the tyres 8 are in actual contact with the interior surface of the conduit 4, or a polyethylene liner 5 lining it.
- the apparatus 1 mounts a drive or motor means in the form of an electric motor 9 which is connected to the rotatable magnetic tractive devices by a suitable power transmitting connection such as a gear train 10.
- the apparatus 1 In use, the apparatus 1 is inserted in a conduit 4, and guided along it to a desired position by a suitable control means usually at the surface when, as is usually the case, the conduit 4 is underground.
- the apparatus 1 is "pushed" through the conduit, or otherwise transported therealong, by the rotatable, wheeled, magnetic devices 2 which are rotated by the electric motor 9.
- the equipment 3 can be a cutter such as a ceramic cutter for preparing the ferrule prior to lining the conduit, or a finger device for inserting through the liner of an already lined conduit.
- the enhanced frictional effect providing for the greater tractive effect referred to enables the apparatus 1 to be controlled, and positioned with much greater accuracy than hitherto, as it is transported along a conduit 4 to a position beneath a ferrule or other feature of the conduit.
- the number of driving wheels 7 can be increased without limit as each wheel has its own magnet 6 and therefore the total towing capability of the tractor unit can be tailored to each individual requirement.
- the wheels 7 can be replaced by tracked devices such as caterpillar trails or the like or belts.
Abstract
Description
Claims
Priority Applications (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
AU2003209486A AU2003209486A1 (en) | 2002-03-13 | 2003-03-11 | Apparatus for transporting equipment along a conduit |
EP03744423A EP1488161A1 (en) | 2002-03-13 | 2003-03-11 | Apparatus for transporting equipment along a conduit |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB0205919.4 | 2002-03-13 | ||
GB0205919A GB0205919D0 (en) | 2002-03-13 | 2002-03-13 | Apparatus for pasing along a conduit |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
WO2003078888A1 true WO2003078888A1 (en) | 2003-09-25 |
Family
ID=9932892
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/GB2003/001021 WO2003078888A1 (en) | 2002-03-13 | 2003-03-11 | Apparatus for transporting equipment along a conduit |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP1488161A1 (en) |
AU (1) | AU2003209486A1 (en) |
GB (1) | GB0205919D0 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2003078888A1 (en) |
Cited By (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB2430020A (en) * | 2005-09-13 | 2007-03-14 | Graeme Mcnay | Wellbore traction apparatus |
GB2430018A (en) * | 2005-09-13 | 2007-03-14 | Graeme Mcnay | Use of magnetic force for traction for internal crawling type deployment systems for ferrous piping |
CN106051375A (en) * | 2016-07-12 | 2016-10-26 | 北京石油化工学院 | Active steering device of pipe robot |
Citations (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
WO1994010495A1 (en) * | 1992-10-26 | 1994-05-11 | Pearpoint Limited | Apparatus for use in the repair and maintenance of conduits such as sewers |
US5388528A (en) * | 1991-08-06 | 1995-02-14 | Osaka Gas Company, Limited | Vehicle for use in pipes |
JPH07323701A (en) * | 1994-05-31 | 1995-12-12 | Hitachi Metals Ltd | Magnetic wheel |
WO1996012134A1 (en) * | 1994-10-14 | 1996-04-25 | Uffmann Hans Peter | Method and device for renovating drains |
-
2002
- 2002-03-13 GB GB0205919A patent/GB0205919D0/en not_active Ceased
-
2003
- 2003-03-11 AU AU2003209486A patent/AU2003209486A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2003-03-11 EP EP03744423A patent/EP1488161A1/en not_active Withdrawn
- 2003-03-11 WO PCT/GB2003/001021 patent/WO2003078888A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
Patent Citations (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US5388528A (en) * | 1991-08-06 | 1995-02-14 | Osaka Gas Company, Limited | Vehicle for use in pipes |
WO1994010495A1 (en) * | 1992-10-26 | 1994-05-11 | Pearpoint Limited | Apparatus for use in the repair and maintenance of conduits such as sewers |
JPH07323701A (en) * | 1994-05-31 | 1995-12-12 | Hitachi Metals Ltd | Magnetic wheel |
WO1996012134A1 (en) * | 1994-10-14 | 1996-04-25 | Uffmann Hans Peter | Method and device for renovating drains |
Non-Patent Citations (1)
Title |
---|
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 1996, no. 04 30 April 1996 (1996-04-30) * |
Cited By (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB2430020A (en) * | 2005-09-13 | 2007-03-14 | Graeme Mcnay | Wellbore traction apparatus |
GB2430018A (en) * | 2005-09-13 | 2007-03-14 | Graeme Mcnay | Use of magnetic force for traction for internal crawling type deployment systems for ferrous piping |
GB2430020B (en) * | 2005-09-13 | 2007-08-22 | Graeme Mcnay | Wellbore traction apparatus |
CN106051375A (en) * | 2016-07-12 | 2016-10-26 | 北京石油化工学院 | Active steering device of pipe robot |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
AU2003209486A1 (en) | 2003-09-29 |
GB0205919D0 (en) | 2002-04-24 |
EP1488161A1 (en) | 2004-12-22 |
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