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US 2002/0157784 A1Published application
Apparatus for repairing a pipeline and method for using same
AssigneeLmk Enterprises, Inc.
InventorLarry W. Kiest JR.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pipe repair apparatus includes an outer carrier tube, an inner bladder tube within the carrier tube, and a repair sleeve within the bladder tube. The bladder tube and the carrier tube are formed by one unitary tube which is folded back upon itself. A wick extends from the repair sleeve to the rear end of the bladder tube and permits evacuation of gases from the bladder tube when the bladder tube is flattened by a vacuum during insertion of a curable resin into the bladder tube at its forward end. The bladder tube can be inverted out of the carrier tube so as to place the repair sleeve in contact with an area to be repaired within a sewer pipe. This method may also be used to repair the damaged joint between a lateral sewer line and a main sewer line.
Claims18
In combination:
- an elongated bladder tube having a fill end for receiving a quantity of fluid resin, a vacuum end for connection to a vacuum source, and flexible tube walls forming a tube cavity therein;
- a layer of resin absorbent material within said tube cavity and having a first material end spaced a predetermined distance form said vacuum end of said bladder tube and a second material end;
- an elongated wick having an interior wick end positioned between said first and second material ends of said resin absorbent material, said wick extending from said interior wick end toward said vacuum end of said bladder tube and terminating in a vacuum wick end, at least a portion of said wick being between said vacuum end of said bladder tube and said second material end of said resin absorbent material.
A method for impregnating a curable resin in a layer of resin absorbent material located within an elongated flexible bladder tube having a fill end and a vacuum end positioned downstream from said fill end, and having tube walls forming a tube cavity therein, said layer of resin absorbent material having a downstream end spaced a predetermined distance from said vacuum end of said bladder tube and an upstream end, said method comprising:
- introducing a quantity of curable resin into said fill end of said bladder tube, said quantity of said resin being sufficient to impregnate all of said resin absorbent material within said bladder tube;
- placing an elongated gas conduit means having first and second conduit ends within said tube cavity with said first conduit end positioned upstream from said downstream end of said resin absorbent material and with said second conduit end positioned downstream from said downstream end of said resin absorbent material;
- connecting a vacuum source to said bladder tube at a point spaced downstream from said downstream end of said resin absorbent material whereby said wall of said bladder tube will collapse on said layer of resin absorbent material and said gas conduit means will provide a path for evacuating gas through said collapsed tube walls;
- continuing to evacuate gas from said bladder tube until said curable resin moves to said downstream end of said absorbent material and completely impregnates said absorbent material.
1 more element
Apparatus for repairing the interior pipe surface of a pipe comprising:
- an elongated flexible tube member having a first end and a second end, said tube member being reversed upon itself to create an outer carrying tube and an inner bladder tube comprised of the same material and integral with one another, said outer carrying tube and said inner bladder tube each having a forward end and a rear end, said forward ends of said outer carrying tube and said inner bladder tube being integrally formed together;
- an elongated sleeve of resin absorbent material fitted within said inner bladder tube;
- means for introducing fluid pressure into said carrier tube on the exterior of said bladder tube for causing, said bladder tube to reverse itself and extend forwardly from said forward end of said carrying tube whereby said sleeve will be on the exterior surface of said reversed and extended bladder tube.
A method for preparing a repair assembly for repairing an interior pipe surface of a pipe comprising:
- placing an elongated sleeve of resin impregnable material within an elongated bladder tube;
- placing said bladder tube with said sleeve therein into a carrying cavity within a carrying tube;
- inserting a quantity of curable resin into one end of said bladder tube while said bladder tube is within said carrying tube, said carrying tube and said bladder tube being sufficiently transparent or translucent to permit viewing of said resin within said bladder tube;
- collapsing said bladder tube to cause said resin to spread to and impregnate said sleeve of resin impregnable material;
- viewing the spread of said resin to said sleeve of resin impregnable material;
- stopping the collapsing of said bladder tube when said resin has spread to and impregnated said entire sleeve of resin impregnable material.
