Patent ID: 8250936

Claim:
An inspection unit comprising: A) an in-ground pipeline which has an outside wall; and B) a device for viewing the outside wall of the pipeline from above ground and which includes (1) a tubular body having a first end which is located adjacent to the outside wall when the device is in use, the tubular body having a hollow bore defined therein, (2) a pipeline-engaging cap on the first end of the tubular body, the cap including a cutout portion which is sized to accommodate the outside wall of the pipeline so the cap snugly engages the pipeline and positions the first end of the tubular body closely adjacent to the outside wall of the pipeline, the pipeline-engaging cap further including an opening defined therein adjacent to the cutout and in position to be aligned with the hollow bore in the tubular body so that a portion of the outside wall of the in-ground pipeline located adjacent to the opening will be exposed to the hollow bore when the device is in use engaged with the in-ground pipeline, (3) the tubular body having a second end which is spaced apart from the pipeline when the device is in use and which is located above ground when the device is in use, the hollow bore connecting the first and second ends of the body, (4) a viewing cap mounted on the second end of the tubular body and having an axial bore that is aligned with the hollow bore of the tubular body, the cap having a first end which is attached to the tubular body and a second end, the axial bore of the viewing cap being open at the second end so a clear view can be produced between the second end of the viewing cap and the opening in the pipeline-engaging cap whereby the outside wall of the pipeline can be viewed through the second end of the viewing cap via the hollow bore in the body and the opening in the pipeline-engaging cap, and (5) a light-generating element mounted on an inner surface of the tubular body in the hollow bore, the light-generating element having a forward end which is directed towards the opening in the pipeline-engaging cap to direct light onto the outside wall of the pipeline located adjacent to the opening in the pipeline-engaging cap.