Automatic plug injector and method of cleaning pipelines

Claim 2

AN IMPROVED METHOD OF MAINTAING THE INTERIOR OF PIPE LINES FREE OF DEPOSTIONS OR OTHER ACCUMULATIONS WHICH INTERFERE WITH TH EFLOW OF FLUIDS THERETHROUGH, WHICH METHOD COMPRISES: MAINTIAING A SUPPLY OF SOLID CLEANER PLUGS OF SLIGHTLY LESS THAN THE INSIDE DIAMETER OF THE PIPE LINE ADJACENT THERETO; WITHDRAWING FLUID FROMTHE PIPE LINE; AUTOMATICALLY RELEASING THE PRESSURE OF THE WITHDRAWN FLUID AT INTERVALS OF PREDETERMINED FREQUENCY AND EMPLOYING THE SO-RELEASED FLUID PRESSURE TO INTRODUCE A CLEANER PLUG INTOTHE PIPE LINE AT A PREDETERMINED FREQUENCY; AND FLOWING THE SAID CLEANER PLUGS THROUGH THE PIPE LINE WITH THE FLOW OF FLUID IN THE PIPE LINE AND THEREBY SCRAPING DEPOSITS FROM THE INNER WALLS OF THE PIPE LINE.

Claim 3

APPARATUS FOR CONNECTION TO A PIPELINE AND OPERABLE BY THE PRESSURE OF A FLUID IN THE PIPELINE FOR THE PERIODIC INTRODUCTION OF SOLID POUGS INTO THE PIPELINE COMPRISING STORAGE MEANS FOR THE SOLID PLUGS ADAPTED TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE PIPELINE THRUGH A PORT IN THE PIPELINE FOR INTRODUCTION OF THE SOLID PLUGS INTO THE PIPELING, FLUID PRESSURE RESPONSIVE RECIPROCAL DRIVING MEANS ADAPTED TO ENGAGE A SOLID PLUG POSITIONED ADJACENT THERETO BY THE STORAGE MEANS AND MOVAE IT THROUGH THE PORT INTO THE PIPELINE, THE RECIPROCAL DRIVING MEANS BEING CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANAGED TO ALLOW SUBSTANTIALLY UNITERRUPTED FLOW THROUGH THE PIPELINE, SAID STORAGE AND RECIPROCAL DRIVING MEANS BEING CONSRUCTED AND ARANAGED TO PREVENT LEAKAGE FROM THE PIPELINE THROUGH THE PORT AND OUT OF THE APPARATUS, A CONDUIT FOR COMMUICATION WITH THE PIPELINE AND THE RECIPROCAL DRIVING MEANS FOR CONVEYING FLUID UNDER PRESSURE FROM THE PIPELINE TO THE RECIPROCAL DRIVING MEANS, THREE-WAY VALVE MEANS DISPOSED IN SAID CONDUIT, AND A TIMER CONTROL CONNECTED TO THE VALVE MANS AND OPERATIVE TO EFFECT AN ALTERNATING DELIVERY OF THE FLUID PRESSURE TO THE RECIPROCAL DRIVING MEANS AND RELEASE OF THE FLUID PRESSURE IN THE RECIPROCAL DRIVING MEANS.

Claim 4

APPARATUS FOR CONNECTION TO A PIPELINE AND OPERABLE BY THE PRESSURE OF A FLUID IN THE PIPELINE FOR THE PERIODIC INTRODUCTION OF SOLID POUGS INTO THE PIPELINE COMPRISING STORAGE MEANS FOR THE SOLID PLUGS ADAPTED TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE PIPELINE THRUGH A PORT IN THE PIPELINE FOR INTRODUCTION OF THE SOLID PLUGS INTO THE PIPELING, FLUID PRESSURE RESPONSIVE RECIPROCAL DRIVING MEANS ADAPTED TO ENGAGE A SOLID PLUG POSITIONED ADJACENT THERETO BY THE STORAGE MEANS AND MOVAE IT THROUGH THE PORT INTO THE PIPELINE, THE RECIPROCAL DRIVING MEANS BEING CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANAGED TO ALLOW SUBSTANTIALLY UNITERRUPTED FLOW THROUGH THE PIPELINE, SAID STORAGE AND RECIPROCAL DRIVING MEANS BEING CONSRUCTED AND ARANAGED TO PREVENT LEAKAGE FROM THE PIPELINE THROUGH THE PORT AND OUT OF THE APPARATUS, A CONDUIT FOR COMMUICATION WITH THE PIPELINE AND THE RECIPROCAL DRIVING MEANS FOR CONVEYING FLUID UNDER PRESSURE FROM THE PIPELINE TO THE RECIPROCAL DRIVING MEANS, THREE-WAY VALVE MEANS DISPOSED IN SAID CONDUIT, AND A TIMER CONTROL CONNECTED TO THE VALVE MANS AND OPERATIVE TO EFFECT AN ALTERNATING DELIVERY OF THE FLUID PRESSURE TO THE RECIPROCAL DRIVING MEANS AND RELEASE OF THE FLUID PRESSURE IN THE RECIPROCAL DRIVING MEANS.