Method and apparatus for providing the inner surface of a pipe line with a tubular lining material

A method and apparatus for providing the inner surface of a pipe line with a tubular lining material through a binder under fluid pressure which comprises introducing the lining material in flattened state containing a binder in the interior space thereof into a pressure container, annularly fixing the front end of the tubular lining material to the container and applying fluid pressure to the pressure container to push the lining material forward within the pipe line while effecting evagination of the lining material and at the same time bonding the evaginated lining material onto the inner surface of the pipe line, characterized in that the introduction of the lining material into the pressure container is performed by squeezing the flattened tubular lining material at definite intervals linearly in the transverse direction to the advancing tubular lining material under atmospheric pressure to isolate the portion of the lining material together with the binder contained therein between the adjacent two linearly squeezed positions, allowing the lining material to advance into the pressure container while keeping the lining material squeezed linearly in the transverse direction at definite intervals, and releasing the lining material from squeezing in the pressure container under fluid pressure. The use of a specific sealing device allows for the conveyance of a sufficient amount of the binder into the pressure container without being pushed back so that bonding of the evaginated lining material onto the inner surface of the pipe line can be effected satisfactorily.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for providing 
the inner surface of pipe lines such as those made of steel or the like 
metal, concrete or porcelain pipes or rigid resinous pipes, with a 
flexible tubular lining material through a binder under pressure. More 
particularly, the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus 
for providing the inner surface of pipe lines, chiefly those already 
constructed for various purposes on or under the ground, for example, 
underground pipe lines such as gas conduits, city water pipes and pipes 
enclosing power transmission wires or telephone cables, with a flexible 
lining material to reinforce the pipe lines or to repair damaged portions 
thereof. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
It is well known that when underground pipe lines for gas or water are 
superannuated or damaged, gas or water leaks out causing many problems and 
that deteriorated pipe lines or casings enclosing power transmission wires 
or telephone cables result in accidents caused by electric leakage or 
crosstalk. A countermeasure from the past to prevent these problems is 
that when such underground pipe lines are superannuated, the pipe lines 
are dug up over the length of several ten to several hundred meters and 
replaced with new ones. In this case, however, supply of city water or gas 
has to be discontinued for a long period of time until the pipe replacing 
works have been finished. In the case where superannuated pipes are buried 
under public roads, the public encounters much trouble and inconvenience 
since traffic on the roads is limited during the work for digging up such 
superannuated pipes and replacing them with new ones. Further, much labor 
and cost are required for renewing the pipes in addition to difficulty in 
the work itself for pipe exchange. Once more, it is not unusual that many 
of the known methods for renewing the deteriorated or damaged pipes cannot 
be utilized, due to the particular situations of the place where such 
pipes are buried. In recent years, a strong probability of a big 
earthquake has been reported in many places in the world with the 
development of earthquake-predicting technique and a consideration is 
being given to reinforcing underground pipes, regardless of whether such 
pipes are superannuated or not, to protect them from damage anticipated 
possible by earthquakes. 
A method for lining pipes, especially those buried in the ground without 
the necessity of digging up the buried pipes wherein a flexible tube is 
inserted into underground pipes and bonded to the inner surface thereof 
with the aid of a binder is already proposed for attaining both purposes 
of repairing damaged portions of the pipes and reinforcing the pipes so as 
to withstand strong mechanical shock as produced by an earthquake. In such 
a method, however, the step for inserting the flexible tube into the 
underground pipes is extremely difficult so that the work is almost 
impossible to operate in such places where the pipes are long or are 
curved in several portions. Developed recently under such circumstances is 
a method for providing pipes with a lining simultaneously with evagination 
wherein a flexible tube is inserted into a pipe while truning the tube 
inside out by the action of a pressurized fluid such as compressed air and 
bonded at the same time onto the inner surface of the pipe by the aid of a 
binder. The method of this type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,794,758 
and 3,132,062 and Japanese Patent Unexamined Publn. No. Sho. 55-39362. In 
these methods, a flexible tubular lining material is placed in a pressure 
tank and inserted into pipe lines simultaneously with evagination under 
pressure. These methods are certainly advantageous in that insertion of a 
lining material into a pipe is easy and requires only a short period of 
time; the lining material is easily applied onto the inner surface of the 
pipe; and the treatment is applicable to pipes of larger or smaller 
diameters. However, these methods are not practical for lining a pipe line 
of 200 m or more in length because the pressure container becomes too big 
for accommodating the bulky lining material. 
A lining method to enable lining of a very long pipe line was successively 
developed wherein a long lining material is placed outside the pressure 
container and continuously fed thereinto. This improved method need not 
use a big pressure container and is classified into two types; one using a 
lining material previously provided on its inner surface with a binder and 
the other applying a binder onto the inner surface of a lining material 
simultaneously with or just before evagination of the lining material. The 
former type method is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,064,211 and U.K. Pat. 
No. 1,069,623 while the latter type method in U.S. Pat. No. 4,182,262; 
U.K. Pat. No. 1,044,645 and Japanese Patent Unexamined Publn. No. Sho. 
55-90326. However, both types of these improved methods still have 
drawbacks, particularly in that when a lining material is introduced into 
the pressure container, a binder applied previously or just before 
introduction into the container onto the inner surface of the lining 
material is pushed backward by the internal fluid pressure to disturb even 
application of the binder onto the inner surface of the lining material, 
thus resulting in a great obstacle to assure bonding of the lining 
material to the pipe line. 
As far as the method itself for satisfactorily applying a binder is 
concerned, several prior art methods come into question. U.S. Pat. No. 
3,230,129 discloses a method for lining conduits wherein a conduit is 
previously filled with a binder and a resinous tube is inserted into the 
conduit from one end thereof while turning the tube inside out and pushing 
the binder forward thereby bonding the evaginated portion of the tube onto 
the inner surface of the conduit by the aid of the binder remaining on the 
inner surface thereof. However, this method has also a number of 
drawbacks. Firstly, the quantity and distribution of the binder cannot be 
controlled at all and a significant amount of the binder is wasted. 
