Abstract:
A gasket insertion apparatus and method for inserting a fluid sealing gasket between the bolted connection flanges of adjacent underwater pipe line segments is provided. The gasket insertion apparatus includes of a flat frame having an inner peripheral surface and an outer peripheral surface. The inner peripheral surface of the frame has a plurality of angularly cut teeth. The gasket is mounted within the frame and is held in place by the plurality of angularly cut teeth. The gasket insertion apparatus has a handle with an open geometric ring-shaped grip that is configured so that the gasket insertion apparatus may be gripped by a manipulation arm of an underwater remotely operated vehicle and/or by a diver. The apparatus, with gasket attached, is brought to an underwater location and inserted between adjacent flanges of a bolted flange connection by a diver or an underwater remotely operated vehicle.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 61/295,037 filed Jan. 14, 2010, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    The invention relates generally an apparatus and method for insertion of gaskets and, more particularly, to an apparatus for and a method of inserting fluid sealing gaskets between the flange connectors of adjacent pipe sections of underwater pipe line sections. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    In laying underwater pipelines, divers are often utilized to bolt together opposing connector flanges of adjacent pipe sections. In order to do so the divers, typically must hold these opposing connector flanges in a relatively stationary position in order to insert a fluid sealing gasket between these opposing flanges prior to completing the bolting operations that will join these opposing flanges together. 
         [0004]    When making the bolted connections a diver must guard against having his hands caught between the relatively moving flanges of these adjacent pipe segments to avoid injury. Gasket insertion devices have been utilized to hold the sealing gaskets in a desired position between the opposing flanges in order to guard against injury to the fingers and hands of the diver and to avoid damage to the gaskets. In deep water diving situations, divers may utilize deep water diving suits or a remotely operated vehicle (a “ROV”). These devices have manipulative arms for gripping tools that aid in the joining together of these opposing flange sections. The manipulative arms of an ROV or a deep water diving suit typically limit the dexterity that may be required to properly grasp, hold and insert a sealing gasket between the opposing pipe flanges. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    The present invention provides an improved apparatus and method for the insertion of fluid sealing gaskets between opposing faces of flange connectors fixed to the ends of pipe sections. The improved apparatus includes a handle suitable for use with both deep water diving suits and remotely operated vehicles. The apparatus is provided with alignment tabs to aid the diver in properly aligning the gasket between the bolt holes of adjoining flanges. The handle may have a slit to accommodate the stems of leak test gaskets such as the KaMOS® RTJ Gasket manufactured by Karmsund Maritime Offshore Supply AS. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of the gasket insertion apparatus. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a side cross-section view of the gasket insertion apparatus of  FIG. 1  and gasket combination configured for insertion between connecting flanges of a pipeline. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a front view of the gasket insertion apparatus of  FIG. 1  and gasket combination in place between flange connectors of a pipeline. 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is an isometric view of the gasket insertion apparatus of  FIG. 1  and gasket combination configured for insertion between connecting flanges of a pipeline. 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a cross-section view of the gasket insertion gasket insertion apparatus of  FIG. 1  and gasket combination inserted between connecting flanges of a pipeline. 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is an isometric view of an alternate embodiment of the gasket insertion apparatus. 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  is a front view of the gasket insertion apparatus of  FIG. 6  and gasket combination in place between flange connectors of a pipeline. 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  is a cross-section view of the gasket insertion gasket insertion apparatus of  FIG. 6  withdrawn from between the connecting flanges of a pipeline segments after a gasket has been inserted. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]    Referring now to the drawings and in particular to  FIG. 1 , there is shown the gasket insertion apparatus  10  for inserting fluid sealing gasket between the flange connectors of adjacent pipe sections. The apparatus  10  includes a flat, ring-shaped gasket-holder frame  12  having a handle  14 . The handle  14  has a shaft  16 , the proximal end of which is attached to the frame  12  so that the handle shaft extends radially outward from the outer edge of the gasket-holder frame  12 . The apparatus  10  may be made of any structurally suitable material such as aluminum or aluminum alloys, steel, stainless steel, mild steel, polymeric composites, or industrial laminates such as those Manufactured By Norplex-Micarta, Industrial Laminates/Norplex, Inc., 407 South 7th Street, Noblesville, Ind. 46060. 
