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US 6,332,930 B1Granted
Pipeline cleaning
AssigneeLattice Intellectual Property Limited
InventorMichael Rose
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pipeline cleaning arrangement that includes a cleaning pig with guide units at each end. A tow cable, via a cone, pulls the pig assembly in a forward direction. The tow cable then pulls the cone in a rearward direction. The pig is configured with two cleaning portions that separate in the forward direction to avoid debris collection and abut in the rearwards direction to collect pipeline debris and carry this to the entry point for removal via a suction tube.
Claims17
A cleaning pig for cleaning debris from a fluid pipeline comprising:
- slider means, and
- first and second cleaning portions,
- at least one of said portions cooperating with the slider means to permit movement of the portions towards each other or apart, so as to allow passage of the pig from a first location to a second location along the pipeline without collecting any substantial amount of debris when the portions are apart, and to cause cleaning of the pipeline by transporting debris during passage of the pig from the second to the first location when the portions are together, the pig including means to cause the portions to move towards each other or apart in dependence on the direction of travel of the pig through the pipeline.
A method of cleaning a pipeline the method comprising the steps of:
- providing first and second cleaning portions of a pig in slidable relationship,
- moving the pig from a first location to a second location along the pipeline without collecting any substantial amount of debris whilst the cleaning portions are spaced apart, and moving the pig from the second location to the first location along the pipeline so as to cause the cleaning portions to move towards each other so as to allow the pig to transport debris from the second location to the first location, the portions being configured so that they move towards each other or apart in dependence on the direction of travel of the pig through the pipeline.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.