US 5,699,577 A · Magnetic cleaning pig

Abstract

A cleaning device for passing through a pipeline for removal of ferro-magnetic debris includes an elongated body having at least two spaced apart elastomeric cups that fit within a pipeline to be cleaned, the cups supporting the body so that its elongational axis is substantially co-axial with the pipeline cylindrical wall. A carrier is supported by the body and has a peripheral surface spaced adjacent to the pipeline internal wall. At least one permanent magnet is supported by the carrier peripheral surface and adjacent to the pipeline internal wall. A structure is provided to maintain the magnet oriented in the direction of, or parallel to, and adjacent the pipeline internal wall bottom portion so that the magnet attracts and retains ferro-magnetic debris. In one embodiment the carrier is free to rotate about the elongated body so that if the cleaning device rotates as it moves through a pipeline the magnet or magnets carried thereby are always positioned adjacent the pipeline bottom interior surface. In another embodiment, the carrier is fixed to the cleaning device body. A weight is attached to the body to prevent the cleaning device from rotating and to thereby maintain the peripheral surface of the carrier having the magnet therein adjacent the pipeline interior bottom.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A cleaning device for passing through a pipeline to gather and remove ferro-magnetic debris, the pipeline having a cylindrical internal wall with a gravitationally downward internal bottom portion, which device comprises:

an elongated body of cross-sectional dimension less than that of the pipeline cylindrical internal wall;
at least two supports, spaced apart from each other and affixed to said elongated body whereby said elongated body is supported at least substantially co-axially of the pipeline cylindrical wall;
a carrier supported by said body and having a circumferential surface at least a portion of which provides a generally circular peripheral surface at least substantially concentric to and spaced adjacent to the pipeline internal wall;
at least one permanent magnet retained by said carrier adjacent to said carrier circular peripheral surface;
and
means to orientationally maintain said carrier circular peripheral surface in the direction of and adjacent the pipeline internal wall gravitationally downward bottom portion whereby at least a portion of any ferro-magnetic debris residing in the pipeline will be picked up by said at least one permanent magnet.

3 more elements

A cleaning device for passing through a pipeline to gather and remove ferro-magnetic debris, the pipeline having a cylindrical internal wall with a gravitationally downward bottom portion, which device comprises:

an elongated body of cross-sectional dimension less than that of the pipeline cylindrical internal wall;
at least two supports, spaced apart from each other and affixed to said elongated body whereby said elongated body is supported at least substantially co-axially of the pipeline cylindrical wall;
a segmented member supported by said body and having a segment of a circular peripheral surface at least substantially concentric to and spaced from the pipeline internal wall;
at least one permanent magnet retained by said segmented member adjacent to said peripheral surface thereof;
at least one circular guide secured to and surrounding said body, the circular guide having a circumferential raceway formed therein that is in a plane perpendicular to an elongational axis of said body;
and
a ring rotatably received in said circumferential raceway, said segmented member being attached to said ring, said ring rotationally responding to the weight of said segmented member to orientationally maintain said segmented member peripheral surface in the direction of and adjacent the pipeline internal wall gravitationally downward bottom portion.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Magnetic cleaning pig

Life of this patent

Magnetic cleaning pig

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23