Temporary selective pipe connection apparatus with multiple inlets and outlets

A temporary selective pipe connection apparatus with multiple fluid inlets and outlets comprising:

• a generally parallelogram-shape frame comprising first and third sides parallel to a first direction, and second and fourth sides parallel to a second direction;
• a first series of n coplanar equidistantly spaced parallel tubular lines extending between said first and said third sides parallel to said second direction;
• and
• a second series of m coplanar equidistantly spaced parallel tubular lines extending between said second and said fourth sides parallel to said first direction;
• said first and second series of tubular lines having the same inside diameter and being situated in parallel planes offset by a distance L along a third direction perpendicular to both of said first and said second directions;
• each tubular line comprising
• a string of identical modular sections of which there are at least m-1 modular sections for each line of said first series and at least n-1 modular sections for each line of said second series;
• each string being connected at one end to a fixed tubular end section adapted to be connected to a fluid inlet or outlet;
• and
• each string being connected at the other end to a blind end section fixed to a translation control unit;
• the fixed end tubular sections of said first and second series being respectively fixed to first and second sides of said frame;
• and
• the translation control units of said first and second series being respectively fixed to said third and fourth sides of said frame;
• coupling means for coupling each modular section of a string together and for coupling said strings to said fixed tubular end sections and said blind end sections;
• said coupling means having a release position whereby the couplings between the modular section, or the couplings between said strings and said fixed tubular end sections or said blind end sections may be temporarily eliminated;
• each modular section of one of said series having a length equal to the distance between the lines of the other of said series;
• sealing members provided at each interface between modular sections and said fixed and blind end sections;
• said modular sections and said blind end section of each line being individually slidably mounted on guide rails parallel to said line, whereby when the coupling between any two sections of a line is temporarily eliminated, movement of the blind end section of said line by its translation control unit away from the fixed end tubular section of said line produces a gap in the line between any of said modular sections or between a modular section and said blind end section;
• at least one free connecting member adapted to simultaneously occupy a gap produced in each of said first and said second series;
• said free connecting member comprises
• a central section adapted to be aligned approximately parallel to said third direction, and two transverse sections respectively attached at opposite ends of said central section and separated by a distance equal to the distance between said first series and said second series of tubular lines, each of said transverse sections adapted to be aligned with one of said first and second directions respectively;
• said transverse sections being temporarily fastened to said lines by movement of said blind end sections of said lines toward the fixed end sections of said lines.