The present flow-undisrupted process includes: enclosing a portion of an existing pipe with a sealing case; connecting a boring machine to the sealing case in a non-valve state in which no operation valve is interposed between a projecting pipe portion of the sealing case and the boring machine; forming a circular opening in an area of the existing pipe corresponding to the projecting pipe portion by means of a hole saw of the boring machine; rotating a tee and the boring machine in a circumferential direction of the existing pipe to a position at which the projecting pipe portion is completely past the opening; after the rotation, maintaining a sealed state in which the seal packing prevents a pressure of a fluid inside the existing pipe from being applied to the projecting pipe portion; and removing the boring machine from the projecting pipe portion in the sealed state.

A lubricator is provided which has a unitized body with at least one port in communication with the body's bore and its outer surface, to which port(s) connectors with different outer fittings for further connection to other equipment may be attached and sealed, and later detached and replaced with other connectors. The connectors may have different outer fittings or may be a plug or valve. This allows the connection of a single port to external equipment to be changed and the fitting for that external equipment's connection to be altered, without having to disconnect the lubricator from its well-head and stem or any of the lubricator's other connections.

Improved couplings for conduit systems include a male coupling and a female coupling. The male coupling and female coupling may be mechanically engaged by inserting the male coupling into a receiver in the female coupling until fastening structures are aligned, and then rotating one or both of the male and female couplings until the fastening structures are overlapping and in interfacial engagement. The male and female couplings provide an efficient coupling solution for end-to-end conduit connection and also addresses a leakage problem in conventional irrigation pipe couplers.

Improved couplings for conduit systems include a male coupling and a female coupling. The male coupling and female coupling may be mechanically engaged by inserting the male coupling into a receiver in the female coupling until fastening structures are aligned, and then rotating one or both of the male and female couplings until the fastening structures are overlapping and in interfacial engagement. The male and female couplings provide an efficient coupling solution for end-to-end conduit connection and also addresses a leakage problem in conventional irrigation pipe couplers.

The invention is a tapping assembly for use on a pipe or tank. It includes a hollow body that sits flush on the outer wall of the pipe or tank and includes a plurality of locking members that sit flush within the body and form a threaded portion into which a cap is inertable. Each locking member extends into the interior of the pipe or tank, and has an outwardly extending flanged portion that engages with the inner sidewall of the pipe or tank. When the cap is tightened against the body, it causes each of the locking member to retract, thereby causing the respective flange portions to lock the assembly against the pipe or tank wall. The assembly can be manufactured to provide either an orthogonal tap, or an angled tap, relative to the longitudinal axis of the pipe, or plane of the tank sidewall.

The invention is a tapping assembly for use on a pipe or tank. It includes a hollow body that sits flush on the outer wall of the pipe or tank and includes a plurality of locking members that sit flush within the body and form a threaded portion into which a cap is inertable. Each locking member extends into the interior of the pipe or tank, and has an outwardly extending flanged portion that engages with the inner sidewall of the pipe or tank. When the cap is tightened against the body, it causes each of the locking member to retract, thereby causing the respective flange portions to lock the assembly against the pipe or tank wall. The assembly can be manufactured to provide either an orthogonal tap, or an angled tap, relative to the longitudinal axis of the pipe, or plane of the tank sidewall.

In metal-on-metal sealing structures, the sealing criteria employed for high pressure liquid fuel does not work when sealing gaseous fuels. An improved method for sealing a gaseous fuel between gaseous fuel conduits in an internal combustion engine comprises forming a contact band between two surfaces of a sealing structure between a first conduit and a second conduit. A width of the contact band is at least equal to the larger of a minimum contact pressure width where contact pressure is at least equal to a predetermined minimum contact pressure; and a minimum yield zone width where at least one of the two surfaces have plastically deformed.

An apparatus and method for protecting an inner radial surface of a radial member of a turbomachine from corrosion are provided. The method may include shaping the inner radial surface of the radial member and a corresponding outer radial surface of a corrosion-resistant liner. The method may also include heating the radial member to increase a diameter of the inner radial surface of the radial member, and inserting at least a portion of the corrosion-resistant liner into the radial member. The method may further include attaching the corrosion-resistant liner to the inner radial surface of the radial member to thereby protect the inner radial surface of the radial member of the turbomachine from corrosion.

An apparatus for installing a connection fitting into an aperture formed in a wall of a main pipeline in the making of a service connection between a side connection and the main pipeline includes propulsion means for propelling the apparatus along the main pipeline to a site at which the service connection is to be made, and installation means for installing, from within the main pipeline, at least a portion of the connection fitting into the aperture. The installation means may include a storage device for storing at least one connection fitting intended for installation, a conveyance device for conveying a connection fitting to be installed from the storage device to an installation location, and an insertion device for inserting the connection fitting conveyed to the installation pad or platform from the installation pad or platform into the aperture formed in the wall of the main pipeline.

A rigid entry fitting configured to form a seal between a flexible pipe segment and a sump wall includes a fitting body having an inner surface defining a tapered opening, an insert received in the tapered opening, a shell received in an opening of the insert, a first pair of gaskets between an outer surface of the insert and the inner surface of the fitting body, a second pair of gaskets contacting an inner surface of the shell and opposite ends of the insert, and a nut configured to engage threads on an outer surface of the fitting body. When the nut is threaded onto the threads, the nut presses the shell and the insert into the tapered opening and presses the first pair of gaskets against the inner surface of the fitting body and the second pair of gaskets against the outer surface of the flexible pipe segment.