Patent ID: 8800584

Claim:
A pig launcher comprising: a plurality of barrels having a proximal end and a distal end and capable of containing at least one pig, the barrels defining a barrel axis and defining a barrel diameter; a magazine plate having a distal side and a proximal side, the distal side in connection with the proximal end of the plurality of barrels, the barrels extending through the magazine plate to the proximal side of the magazine plate; a bottom plate having a proximal side and distal side, the distal side abutting the proximal side of the magazine plate comprising a plate bore having a diameter approximately equal to or greater than the barrel diameter; a ball valve case having an upper case bore in physical connection the plate bore, the ball valve case further possessing a ball with a throughbore, and a first pipe bore and a second pipe bore, the pipe bores defining a flow axis perpendicular to the barrel axis; a trunnion connected to the ball and perpendicular to both the flow axis the barrel axis; wherein when the magazine plate is operable to be moved such that the barrel axis is in alignment with the plate bore and the upper case bore; and the ball is operable to be rotated such that the throughbore is in alignment with the barrel axis, the plate bore and the upper case bore such that a pig is operable to be moved from the barrel into the throughbore; and wherein after a pig moves from the barrel into the throughbore, the rotation of the ball approximately 90 degrees results in the throughbore and the pig being aligned with the flow axis.