Secondly, an extremely high pressure is required fo evaginating the tube 
while pushing the binder forward. Thirdly, when the pipe is inclined or 
curved vertically, the head pressure of the binder makes it difficult to 
evaginate the tube or fluctuates the fluid pressure for evagination so 
that the amount of the binder interposed between the conduit and the tube 
tends to vary. 
U.K. Pat. No. 1,512,035 discloses a method for lining pipe lines wherein a 
binder is applied onto the inner surface of a pipe line from a rotary 
spraying unit moving along the inside of the pipe line and positioned just 
in front of the lining tube moving forward simultaneously with 
evagination. This method is advantageous in control of the amount of the 
binder used but has a drawback that this method wherein the spraying unit 
moves along the inside of the pipe line cannot be applied to pipe lines 
curved in several portions because the movement of the spraying unit 
becomes almost impossible or unstable in curved portions. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,135,958 discloses a method of lining passageways with a 
tube wherein a binder container moves along the inside of a passageway 
while supplying a binder to a reservoir formed in the uneverted portion of 
the tube also moving under eversion along the inside of the passageway in 
the same direction to the moving container. As the binder container used 
in this method is similar to the spraying unit used in the method of U.K. 
Pat. No. 1,512,035 just above mentioned, this method has the same drawback 
as in the method of the U.K. patent. 
Japanese Patent Unexamined Publn. Nos. Sho. 55-91629 and 56-44621 disclose 
a method for lining pipe lines which is basically an improvement relating 
to the methods disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,182,262; U.K. Pat. No. 
1,044,645 and Japanese Patent Unexamined Publn. No. Sho. 55-90326. 
According to this improved method, a binder reservoir is formed in the 
interior space of a lining material in rear of the pressure container and 
a long pipe line with many curved portions can be lined. However, this 
method has the same drawbacks as those seen, for example, in U.K. Pat. No. 
1,044,645 and Japanese Patent Unexamined Publn. No. Sho. 55-90326; a 
binder applied just before introduction of the pressure container onto the 
inner surface of a lining material is pushed backward by the internal 
fluid pressure when the lining material is introduced into the container. 
Further, this method is applicable only to the case of applying a binder 
onto the inner surface of the lining material just before its introduction 
into the pressure container and has to use an apparatus somewhat complex 
in structure when the length of the lining material is great. 
Although the last mentioned type methods are fundamentally excellent in the 
lining treatment itself of a very long pipe line having curved portions, 
these methods are still unsatisfactory in respect of applying a sufficient 
amount of the binder evenly onto the inner surface of the lining material. 
Under these circumstances, there is a great demand for development of a 
new method which entirely overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art 
methods. 
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method 
for smoothly providing the inner surface of a pipe line, even if it has a 
length as long as 100 meters or more and/or curved portions, entirely with 
a flexible tubular lining material. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for 
applying a sufficient amount of a binder evenly onto the inner surface of 
a tubular lining material without any loss of the binder irrespective of 
whether the binder has previously been enclosed in the lining material or 
is applied to the lining material just before its introduction into a 
pressure container. 
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a method for 
controlling supply of the binder without being pushed backward by fluid 
pressure to adjust the amount of the binder applied to the lining 
material. 
It is further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus 
suitable for attaining the aforesaid objects. 
It is still further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus 
which is simple and relatively small in size for attaining the aforesaid 
objects. 
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become 
apparent more fully from the following description.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
It has now been found surprisingly that the disadvantages of the prior art 
methods for providing pipe lines, especially those having a length as long 
as 100 meters or more and/or many curved portions, with a lining can 
satisfactorily be overcome by a method wherein the pressure container for 
moving and evaginating the lining material by the internal fluid pressure 
is provided at the rear end thereof with a specific sealing device which 
is simple in structure and capable of sealing the pressure container to 
prevent leakage of the pressurized fluid therefrom while squeezing, in at 
least two positions, the unevaginated portion of the lining material 
enclosing a binder in the interior space thereof with at least two 
projections arranged at intervals on the outer surface of a rotary drum of 
the device, each being shaped so as to form a protuberant linear tooth 
extending in the direction transverse to the longitudinally running lining 
material and to push it forward in accordance with the rotary movement of 
the drum whereby the running velocity of the lining material and the 
amount of the binder applied thereto are adjusted suitably and the binder 
is prevented from being pushed backward by the internal fluid pressure. 
Accordingly, the present invention has been accomplished on the basis of 
the above finding and is characterized by the use of the specific sealing 
device in combination with the pressure container. 
Referring to FIG. 1 showing a typical prior art apparatus, a flexible 
tubular lining material 1 is connected at one free end to a rope-like 
elongated element 15 and wound on a reel 2 in such manner that the 
rope-like elongated element 15 comes first. The lining material 1 is 
reeled off, passed through a driving unit 3 and a slit 4 and introduced 
into a pressure container 5 which is provided with an inlet 11 for a 
pressurized fluid sent from a compressor 9 through a valve 10. The lining 
material 1 is enclosed in rear of the pressure container 5 with a 
sufficient amount of a binder 6 to form a reservoir 7 of the binder. The 
binder 6 is conveyed with the forward movement of the lining material 1 
and squeezed at the slit 4 so that only a part of the binder is evenly 
applied onto the inner surface of the lining material. The front end of 
the lining material is annularly fixed to a mouth piece 8 formed at the 
front end of the pressure container 5. The driving unit 3 consists of a 
pair of rolls and is driven by a motor 16 to control the feeding speed of 
the lining material 1 in a flattened state which may be conveyed at an 
irregular speed according to the fluid pressure. A shelf 17 extends 
horizontally from the rear wall of the pressure container 5 to support the 
resin reservoir 7 formed within the lining material 1. The front end of 
the pressure container 5 is connected to a pipe line 14 through a flange 
joint 18. When a pressurized fluid such as compressed air is introduced 
from the compressor 9 into the pressure container 5 through the inlet 11, 
the fluid pressure acts on the unevaginated portion in rear of the fixed 
portion 12 of the lining material 1 to form a turning point 13 where the 
lining material in a flattened state is turned inside out. The lining 
material is then pushed forward within the pipe line 14 as shown by an 
arrow in FIG. 1 by the internal fluid pressure acting on the turning point 
13, whereby the turning point advances correspondingly. In such manner, 
the lining material 1 gradually drawn from the reel 2 and conveyed through 
the driving unit 3, the internally formed resin reservoir 7, the slit 4, 
the pressure container 5 and the pipe line 14 to the turning point where 
the lining material is turned inside out so that the resin-applied inner 
surface of the lining material is exposed outside and attached onto the 
inner surface of the pipe line 14 through the binder 6 to form a lining. 
