Back to results
US 5,626,438 AGranted
System for excavating and rehabilitating underground pipelines
AssigneePipeline Rehab, Inc.
InventorThomas J. Etheridge
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Loading patent…
Loading patent…
AssigneePipeline Rehab, Inc.
InventorThomas J. Etheridge
Estimating the term…
A system for excavating and rehabilitating underground pipelines. The system including an earth removal unit, a coating removal unit and a defect detection unit each of which is self-propelled to ride on and/or along underground pipelines. The earth removal unit includes an adjustable housing adapted to be mounted about an exposed portion of the underground pipeline. The earth removal unit further includes front and rear wheel assemblies adapted to engage the top surface of the underground pipeline. A plurality of endless belts are suspended from the housing so that they assume a position beneath the underground pipeline. The endless belts are independently operable and include a plurality of cutting/digging elements. The endless belts are offset in both the horizontal and vertical directions with respect to the underground pipeline. The coating removal unit includes at least one endless chain for removing the deteriorated coating on the underground pipeline. The defect detection unit automatically detects defects in the exterior surface of the underground pipeline as it is moving therealong.
A system for excavating and rehabilitating underground pipelines having a protective coating formed thereon;
A system for excavating and rehabilitating underground pipelines, comprising:
A method for excavating and rehabilitating pipelines having a protective coating formed thereon;
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.