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EP0146331A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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A device and method for removing irregularities in or enlarging an underground duct
Assignee: IPD Systems Ltd
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Filing: 1984-12-11
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2004-12-11
Abstract
Abstract A device for removing irregularities in or enlarging a buried duct comprises a cylindrical housing corresponding approximately in diameter to the required diameter of the duct, an expandable shell comprising a plurality of tapered leaf members pivotally attached at their rear ends to the front of the housing, and remotely controllable drive means for moving the leaf members between contracted and expanded configurations. In operation, the apparatus is drawn through the duct with the leaf members in a contracted configuration in which they enter a portion of the duct of a diameter less than the required diameter. The drive means is operated to force the leaf members outwardly against the sides of the duct to expand the duct. The leaf members are then retracted and the apparatus is drawn forward. The apparatus is particularly intended for preparing damaged sewers prior to fitting an inner, lining pipe. By forming the shell in two sections, of which the nose is cylindrical in the contracted configuration and conical in the expanded configuration, the apparatus can move forward a distance approximately equal to the length of the leaf members with each expansion and contraction cycle, a continuous tension being applied to the chain drawing the device forward.
Inventors
- 👤 Ian Roland Yarnell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 09:56
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16L; F16L55/00; F16L55/16; F16L55/162; F16L55/165; F16L55/1658; E; E03; E03F; E03F3/00; E03F3/06; E21; E21B; E21B7/00; E21B7/28; E21B7/30; E03F2003/065
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
125 words
Apparatus for travelling through an underground duct and for enlarging, or removing irregularities, in the duct, wherein the apparatus comprises an expandable segmented shell portion including a series of shell parts arranged around a longitudinal axis of the apparatus and having respective outwardly facing surface portions for engaging the sides of the duct, wherein the shell parts are movable laterally with respect to the axis from a contracted configuration to an expanded configuration for forcing the sides of the duct away from the axis to enlarge a portion of the duct, and a nose portion extending in a longitudinal direction forwardly of the segmented shell portion and having an outer surface for engaging the sides of the duct ahead of the said segmented shell portion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
125 words
Apparatus for travelling through an underground duct and for enlarging, or removing irregularities, in the duct, wherein the apparatus comprises an expandable segmented shell portion including a series of shell parts arranged around a longitudinal axis of the apparatus and having respective outwardly facing surface portions for engaging the sides of the duct, wherein the shell parts are movable laterally with respect to the axis from a contracted configuration to an expanded configuration for forcing the sides of the duct away from the axis to enlarge a portion of the duct, and a nose portion extending in a longitudinal direction forwardly of the segmented shell portion and having an outer surface for engaging the sides of the duct ahead of the said segmented shell portion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
66 words
Apparatus according the claim 1, wherein the nose portion comprises a second expandable and segmented shell including a second series of shell parts arranged around a longitudinal axis and having respective second outwardly facing surface portions for engaging the sides of the duct, the shell parts of the second series being movable transversely with respect the said axis between a contracted configuration and an expanded configuration.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
118 words
Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the shell parts of the first series and the second series each have a front end and a rear end, the front ends of the shell parts of the second series are each coupled on a first diameter around a forward pivot assembly by a plurality of respective forward pivot joints, the rear ends of the shell parts of the second series are each coupled by respective intermediate pivot joints to the front ends of the shell parts of the first series, and the rear ends of the shell parts of the first series are each coupled to a base member on a second diameter which is larger than the first diameter.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus according to claim 3, including internal fluid pressure drive means coupled to the shell parts in the region of the intermediate joints.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the nose portion defines a generally cylindrical outer surface defining a penetration diameter in at least one configuration of the shell parts.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the shell parts of the nose portion define a forwardly tapering outer surface in their fully expanded configuration.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
101 words
Apparatus for travelling through an underground duct and for enlarging, or removing irregularities in the duct, wherein the apparatus comprises an expandable segmented shell including a plurality of shell parts arranged around a longitudinal axis of the apparatus and having respective outwardly facing surface portions for engaging the sides of the duct, and wherein the shell parts are drivable laterally with respect to the axis from a contacted configuration, in which at least a front end portion of the shell lies within a duct penetration diameter, to an expanded configuration in which the shell defines a forwardly tapered outer surface portion.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
101 words
