System for sealing and repairing leaks in ruptured containers
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency
InventorsJohn J. Vrolyk, Robert W. Melvold
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Abstract
A system for sealing and repairing leaks in ruptured containers whereby an applicator including an open-celled sponge body is inserted into the rupture and the two interacting components of a binary fluid foam composition are mixed and injected into the sponge body, thereby expanding and forming a foam composite with the latter against the rupture to effectively seal and repair same upon curing of the foam in situ.
Claims4
An applicator for use in sealing and repairing a rupture in a container wall with plastic foam material wherein said applicator comprises:
- a. a tubular core member provided with a plurality of perforations in the wall thereof,
- b. an open-celled sponge body surrounding the core member and communicating with the interior thereof through the perforations for receiving plastic foam material injected into the core member, and
- c. a porous expandable outer covering layer surrounding the sponge body, which covering layer:
- i. releases fluid pressure created when the sponge body is filled with the plastic foam material, and
- ii. permits the sponge body to expand radially on either side of the container wall to thereby seal the rupture.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.