Cup type pipeline inflation anchor

Claim 1

An inflation anchor adapted to travel through the interior of a conduit in an uninflated state and to seal the bore thereof upon inflation, comprising: a shoe assembly including an annular shoe base, an annular shoe wedge threaded to said shoe base and a disc within said shoe base and fixed thereto; a thin tubular elastomeric bladder having a leading end and a trailing end, said leading end being bonded to the interior of said shoe base; at least two layers of calendered metal cable surrounding said tubular elastomeric bladder substantially to its fullest longitudinal extent, each layer of said metal cable having a leading end and a trailing end and being laid on a bias to the other layer and to the axis of said inflation anchor, both of said layers being clamped between said shoe base and said shoe wedge at their said leading ends; and an elastomeric cup overlapping said trailing ends of said bladder and said cable layers, said elastomeric cup being bonded to both, said elastomeric cup having a relatively thick annular wall proximate to and surrounding said bond, and a substantially thinner and flexible annular wall trailing therefrom, said thinner and flexible annular wall flaring outwardly to a trailing edge of relatively greater thickness which trailing edge possesses at least one reinforcing annular rib therein, said annular rib adapted to prevent collapse of said trailing edge of said thinner and flexible annular wall.