         [0015]    A handle grip  18  is attached to the end of shaft  16  that is distal from the frame  12  and is configured as an open trapezoidal shaped ring. The handle shaft  16  may have a split or a slit  20  that extends along the length of the handle shaft  16 . The width of the slit  20  in the handle shaft  16  is sufficient to accommodate the stem of a leak test gasket such as the KaMOS® RTJ Gasket manufactured by Karmsund Maritime Offshore Supply AS. Further, the handle may be broken off at the top of the split to allow removal for use when flange faces are completely flush and the device must be removed before final bolting of the two flange halves. 
         [0016]    The open trapezoidal ring-shaped handle grip  18  is dimensioned to accommodate a human hand, the glove or manipulator of a diving suit, or the robotic manipulators of a ROV. A variety of handle types may be utilized, the exact size and shape of the handle grip  18  will depend upon the ROV and the type of robotic manipulators provided on the ROV to grab and manipulate the grip  18 . While it is thought that a handle grip configured as an open trapezoidal shaped ring will be utilized for the apparatus  10  in most instances, the handle grip  18  may be comprised of other open geometric configurations such as a triangular, circular, or rectangular ring-shaped configuration. 
         [0017]    The interior periphery  24  of the ring-shaped frame  12  is provided with a plurality of serrations or angularly cut teeth  22 . These teeth  22  serve to grab and hold in place a resilient gasket  26  positioned within the interior periphery  24  of the frame  12 . The gasket  26  is positioned on the frame so that the outer diameter of the gasket  26  will fit against the interior periphery  24  of the ring-shaped frame  12 . 
         [0018]    The frame  12  may also be provided with an alignment tab  28  that also extends radially outward from the frame  12  generally opposite the handle  14 . The width of the handle  14  and the alignment tab  28  may be varied according to the size of flange connectors with which the apparatus  10  is to be utilized. Ideally, the width of the tab  28  and handle  14  will be configured to span between the edges of adjacent bolt holes  34  on a pipe connection flange  30 . This will allow the tab  28  or the handle  14  to serve as an aid in centering the gasket  26  as the apparatus  10  and gasket  26  are inserted between adjoining pipe flanges  30 . 
         [0019]    The gasket insertion apparatus  10  and gasket  26  may be configured for use, as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , by positioning the ring-shaped gasket  26  within the interior periphery  24  of the frame  12  so that the outer diameter of the gasket  26  is fitted against the interior periphery  24  of the ring-shaped frame  12 . Fitting the resilient gasket  26  within the frame  12  in that manner will allow the teeth  22  to hold the gasket  26  in place within the interior periphery  24  of the frame  12 . When the gasket  26  is a leak test gasket having a radially extending test stem  27 , the gasket  26  is oriented within the frame  12  so that the extending stem  27  is positioned within the slit  20  of the handle shaft  16 . Certain embodiments of the present invention may also include tabs  37 , which may be configured to rest the insertion apparatus  10  on flange  30  to provide additional stability. 
         [0020]    As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the use of the combination of the insertion apparatus  10  and a gasket  26  fitted within the frame  12  as described herein will allow a diver to effectuate the placement of the gasket  26  between the connection flanges  30  of pipeline segments  32  using only two alignment pins  35  and without having to place his hands or fingers between the flanges  30 . This will allow the diver to place and position the gasket  26  in the desired location without having to connect most of the bolts that make up the connection flanges. 
         [0021]    The apparatus  10  is used by placing a gasket  26  onto the interior periphery  24  defined by the frame  12  so that the gasket  26  is retained within the periphery  24  of the frame  12  in a push-frictional fit. The teeth  22  around the interior periphery  24  of the frame  12  serve to increase this frictional fit and hold the gasket  26  in place. A number of apparatus  10  and gasket  26  combinations may be made up as described prior to a dive and kept available for use. 
         [0022]    When a flange to flange connection is to be made during a dive, a diver brings the connection flanges  30  of adjacent pipe segments  32  together in a desired proximity and places bolts  35  or alignment pins  36  in selected flange bolt holes  34  on the connection flanges  30 . Preferably at least two alignment pins  36  are utilized and these alignment pins  36  are placed at approximately adjacent bolt holes  34  on the flanges  30 . 
