US 6,551,028 B2Granted

Pipe replacement apparatus

OwnerGerald M. Robinsoninventor

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Abstract

A tool for replacing pipe, in which the existing underground pipe is fractured or cut into fragments, which are forced inward so that they pass through the tool. The tool has breaking members that extend radially outwards and backwards from a nose such that, when the tool is pulled through an existing underground pipe, the breaking members are forced against the inside of the existing underground pipe, thereby breaking it. The fragments are forced inwards by the leading edge of the cylindrical base of the tool and pass through a bore in the cylindrical base. In this way the replacement of existing underground pipe is made possible without expanding the cavity of the existing underground pipe. The tool may additionally include a pipe guide for guiding replacement pipe into place behind the tool as the tool is pulled through the existing underground pipe. The fragments pass through the pipe guide and into the replacement pipe. The tool additionally includes clearing mechanisms for removing the fragments from the replacement pipe.

Claims6

Dependent claims

A tapered tool for the replacement of underground pipe, said tool having a central longitudinal axis, wherein said tool comprises:

a) a nose having an outside diameter smaller than an inside diameter of an existing underground pipe, said nose additionally having an eye for connecting a chain thereto for pulling said tool through the existing underground pipe;
b) a cylindrical base having a central axis coincident with said central longitudinal axis of said tool, an outside diameter larger than an outside diameter of the existing underground pipe, and a bore therethrough parallel to said central longitudinal axis;
and
c) a plurality of breaking members joining said nose to said base;
wherein said breaking members are connected to said base and said nose such that said breaking members are angled radially outwards from said nose to said base such that said breaking members are forced against an inside surface of the existing underground pipe and are operative to fracture the existing underground pipe into fragments as said tool is pulled through the existing underground pipe, and wherein an edge of said base closest to said nose is operative to force the fragments of the existing underground pipe radially inward, and wherein said bore of said base is operative to allow the fragments of the existing underground pipe to pass through said base.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.