At the final stage of the lining treatment, the lining material 1 has been 
evaginated over its full length from one end of the pipe line 14 to the 
other end and bonded onto the inner surface of the pipe line through the 
binder 6. When the lining material 1 has been drawn from the reel 2, the 
rope-like elongated element 15 having a length at least equal to that of 
the lining material and connected to the rear free end thereof is 
successively drawn from the reel 2 and passed through the driving unit 3 
whereby the advancing and evaginating velocity of the lining material is 
controlled. 
The method using the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is basically advantageous 
for lining a pipe line having length as long as 100 meters or more and/or 
many curved portions. Actually, however, the lining material enclosed with 
a binder is subjected to external fluid pressure in the pressure container 
5 whereby a strong force is exerted in such manner that a part of the 
binder applied onto the inner surface of the lining material is pushed 
backward to the resin reservoir through the slit 4. Thus, the lining 
material passed through the slit 4 often involves portions where the 
binder applied onto the inner surface of the lining material is locally 
uneven, thus resulting in unsatisfactory bonding of the lining material 
onto the inner surface of the pipe line. Some prior art methods succeed in 
overcoming these disadvantages but the apparatuses used therein are too 
big or complicated to be practical. In addition, the prior art methods 
using the apparatus as shown in FIG. 1 where a resin reservoir is formed 
in rear of the pressure container exhibit such drawbacks that even when 
only a part of the binder in the reservoir starts curing, the heat of 
reaction evolved on curing is accumlated and all the binder in the 
reservoir may suddenly be cured at a certain stage. 
The present invention is distinguished by supplying the binder existing in 
the lining material efficiently to the pressure container 5 so that the 
lining material may be bonded simultaneously with evagination firmly onto 
the inner surface of the pipe line through a sufficient amount of the 
binder. 
To achieve strong bonding between the lining material and the inner surface 
of the pipe line, the evaginated lining material must carry a sufficient 
amount of the binder evenly on the surface thereof. 
In FIG. 2, the lining material 1 is a type usually employed as a hose. This 
lining material comprises a textile jacket A made of warps B and wefts C 
woven or knitted in a tubular form coated on the outer surface thereof 
with an air-tight layer 19 of rubber or a flexible plastic material and on 
the inner surface thereof with a binder 6. In this case, the thickness of 
the binder 6 applied onto the inner surface of the lining material must be 
even and sufficient to attain strong cohesion of the lining material to 
the pipe line. The binder once applied onto the inner surface of the 
tubular textile jacket penetrates into the interstices and fibrous tissue 
of the textile jacket A to give an integrally combined FRP structure after 
complete curing. In case of using the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, however, 
the binder once applied onto the inner surface of the tubular textile 
jacket in the resin reservoir 7 is pushed backward through the slit 4 when 
introduced into the pressure container 5 and exposed under strong fluid 
pressure. In the extreme case, almost all of the binder applied is pushed 
backward to the resin reservoir 7, retaining only a very small amount of 
the binder absorbed in the fibrous tissue of the textile jacket A. The use 
of the lining material carrying a locally insufficient amount of the 
binder apparently causes local detaching of the lining material from the 
inner surface of the pipe line or the formation of wrinkles in curved 
portions of the pipe line, whereby the flow path becomes narrower in such 
detached or wrinkled portions. In the lining treatment of this type, 
therefore, it is necessary to apply a sufficient amount of the binder 
evenly onto the whole inner surface of the lining material. As the tubular 
textile jacket itself has been treated on the outer surface thereof with a 
air-tight or water-proof flexible rubber or plastic coating to form an 
integrally combined layer, the inner surface of the pipe line can be 
protected or reinforced, after completion of the lining, with a textile 
jacket having such air-tight or water-proof coat as the outermost layer. 
The present invention provides a method and an apparatus for applying a 
sufficient amount of a binder evenly onto the inner surface of the lining 
material without any fluctuation in amount of the binder over full length 
of the lining material. 
In FIG. 3A showing an example of the apparatus of this invention, a binder 
has previously been applied onto the inner surface of a tubular textile 
jacket as lining material 1 which is connected at its rear open end to a 
rope-like elongated element 15 having a length at least equal to that of 
the lining material. The lining material 1 and the rope-like elongated 
element 15 are wound in the same manner as described with respect to FIG. 
