Guiding of a device

Abstract: A method for guiding a motor driven wheeled device (11) in a required direction along the interior of a pipe (2) comprises providing the device with a guard, lowering the device with the guard leading (13) through a hole (3) bored in the wall of the pipe to gain access to the interior of the pipe, causing the guard to engage the internal wall of the pipe and position the device on its wheels (12) facing in the required direction and then starting the motor to cause the wheels to rotate and move the device in the required direction.

Description: The present invention relates to guiding a device in a required direction along the interior of a pipe. It is known to guide devices along the interior of pipe for such purposes as inspecting the interior wall of the pipe (in which case the device is a closed circuit television camera) or spraying the wall with a sealant (in which case the device is a spray head). The devices are usually introduced into the pipe via a hole bored in the wall of the pipe. It is, of course, important to ensure that upon introduction into the pipe the device is guided in the correct direction and this can be very much a hit or miss affair. In known techniques of seeking to ensure that the device travels in the correct direction, entry pipes or tubes are provided arranged at an angle to the vertical to carry the device into the pipe via the bored hole to ensure the device travels in the selected direction. However, the disadvantage of these techniques is that the entry tubes reduce the overall size of the device which can be introduced into the pipe as the device is introduced at an angle to the hole in the pipe wall. Such techniques are disclosed in EP-A-O 426 871 for example which includes a repairing device which is launched through an inclined guide tube and being representative of the preamble of claims 1 and 30. Wheeled devices for passage through a main channel are known from EP-A-O 656 449. It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome the disadvantages associated with such techniques. According to the present invention, we provide a method for guiding a motor driven wheeled device in a required direction along the interior of a pipe by lowering the device provided with a guard through a hole bored in the wall of the pipe to gain access to the interior of the pipe and then starting the motor to cause the wheels to rotate and move the device characterised in that the device is lowered with the guard leading in a substantially vertical manner through the hole so that the guard is caused to engage the internal wall of the pipe, the shape of the guard being such that the device tilts so as to be positioned on its wheels facing the required direction and the device is moved in the required direction. Also according to the present invention we provide apparatus adapted to guide a motor driven wheeled device in a required direction along the interior of a pipe, the arrangement being such that in use the device with a guard secured to it is lowered through a hole bored in the wall of the pipe to gain access to the interior of the pipe and thereafter the motor is started to cause the wheels to rotate characterised in that the device is lowered substantially vertically into the pipe through the hole with the guard in the lowermost position and arranged to engage the internal wall of the pipe, the shape of the guard being such that the device tilts so as to be positioned on its wheels facing in the required direction. Because the device can be introduced substantially vertically to the axis of the pipe, the full bore of the hole in the pipe wall can be used. An embodiment of the invention will now be particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- Figure 1 shows an insertion tube in position on a pipe such as a main carrying gas under pressure before the introduction of a device such as an inspection camera, Figures 2 to 5 comprise longitudinal sections through the insertion tube and the main showing a sequence of operations for guiding the camera along the main. Referring to the drawings, in the situation shown in Figure 1, an excavation 1 has been dug so as to reveal a portion of a live gas main 2. In figures 2 to 4 a hole 3 has been drilled in the wall of the main 2. In the known technique used here to drill the hole an Iris plate valve 4 manufactured by ALH Systems Ltd was mounted on the main 2. An underpressure drill (not shown) was fitted to the plate valve 4 and operated to cut the hole 3 through the main (Figures 1 and 2). A conventional construction and design insertion tube 5 is then fitted to the plate valve 4 in place of the underpressure drill in the well known manner. The insertion tube 5 has a main tubular outer body 6 having a lowermost portion 7 for bolting to the plate valve 4 and an uppermost portion 8 detachably removable by a screw-thread from the portion 7. The insertion tube 5 also has a rubber gland 9 mounted in a socket 10 its uppermost end for purposes to be described. In the case of this invention the device to be inserted into the main 2 is a conventional closed circuit pipe wall inspection television camera 11 of the tractorised type having motor driven wheels 12 as seen in Figures 2 to 4. The camera 11 is provided at its front end with a part-circular guard 13 which serves as a guide for the camera 11 in use. The camera 11 is releasably attached at one end via a knuckle joint coupling 14 to a flexible camera cable 15. The other end of the cable 15 (not shown) is, in use, attached to a data interface port, television monitor, video recorder and printer. Referring to Figures 2 to 5, the sequence of operations for guiding the camera 11 along the main 1 is as follows. With the portion 7 of the insertion tube 5 temporarily removed from the plate valve 4 and clear thereof (not shown), the end of the cable 15 is pushed through the rubber gland 9 which has a central aperture for the purpose and is clamped by a clamp 16 which holds the camera cable, in position temporarily. The cable 15 is then connected to the camera 11 and the clamp 16 is released and removed. The aperture in the gland 9 is so dimensioned that the gland 9 forms a seal round the cable 15. It will be appreciated that at this stage the closure plate 17 in the plate valve 4 is closed to prevent the escape of gas from the main. The uppermost portion 8 of the insertion tube 5 is then reconnected to the lowermost portion 7. In the next stage of the process (Figure 2) the plate 17 in the plate 4 valve is opened and the camera 11 is positioned by rotating the cable 15 if necessary while the camera 11 hangs therefrom so that the camera 11 faces in the correct direction. The camera 11 is then lowered into the interior of the main 2 until the camera guard 13 comes into contact with the bottom wall of the main 2 as shown in Figure 3. At this point the circular shape of the guard 13 and the weight distribution of the camera 11 cause it to tilt over onto its wheels 12 at which point the motor in the camera 11 is started and this has the effect of "kicking" the tractor camera in the desired direction along the main 2 (as shown in Figure 4). The camera cable 15 is fed continuously through the gland 9 so that the camera 11 is caused to move along the main 2 as far as possible relaying pictures back to the monitor. To remove the camera 11 from the main 2, the motor which powers the tractor camera 11 is reversed while the cable 15 is pulled back through the gland 9 until the camera 11 has been withdrawn through the open plate valve 4 which is then closed. The insertion tube 5 is then removed from the plate valve 4. Using any well known technique the hole 3 in the wall of the main 2 can be plugged, e.g. by means of a non-tap plug before the plate valve 4 is removed.

