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US 5,392,853 AGranted
Plugging system for boreholes
AssigneeSolinst Canada Limited
InventorDonald A. Toon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The system prevents water flowing freely up and down an open borehole. A hose of stretch elastic rubber is inserted into the borehole and, once installed, is filled with water from the surface. The hose inflates and expands, plugging the borehole. Used with multi-level sampling apparatus, lengths of the hose plug the borehole between the sampling ports. The lengths of hose are mechanically supported between couplings by means of stiff plastic hose passing inside the hose, between the couplings.
Claims9
Plugging system for an in-ground borehole, wherein:
- the system includes at least one long length of tubular hose, having a length dimension of several meters;
- the material of the hose is elastomeric, and is stretchy to a high degree;
- the material of the hose is of such nature and dimensions as to be, in substance, floppy and incapable of physically supporting itself;
- the system includes upper and lower coupling units;
- each coupling unit is formed with a respective register which is suitable for receiving the upper and lower ends respectively of the length of hose;
- the ends of the length of hose are sealingly attached to the registers;
- the system includes a support strut, which has upper and lower ends, connected respectively to the upper and lower coupling units;
- the support strut is effective, when the system is installed in the borehole, to physically support the coupling units with respect to each other, and is effective to hold the coupling units spaced apart at a pre-determined distance from each other;
- and the system includes a means for conveying, when the system is installed in the borehole, a fluid from the surface to the interior of the length of hose.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.