1, on a reel 2. Inside a pressure container 5, a driving unit 3' is 
situated which adjusts the advancing velocity of the lining material 1 and 
comprises two pairs of pulleys 20a, 20b, 20c and 20d, a pair of the facing 
caterpillar belts 21a and 21b and a number of laterally extending 
protuberances 22 formed on each caterpillar belt in such manner that they 
are faced to each other. The caterpillar belts are driven externally at 
the same velocity by pulleys to convey the lining material at a given 
velocity. The pressure container 5 is provided at the front end thereof 
with a mouth piece 8 which fixes the front open end of the lining material 
annularly. The drum of the container 5 is equipped with an inlet 11 for a 
pressurized fluid and a compressor 9 is connected to the inlet 11 through 
a valve 10. An opening 23 is formed in the rear wall of the pressure 
container 5 and a sealing device 24 is placed inside the opening 23. The 
front end of the pressure container 5 is connected to a pipe line 14 
through a flange joint 18 and an optional induction pipe (not shown) which 
is usually a curved pipe having the same diameter as that of the pipe line 
to adapt the front end of the pressure container to the pipe line 
constructed at a different height, e.g. under the ground. As the front end 
of the lining material 1, introduced in flattened state, is evaginated and 
annularly fixed to the mouth piece 8, the internal fluid pressure acts on 
the unevaginated portion of the lining material in rear of the fixed 
portion 12 to form a turning point 13 where the lining material is turned 
inside out. When the internal pressure is raised, the lining material 1 is 
pushed forward within the pipe line 14 whereby the turning point 13 
advances correspondingly. The lining material is then applied 
simultaneously with evagination onto the inner surface of the pipe line 14 
and bonded firmly thereto by the aid of the binder interposed between the 
lining material and the pipe line 14. As the binder 6 is applied 
sufficiently and evenly onto the inner surface of the lining material by 
the action of the sealing device 24, the lining material can 
satisfactorily be applied onto the inner surface of the pipe line 14 
without formation of any space between them due to shortage of the binder. 
In addition to control of the amount of the binder applied, the sealing 
device serves to prevent leakage of the pressurized fluid from the opening 
23. 
In FIG. 3B showing another example of the apparatus of this invention 
wherein a binder is applied to the lining material just before 
introduction into the pressure container, the structure of the apparatus 
is similar to the same type of the prior art apparatus shown in FIG. 1 
except that a specific sealing device in place of the slit is mounted to 
the pressure container in the apparatus of this invention. Accordingly, 
the reference numerals 1-18 in FIG. 3B have the same meanings as given in 
FIG. 1 and the lining treatment is carried out basically in the same 
manner as in FIG. 1. As the binder is not originally applied to the lining 
material 1, the structure of the driving unit 3 has no relation with the 
"push-back" problem of the binder and thus a pair of rolls driven by a 
motor 16 may be used as the driving unit 3. If desired, the driving unit 
3' as shown in FIG. 3A may be used in place of the unit 3. In this case, 
the unit 3' is located, as shown in FIG. 3A, in front of the sealing 
device 24. In contrast, the driving unit 3 which strongly squeezes the 
lining material 1 between the rolls cannot be used for the apparatus shown 
in FIG. 3A wherein the lining material originally enclosed with a binder 
is used. In the apparatus shown in FIG. 3B, a shelf supporting a resin 
reservoir 7 is mounted to the rear wall of the pressure container 5. 
However, the resin reservoir may be formed apart from the pressure 
container and placed on a support separate from the container. In this 
case, the area of an opening 23 may be somewhat narrower so that an excess 
of the binder is squeezed on passing through the opening which functions 
as a big size slit. If desired, an induction pipe (not shown) may be 
interposed between the pipe line 14 and the front end of the pressure 
container 5 to adapt the front end of the pressure container to the pipe 
line constructed at a different height. In this case, the induction pipe 
should have the same diameter as that of the pipe line. 
In FIGS. 4A, 4B and 5 showing an example of the sealing device 24, a casing 
25 comprises a pair of side plates 26 and 27, a semi-cylindrical sealing 
member 28 and a support 29 and mounted integrally to the rear wall 45 and 
side walls 38 and 39 of the pressure container 5. A rotary drum 30 
comprises a cylinder 33 closed on both ends with lid panels 31 and 32 and 
overlaid on its periphery with an elastic cylinder 34 made of rubber or a 
flexible plastic substance. A number of projections 35 are formed 
integrally on the outer periphery of the cylinder 34 at intervals, each 
being shaped so as to form an elongated tooth linearly extending in 
parallel to the rotation axis and in the direction transverse to the 
advancing lining material 1. Shafts 36 and 37 are fixed at both ends of 
the rotary drum 30 and supported by both side plates 26 and 27 of the 
casing 25. The terminal ends of the shafts extend outward from the side 
walls 38 and 39 of the pressure container 5. The rotary drum 30, the side 
plates 26 and 27 and the shafts 36 and 37 are provided with O-rings 40, 41 
and 42. The sealing member 28 is generally semi-cylindrical in compliance 
with a cylinder formed as a locus of the rotation of the outer periphery 
of the projections 35 around the shafts 36 and 37 and is inwardly 
protuberant in the front portion 43 so that the sealing member 28 may be 
brought into close contact in the portion 43 with the outer end of each 
projection 35. The protuberant portion 43 is formed over the distance 
greater than the pitch of the projections 35, i.e. the intervals of the 
individual projections, so that when the rotary drum 30 is rotated, at 
least one projection 35 may be brought into close contact with the sealing 
member 28 to maintain air-tightness in front or rear of the contacting 
projection. If the area of the protuberant portion 43 is too broad, the 
portion is brought at a time into close contact with many projections 35 
whereby significant friction is formed. Thus, the area of the protuberant 
portion 43 is suitably selected so that only one or two projections 35 are 
brought into close contact with the portion 43. 
The support 29 is so shaped that the upper supporting surface 44 is 
somewhat recessed to form an arc in cross section in close compliance with 
a cylinder formed as a locus of the rotation of the outer periphery of the 
projections 35 around the shafts 36 and 37. The supporting surface 44 may 
not directly be contacted with the outer end of the projections 35 but the 
clearance between the supporting surface 44 and the outer end of the 
projections 35 are preferably as small as possible. The length of the 
supporting surface 44 should be long enough to cover the distance greater 
than two times of the pitch of the projections 35 so that at least two 
projections 35 are present at all times on the supporting surface 44. 