Claims: A method for guiding a motor driven wheeled device in a required direction along the interior of a pipe by lowering the device provided with a guard through a hole bored in the wall of the pipe to gain access to the interior of the pipe and then starting the motor to cause the wheels to rotate and move the device characterised in that the device is lowered with the guard leading in a substantially vertical manner through the hole so that the guard is caused to engage the internal wall of the pipe, the shape of the guard being such that the device tilts so as to be positioned on its wheels facing the required direction and the device is moved in the required direction. A method as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that it includes the step of providing a substantially vertically disposed insertion tube mounted so as to lead to the pipe hole such that the device is suspended and lowered through the tube, the device being capable of rotation in the tube to face the required direction when tilted and positioned on its wheels. Apparatus adapted to guide a motor driven wheeled device (11) in a required direction along the interior of a pipe (2), the arrangement being such that in the use the device (11), with a guard (13) secured to it, is lowered through a hole (3) bored in the wall of the pipe (2) to gain access to the interior of the pipe and thereafter the motor is started to cause the wheels (12) to rotate characterised in that device (11) is lowered substantially vertically into pipe (2) through hole (3) with guard (13) in the lowermost position and arranged to engage the internal wall of pipe (2), the shape of the guard (13) being such that device (11) tilts so as to be positioned on wheels (12) facing in the required direction. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 characterised in that the device comprises a camera. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 or 4 characterised in that the guard (13) is part circular in shape at least in the region of its wall engaging portion. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, 4 or 5 characterised in that a substantially vertical guide tube (5) is provided to allow the lowering of the device (11) by a cable (15), the device being rotatable in the tube so as to position the suspended device to face the required direction when lowered into the pipe.

Inventors: COTTON MICHAEL, HORAN KEVIN MICHAEL, COTTON, MICHAEL, HORAN, KEVIN MICHAEL
Applicants: LATTICE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, LATTICE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LIMITED
Application year: 1995
Main classification: F16L55
IPC codes: F16L55