Abstract:
An apparatus for installing a cured in place lateral seal in an existing main pipeline wherein the lateral seal includes a brim portion bonded to a short tubular portion. The apparatus includes a flexible bladder mounted on a cylindrical housing with the bladder having a recess with an inflatable arm which can be tucked within the housing for receiving the tubular portion of the seal with the brim portion along the outer portion of the bladder. The cartridge is removably mountable on a sled or robot device with positioning motors for positioning the seal at the opening of the lateral pipeline. The use of replaceable bladder cartridges allows an operator to load a second new seal on a cartridge a first seal on a bladder cartridge mounted on the sled is being cured in place.

Description:
This application is a division of application Ser. No. 08/978,732, filed on Nov. 26, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,029,726, issued on Feb. 29, 2000. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to an apparatus for the installation of a flexible lateral seal which is impregnated with a curable resin, and more particularly to an apparatus having a silicone bladder with a cavity for receiving the flexible lateral seal and which can be inflated to form a seal along the main pipeline and invert the lateral seal into the lateral pipeline from the main is pipeline. 
     The most widely practiced method of lining existing pipelines and conduits using a flexible resin impregnated lining or “cured in place pipe” is the Insituform® Process and is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,009,063 and 4,064,211, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Briefly, in the Insituform® Process, an elongated flexible tubular lining of a resin impregnable material, such as a needled felt, which has been impregnated with a thermosetting synthetic resin, is installed within an existing pipeline that is in need of repair. The impregnated liner may be pulled into the conduit by a rope or cable, and a fluid-impermeable inflation bladder or tube is then everted within the liner as described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 4,009,063. Alternately, the liner is installed utilizing an eversion process as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,064,211. The liners utilized in the Insituform® Process are flexible and generally have a smooth impermeable coating on one side. After inversion, this smooth layer becomes the inside of the liner. 
     After the flexible liner is positioned within the conduit, the liner is pressurized from within, preferably using a fluid such as water. The fluid pressure forces the liner radially outwardly to engage and conform to the interior surface of the existing pipeline. The resin is then cured by recirculating heated water to form a relatively hard, tight-fitting rigid pipe lining that effectively relines the existing pipeline. In addition to curing by heat, the resin can be cured using other forms of radiant energy, such as ultra violet light as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,135,958 or visible light in U.S. Pat. No. 4,518,247 and No. 4,680,066, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Alternatively, radiant energy in the form of electrical energy or sound waves can be used to initiate the cure. Once the liner is completely cured, lateral connections are cut to existing services to the liner by remote cutters, which are common expedients in the art. 
     There is a strong demand and a need to seal the connections between the main conduit and any lateral pipes, in addition to the repair of the main pipeline. This is an important consideration in the process of relining an entire existing sewer system in order to effectively prevent the ingress of ground water into the system and outflow of effluent from the system. 
     In a typical municipal sewer system, there are a plurality of lateral pipeline entering a main conduit between adjacent manhole access points. The time needed to cure a cured in place liner that has been installed in a main pipeline is typically between four and six hours. Using existing methods of lining or lateral pipelines or is not possible to perform any significant repair or lining operations of the plurality of lateral connections at the same time that a main conduit is being lined. Repair or sealing of each lateral connection using conventional lining methods is difficult. Such long cure times would generally increase the amount of time required to complete the repair of a particular line by almost a full day of work for each lateral connection. Since a typical residential street may have about ten or more homes between manholes, this would increase the operating time needed to complete the lining operation for repair of the main pipeline between adjacent manholes from one day to ten days or more. 
     There are presently several proposals available for lining lateral pipelines and forming a seal at the lateral connection. 
     Some of these call for lining the lateral from the outlet of the service lateral inward to the mainline conduit. One such method is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,533. Others utilize a launcher-type apparatus that inserts a lining from the main pipeline into the lateral connection at a location remote from the access to the main pipeline. This process is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,624,629, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Here, a second or subsequent lateral is lined and cured, at the same time as an initial lateral is being lined in an effort to reduce the overall time of repair of the system. However, because several laterals are typically connected to a particular mainline conduit, it is difficult and almost physically impossible to install lateral seals at more than one location within a mainline conduit at the same time. 
     Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a device suitable for installation of a flexible lateral seal at the intersection between a lateral pipeline and a main pipeline which can be efficiently operated from a remote location for providing installation from the mainline into the lateral. It is desirable to improve the speed and cycle time required to install a lateral seal in order to provide truly cost effective repair of lateral intersections. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Generally speaking, in accordance with the invention, an apparatus for installing a cured in place lateral seal having a brim portion bonded to a short tubular section is provided. The apparatus includes a cartridge assembly having a cylindrical flexible bladder with an extendible arm which can be tucked into the bladder to form a recess for receiving the tubular portion of the seal with the brim seated on the outer portion of the bladder. The cartridge assembly is removably mounted on a sled or robot device with positioning motors for positioning the seal at the exact location of the lateral. Use of a replaceable cartridge allows the operator to load a new seal wetted with curable resin on a cartridge as another seal on the sled is being cured in place for rapid exchange. 
     The bladder is secured to the ends of a cylindrical hollow frame to form a cartridge assembly which has an inlet for introduction of pressurized fluid for inflating the bladder to press the brim portion of the seal against the interior of the main pipeline and everting the arm and tubular portion of the seal out of the recess into of the lateral to form the lateral seal. The cure can be initiated by introduction of heated fluid or electrical power for powering radiant energy source within the bladder such as light energy, either UV or visible, sound or microwaves. 
     The sled includes on at least one end a lift motor to place the brim portion of the lateral seal on the surface of the main pipeline at the lateral opening. It may include separately operable lift motors at both end of the cartridge. The sled may also include at least one rotational motor for rotating the cartridge circumferentially to align the brim of the seal with the lateral opening. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved device for installing a flexible cured in place lateral seal into the junction between a main pipeline and lateral connection from inside the main pipeline. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide an improved device for installing a flexible cured in place lateral seal, including a cartridge holding the resin impregnated lateral seal which can be replaceably mounted on a delivery sled for assembly. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide an improved bladder cartridge for insertion into a delivery sled for the rapid installation of flexible cured in place lateral seals from the mainline of an existing conduit. 
     Still another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for the installation of a curable resin lateral seal providing a source of radiant energy with a bladder assembly. 
     Yet another object of the invention is to provide a bladder apparatus for the installation of a light curable resin lateral seal providing a source of curing light within the bladder apparatus. 
     Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification. 
     The invention accordingly comprises the several steps and the relation of one or more of such steps with respect to each of the others, the apparatus embodying features of construction, combination(s) and arrangement of parts which are adapted to effect such steps, and the product which possesses the characteristics, properties, and relation of constituents (components), all as exemplified in the detailed disclosure hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a fuller understanding of the invention, reference is had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a flexible resin impregnable lateral seal including a brim portion bonded to a short tubular portion to be installed using the apparatus constructed and arranged in accordance with the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the position of the lateral seal of FIG. 1 after installation at the intersection of a main pipeline and a lateral pipeline; 
     FIG. 3 is an elevational view of an apparatus including a bladder cartridge and delivery sled for the installation of a lateral seal from the main pipeline constructed and arranged in accordance with the invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a frame for the bladder cartridge of the apparatus of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the bladder as it is installed about the frame of FIG. 4 in accordance with the invention; 
     FIG. 6 is an elevational view of the bladder cartridge with the bladder of FIG. 5 installed and secured to the frame of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 7 is a rigid frame of the type illustrated in FIG. 4 modified for installing a lateral seal to be cured by light in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the assembled frame of FIG. 7 with a lateral seal of the type illustrated in FIG. 1 loaded and ready for installation; 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a delivery sled as shown in FIG. 3 constructed and arranged in accordance with the invention for receiving the cartridge of FIG.  4  and positioning the seal during installation; and 
     FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus for installation using the apparatus of FIG. 3 outfitted for curing with visible light with the bladder expanded in position. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     An apparatus  101  for installing a lateral seal  11  at the intersection between an existing main pipeline  21  and a lateral pipeline  22  is shown in FIG.  3 . In this particular case, main pipeline  21  has previously been lined with a cured in place lining  23  utilizing the Insituform Process. It is possible to utilize the apparatus for installing seal  11  to seal the connection in a main pipeline which has not been relined. Alternatively, main pipeline  21  may have been lined utilizing other trenchless technology processes, commonly referred to as fold and formed, diameter reduction, or slip lining and the like. 
