US3842864A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Stopping apparatus for pipe lines
Assignee: American Gas Association Inc
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Filing: 1973-03-23
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Granted: 1974-10-22
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Expires: 1993-03-23
Abstract
Abstract An inflatable-bag type line-stopper for use with the valving assembly of a conventional pipe-tapping machine to block flow through a pipe comprises an upstanding housing which mounts on the valving assembly and which contains a bag-insertion assembly capable of being extended and retracted with respect to the housing for inserting and withdrawing the bag. The bag is normally contained in an insertion tube and is connected by a knuckle assembly to a plunger which is slidably mounted in the tube. The knuckle assembly permits the bag to turn in the proper direction in the pipe during insertion and withdrawal. Handles are provided on operating rods connected to the plunger and the insertion tube for extending and retracting the bag. Compressed air at a pressure greater than line pressure is supplied to the bag through another valving assembly mounted on the plunger operating-rod and a passage in the knuckle assembly. A jacking assembly is provided to cooperate with the operating rods to enable the bag to be withdrawn from the pipe with a minimum of effort. The handles and operating rods are capable of being disconnected from their associated operating elements to permit the line-stopper to be arranged in a compact configuration for storage.
Inventors
- 👤 P Riegel
- 👤 R Legue
- 👤 L Nikodem
- 👤 W Slay
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 07:29
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16K; F16K7/00; F16K7/10; F16L; F16L41/00; F16L41/04; F16L41/06; F16L55/00; F16L55/10; F16L55/12; F16L55/124; F16L27/00; F16L27/08; F16L27/0849
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
212 words
A line-stopper comprising: an inflatablE bag having a normally collapsed configuration permitting insertion and withdrawal through a lateral port in a pipe and having an expanded configuration for engaging the inside of the pipe to block fluid flow therethrough, a hollow elongated insertion tube slidably receiving the bag in its collapsed configuration, a plunger slidably contained in said insertion tube, means connected to one end of said plunger to displace the plunger in opposite directions in the tube for inserting and withdrawing said bag, means providing a rigid extension on said bag, knuckle means coupling said rigid extension to the other end of the plunger and mounting said extension to pivot on an axis transverse to the path of movement of the plunger between one position coaxial with the insertion tube when said bag is collapsed and said knuckle means is in said insertion tube and another position aligned with the pipe when the knuckle means is in the pipe and the bag is disposed inside the pipe, and means providing fluid communication through said knuckle means between said bag and a source of pressure fluid, whereby the bag may be inserted in proper operating relation with respect to the pipe upon axial movement of the plunger relative to the insertion tube.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
212 words
A line-stopper comprising: an inflatablE bag having a normally collapsed configuration permitting insertion and withdrawal through a lateral port in a pipe and having an expanded configuration for engaging the inside of the pipe to block fluid flow therethrough, a hollow elongated insertion tube slidably receiving the bag in its collapsed configuration, a plunger slidably contained in said insertion tube, means connected to one end of said plunger to displace the plunger in opposite directions in the tube for inserting and withdrawing said bag, means providing a rigid extension on said bag, knuckle means coupling said rigid extension to the other end of the plunger and mounting said extension to pivot on an axis transverse to the path of movement of the plunger between one position coaxial with the insertion tube when said bag is collapsed and said knuckle means is in said insertion tube and another position aligned with the pipe when the knuckle means is in the pipe and the bag is disposed inside the pipe, and means providing fluid communication through said knuckle means between said bag and a source of pressure fluid, whereby the bag may be inserted in proper operating relation with respect to the pipe upon axial movement of the plunger relative to the insertion tube.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
82 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said knuckle means includes means providing a bifurcated extension on said one end of the plunger, tongue means on said rigid neck of said bag engaging said bifurcated extension, and a pivot pin extending through said extension and tongue to mount said tongue to pivot relative to said extension, said fluid communication means including means providing a passage in said tongue and said pin for admitting and exhausting said pressure fluid with respect to said bag.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
81 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said passage means includes a peripheral groove in said pin, a passageway in said tongue in registry with said groove, and means providing rotary seals outboard of said groove to permit said tongue to pivot relative to said pin and to cause said passageway to register with said groove for providing a continuous connection between said bag and said source of pressure fluid irrespective of the angular position of the bag relative to its plunger.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
