Patent GB-1385143-A (GB)
Title: Pipeline plugging pig
IPC: F16L55/128
Filed: 1973-06-05
Abstract: 1385143 Pipe-line plugging pig AMF Inc 5 June 1973 [5 June 1972] 26738/73 Heading F2P A pipe-line plugging pig is arrested in a desired position in the pipe-line by means external to the pipe-line. The pig includes a body adapted to move through a pipe-line; pig arresting means (jaws 11) attached to the body and movable between a withdrawn position and an arresting position displaced outwardly of the body; means (resilient cup 4) mounted on the body for releasably sealing the interior of the pipe-line and to establish a fluid pressure force acting on at least a portion of the body when fluid under pressure is in the pipe-line; first energy storage means (springs 20) associated with the arresting means having an energy storage condition and a relaxed condition and being operable (through sleeve 19 and bell crank 14) to place the arresting means in its withdrawn position when the first energy storage means is in its energy storage condition and to place the arresting means in its arresting position when the first energy storage means is in its relaxed condition; second energy storage means (springs 30) having a stored energy condition and a relaxed condition and being operable to exert in both its conditions a force greater than, and acting oppositely to, the force exerted by the first energy means when in its stored energy condition; movable means (cylinder 25) operable in response to said fluid pressure force (through hollow piston 26 and tube 28) for placing the second energy storage means (springs 30) in its energy storage condition; and control means for selectively releasing the first and second energy storage means from their respective energy storage conditions to operate the arresting means. In operation a coil 69 (Fig. I) emitting radiant energy signals is placed around the pipe-line at a location where it is desired to stop the pig and the plugging pig is inserted into the pipeline. The pig is propelled through the pipe-line by fluid 6 from a pump station 7, the arresting jaws 11 being in their withdrawn position. When the pig reaches the field of coil 69, signals therefrom operate, on an electric circuit (Fig. 8, not shown) including batteries 42 housed in the pig, to rotate a motor 39 through 180 degrees. The motor 39 drives shaft 40 and hence cams 35, 36. These cams operate to withdraw dogs .21 (22) thereby releasing sleeve 19 and permitting springs 20 (initially in their energy storage condition) to slide the sleeve 19 from the position shown in Fig. 9 to the position shown in Fig. 10. This movement operates through bell cranks 14 to move the jaws 11 outwards into arresting engagement with the pipe-line 2. The introduction of fluid under pressure into the space 27 now causes the cylinder 25 to move to the right and so compress the springs 30 to an energy storage condition. Dogs 21 (22) are moved axially beyond the forward end of the sleeve 19 and are moved outwardly by spring means to engage shoulder 31 to assume a latched position, shown in Fig. 2. In this condition the pig is secured in the pipe-line and the cup 4 blocks passage of fluid past the pig. When it is desired to un-block the pipe-line the pressure of fluid 6 is reduced to substantially zero and a further signal of different frequency from the first is produced in coil 69. This operates through the electric circuit in the pig to rotate the motor and hence cams 35, 36 through a further 180 degrees thus causing withdrawal of dogs 21 (22) to the Fig. 9 position. Springs 30 then operate to slide cylinder 25 to the left which in turn moves sleeve 19 to the left by the engagement of dogs 21 (22) therewith, which in turn disengages the jaws 11 from the pipe-line 2 and restores springs 20 to their energy storage condition. Renewal application of fluid pressure 6 can then be used to move the pig further along the pipe-line or the pig may be recovered.