Apparatus for testing a pipeline for leaks

Claim 1

An apparatus adapted to pass through the inside of a fluid carrying pipeline to establish what portion of the pipeline is without leaks, comprising: a vibration sensing means, said vibration sensing means being mounted on a container and adapted to detect ultrasonic vibrations; a first printing means, said first printing means operatively attached to said vibration sensing means and adapted to record the output thereof; a pressure sensing means, said pressure sensing means mounted on said container and adapted to detect the pressure of the fluid in the pipeline; a second printing means, said second printing means operatively attached to said pressure sensing means and adapted to record the output thereof; a clock, said clock adapted to generate a periodic signal; a third printing means, said third printing means connected to said clock and adapted to record said periodic signals; and a printing means controller with two inputs, said recording means controller having one input connected to the output of said vibration sensing means and the other input connected to the output of said pressure sensing means the output of said recording means controller being connected to said first, second, and third recorders and adapted to cause said first, second, and third recording means to record when an output signal is produced therefrom, said recording means controller being adapted to produce an output signal upon receiving a signal at either of its inputs.

Claim 2

An apparatus adapted to pass through the inside of a fluid carrying pipeline to establish what portion of the pipeline is without leaks, comprising: a vibration sensing means, said vibration sensing means being mounted on a container and adapted to detect ultrasonic vibrations; a first printing means, said first printing means operatively attached to said vibration sensing means and adapted to record the output thereof; a pressure sensing means, said pressure sensing means mounted on said container and adapted to detect the pressure of the fluid in the pipeline; a second printing means, said second printing means operatively attached to said pressure sensing means and adapted to record the output thereof; a clock, said clock adapted to generate a periodic signal; a third printing means, said third printing means connected to said clock and adapted to record said periodic signals; and a printing means controller with two inputs, said recording means controller having one input connected to the output of said vibration sensing means and the other input connected to the output of said pressure sensing means the output of said recording means controller being connected to said first, second, and third recorders and adapted to cause said first, second, and third recording means to record when an output signal is produced therefrom, said recording means controller being adapted to produce an output signal upon receiving a signal at either of its inputs.

Claim 3

A system disposed to pass through the inside of a fluid carrying pipeline by means of a container and adapted for certifying that a portion of the pipeline is without leaks, comprising a hydrophone, said hydrophone mounted on said container and adapted to produce an electrical output portional to acoustical signals present in the fluid; a band-pass amplifier, said band-pass amplifier having its input connected to the output of said hydrophone and adapted to pass and amplify a portion of the output signal of said hydrophone; a first integrator, said integrator having first, second, and third inputs, said first input being connected to the output of said band-pass amplifier and adapted to integrate the output thereof; a first pulse generator; Said pulse generator having its input connected to the output of said integrator and adapted to generate a pulse when the output of said integrator reaches a predetermined level; a demodulator; said demodulator having its input connected to the output of said band-pass amplifier and adapted to demodulate the signal therefrom; a second integrator, said second integrator having a first and second input, said first input being operatively connected to the output of said demodulator to integrate the output thereof; a second pulse generator, said second pulse generator having its input connected to the output of said second integrator and a plurality of outputs, one of said outputs being operatively connected to said second input of said first integrator; an OR circuit, said OR circuit having a first and second input, said first input being connected to the output of said first pulse generator and said second input being connected to the output of said second pulse generator; a switching means, said switching means having a first and second input, said first input being operatively connected to the output of said first pulse generator; a print control means, said print control means having a first and second input, said first input being operatively connected to the output of said switching means; a first printing means, said first printing means having a first, second and third input, said first input being operatively connected to the output of said OR circuit, said second input being operatively connected to the output of said print control means, said first printing means being adapted to print three characters, said characters being determined by the number of pulses received from said OR circuit to an initial state; a reset relay, said reset relay having its input connected to the output of said print control means; and its output connected to said third input of said first printing means, said third input of said first integrator, and said second input of said second integrator, said reset relay being adapted to reset said first printing means, and said second integrators to their initial conditions upon receiving an input signal from said print control means; a pressure sensor, said pressure sensor adapted to generate an output signal proportional to the pressure of said fluid in said pipeline; a first and second switch, said first and second switch having their inputs operatively connected to the output of said pressure sensor the output of said first switch being connected to the second input of said switching means, said first and second switch being adapted to operate such that when the pressure in said fluid drops below a specific value said first switch is put into the on position and said second switch is put into the off position while when the pressure in said fluid rises above said specific value, said first switch is put into the off position and said second switch is put into the on position; a third pulse generator, said third pulse generator having its input connected to the output of said first switch and adapted to generate a pulse when said first switch is put into the on position; a fourth pulse generator, said fourth pulse generator having its input connected to the output of said second switch and adapted to generate a pulse when said second switch is in the on position; a second OR circuit, said second OR circuit having a first and second input, said first input being connected to the output of said third pulse generator and said second input being connected to the output of said fourth pulse generator, the output of said OR circuit being operatively connected to the second input of said print control means; a second printing means, said second printing means having a first and second input, said first input being operatively connected to the output of said second OR circuit and said second input being operatively connected to the output of said print control means, said seCond printing means being capable of printing two characters, one character indicating that the pressure in said fluid is below a predetermined level and the other character indicating that the pressure of said fluid is above said predetermined level, said printing means being adapted to print when receiving a signal from said print control means; a clock, said clock adapted to generate periodic output signals; a fifth pulse generator, said fifth pulse generator having its input connected to the output of said clock pulse and adapted to generate a pulse upon receiving an output signal from said clock; and a third printing means, said third printing means having as its input the output of said fifth pulse generator and adapted to print elasped time.

Claim 4

A system disposed to pass through the inside of a fluid carrying pipeline by means of a container and adapted for certifying that a portion of the pipeline is without leaks, comprising a hydrophone, said hydrophone mounted on said container and adapted to produce an electrical output portional to acoustical signals present in the fluid; a band-pass amplifier, said band-pass amplifier having its input connected to the output of said hydrophone and adapted to pass and amplify a portion of the output signal of said hydrophone; a first integrator, said integrator having first, second, and third inputs, said first input being connected to the output of said band-pass amplifier and adapted to integrate the output thereof; a first pulse generator; Said pulse generator having its input connected to the output of said integrator and adapted to generate a pulse when the output of said integrator reaches a predetermined level; a demodulator; said demodulator having its input connected to the output of said band-pass amplifier and adapted to demodulate the signal therefrom; a second integrator, said second integrator having a first and second input, said first input being operatively connected to the output of said demodulator to integrate the output thereof; a second pulse generator, said second pulse generator having its input connected to the output of said second integrator and a plurality of outputs, one of said outputs being operatively connected to said second input of said first integrator; an OR circuit, said OR circuit having a first and second input, said first input being connected to the output of said first pulse generator and said second input being connected to the output of said second pulse generator; a switching means, said switching means having a first and second input, said first input being operatively connected to the output of said first pulse generator; a print control means, said print control means having a first and second input, said first input being operatively connected to the output of said switching means; a first printing means, said first printing means having a first, second and third input, said first input being operatively connected to the output of said OR circuit, said second input being operatively connected to the output of said print control means, said first printing means being adapted to print three characters, said characters being determined by the number of pulses received from said OR circuit to an initial state; a reset relay, said reset relay having its input connected to the output of said print control means; and its output connected to said third input of said first printing means, said third input of said first integrator, and said second input of said second integrator, said reset relay being adapted to reset said first printing means, and said second integrators to their initial conditions upon receiving an input signal from said print control means; a pressure sensor, said pressure sensor adapted to generate an output signal proportional to the pressure of said fluid in said pipeline; a first and second switch, said first and second switch having their inputs operatively connected to the output of said pressure sensor the output of said first switch being connected to the second input of said switching means, said first and second switch being adapted to operate such that when the pressure in said fluid drops below a specific value said first switch is put into the on position and said second switch is put into the off position while when the pressure in said fluid rises above said specific value, said first switch is put into the off position and said second switch is put into the on position; a third pulse generator, said third pulse generator having its input connected to the output of said first switch and adapted to generate a pulse when said first switch is put into the on position; a fourth pulse generator, said fourth pulse generator having its input connected to the output of said second switch and adapted to generate a pulse when said second switch is in the on position; a second OR circuit, said second OR circuit having a first and second input, said first input being connected to the output of said third pulse generator and said second input being connected to the output of said fourth pulse generator, the output of said OR circuit being operatively connected to the second input of said print control means; a second printing means, said second printing means having a first and second input, said first input being operatively connected to the output of said second OR circuit and said second input being operatively connected to the output of said print control means, said seCond printing means being capable of printing two characters, one character indicating that the pressure in said fluid is below a predetermined level and the other character indicating that the pressure of said fluid is above said predetermined level, said printing means being adapted to print when receiving a signal from said print control means; a clock, said clock adapted to generate periodic output signals; a fifth pulse generator, said fifth pulse generator having its input connected to the output of said clock pulse and adapted to generate a pulse upon receiving an output signal from said clock; and a third printing means, said third printing means having as its input the output of said fifth pulse generator and adapted to print elasped time.