53 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said bag has a flexible peripheral portion engagable against the interior of the pipe and said rigid extension is located between said peripheral portion and said pivot axis to space said peripheral portion of the bag from the port in the pipe when the bag is inflated.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
59 words
Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the peripheral portion of the bag has a predetermined inflated dimension transverse to the pipe and said rigid extension has a dimension less than said predetermined dimension for permitting said extension to pivot relative to the plunger when said pivot axis is located adjacent said port during insertion and withdrawal of the bag.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
262 words
In a line-stopper assembly, including an inflatable bag having a normally collapsed configuration permitting insertion and withdrawal through a lateral port in a pipe and having an expanded configuration for engaging the inside of the pipe to block fluid flow therethrough, a hollow elongated insertion tube slidably receiving the bag in its collapsed configuration, a plunger slidably mounted in said insertion tube, means connected to one end of said plunger to displace the plunger in opposite directions in the tube for inserting and withdrawing said bag, and means providing fluid communication between said bag and a source of pressure fluid, the improvement comprising: a housing surrounding said insertion tube for slidably containing said insertion tube, means for displacing said insertion tube axially relative to said housing between extended and retracted positions, means for mounting said housing in registry with said port, knuckle means connecting said bag to the other end of said plunger for permitting said bag to pivot about an axis transverse to said insertion tube betWeen a storage position coaxial with said insertion tube when said knuckle means is in said insertion tube and an operating position aligned with said pipe when said knuckle means is in said pipe upon displacement of said plunger axially in said insertion tube, and passage means in said knuckle means for providing said fluid communication between said bag and said source of pressure fluid, said knuckle means cooperating with said plunger and said bag to enable said bag to become disposed downstream of said insertion tube when said bag is inflated in said pipe.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
262 words
In a line-stopper assembly, including an inflatable bag having a normally collapsed configuration permitting insertion and withdrawal through a lateral port in a pipe and having an expanded configuration for engaging the inside of the pipe to block fluid flow therethrough, a hollow elongated insertion tube slidably receiving the bag in its collapsed configuration, a plunger slidably mounted in said insertion tube, means connected to one end of said plunger to displace the plunger in opposite directions in the tube for inserting and withdrawing said bag, and means providing fluid communication between said bag and a source of pressure fluid, the improvement comprising: a housing surrounding said insertion tube for slidably containing said insertion tube, means for displacing said insertion tube axially relative to said housing between extended and retracted positions, means for mounting said housing in registry with said port, knuckle means connecting said bag to the other end of said plunger for permitting said bag to pivot about an axis transverse to said insertion tube betWeen a storage position coaxial with said insertion tube when said knuckle means is in said insertion tube and an operating position aligned with said pipe when said knuckle means is in said pipe upon displacement of said plunger axially in said insertion tube, and passage means in said knuckle means for providing said fluid communication between said bag and said source of pressure fluid, said knuckle means cooperating with said plunger and said bag to enable said bag to become disposed downstream of said insertion tube when said bag is inflated in said pipe.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
76 words
Apparatus according to claim 6 including valving means mounted to said pipe adjacent said port and providing a mounting surface alongside said pipe for receiving said housing and wherein said housing-mounting means includes means releasably securing said housing to said surface so that fluid communication is provided between said housing and said pipe when said valving means is opened and said insertion tube may be inserted through said valving means and into pipe through said port.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
46 words
Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said housing-mounting means includes a base on said housing having ears extending outwardly in opposite directions and threaded fastener means releasably coupling said ears to said mounting surface for providing a fluid-tight connection between the housing and the mounting surface.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
63 words
Apparatus according to claim 6 including first handle means connected to said plunger-displacing means for pivoting said plunger in said insertion tube and anti-pivot means carried by said housing for cooperating with said insertion tube to limit pivotal movement of said insertion tube relative to said housing when said plunger is pivoted in said insertion tube during insertion and withdrawal of said bag.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
127 words
Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said plunger-displacing means includes a first rod extending longitudinally in said insertion tube with one end extending outside of said housing, said insertion tube having a transverse end wall slidably and pivotally receiving said rod, said first handle means being connected to said first rod outside of said housing, said insertion-tube displacing means including a second rod connected at one end to an endwall of said insertion tube and having its other end extending outside of said housing, and second handle means connected to said second rod outside of said housing for displacing said second rod, whereby the bag and its insertion tube may be displaced into and out of said pipe upon displacement of said first and second handle means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
60 words
Apparatus according to claim 10 including means providing access to the interior of said housing adjacent one end thereof, first means releasably coupling said first rod to said plunger and second means releasably coupling said second rod to said insertion tube, said first and second releasable coupling means being accessible through said access means for connecting and disconnecting said rods.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus according to claim 6 including curved vane means depending from one end of said insertion tube for cooperating with the knuckle means to guide the bag into proper operating relation in the pipe.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus according to claim 6 including locking means carried by said housing for engaging said insertion tube to releasably secure said insertion tube in a retracted position for arranging said line-stopper in a compact storage configuration.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
53 words
Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said bag has a flexible peripheral portion engagable against the interior of the pipe and including means carried by said bag and extending between said peripheral portion and said pivot axis for spacing said peripheral portion from said port when said bag is inflated in the pipe.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
48 words
Apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said extending means includes a rigid element having a dimension between said axis and said bag short enough to permit pivoting about said axis when said knuckle means is located in proximity with said port During insertion and withdrawal of said bag.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
209 words
In a line-stopper, including an inflatable bag having a normally collapsed configuration permitting insertion and withdrawal through a lateral port in a pipe and having an expanded configuration for engaging the inside of the pipe to block fluid flow therethrough, a hollow elongated insertion tube slidably receiving the bag in its collapsed configuration, a plunger slidably mounted in said insertion tube and connected at one end to said bag, means connected to the other end of said plunger to displace the plunger in opposite directions in the tube for inserting and withdrawing said bag, and means providing fluid communication between said bag and a source of pressure fluid, the improvement comprising: jacking means operatively associated with said plunger-displacing means, said jacking means including means providing a fulcrum about an axis transverse to the path of movement of the plunger-displacing means, a lever mounted to pivot on said fulcrum, grip means releasably engaging said plunger-displacing means, linkage means connecting said grip means to said lever for moving said plunger-displacing means axially in the insertion tube when the lever is pivoted in one direction, and anti-slip means cooperating with said plunger-displacing means for releasably engaging said plunger-displacing means to prevent movement thereof in a direction opposite said one direction during jacking.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
209 words
In a line-stopper, including an inflatable bag having a normally collapsed configuration permitting insertion and withdrawal through a lateral port in a pipe and having an expanded configuration for engaging the inside of the pipe to block fluid flow therethrough, a hollow elongated insertion tube slidably receiving the bag in its collapsed configuration, a plunger slidably mounted in said insertion tube and connected at one end to said bag, means connected to the other end of said plunger to displace the plunger in opposite directions in the tube for inserting and withdrawing said bag, and means providing fluid communication between said bag and a source of pressure fluid, the improvement comprising: jacking means operatively associated with said plunger-displacing means, said jacking means including means providing a fulcrum about an axis transverse to the path of movement of the plunger-displacing means, a lever mounted to pivot on said fulcrum, grip means releasably engaging said plunger-displacing means, linkage means connecting said grip means to said lever for moving said plunger-displacing means axially in the insertion tube when the lever is pivoted in one direction, and anti-slip means cooperating with said plunger-displacing means for releasably engaging said plunger-displacing means to prevent movement thereof in a direction opposite said one direction during jacking.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-10-21 | 1978-04-22 | 1978-10-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-10-21 | 1982-04-22 | 1982-10-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-10-21 | 1986-04-22 | 1986-10-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |