Patent ID: 6913071
Filing Date: 2005-07-05
Classification: B08B,F16L,F28G

Abstract:
1. A ball trap for separating a plurality of cleaning balls from a fluid within which they are carried through at least part of a pipeline, the ball trap comprising: (a) a cylindrical pipe section provided with upstream and downstream openings for interconnection with the pipeline such that a main fluid flow path of the pipeline passes through said upstream and said downstream openings; (b) a trap section interconnected to, and having a length extending at an angle from, said cylindrical pipe section, said interconnection providing fluid communication between said cylindrical pipe section and said trap section, said trap section including a cleaning ball outlet; (c) a sieve conduit having a portion extending substantially lengthwise within said trap section, said sieve conduit connecting between said upstream opening and said cleaning ball outlet for trapping the plurality of cleaning balls therein as fluid continually flows from said upstream opening to said downstream opening, said sieve conduit having a safety-release opening positioned for substantially straight-through flow from said upstream opening to said downstream opening, said sieve conduit configured so as to provide a fluid flow region between at least one wall of said sieve conduit and at least one wall of said trap section so as to provide a fluid return path to said downstream opening; and (d) a displaceable sieve gate configured in said sieve conduit, said sieve gate displaceable between a closed position in which said sieve gate closes said safety-release opening to passage of the cleaning balls such that the plurality of cleaning balls are trapped within said sieve conduit and generally directed toward said cleaning ball outlet, and an open position in which said safety-release opening is at least partially opened such that the impedance of the fluid flow in the pipeline is lowered.