In FIG. 4B showing the actual state of the lining material 1 passing 
through the sealing device 24, the lining material 1 drawn from the reel 
is allowed to pass through the clearance between the rotary drum 30 and 
the support 29. As the lining material has been charged in its interior 
space with a binder at least before entrance into the sealing device 24, 
the lining material 1 is somewhat inflated with the enclosed binder, even 
if it is flattened. On the other hand, the clearance between the rotary 
drum 30 and the support 29 is almost identical with or somewhat smaller 
than an average thickness of the lining material in flattened state 
carrying no binder. The projections 35 on the rotary drum 30 are made of 
an elastic material and move in accordance with the rotation (in clockwise 
direction in the figure) of the rotary drum 30 without being closely 
contacted with the supporting surface 44 to form the above mentioned 
specifically defined clearance between the drum 30 and the support 29. 
When the lining material enclosing the binder is passed through the 
sealing device 24, the lining material is pressed between the rotating 
drum and the support surface with at least two projections 35 extending 
laterally and formed integrally with the elastic cylinder applied onto the 
outer periphery of the cylinder 33, whereby the lining material is pressed 
at intervals in at least two positions where the projections 35 are 
contacted with the lining material, in such manner that the lining 
material is squeezed in the lateral direction with the elastic projections 
35 at intervals between which a definite amount of the binder is isolated. 
As the projections 35 are made of an elastic material, they are somewhat 
deformed on pressing the inflated lining material and move in the 
advancing direction of the lining material in accordance with the rotation 
of the drum around the shafts 36 and 37 while permitting concurrent 
advance of the lining material squeezed in at least two positions with the 
projections. 
Thus, the lining material 1 in flattened state slightly inflated with the 
enclosed binder is squeezed in at least two positions with projections 35 
whereby a continuous stream of the binder in the interior space of the 
lining material is interrupted at the squeezed positions between which a 
definite amount of the binder is siolated from the stream of the binder 
and conveyed forward with the rotation of the rotary drum 30 without being 
pushed backward by the internal fluid pressure. 
Turning to FIGS. 4A and 5 schematically showing the mechanism of the 
sealing device 24, the elastic projections 35 are arranged normally at 
definite intervals on the cylinder 34. As the rotary drum is rotated by 
the advance movement of the lining material, a definite amount of the 
binder is positively conveyed at every passing of the projection 35. In 
addition to at least two projections tightly pressing the lining material 
passing through the clearance between the drum 30 and the support 29, at 
least one projection is always brought into close contact with the 
protuberant portion 43 of the sealing member 28 and both sides of the 
elastic cylinder 34 is at all times brought into close contact with the 
side plates 26 and 27 of the casing 25. Thus, the pressure container 5 is 
entirely confined with these elements and there is no fear of leakage of 
the pressurized fluid from the container. In a strict sense, a trace of 
the pressurized fluid is lost at every passing of the projection through 
the protuberant portion 43 of the sealing member 24. The term "sealing" or 
"anti-tightness" used herein does not mean perfect air-tightness 
permitting no leakage of fluid but means maintenance of a desired degree 
of fluid pressure in the pressure container 5. The sealing member 24 is to 
be understood as having air-tightness of such meaning. 
The method of the present invention can be carried out in the following 
manner, for example, by using the apparatus shown in FIG. 3A or 3B: A 
tubular textile jacket as lining material 1 is connected at its one open 
end to a rope-like elongated element 15 such as a rope itself and wound on 
a reel 2 as shown in the figure. The rope-like elongated element should 
have a length at least equal to that of the lining material 1. In case of 
using the apparatus shown in FIG. 3A, the lining material 1 has previously 
been charged in its interior space with a binder 6. The other open end 
(front end) of the lining material 1 is drawn from the reel 2 and 
introduced into a pressure container 5 through a driving unit 3 (only in 
case of using the apparatus shown in FIG. 3B) and an opening formed in the 
rear of the container 5. In case of using the apparatus shown in FIG. 3B, 
a binder 6 in an amount sufficient enough to apply to the material 1 over 
its full length is enclosed in the interior space of the material 1 in 
rear of the container 5 to form a binder reservoir 7. The lining material 
1 is then passed through a sealing device 24 and a driving unit 3' (only 
in the case of using the apparatus shown in FIG. 3A) and the front end 
thereof is annularly fixed to a mouth piece 8. The driving unit 3 or 3' is 
then driven while introducing pressurized fluid from a compressor 9 into 
the pressure container 5 through a valve 10 and an inlet 11 whereby a 
pressurized fluid is acted on the unevaginated portion of the lining 
material in rear of the fixed portion 12 to form a turning point 13 where 
the lining material 1 is turned inside out. When the lining material 1 
charged with the binder 6 is passed through the sealing device 24, the 
lining material to which a definite amount of the binder 6 is evenly 
applied can be introduced into the pressure container 5 by the action of a 
rotary drum 30 provided on its outer periphery with projections 35 at 
definite intervals without causing any push-back of the binder from the 
container 5. By driving the unit 3 or 3' under fluid pressure, the lining 
material 1 is pushed forward within a pipe line 14 to be treated whereby 
the turning point also advances within the pipe line 14. In this case, 
advance and evagination of the lining material are controlled at constant 
velocities by the action of the unit 3 or 3' and the lining material is 
evaginated and bonded onto the inner surface of the pipe line 14 over its 
full length. After completion of the lining treatment, the binder 6 is 
cured in an adequate manner and the both ends of the lining material 
extending from the both ends of the pipe line are suitably treated to 
finish the whole treatment. 
The sealing device of this invention may be modified without altering its 
function as a means for positively conveying a definite amount of the 
binder to the pressure container while maintaining fluid pressure therein. 
