Apparatus for inspecting the interior of a pipeline

Claim 1

Pipeline inspection apparatus for use in inspecting a lateral pipeline that enters a generally horizontal main pipeline comprising (A) an inspection camera that is sized to fit within said pipelines, (B) an elongated transporting member having one end connected to said camera and which is adapted to initially move in a generally horizontal path along the interior of said main pipeline, said elongated transporting member having sufficient flexibility that a portion thereof can be deflected at an angle relative to the remainder of the elongated transporting member, (C) a supporting assembly sized to fit within and rest upon the lower internal surface of said main pipeline, said supporting assembly being arranged to support the portion of said elongated transporting member that is adjacent said camera and including (1) drive means which engages said elongated transporting member so that activation of the drive means can move said elongated transporting member longitudinally through said pipelines, and (2) adjustment means for adjusting the angular dispostion of a portion of said elongated flexible transporting member that is adjacent said camera so that the camera is movable between a transport position in which the viewing end of the camera faces axially of the main pipeline, and an inspection position in which the said viewing end of the camera faces a direction at an angle to said axial direction, and the camera can be propelled in said angled direction by activating said drive means, the elongated flexible transporting member undergoing a change in direction in passing through the support assembly.