Pipeline weld repair cap

Claim 1

Apparatus for repairing a defect in a pipeline without interrupting service through the pipeline comprising in combination: a repair body having an elongate, narrow and substantially flat bottom surface provided with a recess to define a footprint surface which surrounds the defect in the pipeline, said recess being stepped around the inner periphery of said footprint surface, said body having circumscribing and inwardly bevelled side walls intersecting said footprint surface and defining an outer periphery of said footprint surface closely adjacent said recess and in at least close proximity to the pipeline to permit such outer periphery to be joined to the pipeline by welding, and a resilient gasket disposed within the stepped portion of the recess; means for clamping said body temporarily against the pipeline so that said gasket sealingly engages between said body and the pipeline in circumscribing relation around the defect; said body having a vent opening leading to said recess and valve means within said recess and aligned with said vent opening normally to prevent communication between said recess and ambient atmosphere through said vent opening, said valve means comprising a valve block secured within said recess, a valve member slidable in said block and aligned with said vent opening, and spring means normally urging said valve member toward said vent opening; and conduit means removably received in said vent opening for temporarily opening said valve means while said body is being welded to the pipeline.

Claim 10

A device for repairing defects in a pipeline, comprising in combination: an elongate repair body having a bottom surface, said bottom surface of the body being recessed to define a narrow, substantially flat footprint surface of elongate, closed path form having a stepped portion extending around the inner periphery of such footprint surface, said body having circumscribing and inwardly bevelled side walls, intersecting said substantially flat footprint surface and defining an inwardly displaced outer periphery of said footprint surface closely adjacent said recess and adapted to lie in at least close proximity to a pipeline to permit such outer perphery to be joined to the pipeline by welding; a gasket shaped to be received in said stepped portion and having a thickness to protrude below said footprint surface whereby to accommodate for disparity between the flatness of said footprint surface and the roundness of a pipeline; and said body having a vent opening leading to said recess and valve means within said recess and aligned with said vent opening normally to prevent communication between said recess and ambient atmosphere through said vent opening, said valve means comprising a valve block secured within said recess, a valve member slidable in said block and aligned with said vent opening, and spring means normally urging said valve member toward said vent opening.

Claim 11

A device for repairing defects in a pipeline, comprising in combination: an elongate repair body having a bottom surface, said bottom surface of the body being recessed to define a narrow, substantially flat footprint surface of elongate, closed path form having a stepped portion extending around the inner periphery of such footprint surface, said body having circumscribing and inwardly bevelled side walls, intersecting said substantially flat footprint surface and defining an inwardly displaced outer periphery of said footprint surface closely adjacent said recess and adapted to lie in at least close proximity to a pipeline to permit such outer perphery to be joined to the pipeline by welding; a gasket shaped to be received in said stepped portion and having a thickness to protrude below said footprint surface whereby to accommodate for disparity between the flatness of said footprint surface and the roundness of a pipeline; and said body having a vent opening leading to said recess and valve means within said recess and aligned with said vent opening normally to prevent communication between said recess and ambient atmosphere through said vent opening, said valve means comprising a valve block secured within said recess, a valve member slidable in said block and aligned with said vent opening, and spring means normally urging said valve member toward said vent opening.

Claim 13

A device for repairing defects in a pipeline, comprising in combination: an elongate repair body having a bottom surface, said bottom surface of the body being recessed to define a footprint surface of elongate, closed path form having a stepped portion extending around the inner periphery of such footprint surface; and a gasket shaped to be received in said stepped portion and having a thickness to protrude below said footprint surface whereby to accommodate for disparity between the shape of said footprint surface and the roundness of a pipeline, said footprint surface being flat; valve means being secured to said body within said recess, said body having a vent opening therein aligned with said valve means, and conduit means removably received in said vent opening to open said valve means and conduct away any escaping pipeline product, said recess defining spaced, parallel interior side wall portions in said body, said valve means including a valve block snugly received between said side wall portions and aligned thereby with said vent opening.

Claim 14

A device for repairing defects in a pipeline, comprising in combination: an elongate repair body having a bottom surface, said bottom surface of the body being recessed to define a footprint surface of elongate, closed path form having a stepped portion extending around the inner periphery of such footprint surface; and a gasket shaped to be received in said stepped portion and having a thickness to protrude below said footprint surface whereby to accommodate for disparity between the shape of said footprint surface and the roundness of a pipeline, said footprint surface being flat; valve means being secured to said body within said recess, said body having a vent opening therein aligned with said valve means, and conduit means removably received in said vent opening to open said valve means and conduct away any escaping pipeline product, said recess defining spaced, parallel interior side wall portions in said body, said valve means including a valve block snugly received between said side wall portions and aligned thereby with said vent opening.