In FIG. 6 showing a main part of another example of the sealing device, a 
support 29 is equipped to the rear wall 45 of the pressure container 5 in 
such manner that the support 29 is vertically slidable on the wall 45 by 
means of a spring mechanism 47 so that the support may oscillate in the 
direction going away from a rotary drum 30. In case this sealing device is 
not in action, or in other words, the lining material is not passed 
therethrough, the support 29 is brought into close contact with the rotary 
drum 30 by means of the spring mechanism 47 so that there is no 
substantial clearance between the support 29 and projections 35 formed on 
the outer periphery of the rotary drum 30. When the lining material in a 
flattened state is inserted between the rotary drum 30 and the support 29, 
the support is pushed down for a distance corresponding to the thickness 
of the lining material so that the lining material is allowed to pass 
through the clearance formed between the support 29 and the rotary drum 30 
and squeezed in at least two positions between the projections 35 formed 
on the outer periphery of the drum 30 and the upper supporting surface 44. 
Accordingly, almost similar technical advantages can be achieved by using 
this modified sealing device in place of the device shown in FIGS. 4A and 
5. The actual state of the lining material squeezed with this modified 
device is as shown in FIG. 4B. This modified device is of course provided 
with the same sealing mechanism as shown in FIGS. 4A and 5 so as to 
prevent leakage of the pressurized fluid from the pressure container 5. 
The spring mechanism 47 may be an ordinary spiral spring as shown in FIG. 
6. In this example, the outer peripheral portion and the projections 35 of 
the rotary drum 30 may not be made of an elastic material and may be 
constructed integrally with a metal or alloy. To maintain better 
air-tightness, however, at least the outer peripheral part of the 
projections 35 should preferably be made of an elastic material. A similar 
technical effect is obtained by fixing the support 29 to the rear wall 45 
of the pressure container 5 and mounting the rotary drum 30 and the 
sealing member 28 integrally to the rear wall in such manner that the drum 
30 and the member 28 may be oscillated vertically by means of a spring 
mechanism or self weight. 
In FIG. 7 showing still another example of the sealing device, projections 
35 are mounted to the rotary drum 30 in such manner that they may be 
radially stretchable or shrinkable by means of a built-in spring mechanism 
55. A number of laterally elongated slits 49 are formed radially on the 
outer periphery of a body 48 of the rotary drum 30. Panel-like elements 50 
are inserted into the slits 49 in such manner that the front end of each 
panel-like element 50 extends outwardly from each slit 49. The bottom of 
each panel-like element 50 is provided with a stopper 52 which can be 
engaged with a step 51 of each slit 49 lest each panel-like element 50 
should extend beyond the necessary length. One or more pins 53 are driven 
in the bottom of each panel-like element 50, which are slidably adapted to 
holes 54 formed in the bottom of each slit 49. A spiral spring 55 
surrounding each pin 53 as a guide shaft is interposed between the bottom 
of each slit 49 and the bottom of each panel-like element 50 so that each 
panel-like element 50 is energized to extend from each slit 49 at all 
times. 
When the lining material in a flattened state is inserted between the 
support 29 and the rotary drum 30 in this example, the panel-like element 
50 in contact with the lining material is pushed inward into the slit 49 
for a distance corresponding to the thickness of the lining material 1, 
against the elastic tension of the spring 55 whereby the lining material 1 
is squeezed between the panel-like element 50 pushed by the elastic 
tension of the spring 55 and the upper supporting surface 44. In this 
example, the panel-like elements 50 are so arranged that at least two of 
them are brought into close contact with the lining material on the upper 
supporting surface 44. The sealing member 28 in this example has the same 
structure and function as shown in FIGS. 4A and 5 so that any leakage of 
pressurized fluid is prevented and no fluid escapes from the opening 23. 
For attaining better air-tightness, at least the outer periphery of the 
panel-like elements 50 should preferably be made of an elastic material. 
In FIG. 8 showing further example of the sealing device, an endless belt 58 
is used in place of the support 29 in the preceding example. The endless 
belt 58 is put on a pair of freely rotatable pulleys 56 and 57 placed 
beneath the rotary drum 30 in such manner that the endless belt may be 
contacted with at least two projections 35. A lower sealing member 59 is 
mounted to the lower part of the opening 23 so that the member 59 may be 
contacted with the surface of the endless belt 58. When the lining 
material 1 in flattened state is inserted between the rotary drum 30 and 
the endless belt 58, the tensioned upper portion of the belt 58 is pushed 
down for a distance corresponding to the thickness of the lining material 
whereby the lining material 1 is allowed to pass between the drum 30 and 
the tensioned endless belt 58. On the other hand, the lining material 1 is 
squeezed in at least two positions between the projections 35 and the 
endless belt 58 whereby a definite amount of the enclosed binder is 
maintained in the portion between the squeezed portions. The rotary drum 
30 and the endless belt 58 are rotated with the advance of the lining 
material 1 whereby the lining material is always squeezed between them at 
least in two positions. In this example, the force required for moving the 
lining material forward may be weakened as both the drum 30 and the belt 
58 are rotated with the advancing lining material and no frictional 
resistance is produced. In this example, further modifications may be 
made, for example, by reversing the squeezing mechanism between the drum 
30 and the belt 58 in such a manner that the rotating drum 30 may have a 
flat peripheral surface but the belt 38 may be provided on its outer 
surface with elastic projections 35. Both the drum 30 and the belt 58 may 
have projections 35 in the same pitch (interval) so that the projections 
formed on the drum 30 and on the belt 58 may be faced to each other and 
the lining material may be squeezed between the facing projections in at 
least two positions. The pitches of the facing projections on the drum 30 
and the belt 58 may be different from each other so that the lining 
material is squeezed between the projections of either one and the flat 
periphery of the other. If the pitches of the projections formed on both 
the drum 30 and the belt 58 are different, the intervals between the 
adjacent projections should be long enough to make sure that the binder is 
involved in the portion of the lining material between the interlocking 
projections. When projections are formed on both the drum 30 and the belt 
58, it is necessary to rotate these jointly. 
