US3718978A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Pipeline survey vehicle
Assignee: KOEVERING B VAN
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Filing: 1970-10-16
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Granted: 1973-03-06
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Expires: 1990-10-16
Abstract
Abstract The invention is directed to a vehicle adapted to be inserted within a pipeline or conduit, such as a buried gas main, having pipeline characteristic sensing means mounted upon the vehicle for sensing the pipe deflection in a vertical plane, leaks, cracks, corrosion or other pipeline characteristics. The vehicle is self-propelled and is self-steering. Self-steering is accomplished by means of a gravity operated sensing device which will maintain the vehicle in a predetermined vertical orientation at all times. Traction of the vehicle drive wheels is augmented by friction producing means engaging the upper region of the pipe and biasing the drive wheels into firm engagement with the pipe lower region inner surface. Control of the vehicle and recording of the pipeline characteristics is achieved remotely through electric conductors affixed to the vehicle.
Inventors
- 👤 Koevering B Van
- 👤 W Blough
- 👤 F Bunnell
- 👤 W Mcdowell
- 👤 G Mcdowell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 18:02
CPC Classifications
B; B62; B62D; B62D1/00; B62D1/24; B62D1/26; G; G01; G01M; G01M3/00; G01M3/005; F; F16; F16L; F16L2101/00; F16L2101/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
152 words
Pipeline survey apparatus for internally sensing the characteristics of a horizontal pipeline, in situ, having a longitudinal axis, comprising, in combination, a vehicle, rotatable supporting means mounted on said vehicle for supporting said vehicle for movement through a pipe, steering means mounted on said vehicle for steering said vehicle within the pipe and orienting said vehicle to the vertical plane in which the pipe longitudinal axis lies as it moves through the pipe, sensing means mounted on said vehicle sensing the orientation of said vehicle to said vertical plane, steering control means connected to and operating said steering means, said sensing means being connected to and controlling said steering control means in accord with the orientation of said vehicle to said vertical plane as sensed and indicated by said sensing means, and vertically disposed gaging means mounted on said vehicle for gaging the vertical contour of the inner surface of the pipeline.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
152 words
Pipeline survey apparatus for internally sensing the characteristics of a horizontal pipeline, in situ, having a longitudinal axis, comprising, in combination, a vehicle, rotatable supporting means mounted on said vehicle for supporting said vehicle for movement through a pipe, steering means mounted on said vehicle for steering said vehicle within the pipe and orienting said vehicle to the vertical plane in which the pipe longitudinal axis lies as it moves through the pipe, sensing means mounted on said vehicle sensing the orientation of said vehicle to said vertical plane, steering control means connected to and operating said steering means, said sensing means being connected to and controlling said steering control means in accord with the orientation of said vehicle to said vertical plane as sensed and indicated by said sensing means, and vertically disposed gaging means mounted on said vehicle for gaging the vertical contour of the inner surface of the pipeline.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
152 words
Pipeline survey apparatus for internally sensing the characteristics of a horizontal pipeline, in situ, having a longitudinal axis, comprising, in combination, a vehicle, rotatable supporting means mounted on said vehicle for supporting said vehicle for movement through a pipe, steering means mounted on said vehicle for steering said vehicle within the pipe and orienting said vehicle to the vertical plane in which the pipe longitudinal axis lies as it moves through the pipe, sensing means mounted on said vehicle sensing the orientation of said vehicle to said vertical plane, steering control means connected to and operating said steering means, said sensing means being connected to and controlling said steering control means in accord with the orientation of said vehicle to said vertical plane as sensed and indicated by said sensing means, and vertically disposed gaging means mounted on said vehicle for gaging the vertical contour of the inner surface of the pipeline.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
152 words
Pipeline survey apparatus for internally sensing the characteristics of a horizontal pipeline, in situ, having a longitudinal axis, comprising, in combination, a vehicle, rotatable supporting means mounted on said vehicle for supporting said vehicle for movement through a pipe, steering means mounted on said vehicle for steering said vehicle within the pipe and orienting said vehicle to the vertical plane in which the pipe longitudinal axis lies as it moves through the pipe, sensing means mounted on said vehicle sensing the orientation of said vehicle to said vertical plane, steering control means connected to and operating said steering means, said sensing means being connected to and controlling said steering control means in accord with the orientation of said vehicle to said vertical plane as sensed and indicated by said sensing means, and vertically disposed gaging means mounted on said vehicle for gaging the vertical contour of the inner surface of the pipeline.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
In pipeline survey apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said sensing means comprises a gravity actuated member movable under the influence of gravity, and means sensing and indicating the position of said gravity actuated member with respect to the vertical.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
In pipeline survey apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said steering means comprises at least one rotatable pipe engaging wheel mounted on said vehicle steerably pivotable about a substantially vertical axis, and said steering contrOl means includes a motor mounted on said vehicle steerably connected to said wheel.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
61 words
In pipeline survey apparatus as in claim 1, said steering means including a steering axle pivotally mounted upon said vehicle about a substantially vertical axis, a pair of wheels rotatably mounted on said axle, and said steering control means including an electric steering motor mounted on said vehicle in driving connection with said axle for pivoting said axle about said axis.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
In pipeline survey apparatus as in claim 1, a vehicle drive motor mounted on said vehicle in driving relationship with said rotatable vehicle supporting means wherein said vehicle is self-propelled.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
58 words
In pipeline survey apparatus as in claim 5 wherein said rotatable vehicle supporting means includes a pair of drive wheels rotatably mounted on said vehicle, drive train transmission means connected to said drive wheels, said drive motor comprising an electric motor drivingly connected to said transmission means whereby said transmission connects said electric motor to said drive wheels.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