         [0023]    The apparatus  10  with the inserted gasket  26  in place is then grasped by the handle grip  18  by a diver or by the gripping arms of an ROV. The apparatus  10  with the inserted gasket  26  is then placed between the adjacent connection flanges at the ends of adjacent pipe sections  32 . Placement of the alignment tab  28  of the apparatus  10  between the pre-positioned alignment pins  36  will guide the alignment and placement of the gasket  26  and serve to assist the diver in centering the gasket  26  in the desired position between connection flanges  30 . The alignment pins  36  serve as a stop for the frame  12  and tab  28  to facilitate vertical and horizontal centering of the frame  12  of the apparatus  10  and thus the gasket  26  between the connection flanges  30 . 
         [0024]    The handle shaft  16  may have a scored area  23  to serve as a desired break-off point for the handle  14 . A diver may break the handle  14  along the scored area  23  leaving the frame  12  and the gasket  26  in position between the adjacent flanges  30 . Additional scored areas  38  may also be included in frame  12  to serve as break-off points to remove frame  12  leaving the gasket  26  in position between the adjacent flanges  30 . 
         [0025]    Use of the insertion apparatus  10  in combination with a gasket  26  will allow the diver more flexibility on fixing the distance needed between the faces of the pipe flanges being connected before the gasket  26  is installed, especially when alignment pins  36  are used to position the opposing flanges adjacent to each other. The use of insertion apparatus  10  in combination with a gasket  26  and alignment pins  36  will also increase the safety of the diver as well as reduce the gasket installation time. 
         [0026]    An alternate embodiment of the gasket insertion apparatus  50  is shown in  FIG. 6 . This embodiment may be used in the connection of adjoining pipe segments having closed face connection flanges. In this embodiment, the gasket insertion apparatus  50  is comprised of a flat U-shaped gasket-holder frame  52  having a handle  54  that extends radially outward from the outer edge of the gasket-holder frame  52 . A semi-circular configuration may be most suitable for the U-shaped frame  52 . 
         [0027]    The handle  54  is further includes a handle shaft  56  and an open trapezoidal shaped handle grip  58 . If a leak test gasket is to be utilized as a sealing gasket, the handle shaft  56  may have a split or slit extending along the length of the handle  56  similar to the slit  20  shown in  FIG. 1  on handle  14  of apparatus  10 . 
         [0028]    The open trapezoidal shaped handle grip  58  is dimensioned to accommodate both a human hand, the glove of a diving suit, or the robotic manipulators of an ROV. The exact size and shape of the handle grip  58  will depend upon the type of robotic manipulators utilized to grab the grip  58 . Other handle grip configurations, such as a triangular, circular, or rectangular configuration might also be utilized. 
         [0029]    A plurality of serrations or angularly cut teeth  62  are provided around the interior semi-circular periphery  64  of the frame  52 . These teeth  52  serve to grab and hold in place a resilient gasket  26  positioned within the interior periphery  64  of the frame  52 . 
         [0030]    Typically, when closed faced connection flanges are provided for the connection of adjacent pipe segments, there is no room for a circular flange insertion apparatus  10  to fit between the connecting flanges. In such a case, as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the insertion apparatus  50  may be utilized. 
         [0031]    To use the apparatus  50 , a gasket  26  is frictionally mounted in place on its radial periphery by the serrations  62  that are provided around the interior semi-circular periphery  64  of the frame  52 . The apparatus  50  and mounted gasket  26  is then brought to the location where the flanged connection is to be made. The closed face flanges  30  of adjacent pipe segments  32  are brought together and held in place by at least two bolts  35 . The gasket  26  is then installed by pressing the insertion apparatus  50 , with the gasket  26  in place, between the flanges  30  in a manner sufficient to pinch the gasket  26  and place it in a desired position between the two adjoining connection flanges. Additional connection bolts  35  may then be installed to stabilize the flange and gasket configuration. The apparatus  50  may then be removed by pulling the apparatus  50  away from the flanges  30  leaving the gasket  26  in place, and the remainder of the connection bolts  35  may then be inserted and tightened to complete the connection of the pipe segments  32 . 
         [0032]    The apparatus for and method of inserting fluid sealing gaskets between the flange connectors of adjacent pipe sections of underwater pipe lines presented herein as well as its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description. It will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts thereof without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the forms described herein being merely an example embodiments of the invention.