     Referring specifically to FIG. 1, seal  11  includes a substantially flat brim  12  bonded to a relatively short tubular section  13 . Brim  12  is formed of a resin impregnable layer  14  and an impermeable layer  16  bonded thereto. Tubular portion  13  is bonded to brim  12  by a compatible adhesive, a hot melt material or flame bonding. 
     Tubular portion  13  is formed from a substantially planar piece of resin impregnable lining material  15  coated on one side with an impermeable layer  20  which has been joined together edge to edge in a butt seam relationship with a row of stitches  18  to hold the edges together. A band of impermeable material  19  in the form of a tape or quantity of an extruded material is placed over stitches  18  to maintain the impermeable characteristics of impermeable layer  20 . 
     Brim  12  formed from a substantially planar resin impregnable material  14  is also coated on one side with an impermeable layer  16  dimensioned to conform to the opening between lateral  22  and main pipeline  21 . Typically lateral  22  may intersect main pipeline  21  at a 60° angle as illustrated in the completed installation in FIG.  2 . However, laterals may be found to intersect a main pipeline at angles of 45° and/or 90°. In these cases, the opening between the lateral and mainline will vary, depending on the angle and relative size of the pipelines. This can be determined during the prepatory inspection and video steps in the rehabilitation so that custom made lateral seals  11  can be fabricated as needed. A guide line  24  is provided on impregnable layer  14  of brim  12  to aid in the installation as will be described in more detail below. 
     When a light cure resin is used to impregnate seal  11 , lamps emitting visible light having a wave length in the range of about 300 to 500 nanometers are mounted within a bladder cartridge  102  shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 Resin impregnable material  16  and  18  is typically an acrylic or polypropylene felt or a glass fibrous matte which will transmit the visible light when impregnated with a modified polyester or epoxy to yield a resin which is light curable as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,581,247, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     Resin  34  is a composition of a free radical light cureable resin admixed with an effective amount of a visible light, photo-bleaching initiator system and optionally performance enhancing fillers which can be impregnated into resin impregnable layers  17  and  22  and subsequently cured to a suitable depth. The resin can be selected from oligoeters of mono-ethylenically unsaturated urethanes, epoxies, polyesters and acrylics. 
     In the preferred embodiments of the invention, the resin is an epoxy acrylate resin which is a diglycydyl ether of bisphenol A which has been esterified with acrylic acid or methacrylic acid and which may include an ethylenically mono-unsaturated compound as a viscosity modifier admixed with an effective amount of a photo-bleaching visible light initiator system. The photo-bleaching initiator system includes a visible light sensitizer which is a fluorone derivative admixed with a hydrogen donor compound. 
     The visible light curable sensitizer compound includes a fluorone derived material. The fluorone derivative visible light sensitizer compound has the general formula                           
     wherein in R 1  is hydrogen, C 1 -C 8  alkyl, acyl and X 1  is a hydrogen atom or a halogen atom and X 2  is a hydrogen atom or the same or different halogen atom, a benzoyl group, a group of the formula—L(C 2 ) n   2  where n is 1 to 8 and R 2  is hydrogen, hydroxy, amino, dialkylamino, —COR 3  or —COOR 4  wherein R 3  is hydrogen, chlorine, COC, C 1  to C 2  alkyl, aryl, COR, 2,4 dinitrophenyl, N-imido or N 2  and L is a direct bond or &gt;C═O and R is hydrogen or lower alkyl, and those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,451,343. The preferred fluorone derivative is 5,7-diiodo-3-butoxy-6-fluorone. The fluorone derivative sensitizer is mixed with an electron donating coinitiator, such as a tertiary amine to form the photoinitiator system. Triethanolamine has been found to enhance the photo-bleaching effect of the fluorone sensitizer. 
