Apparatus and method for cleaning a pipeline

A self propelled carriage adapted to be supported on the outer surface of pipe for movement along the pipe and adapted to be connected to a source of pressurized cleaning material to clean the outside of the pipe;

• said carriage comprising:
• a housing having a pair of opposed ends with aligned openings therein adapted to receive the pipe therein, and an outer peripheral wall secured between said ends and adapted to extend about the pipe to form an enclosed cleaning chamber;
• supporting means for said housing having rollers mounted thereon for contact with the outer surface of the pipe;
• said housing supported by said rollers on said pipe and including a side section pivotally mounted for swinging movement to an open position to receive said pipe therebetween;
• a plurality of nozzles mounted on said housing and spaced at intervals about said outer peripheral wall, said nozzles adapted to be connected to said source of pressurized cleaning material externally of said housing and having inner ends for discharge of pressurized cleaning material in a high velocity stream against said pipe;
• and
• fluid motor drive means mounted externally on said housing to move said nozzles in a predetermined stroke for cleaning a predetermined surface area on the outside of the pipe.

Apparatus for cleaning the outer surface of pipe comprising:

• a support frame supported on the outer surface of said pipe for longitudinal movement along the said pipe;
• a housing mounted on said support frame and adapted for fitting about said pipe to form an enclosed chamber extending about the entire outer periphery of said pipe;
• a plurality of nozzles mounted on said housing and spaced about the periphery of said pipe for the discharge of cleaning material against the outer periphery of said pipe;
• means extending between said housing and said support frame for oscillating said housing and nozzles mounted thereon in a predetermined stroke in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of said pipe relative to said outer periphery of said pipe to permit said nozzles to discharge cleaning material against the entire outer periphery of said pipe;
• said housing having a discharge opening for receiving the cleaning material and entrained waste material from the enclosed cleaning chamber after the cleaning operation;
• and
• conduit means connected to said discharge opening for the conveyance of the cleaning material and waste material away from said housing.

A self propelled carriage adapted to be supported on the outer surface of pipe for movement along the pipe and adapted to be connected to a source of pressurized cleaning material to clean said outer surface of the pipe;

• said carriage comprising:
• a housing having a pair of opposed ends with aligned openings therein adapted to receive the pipe therein, and an outer peripheral wall secured between said ends and adapted to extend about the pipe to form an enclosed cleaning chamber;
• supporting means for said housing having rollers mounted thereon for contact with the outer surface of the pipe;
• said housing supported by said rollers on said pipe and including a side section pivotally mounted for swinging movement to an open position to receive said pipe therebetween;
• and
• a plurality of nozzle units mounted externally on said housing and spaced at arcuate intervals about said outer peripheral wall, each nozzle unit including a nozzle adapted to be connected to a source of pressurized water for discharge in a high velocity stream against the outer surface of said pipe, and drive means operatively connected to said nozzle for pivoting said nozzle in a predetermined stroke for cleaning a predetermined area on the outer surface of said pipe.

Apparatus adapted to be connected to a source of pressurized water for cleaning the outer surface of pipe;

• said apparatus comprising:
• a housing having a pair of opposed ends with aligned openings therein adapted to receive the pipe therein, and an outer peripheral wall secured between said ends and adapted to extend about the pipe to form an enclosed cleaning chamber;
• and
• a plurality of nozzle units mounted externally on said housing and spaced at arcuate intervals about said outer peripheral wall, each nozzle unit including a nozzle adapted to be connected to a source of pressurized water for discharge in a high velocity stream against the outer surface of said pipe, and drive means on said housing operatively connected to said nozzle for pivoting said nozzle in a predetermined stroke for cleaning a predetermined area on the outer surface of said pipe.