In FIG. 8, a support 29' having a supporting surface 44' which is identical 
with the upper supporting surface 44 shown in FIG. 4A or 4B is placed in 
the lower part of the endless belt 58 facing to the drum 30. In the case 
of the sealing device 24 shown in FIG. 8, the space between the adjacent 
projections 35 on the lining material 1 is maintained under atmospheric 
pressure while the endless belt 58 below the lining material 1 is kept 
under a higher fluid pressure. Accordingly, the lining material in contact 
with the space between the adjacent projection 35 is slightly pushed up 
through the endless belt 58 whereby the amount of the binder to be 
contained in the lining material in contact with the space becomes 
smaller. The use of the support 29' having the supporting surface 44' as 
shown (by a chain line) in FIG. 8 prevents the direct action of the fluid 
pressure to the upper back side of the endless belt 58 whereby ascent of 
the endless belt toward the space between the adjacent projections is 
prevented and a sufficient amount of the binder can be enclosed in the 
portion of the lining material put between the adjacent two projections. 
As the use of the support 29' limits the descending movement of the uppor 
endless belt 58 in contact with the drum 30, a certain device is necessary 
for allowing the lining material 1 to pass between the drum 30 and the 
endless belt 58. For example, the projections 35 can be made of an elastic 
material such as rubber or a elastic synthetic resin as in the example 
shown in FIG. 4A where the lining material 1 is allowed to pass through 
the device 24 by deformation of the projections when contacted with the 
lining material. Alternatively, the support 29' may be constructed as in 
the example shown in FIG. 6 wherein the support is mounted to the rear 
wall of the pressure container 5 slidably in the vertical direction with 
respect to the drum 30 by means of a spring mechanism equipped to the 
bottom of the support, or a modified example wherein the rotary drum 30 
and the sealing member 28 may be oscillated vertically by means of a 
spring or self weight. Further modification may be made in the rotary drum 
30 as in the example shown in FIG. 7 by providing the rotary drum 30 with 
radially stretchable or shrinkable projections 35 which are normally 
energized to extend from the outer periphery of the drum 30 by means of a 
spring mechanism. The sealing member 28 as the upper construction of the 
casing 25 may have the same structure as in the example shown in FIG. 4A 
or 5. Thus, the pressure container 5 is kept air-tight and no leakage of 
pressurized fluid from the opening 23 is warranted. 
In FIG. 9 showing still further example of the sealing device 24, a casing 
consists of a pair of sealing members 28a and 28b and a pair of rotary 
drum 30a and 30b having rotation shafts 37a and 37b and projections 35a 
and 35b arranged symmetrically to the central horizontal axis with respect 
to an opening 23. The central horizontal axis constitutes a path of the 
lining material 1 entering in this sealing device. The rotary drums 30a 
and 30b provided on their outer peripheries with projections 35a and 35b 
at definite intervals are arranged in such a manner that the drums 30a and 
30b are jointly rotated with the projections 35a being interlocked with 
the projections 35b. The projections 35a and 35b are made of an elastic 
material and a clearance 60 is formed between the projections 35a and 35b 
in interlocked condition. The sealing members 28a and 28b have the same 
structure and function as in the example shown in FIGS. 4A and 5. As the 
projections 35a and 35b are arranged at sufficient intervals on the outer 
periphery of the drum 30a and 30b, valleys 61a and 61b existing between 
the adjacent projections are so broad that sufficient spaces remain in the 
valleys 61a and 61b even if the projections 35a and 35b are interlocked 
with each other. When the lining material 1 is inserted into the clearance 
between the drums 30a and 30b, the material 1 is squeezed in at least two 
positions between the valleys and the projections when both drums are 
interlocked. When the lining material 1 is moved forward in such 
condition, the drums are jointly rotated while squeezing the material 1 in 
at least two positions whereby the pressurized fluid in the pressure 
container is sealed at the squeezed position and the binder enclosed in 
the lining material is conveyed to the pressure container together with 
the material without being pushed back by the fluid pressure. A 
modification may be made in this example, on the basis of the same 
technical concept as in the example shown in FIG. 6, by constructing the 
rotary drums 30a and 30b and the sealing members 28a and 28b in such 
manner that a combination of the drum 30a and the member 28a and a 
combination of the drum 30b and the member 28b may be oscillated in the 
direction that both combinations go away from each other. Further 
modification may be made in this example by changing the projections 35a 
and 35b on the drums 30a and 30b to those radially stretchable and 
shrinkable as in the example shown in FIG. 7. 
In the sealing devices shown in FIGS. 4A, 6, 7, 8 and 9, the rotary drum or 
drums and the incidental endless belt are rotated by the lining material 
moved forward by the action of the driving unit 3 or 3'. However, the 
rotary drum or drums may positively be rotated externally, for example, by 
jointly driving the rotary drum with the driving unit by means of a series 
of gears or chains preferably adjusted to obtain the same peripheral 
speed. If the rotary drum is positively driven, the driving unit 3 or 3' 
may be omitted. In this case, the rotary drum functions also as a driving 
unit. 
Although the apparatus of this invention, especially the sealing device, 
may be modified in various ways as shown in FIGS. 3A, 3B, 4A and 6-9, 
various modifications may be made also in the method of this invention and 
the materials used therein. For example, a rope-like elongated element is 
previously passed through the lining material over its full length and 
drawn from the opposite end of the pipe line while applying fluid pressure 
to the lining material in rear of the annularly fixed portion in a usual 
manner whereby the unevaginated portion of the lining material is allowed 
to advance within the pipe line and evaginated at the turning point and at 
the same time the evaginated lining material is attached onto the inner 
surface of the pipe line under pressure of the pressurized fluid. 
According to this modification, the fluid pressure may be so weak that the 
already evaginated portion of the lining material may be attached under 
pressure onto the inner surface of the pipe line. This modification is 
particularly suitable for lining pipe lines having a number of curved 
portions. 