     After lateral seal  11  is installed, brim  12  sits along the interior surface of main pipeline  21  and will bond to previously installed lining  23 . Tubular portion  13  extends a desired distance into lateral pipeline  22 . This effectively seals what is generally considered to be a principal shortcoming in the lining of existing pipelines. In a relined sewer system with lateral seal  11  is installed after a cutout  29  is formed on lining  23 . Once seal  11  is installed, it will be more difficult for ground water at a remote fracture  31  from entering relined main pipeline  21  at cutout  29 . This is because cutout  29  is generally formed using a remote cutting tool with a router bit or the like leaving a rough opening. This created a long felt need for providing an effective lateral seal to seal the connection between a lateral pipe  22  and main pipeline  21 . 
     Lateral seal  11  can be effectively installed utilizing an apparatus shown generally as  101  in FIG.  3 . Apparatus  101  includes a bladder cartridge  102  including an inflatable bladder  103  mounted on a substantially rigid bladder frame  104  with a proximal end plate  105  and an identical cup shaped distal end plate  105 ′ with side wall sections  106  and  106 ′. Bladder  103  is mounted to side wall sections  106  of end plates  105 . As illustrated in FIG. 3, bladder frame  104  carrying bladder  103  is mounted in a delivery sled  107  equipped with a proximal positioning motor  108  and a separately operable distal lift motor  109  and a TV camera  111  mounted on a motor arm  112  by a spring  113 . 
     Motor arm  112  is mounted on rack of a rack and pinion lift bar  114  which is operably coupled to proximal positioning motor  108 . Proximal positioning motor  108  provides lift to lift bar  114  for elevating the proximal end of bladder cartridge  102  at a proximal lug  117  connection at proximal end plate  105  and also includes a rotational motor (not shown) for rotating motor arm  112  radially for positioning seal  11  at the entrance to lateral  22 . Distal lift motor  109  also includes a lift arm  116  which includes a rack and pinion for lifting or lowering the distal end of bladder cartridge  102  by a distal lug connection  117 ′ at distal end plate  105 ′. 
     Delivery sled  107  includes a base plate  118  for supporting motors  108  and  109 . Base plate  118  is mounted on a pair of sled runners  119  at each end for displacement of apparatus  101  along the length of existing main pipeline  21  at the location of lateral  22 . Positioning is facilitated by using TV camera  111  which is controlled remotely by a cable  120 . TV camera  111  is mounted on spring  113  to permit displacement downward as lift motor  108  lifts bladder cartridge  102  into position adjacent to the opening to lateral  22 . 
     Proximal end plate  105  includes at least one inlet port  126  which provides access to the interior of bladder cartridge  102  for providing a source of pressure to inflate bladder  103  and power a source of radiant energy in the interior of bladder  103  for initiating the cure of resin impregnated in impermeable layer  14  and  15  of seal  11 . In the illustrated embodiment, pressure is provided by an air/vacuum hose  126 ′ coupled to inlet port  126 . A power line  127 ′ is coupled to another inlet port  127  to provide power to a source of radiant energy within bladder  103 . Corresponding ports  128  and  129  are provided in distal end plate  105 .This is beneficial as it permits utilizing one port  128  to allow air to escape when the pressurized fluid is air. Alternately, water can also be expelled through distal output  129 . However, this may not be wholly desirable since the portion of the main pipeline being lined is generally bypassed from the remainder of the pipe system. By providing comparable inlet and outlet ports on both proximal end plate  105  and distal end plate  105 ′, bladder cartridge  102  can be inserted into delivery sled  107  in either direction. This greatly facilitates installation of laterals which intersect main pipeline  21  in opposed directions. 
