Patent ID: 11959578
Assignee: HUBBELL GAS UTILITY SOLUTIONS, INC.
Field: Mechanical elements (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC F  B | IPC B  F

Claim 5:
6. A prefabricated pig launcher assembly for hydrodynamically launching a pig, the prefabricated pig launcher comprising:
a vertical barrel having an internal diameter that is larger than an outer diameter of the pig, the vertical barrel formed to receive the pig from a first end;
a reducer in fluid communication with the vertical barrel and which tapers to an internal diameter that is smaller than an outer diameter of the pig, the reducer being formed to receive the pig from the vertical barrel and to exit the pig from the reducer which is configured to resist free fall of the pig through the reducer while permitting the pig to pass through the reducer in response to fluid pressure applied to the pig;
a launcher valve in fluid communication with the reducer;
a connector pipe in fluid communication with the launcher valve and a connector pipe end configured to connect to a pipe line;
a pipeline valve in fluid communication with the connector pipe and a supply connector pipe end configured to connect to a supply line; and
a kicker line in fluid communication with the pipeline valve, the supply connector pipe end and the vertical barrel such that when flow is admitted through the kicker line into the vertical barrel the vertical barrel is pressurized by the flow into the vertical barrel causing the pig to exit the vertical barrel, through the reducer, through the launcher valve, through the connector pipe and through the connector pipe end.