Pipeline plug
OwnerJaromir Friedrichinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pipeline plug is disclosed wherein the rear portion of the plug is axially movable relative to the body of the plug and is provided with pipeline engaging drag inducing members. While the plug is propelled by the pipeline fluid flow, the dragging effect maintains the rear portion at its rearmost extreme. When the plug reaches its determined position in the pipeline, the reversal of flow in the pipeline is resisted by the drag means with the resulting shift of the rear portion forwardly of the plug, triggering the locking of the plug in place and subsequent expansion of the seals of the plug, all caused solely by the pressure differential generated in the pipeline to be worked upon.
Claims15
A pipeline plug for use in temporarily plugging a section of a pipeline, said plug comprising, in combination:
- (a) an elongated body having a front end and a rear end;
- (b) front guide device and a rear guide device disposed one near each the front and rear end, respectively, for guiding the plug through a pipeline as the plug is propelled, the front end first, by fluid pressure generated by a medium flowing through the respective pipeline;
- (c) a radially expandable elastomeric sealing device provided with a seal expanding mechanism, to expand the sealing device to thus plug the respective pipeline;
- (d) a radially expandable locking mechanism adapted to engage, upon expansion, the inside wall of the respective pipeline to lock the body against movement relative to the pipeline;
- (e) lock actuation member freely reciprocally movable along the body from a first position to a second position;
- (f) said lock actuation member including a drag device comprising a friction inducing section and engagement device adapted to urge said friction inducing section in contact with the inside wall of the respective pipeline;
- (g) transmission mechanism operatively disposed between the friction inducing section and the locking mechanism to cause expansion of the locking mechanism when the plug is subjected to a reversed flow of the fluid in the pipeline, directed against the front end of the body.
A pipeline plug for use in temporarily plugging a section of a pipeline, said plug comprising, in combination:
- (a) an elongated body having a front end and a rear end;
- (b) front guide device and a rear guide device disposed one near each the front and rear end, respectively, for guiding the plug through a pipeline as the plug is propelled, the front end first, by fluid flowing through the pipeline;
- (c) a radially expandable locking mechanism adapted to engage, upon expansion, the inside wall of the respective pipeline to lock the body against movement relative to the pipeline;
- (d) a radially expandable elastomeric main seal provided with a seal expanding mechanism, to expand the main seal to thus plug the respective pipeline;
- (e) said seal expanding mechanism including a seal expansion cone mounted on said body coaxially with the main seal;
- (f) said seal expansion cone and said main seal being axially displaceable relative to each other and being complementary with each other to provide for expansion of said main seal when engaged under pressure with the cone;
- (g) pressure transmitting device operatively associated with the main seal and with the cone to use fluid pressure prevailing in the respective pipeline and acting against one end of the body, to urge said main seal and said cone to each other to thus expand said main seal,
- whereby the power of expansion of said main seal is derived from pressure inside the pipeline and acting against the plug.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.