     As pressurized air is applied to the interior of bladder  103 , bladder arm  110  which was tucked within bladder  103  everts through the opening in brim  12  of seal  11  forcing tubular portion  13  of seal  11  to evert into lateral  22 . Seal  11  is held in place as long as bladder  103  and arm  110  remain inflated. Generally air or water under pressure can be utilized to inflate bladder  103 . When water is utilized and provides heat as the source of radiant energy for initiating the cure, an additional outlet  129  in distal plate  105  is used to permit the water to circulate. 
     When lateral seal  11  is positioned in place and bladder  103  is inflated, energy is applied to initiate cure of the resin. When the energy is visible light as in the embodiment of FIG. 5, cool air supplied by air hose  126 ′ is circulated through bladder  103 . This removes the heat generated by the exothermic cure reaction and the substantial heat generated by the halogen lamps as the visible light source. An adjustable pressure relief valve  125 , such as a Nupro B-8CPA2 pressure relief valve which is adjustable between 3 to 50 psi with a ½ inch male thread is mounted in port  128 . By inputting air at port  126  at about 20 psi through hose  126 ′ and setting valve  125  at 4 psi, 4 psi pressure can be maintained in bladder  103  to keep it inflated. 
     At the completion of cure which can be as little as five minutes, a vacuum is drawn through air hose  126 ′ now coupled to a vacuum pump to deflate bladder  103 . Application of the vacuum to bladder  103  withdraws arm  110  from lateral  22  and causes it to deinvert into bladder  103 . Withdrawal of arm  110  from within seal  11  is thus accomplished without use of a rope or other pulling mechanism which would otherwise present an opaque region and cast a shadow which would interfere with light projected into lateral  22  during the cure cycle. 
     Providing bladder cartridge  102  as a separate removable unit from delivery sled  107  results in several significant operational advantages. This allows loading of a second impregnated lateral seal  11  on a second bladder cartridge  102  as a first is being used to install and cure at one lateral location. As soon as the lateral connection being installed is completed, delivery sled  107  is removed from main pipeline  21 , spent bladder cartridge  102  is removed and a second bladder cartridge  102  previously loaded with resin impregnated seal  11  is then inserted at both lug connections  117  and  117 ′ and a second lateral installation can begin immediately. This is a significant time saving advantage. This is particularly true when a visible light cure resin is used as will be described in connection with the most preferred embodiment below. 
     A bladder frame assembly  151  fully outfitted for use in such a visible light lateral seal installation is shown in perspective in FIG.  7 . The individual elements assembly  151  will now be described. FIG. 4 illustrates a bladder frame  152  having a substantially rigid planar base  153  and cup shaped end plates  154  and 156 have a sidewall  157  with projections  158  for a securing bladder  171  shown in FIG. 5 thereto. Each such end plates  154  and  156  is substantially identical which allows completed bladder frame assembly  151  to be mounted in either direction onto sled  107 . This is more significant when lights have been installed, particularly when laterals intersect the main pipeline at an angle. End plates  154  and  156  are welded to the end of base  153 . A tubular steel skeleton frame  159  having a central opening  161  for providing access to the interior of bladder frame assembly  151  is welded between end plates  154  and  156  opposite base  153 . 
     End plates  154  and  156  are formed with four threaded conduit  162 ,  163 ,  164 , and  165 . These will be described in more detail with respect to the completed bladder frame assembly  151 . These conduits are utilized for providing pressurized air, an air gage, an air relieve valve and air electrical power line, respectively. Each end plate also includes a clevis or mounting lug  167  which can be coupled to delivery sled  107  merely by passing a bolt  168  through the opening in lug  167 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 5, a bladder  171  specially designed for use with bladder frame assembly  151  is shown in perspective. Bladder  171  includes an elongated tubular portion  172  and an invertible flexible arm  173  connected to the midsection for extending up into the lateral during operation when internally pressurized. In the case of a visible light cure device, bladder  171  is formed from a transparent silicone rubber material which permits light from lights mounted on bladder frame  152  to be transmitted into resin impregnable layers  14  and  15  of seal  11  and initiate the cure. Preferably, silicone bladder  171  transmits 25 to 65 percent light from within. Each end of tubular section  172  remains open for facilitating placement of bladder frame  152  within bladder  171 . 