A preferable lining material used in the present invention is a flexible 
tubular textile jacket having the structure as shown in FIG. 2. The lining 
material of this type is usually utilizable as hose and is commercially 
available. The lining material shown in FIG. 2 has an air-tight layer on 
its outer surface which, after evagination, becomes the innermost layer of 
the lining material applied to pipe lines. As the innermost layer of the 
lining material is brought into direct contact with the fluid passing 
through the pipe line, this layer should be excellent in not only inherent 
gas-impermeability but also various resisting properties such as 
water-resistance, weather-resistance, ozone-resistance, oil-resistance, 
chemicals-resistance, heat-resistance and cold-resistance and should 
possess satisfactory toughness and flexibility. In these aspects, a 
polyester elastomer which is further excellent in abrasion-resistance, 
tensile strength and tear strength and exhibits good adhesion to synthetic 
fibers of polyester series is used for manufacturing the tubular textile 
jacket. This elastomer is commercially available under the registered 
trademarks "Pelprene" (Toyobo, Japan) and "Hytrel" (DuPont, U.S.A.). 
Fibers of polyester series are suitable, especially as warp, for 
manufacturing the tubular textile jacket. However, other natural and/or 
synthetic fibers such as cotton, hemp, rayon and polyamide fibers 
incorporated with or without glass fibers, carbonaceous fibers and the 
like inorganic fibers can also be used in place of polyester fibers. 
The binder attains bonding of the lining material to pipe lines over broad 
areas. Accordingly, such type of binders as containing a volatile 
ingredient or having a very shortened pot life cannot be used for the 
present invention. A thermocurable binder of epoxy series is particularly 
suitable for the present invention. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3A 
wherein the binder has previously been applied onto the inner surface of 
the lining material, the use of a binder having an extended pot life is 
preferable since it takes usually a somewhat longer time until completion 
of the lining treatment. The embodiment shown in FIG. 3B wherein a binder 
reservoir is placed in rear of the sealing device is advantageous in that 
the previous application of the binder onto the inner surface of the 
lining material is unnecessary and thus the working efficiency is higher 
than the embodiment shown in FIG. 3A. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3B, 
however, it takes a longer time to consume all of the binder in the 
reservoir. Thus, the use of a binder having an extended pot life or a 
binder of lower exotherm on curing is preferable in this embodiment. 
In case of underground pipe lines, the so-called earthquakeproof property 
is recently required for lined pipe lines to prevent any secondary 
disaster resulting from leakage of a large amount of water or an 
inflammable liquid or gas from the pipe lines damaged by strong earthquake 
shock. To satisfy this requirement, the lining material alone must 
withstand a fluid maintained under high pressure because joint portions of 
pipe lines are often disjointed or damaged and pipe lines themselves are 
in certain cases broken or cracked by strong earthquake shock. The use of 
such lining material as having a tensile strength in longitudinal 
direction of at least 1000 kg/cm width and an elongation on fracture of at 
least 10% and bonding of this lining material to the inner surface of pipe 
lines at such cohesive strength that the lining material may be detached 
at a shearing load of 1-6 kg/cm.sup.2 is found to be satisfactory for the 
above requirement. Even if pipe lines themselves are broken or disjointed 
in the joint portion by earthquake or the like strong mechanical shock, 
the lining material itself around the damaged portions is detached from 
the inner surface of the pipe line and maintains for a while the function 
as a pipe line. In view of the foregoing, it is desirable that a lining 
material having an air-tight layer 19 of a polyester elastomer is 
evaginated and bonded onto the inner surface of the pipe line with a 
thermocurable binder 6 of epoxy series. In such lining material, the 
tubular textile jacket is impregnated with the binder and the whole is 
integrally bonded to form a rigid pipe like FRP pipe. Even if the pipe 
line itself is damaged, the lining material alone still maintains the 
function as a pipe line. 
Various types of driving units can be used for the apparatus of the present 
invention. In the example shown in FIG. 3A, the use of a twin catarpillar 
system is preferable and is placed in front of the sealing device, 
considering the situation that frictional resistance on passing the lining 
material through the sealing device 24 is relatively high. The frictional 
resistance in the sealing device can be absorbed in the power for driving 
the unit 3' so that the force required for evagination of the lining 
material can simultaneously be weakened. A driving unit of such structure 
as shown in FIG. 3A wherein the flattened lining material is conveyed 
forward in linear state by slightly being pressed between the facing 
protuberances without being squeezed between the rolls is preferable for 
the present invention. 
A variety of modifications may be made, as shown in FIGS. 6, 7, 8 and 9, in 
the structure of the sealing device 24. Especially important is, however, 
to vary the amount of the binder applied to the inner surface of the 
lining material by altering the pitch and hardness of the projections. If 
the pitch of the projections becomes greater, a larger amount of the 
binder can be held correspondingly in a portion of the lining material 
isolated in the space formed between the adjacent projections, thus 
resulting in increment of the amount of binder enclosed in the lining 
material. The use of a harder material for projections enables stronger 
squeezing of the lining material with the projections so that the amount 
of the binder held in the portion isolated between the adjacent squeezing 
projections becomes larger. However, the use of hard projections tends to 
reduce air-tightness of the sealing device and cause fluctuation in 
thickness of the lining material and difficulty in passing the lining 
material through the sealing device 24 when the lining material is 
enclosed with a foreign material. The hardness of the projections 35 is to 
be determined, taking the structure of the sealing device into 
consideration. 
In the present invention characterized by using a specific sealing device 
24, it is of a particular advantage that a definite amount of the binder 
enclosed evenly or unevenly in the lining material be positively conveyed 
portionwise to the pressure container without permitting any push-back of 
the binder on entrance into the pressure container. Thus, the inner 
surface of the pipe lines can be provided with a lining material through a 
sufficient amount of the binder. Additional advantages of the present 
invention are that the sealing device is simple in mechanism and structure 
and small in size and can thus be provided at low cost. 
It is also a merit of the present invention that the lining treatment can 
be carried out for underground pipe lines having a length as long as 100 
meters or more and/or many curved portions without any particular 
attention being paid to the operation conditions. 
As many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention may be 
made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is to be 
construed that this invention is not limited to the specific embodiments 
thereof except as defined in the appended claims.