Pipeline stopper and pipe fitting

In combination:

• a stopper fitting adapted to be secured around a pipeline, said fitting having a generally tubular portion extending transverse to an axis of the pipeline and through which a transverse circular opening is made in the pipeline, said stopper fitting having at least one inwardly extending lug adjacent one end thereof and positioned exterior of the transverse circular opening through the pipeline;
• a cylindrical stopper assembly adapted to be inserted into the transverse circular opening of the pipeline, said stopper assembly comprising a longitudinally split expandable and contractible cylindrical sleeve having a gasket material on at least a portion of its outer surface, means on said split cylindrical sleeve cooperating with said at least one lug to properly orient and prevent rotation of said sleeve with respect to said stopper fitting, said stopper assembly further including means to expand said sleeve into sealing engagement with edges of opening in the pipeline and to contract said sleeve out of engagement, said means comprising a plurality of angularly spaced longitudinally extending bars secured to the inner surface of said sleeve, each of said bars having a slot adjacent each end thereof, a jackscrew, a pair of members threadedly connected to said jackscrew for movement toward and away from each other, a first set of angularly spaced toggle arms pivotally connected to one of said members and to said bars in the slots adjacent one end of the same;
• and a second set of angularly spaced toggle arms pivotally connected to the other of said members and to said bars in the slots at the other end of the same whereby movement of said members relative to each other expand and contract said sleeve, stop means carried by one of said members for engaging the other of said members to thereby limit movement of said members toward each other and limit pivotal movement of said arms to an angle no greater than 90.degree. to the longitudinal axis of said jackscrew, and means for transferring torque from said members during operation directly to said longitudinally extending bars and said cylindrical sleeve without torque being transferred through said toggle arms, said means for transferring torque from said members directly to said longitudinally extending bars including a sector-shaped torque plate secured to one member and slidably engaging at least two of said longitudinally extending bars and a second sector-shaped torque plate secured to the other member and also slidably engaging at least two of said longitudinally extending bars.

A cylindrical pipe stopper assembly adapted to be inserted into a transverse opening in a pipeline, said assembly comprising:

• a longitudinally split cylindrical sleeve for insertion into the transverse opening through the pipeline, said sleeve being adapted to positively expand into sealing engagement with edges of the opening and positively contract out of sealing engagement;
• an actuating means for positively expanding and contracting said sleeve, said actuating means including a member mounted for movement coaxially of the sleeve, a jackscrew threadedly engaged with said member for executing movement thereof, at least a pair of angularly spaced longitudinally extending bars secured to the inner surface of said longitudinally split cylindrical sleeve, each of said bars having a slot therein, at least a pair of angularly spaced toggle arms each pivotally connected to one of said bars in the slot therein and to said member, and means for transferring torque from said member during operation of the same directly to said longitudinally extending bars and said cylindrical sleeve without torque being transferred through said toggle arms, said means for transferring torque from said member directly to said longitudinally extending bars including a sector-shaped torque plate secured to said member for movement with the same and having slots therein for slidably engaging at least two of said longitudinally extending bars.

A cylindrical pipe stopper assembly adapted to be inserted into and having a minimum outer diameter less than a transverse circular opening through a pipeline, and adapted to be expanded into sealing engagement with the edges of the opening, said cylindrical pipe stopper assembly comprising:

• a longitudinally split cylindrical sleeve having a gasket material on at least a portion of its outer surface, said sleeve further having a plurality of angularly spaced longitudinally extending bars secured to its inner surface, each of said bars having a slot adjacent each end thereof;
• an elongated jackscrew;
• a pair of members threadedly mounted on said jackscrew for movement toward and away from each other;
• a first set of angularly spaced toggle arms pivotally connected to one of said members and to said bars in said slots adjacent one end of the same, and a second set of angularly spaced toggle arms pivotally connected to the other of said members and to said bars whereby movement of said members toward and away from each other respectively expands and contracts said sleeve;
• a stop means slidably mounted on said jackscrew and loosely carried by one of said members for engaging the other of said members to thereby control maximum expansion of said sleeve by limiting movement of said members toward each other and by limiting pivotal movement of said arms to an angle no greater than 90.degree. to the longitudinal axis of said jackscrew.

A cylindrical pipe stopper assembly adapted to be inserted into and having a minimum outer diameter less than a transverse circular opening through a pipeline, and adapted to be expanded into sealing engagement with the edges of the opening, said cylindrical pipe stopper assembly comprising:

• a longitudinally split cylindrical sleeve having a gasket material on at least a portion of its outer surface, said sleeve further having a plurality of angularly spaced longitudinally extending bars secured to its inner surface, each of said bars having a slot adjacent each end thereof, an elongated jackscrew;
• a pair of members threadedly mounted on said jackscrew for movement toward and away from each other;
• a first set of angularly spaced toggle arms pivotally connected to one of said members and to said bars in said slots adjacent one end of the same, and a second set of angularly spaced toggle arms pivotally connected to the other of said members and to said bars whereby movement of said members toward and away from each other respectively expands and contracts said sleeve;
• a stop means carried by one of said members for engaging the other of said members to thereby limit movement of said members toward each other and limit pivotal movement of said arms to an angle no greater than 90.degree. to the longitudinal axis of said jackscrew, and means for transferring torque from at least one of said members during operation directly to said longitudinally extending bars and to said sleeve without torque being transferred through said toggle arms, said means for transferring torque including at least one sector-shaped torque plate secured to at least one of said members and having slots slidably engaging at least two of said longitudinally extending bars.