     Prior to securing bladder  171  to bladder frame  152 , visible light lamps  181  are secured to base plate  153  of bladder frame  152 . When a visible light cure system is utilized, lamps  181  emitting visible light within the range of about 400 to 600 nanometers are utilized. Preferably, lamps  181  are 1000 watt halogen lamps having a tungsten halide filament mounted with a substantially rectangular light box  176 . These lamps emit light rich in the 470 nanometer region. Box  176  has a bottom  177 , sidewalls  178  and a transparent glass top plate  179  with visible light lamps  181  positioned within light box  176 . Matching electrical connections  182  are provided both ends of light box  176  so that light bladder frame assembly  151  may be inserted into delivery sled  107  in either direction as discussed above. 
     When installing lateral seal  11  in lateral pipeline  22 , such as shown in FIG. 2 which intersects main pipeline  21  at a wye or angle, it is desirable to provide sufficient light extending into lateral pipeline  22  to insure that the resin in tubular section  13  is fully cured. In order to accomplish this, an additional visible light emitting lamp  183  is provided at one end light box  176  projecting upwardly at an angle into the location of lateral  22 . In this embodiment, a small 300 watt projector lamp  183  is aimed towards the dark or short side of wye fitting. The cavity between light box  176  and skeleton  159  at the opposite side of light box  176  remains free so that tubular portion  13  of lateral seal  11  can tucked within the interior of bladder frame  152  as seal  11  is loaded for installation. 
     When bladder frame  152  is fully assembled, it is slipped within bladder  171  which is then sealed by a tape or packaging band  174  as shown in FIG.  6 . Here, arm  173  has been tucked into opening  161  in skeleton  159  of bladder frame  157 . 
     The fully constructed visible light bladder frame assembly as illustrated in FIG. 7 with bladder  171  secured by bands  174  is completed lateral seal  11  is loaded for use. A fully loaded bladder cartridge  151  with seal  11  ready for installation is illustrated in cross-section in FIG.  8 . Here, each of the elements has been identified by the reference numerals utilized in connection with FIGS. 4-7. Further description of these elements is not necessary at this time. 
     Referring now to FIG. 9, a perspective view of delivery sled  107  is shown. Each of the elements described in connection with FIG. 3 are identified by the same reference numerals herein. Delivery frame  107  includes a base  118  having a proximal base half  122  and a distal base half  123  coupled together at a hinge  124 . Motors  108  and  109  are positioned on respective base halves  122  and  123 . A proximal pair of sled runners  119  are mounted to proximal base half  122  and a pair of distal sled runners  121  are mounted to distal base half  123 . Mounting lugs  117  for coupling to a mating lug  167  on light bladder frame assembly  151  is shown on distal lift motor  109 . 
     Delivery sled  107  is fabricated with hinge  124  in order to permit insertion of sled  107  into a main pipeline which has restricted or limited access. Since delivery sled  107  with TV camera  111  and motors  108  and  109  is almost double the length of bladder frame assembly  151 , this allows placement of distal end of delivery sled  107  into a main pipeline  21  when folded at hinge  124 , retracting it from the end of the pipeline, flattening base  118 , inserting bladder assembly  151  and then locating apparatus  101  within main pipeline  21  for installation of seal  11 . 
     Once inserted into main pipeline  21 , sled runner  119  and  121  rest against lining  23  in main pipeline  21  as illustrated in FIG.  10 . When in position at the entrance to lateral  22  and pressurized, bladder arm  110  or  173  everts through tubular portion  13  of seal  11  and extends into lateral  22  as shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG.  11 . FIG. 12 illustrates the same view in elevation with secondary lamp  183  providing light to extend up into the dark or short distal region of tubular portion  13  which would otherwise not be illuminated by light emitted from light box  176  alone. 
     It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above construction(s) without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing(s) shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. 
     It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.