Apparatus for travelling through an underground duct and for enlarging, or removing irregularities in the duct, wherein the apparatus comprises an expandable segmented shell including a plurality of shell parts arranged around a longitudinal axis of the apparatus and having respective outwardly facing surface portions for engaging the sides of the duct, and wherein the shell parts are drivable laterally with respect to the axis from a contacted configuration, in which at least a front end portion of the shell lies within a duct penetration diameter, to an expanded configuration in which the shell defines a forwardly tapered outer surface portion.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the shell defines, in the expanded configuration, an outer surface having a forwardly tapered front surface portion and a cylindrical or rearwardly tapered rear surface portion.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus according to claim 8 having, in the contracted configuration of the shell parts, a forwardly tapered rear outer surface portion corresponding substantially in shape to the said forwardly tapered outer surface portion of the shell in the expanded configuration of the shell parts.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
199 words
A method of removing irregularities in or enlarging an underground duct comprising:- (i) locating in the duct an expansion device including a leading expandable shell portion and a trailing expandable shell portion, which portions comprise respectively leading and trailing sets of shell parts which are movable laterally with respect to a longitudinal axis between a contracted configuration and an expanded configuration, the device being located in the duct with the shell parts in their contracted configuration and the leading shell portion in an unexpanded duct portion; (ii) driving the shell parts into their expanded configuration to force the sides of the duct away from the axis to create an enlarged duct portion having a front section which is forwardly tapering and a rear section having an overall diameter at least as large as the required diameter of the duct; (iii) causing the shell parts to return to their contracted configuration and the device to move forwardly by a distance such that leading shell portion enters a new unexpanded duct portion, and the trailing shell portion substantially occupies the said front section of the enlarged duct portion; and (iv) repeating steps (ii) and (iii) to traverse a required duct length.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
199 words
A method of removing irregularities in or enlarging an underground duct comprising:- (i) locating in the duct an expansion device including a leading expandable shell portion and a trailing expandable shell portion, which portions comprise respectively leading and trailing sets of shell parts which are movable laterally with respect to a longitudinal axis between a contracted configuration and an expanded configuration, the device being located in the duct with the shell parts in their contracted configuration and the leading shell portion in an unexpanded duct portion; (ii) driving the shell parts into their expanded configuration to force the sides of the duct away from the axis to create an enlarged duct portion having a front section which is forwardly tapering and a rear section having an overall diameter at least as large as the required diameter of the duct; (iii) causing the shell parts to return to their contracted configuration and the device to move forwardly by a distance such that leading shell portion enters a new unexpanded duct portion, and the trailing shell portion substantially occupies the said front section of the enlarged duct portion; and (iv) repeating steps (ii) and (iii) to traverse a required duct length.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein a continuous forwardly directed force is applied to the device over a plurality of cycles of steps (ii) and (iii).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method of lining an underground duct, including enlarging the duct as defined in claim 10, and simutaneously feeding a lining pipe into the duct.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
96 words
A device for removing irregularities in or enlarging an underground duct comprising an expandable segmented shell having two sets of shell parts arranged around a longitudinal axis of the device, the two sets comprising a front set in which the shell parts are each pivotally attched by front end portions thereof to a forward pivot assembly, and a rear set in which the shell parts are each pivotally attached by front end portions thereof to rear end portions of respective shell parts of the front set, and by rear end portions thereof to a base member.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
96 words
A device for removing irregularities in or enlarging an underground duct comprising an expandable segmented shell having two sets of shell parts arranged around a longitudinal axis of the device, the two sets comprising a front set in which the shell parts are each pivotally attched by front end portions thereof to a forward pivot assembly, and a rear set in which the shell parts are each pivotally attached by front end portions thereof to rear end portions of respective shell parts of the front set, and by rear end portions thereof to a base member.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
86 words
A method of removing irregularities in or enlarging an underground duct including:- (i) locating in the duct apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 9 with the shell parts in their contracted configuration; (ii) driving the shell parts in to their expanded configuration to create an expanded duct portion; (iii) returning the shell parts to their contracted configuration and causing the apparatus to move forwardly into the expanded duct portion; and (iv) repeating steps (ii) and (iii) to traverse a required length of the duct.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 14, wherein the expanded duct portion is forwardly tapered over at least a part of its length.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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