Installation device

An installation device for installing a branch liner in a branch point of a pipeline is disclosed. The device has a body with an inlet defined therein for fluids and a turning knob is rotatable relative to the body. The turning knob is attached to a first shaft and the opposite end of the first shaft is attached to a first barrel. The device further comprises a second barrel and a second shaft attached between said barrels. The device further comprises a duct extending between the body and the first barrel forming a passage for fluids from the inlet of the body to an area between said first barrel and said second barrel.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to pipe renovation tools and in particular to an installation device for installing a liner to a branch of a pipe system.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Pipes, such as water and sewage pipes, approaching the end of their service life may be renovated e.g. by lining or coating the inside of an old pipe or by mounting a new pipe into an old pipe. An epoxy resin-impregnated polyester liner, for example, that is inverted into a pipe to be renovated using compressed air, steam or water can be used in lining. After inversion of the liner into the pipe, excess pressure is maintained inside the liner until the epoxy resin cures to its shape conforming to the walls of the old pipe. Modern technology allows even highly complex pipes to be lined.

One of the problems associated with the lining of pipes are joints of separate liners installed in a pipe system, typically at branches and junctions of the pipe system. A certain amount of overlapping of liners is desirable to prevent a leak between the liners. In branches and junctions this is sometimes difficult to implement by using straight tubular liners. Therefore, separate branch pieces have been used to prepare a branch with one layer of liner before lining the pipes which connect to the branch. The branch piece has essentially the same form as the branch, for example, T-shaped branch piece for a T-branch and Y-shaped branch piece for a Y-branch. A number of pulling wires and push rods are connected to the branch piece before installation so that the branch piece can be moved to the branch position. Inside the branch piece, a separate inflatable bladder is connected to an air hose which supplies air to the bladder and pushes the branch piece against walls of the pipe system at the branch position by inflating the bladder. A problem with this installation system is that it is a complicated system with all the wires, rods and hoses. It usually requires access to the branch position through more than one pipe and several employees have to work in cooperation to place the branch piece is correct position by using the pull wires and push rods.

It is an object of the present invention to present a device that alleviates the problems associated with the prior art solutions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Renovation of pipelines in buildings, such as residential buildings, offices and industrial plants, by using the CIPP (Cured In-Place Pipe) pipe lining method has become common in recent years. The CIPP industry has evolved from leak repairs where a short piece of liner was installed to repair a leaking part of an existing pipe to lining of main lines only to full renovations where every pipe and connection is lined creating a complete new pipeline inside the existing old pipeline. A full renovation requires lining of pipes in various sizes, usually through multiple bends and including many connections. In many cases, branches, such as T-branches or Y-branches of a pipeline, have to be lined with a branch piece prior to lining the pipes which connect at the branch. An installation device is needed to move the branch piece into the branch point, position the branch piece accordingly, and open up the branch piece so that it is positioned against inner walls of the pipes in the branch point. The installation device can be removed from the pipeline once the epoxy resin of the branch piece has cured. After that, the pipes can be lined with liners running through the branch piece or ending within the branch piece with a proper overlap which prevents leaking.

FIG. 1illustrates an installation device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The installation device can be used for installing a branch piece, made of typical liner material and impregnated with epoxy-resin, to a branch point of a pipe system. Other suitable impregnation resins may also be used. The branch point can, for example be a T-branch wherein two pipes connect in a 90 degree angle or a Y-branch wherein two pipes connect in e.g. 30 to 60 degree angle.

The installation device2ofFIG. 1comprises a control unit4at one end of the installation device2and an expansion unit6at another end of the device opposite to the control unit. The control unit is shown in more detail inFIG. 2and a section view of the expansion unit6is shown in more detail inFIG. 5.FIG. 6illustrates a section view of the control unit4.FIG. 3shows the installation device and section A-A view is detailed inFIGS. 4 to 6.

The installation device2has an elongate duct30and a first shaft32, that is disposed within or inside the duct30, which connect the control unit4and the expansion unit6. A small air gap or clearance is provided between the duct30and the first shaft32, i.e. the first shaft32has a smaller diameter than the inner diameter of the duct30. Preferably, both, the duct30and the first shaft32have some flexibility such that those can be pushed in to a pipe (to be lined) having bends and curves. The first shaft32is preferably made of metal wires having a core of twisted steel wires and one or more layers of steel wires wound around the core. This structure gives enough flexibility to the first shaft and allows air, steam, water and other fluids to flow within the duct30and first shaft32.

The control unit4has a housing or body18which is attached to the duct30at one end thereof in an air-tight manner. A fluid connection from the outside of the installation device2into the inside of the duct30is arranged through a conduit inside the body18. A valve15is attached to an inlet of the body18, which inlet is in fluid communication with the conduit inside the body18. The valve has a hose connector16for connecting a fluid hose to the device. For example, the fluid hose may be a pressured air hose delivering compressed air from a compressor, or a steam hose can be used. The fluid connection or fluid passage thus runs through the hose connector16, valve15, conduit and body18into the duct30via the first shaft32which extends from inside the duct30to the conduit. The valve15has a lever14or similar means for closing and opening the valve15so that fluid flows into the installation device can be controlled. The control unit has a turning knob10which is connected to the first shaft32which runs through and inside the duct30. The turning knob10can be rotated relative to the body18and rotation of the turning knob10rotates the first shaft32within the duct30but not the duct30itself since the duct30is attached to the body18but not to the knob10. The body18also has a handle12that extends outwardly from the body18. The handle12facilitates the handling of the installation device, especially when connecting a hose to the hose connector16, operating the lever14or rotating the turning knob10.

The duct30, attached to the body18of the control unit at one end, is connected to a first barrel40at the opposite end. The connection between the duct30and the first barrel40is preferably realized with bearings or sliding surfaces between the first barrel40and the duct30which allow for rotation of the first barrel40relative to the duct30. A seal is preferably used at the connection to prevent any leaking of fluid from the inside of the duct30. The first barrel40is attached to the first shaft32by using e.g. clamp screws or retainer screws through the first barrel40that push against the first shaft32. Thus, rotation of the turning knob10rotates the first shaft32inside the duct30and it also rotates the first barrel40that is attached to the first shaft32.

The first barrel40is attached to a second shaft50. The second shaft50is attached to the opposite end of the first barrel40relative to the first shaft32. The first barrel40is attached to the second shaft50by using e.g. clamp screws or retainer screws through the first barrel40that push against the second shaft50. Thus, rotation of the turning knob10rotates the first shaft32inside the duct30, the first barrel40attached to the first shaft32and also the second shaft50attached to the first barrel40. The second shaft50is, preferably, made of metal wires having a core of twisted steel wires and one or more layers of steel wires wound around the core. The second shaft50is preferably larger in diameter than the first shaft32. This structure allows air, steam and other fluids to flow within the first shaft32itself and within the duct30so that fluids can flow from the hose connector16through valve15, body18, duct30and first shaft32all the way through the first barrel40and along the second shaft50. The first barrel40preferably has cavities defined therein for accommodating or receiving an end of the first shaft32and an end of the second shaft50. The cavities are connected to each other, thus forming a conduit through the first barrel40and enabling a fluid flow through the first barrel40via said cavities. The cavity to receive the first shaft32is slightly larger in diameter than the first shaft32to facilitate the flowing of air or steam through the first barrel40, for example, at most 1 mm larger in diameter. The cavity to receive the second shaft50is slightly larger in diameter than the second shaft50to facilitate the flowing of air or steam through the first barrel40, for example, at most 1 mm larger in diameter.

A second barrel60is attached on the other end of the second shaft50, that is opposite to the end attached to the first barrel40. The second barrel60is attached to the second shaft50by using e.g. clamp screws or retainer screws through the first barrel60that push against the second shaft50. Thus, rotation of the turning knob10rotates the first shaft32inside the duct, the first barrel40attached to the first shaft32, the second shaft50attached to the first barrel40and also the second barrel60attached to the second shaft.

The air or steam supplied into the installation device2is released to an area between the first barrel40and the second barrel60. When the installation device is used in installation of a branch piece, an inflatable bladder is attached to the first barrel40and the second barrel60. Tape, rope, cable ties, or similar removable attachment devices are used to attach the inflatable bladder to the barrels, preferably in such a way that the inflatable bladder surrounds the second shaft50from all sides. Thus, air or steam supplied through the hose connector15into the installation device, ends up in the inflatable bladder and inflates it. The inflatable bladder used in an installation of a branch piece is chosen based on the branch piece that is used.

The branch piece can be impregnated with various types of epoxy resin. When using epoxy resin which cures over time, the inflatable bladder can be inflated by supplying pressurized air through the hose connector15. When a heat-curing epoxy resin is used, the inflatable bladder can be inflated with hot steam. Because the steam cools down quickly, a flow of steam has to be arranged. Therefore, the second barrel60can include a narrow outlet62which can be controlled with e.g. a screw valve64or some other valve type which controls the leak rate through the second barrel60. For example, a threaded hole with a screw can be used when the outlet62opens in the threaded hole. The second barrel60preferably has a cavity defined therein for accommodating an end of the second shaft50. The cavity61for receiving the end of the second shaft50is slightly larger in diameter than the second shaft50to facilitate the flowing of air or steam through the second barrel60if the outlet62is open, for example, at most 1 mm larger in diameter. When the screw blocks the outlet, no leaking occurs. Twisting or turning the screw open exposes the outlet allowing a leak through the outlet62. The leak rate can be adjusted with the screw by controlling how much of the outlet is opened. The leak rate should be high enough to keep the temperature inside the inflatable bladder high enough so that the curing of the epoxy takes place but low enough to keep the inflatable bladder inflated. Also, the amount of steam supplied and its temperature can be adjusted accordingly.

When the installation device described herein is used, a single user can perform the lining of a branch. The expansion unit is prepared by attaching a suitable inflatable bladder and prepared branch piece to the first barrel40and the second barrel60. Then, the prepared expansion unit6is pushed in a pipeline until it is in a branch which is to be lined with the branch piece. The duct is stiff enough so that it can be pushed into the pipeline and through any bends and curves in the pipeline. Once the expansion unit6of the installation device2is in the branch point of the pipeline, the user adjusts the branch piece into correct angle relative to the branch of the pipeline by turning the turning knob10which rotates the barrels40,60of the expansion unit and therefore also rotates the inflatable bladder and the branch piece attached to the barrels40,60. The operation can be monitored with a camera. Once the branch piece is in the correct position, the inflatable bladder is inflated by controlling the valve15with the lever14. Finally, when the branch piece is cured in its place, the hose is detached from the hose connector16and the valve15is opened which deflates the inflatable bladder and the installation device can be pulled out from the pipeline and used again.

An advantage of the embodiments of present invention compared to prior art installation systems is that one installation device with a single duct is used from one pipeline entry point instead of using separate air hoses, pushing rods and pulling cables from two or three pipeline entry points. The presented installation device enables operations of pushing, turning, inflating, steaming, deflating and pulling which significantly reduces time and personnel needed for lining a branch of a pipeline.

It is apparent to a person skilled in the art that the above exemplary embodiments are rather simple in structure and operation for the purposes of illustration. By following the model shown in this patent application, it is possible to construct different and even very complex solutions that utilize the inventive idea disclosed in this patent application.