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US 5,778,919 AGranted
Pipeline flow stopper with dual shafts
AssigneeCustom Service Laboratories of N.J., Inc.
InventorJoseph Petrone
Life of this patent
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AssigneeCustom Service Laboratories of N.J., Inc.
InventorJoseph Petrone
Estimating the term…
These objects and advantages are achieved by the inflatable gas pipeline stopper of the present invention, which is used to stop gas flowing through a pipeline when effecting repairs of the pipeline. The invention includes an attachment for attachment to a gas pipeline. A quick connect is provided to form an airtight seal between the stopper and the attachment. A junction box is attached at the other end of the quick connect. The junction box has two receptacles on the upper end thereof for receiving two shafts therein. Each shaft has a port and a valve. At the top of each shaft is a quick connect for attachment of a stuffing box thereto for insertion of air lines therethrough. Within the two shafts, and attached to the air lines, extend two moveable bag inserting and retracting plunger assemblies attached to an air source at the tops thereof. After the device is attached to a Mueller machine or other similar type machine, or a tee, the moveable bag inserting and retracting plunger assemblies are pushed through the shafts and the junction box to extend into the gas pipeline. Air is then supplied to the moveable bag inserting and retracting plunger assemblies to inflate the air bags to stop the flow of gas through the gas pipeline. One bag may be deflated to allow gas to flow into the pipeline flow stopper and up one of the shafts to a port to which another pipe may be attached to re-route the flow of gas about a break on a pipline.
An apparatus for providing an air tight seal for use in stopping gas flow through a broken gas pipeline to allow for repairs to be made to the pipeline, comprising:
An apparatus for providing an airtight seal for use in stopping gas flow through a broken gas pipeline to allow for repairs to be made to the pipeline, comprising:
A method for re-routing gas flow through a first gas pipeline stopper apparatus around a break in a gas pipeline to allow for repairs to be made to the pipeline, comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.