3 more elements
A method for repairing the junction between a lateral sewer pipe and a main sewer pipe, said method comprising:
- taking a preliner tube having first and second ends and being sized to fit within said lateral sewer pipe, said preliner tube having an open cell gasket extending around the exterior surface of said second end thereof;
- impregnating said open cell gasket with an uncured grout;
- inserting said preliner tube into said lateral sewer pipe to a position wherein said open cell gasket impregnated with said grout is at said juncture and forms a watertight seal between said preliner tube and said main sewer pipe and said lateral sewer pipe;
- inserting a flexible sleeve inside said preliner tube, said sleeve being impregnated with uncured resin;
- using fluid pressure from inside said sleeve to force said sleeve radially outwardly against said preliner until said uncured resin cures and hardens.
2 more elements
A method for repairing a lateral sewer pipe which joins a main sewer pipe at a pipe junction, said method comprising:
- taking a preliner assembly comprising a preliner bladder tube and a preliner sleeve within said preliner bladder tube;
- impregnating said preliner sleeve with an uncured first material capable of curing and expanding as a flexible gasket;
- inverting said preliner assembly into said lateral sewer pipe whereby said preliner sleeve will be outside and surrounding said preliner bladder tube;
- taking a second liner assembly comprising a second bladder tube and a second sleeve within said second bladder tube;
- impregnating said second sleeve with an uncured second material capable of curing and hardening;
- inverting said second liner assembly into said preliner bladder tube whereby said second sleeve will be outside said second bladder tube and said preliner bladder tube will be between said preliner sleeve and said second sleeve;
- expanding said second bladder tube radially outwardly so as to hold said second sleeve, said preliner tube and said preliner sleeve against said lateral sewer pipe;
- permitting said first and second materials to cure and harden;
- and
- removing said second bladder tube.
7 more elements
A method for repairing a lateral sewer pipe which joins a main sewer pipe at a pipe junction, said method comprising:
- forming a main/lateral liner assembly having an elongated main liner tube and an elongated lateral liner tube, said main liner tube having first and second main liner tube ends, said lateral liner tube having a first lateral liner tube end connected to said main liner tube and having a second lateral liner tube end;
- impregnating said main liner tube and said lateral liner tube with an uncured material capable of curing and hardening;
- moving said main/lateral liner assembly through said main sewer pipe to an operative position with said main liner tube adjacent said pipe junction and with said lateral liner tube extending within said lateral sewer pipe;
- inserting a lateral bladder tube into said lateral liner tube;
- spreading said lateral bladder tube radially outwardly to press said lateral liner tube against said lateral sewer pipe until said uncured material cures and hardens;
- inserting a main bladder tube into said main liner tube;
- spreading said main bladder tube radially outwardly to press aid main liner tube against said main sewer pipe until said uncured material cures and hardens.
4 more elements
A method for repairing a damaged portion of a sewer pipe extending between a first manhole and a second manhole, said method comprising:
- stringing a first line and a second line from said first manhole to said second manhole, said first line having first securing means on one end thereof and said second line having a second securing means on one end thereof, said first and second securing means being adjacent said first manhole;
- stringing said first line through at least one aperture adjacent one end of a carrying tube, said carrying tube having a fabric liner and a bladder tube therein;
- detachably securing said first and second securing means together in such a manner that pulling on only said first line will move said carrying tube and pulling on both of said first and second lines will separate said first and second securing means attaching a third line to the other end of said carrying tube;
- pulling said one end of said first line through said sewer pipe from said first manhole toward said second manhole whereby said carrier tube is moved within said sewer pipe;
- stopping the pulling of said first line when said carrier tube is positioned adjacent said damaged portion of said sewer pipe;
- pulling on both said first and second lines to cause detachment of said first and second securing means from one another and from said carrier tube;
- inverting said bladder tube and said fabric lines from said carrier tube whereby said fabric liner engages said damaged portion of said sewer pipe.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.