64 words
In pipeline survey apparatus as in claim 6, pipe engaging biased means mounted on said vehicle vertically disposed above said drive wheels, and biasing means biasing said biased means whereby said biased means interiorly engages the pipe upper regions and biases the vehicle drive wheels into engagement with the pipe lower regions to increase the frictional engagement between said drive wheels and the pipe.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
In pipeline survey apparatus as in claim 1, said vehicle comprising a forward portion and a rear portion, and pivot means interconnecting said forward and rear portions whereby said vehicle is articulated.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
48 words
In pipeline survey apparatus as in claim 8 wherein said rotatable vehicle supporting means comprise steerable wheels rotatably mounted upon said forward portion and drive wheels rotatably mounted on said rear portion, and an electric motor mounted upon said vehicle rear portion drivingly connected to said drive wheels.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
111 words
Pipeline survey apparatus for internally sensing the characteristics of a horizontal pipeline, in situ, the pipe having a longitudinal axis and an inner surface having upper and lower regions comprising, in combination, a vehicle having sides and forward and rear portions, vehicle supporting wheels rotatably mounted upon said vehicle supporting said vehicle upon the pipe lower regions, said wheels including a pair of drive wheels, a motor mounted on said vehicle drivingly connected to said drive wheels, biased means mounted on said vehicle for engaging the pipe upper region to bias said drive wheels into frictional engagement with the pipe lower region, and pipeline characteristic sensing means mounted on said vehicle.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
111 words
Pipeline survey apparatus for internally sensing the characteristics of a horizontal pipeline, in situ, the pipe having a longitudinal axis and an inner surface having upper and lower regions comprising, in combination, a vehicle having sides and forward and rear portions, vehicle supporting wheels rotatably mounted upon said vehicle supporting said vehicle upon the pipe lower regions, said wheels including a pair of drive wheels, a motor mounted on said vehicle drivingly connected to said drive wheels, biased means mounted on said vehicle for engaging the pipe upper region to bias said drive wheels into frictional engagement with the pipe lower region, and pipeline characteristic sensing means mounted on said vehicle.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
42 words
In a pipeline survey apparatus as in claim 10, pivot means defining a substantially vertical axis interconnecting said forward and rear vehicle portions whereby said portions may pivot relative to each other to facilitate movement about horizontal pipeline deviations from the linear.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
49 words
In pipeline survey apparatus as in claim 11, at least one guide member mounted on each side of said vehicle forward portion adjacent said rear portion for engagement with the pipeline inner surface intermediate said upper and lower regions upon said vehicle traversing horizontal pipeline deviations from the linear.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
35 words
In pipeline survey apparatus as in claim 11, resilient alignment means interposed between said vehicle forward and rear portions imposing a biasing force on said portions tending to establish linear alignment of said vehicle portions.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
84 words
In pipeline survey apparatus as in claim 10 wherein said vehicle supporting wheels include steerable wheels mounted upon said forward portion, gravity operated sensing means mounted on said forward portion sensing the orientation of said vehicle to the vertical, and steering means connected to and controlling said steerable wheels, said gravity operated sensing means being connected to said steering means and contrOlling said steerable wheels in accord with the orientation of said vehicle to the vertical as sensed and indicated by said sensing means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
188 words
Pipeline survey apparatus for internally sensing the characteristics of a horizontal pipeline, in situ, having a longitudinal axis and an inner surface having upper and lower regions comprising, in combination, a self-propelled vehicle having pipe engaging supporting and drive means mounted thereon, motor means mounted on said vehicle drivingly connected to said drive means, an elongated moveable gauge bar mounted on said vehicle, means mounted on said vehicle for raising and lowering said gauge bar thereon between upper and lower limits, pipeline engaging elements mounted on said bar, controllable power means for raising and lowering said bar relative to said vehicle for selective engagement of said pipeline engaging elements with the pipeline upper region, first gauge bar positioning control means sensing the position of said gauge bar and controlling said power means to move said bar between its upper and lower limits, one of said pipeline engaging elements being movable with respect to said gauge bar to sense deviations in the pipeline in the vertical plane, and indicating means connected to said movable element sensing and indicating the position of said movable element relative to said gauge bar.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
188 words
Pipeline survey apparatus for internally sensing the characteristics of a horizontal pipeline, in situ, having a longitudinal axis and an inner surface having upper and lower regions comprising, in combination, a self-propelled vehicle having pipe engaging supporting and drive means mounted thereon, motor means mounted on said vehicle drivingly connected to said drive means, an elongated moveable gauge bar mounted on said vehicle, means mounted on said vehicle for raising and lowering said gauge bar thereon between upper and lower limits, pipeline engaging elements mounted on said bar, controllable power means for raising and lowering said bar relative to said vehicle for selective engagement of said pipeline engaging elements with the pipeline upper region, first gauge bar positioning control means sensing the position of said gauge bar and controlling said power means to move said bar between its upper and lower limits, one of said pipeline engaging elements being movable with respect to said gauge bar to sense deviations in the pipeline in the vertical plane, and indicating means connected to said movable element sensing and indicating the position of said movable element relative to said gauge bar.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
57 words
In pipeline survey apparatus as in claim 15, obstruction sensing means mounted upon said vehicle for engagement with obstructions located within the pipeline upper region and control means connecting said obstruction sensing means to said motor means to de-energize said motor means upon an obstruction being encountered after said motor has been energized to propel said vehicle.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-03-05 | 1976-09-04 | 1977-03-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-03-05 | 1980-09-04 | 1981-03-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-03-05 | 1984-09-04 | 1985-03-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |