APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SEALING A LEAK FROM A TUBULAR MEMBER

Abstract

An apparatus for sealing a leak from a tubular member has a channel member with at least one open end, a sealing member positioned in an interior of the channel member and having a channel extending therethrough, and a compression assembly having a portion extending through the channel of the sealing member. The compression assembly also has a rotatable element extending outwardly of the channel of the sealing member. The rotatable element is rotatable so as to compress or deform the sealing material within the interior of the channel member so as to seal the leak. A tape material is wrapped over the channel member so as to fix a position of the channel member over the leak.

Claims

1. An apparatus for sealing a leak from a tubular member, the apparatus comprising: a channel member having at least one open end; a sealing member positioned in said interior of said channel member, said sealing member having a channel extending therethrough, said channel opening at opposite ends of said sealing member, said sealing member being formed of a compressible or deformable material; and a compression assembly having a portion extending through said channel of said sealing member, said compression assembly having a rotatable element extending outwardly of said channel of said sealing member, said rotatable element being rotatable so as to compress or deform said sealing member within said interior of said channel member so as to seal the leak; and a tape material wrapped over said channel member so as to fix a position of said channel member over the leak on the tubular member.

2. (canceled)

3. The apparatus of claim 1, said channel member comprising: a pair of side walls in spaced relation to each other; and a back wall extending between said pair of sidewalls so as to define said interior of said channel member.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, said channel member having a pair of open ends at opposite ends thereof.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, said sealing member being formed of a rubber or an elastomeric material.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, said compression assembly comprising: a threaded member extending through said channel of said sealing member so as to have at least one end extending outwardly of an end of said sealing member, said rotatable element being threadedly mounted on said threaded member at the end extending outwardly of said sealing member.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, said threaded member having threads extending in one direction adjacent one end of said threaded member and having threads extending in an opposite direction adjacent an opposite end of said threaded member.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising: a first bearing member threadedly affixed adjacent to one of the ends of said threaded member, said first bearing member bearing against one end of said sealing member, said first bearing member having a diameter greater than a diameter of said channel of said sealing member.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising: a second bearing member positioned on said threaded member adjacent to an opposite end of said threaded member, said second bearing member bearing against an opposite end of said sealing member, said second bearing member having a diameter greater than a diameter of said channel of said sealing member.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, said rotatable element bearing against a surface of said second bearing member opposite said opposite on an opposite side of said second bearing member from said sealing member.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, said first bearing member having an exterior received within the interior of said channel member.

12. An apparatus comprising: a tubular member having a leak such that a fluid within said tubular member flows outwardly through the leak; a channel member positioned against said tubular member so as to extend over said leak, said channel member having at least one open end; a sealing member positioned in an interior of said channel member, said sealing member having a channel extending therethrough, said channel opening at opposite ends of said sealing member, said sealing member being formed of a compressible or deformable material; a compression assembly having a portion extending through said channel of said sealing member, said compression assembly having a rotatable element extending outwardly of said channel of said sealing member, said rotatable element being rotatable so as to compress or deform said sealing member within the interior of said channel member so as to seal the leak; and a tape material wrapped around said tubular member and over said channel member so as to fix a position of said channel member over said leak.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, said channel member comprising: a pair of side walls in spaced relation to each other; and a back wall extending between said pair of sidewalls so as to define the interior of said channel member, said channel member having a pair of open ends at opposite ends thereof.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, said compression assembly comprising: a threaded member extending through said channel of said sealing member so as to have at least one end extending outwardly of an end of said sealing member, said rotatable element threadedly mounted on said threaded member at the end extending outwardly of said sealing member, said threaded member having threads extending in one direction adjacent one end of said threaded member and having threads extending in an opposite direction adjacent an opposite end of said threaded member.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising: a first bearing member threadedly affixed adjacent one of the ends of said threaded member, said first bearing member bearing against one end of said sealing member, said first bearing member having a diameter greater than a diameter of said channel of said sealing member; and a second bearing member positioned on said threaded member adjacent to an opposite end of said threaded member, said second bearing member bearing against an opposite end of said sealing member, said second bearing member having a diameter greater than the diameter of said channel of said sealing member, said rotatable element bearing against a surface of said second bearing member opposite to said opposite end of said sealing member, said first bearing member being received within the interior of said channel member.

16. A method of repairing a leak on a tubular member, the method comprising: applying a channel member over the leak such that the direction of flow of a fluid through the leak is diverted outwardly of at least one end of said channel member; positioning the applied channel member on to the tubular member such that said channel member is maintained over the leak; inserting a sealing member into an interior of said channel member such that said sealing member overlies the leak; compressing said sealing member so as to deform said sealing member such that said sealing member blocks the leak; and applying a tape material around the tubular member and over said channel member so as to fix said channel member and said sealing member over the leak.

17. The method of claim 16, said sealing member having a channel extending therethrough, a threaded member extending through said channel of said sealing member, said threaded member having a rotatable element threadedly mounted adjacent one end of said sealing member, the step of compressing comprising: rotating said rotatable element so as to compress opposite ends of said sealing member.

18. The method of claim 17, said threaded member having threads extending in one direction adjacent one end of said threaded member and threads extending in an opposite direction adjacent an opposite end of said threaded member, said threaded member having a first bearing member bearing against an end of said sealing member opposite said rotatable element, the step of compressing comprising: rotating only said rotatable element so as to draw said first bearing member along said threaded member so as to compress said sealing element.

19. The method of claim 18, the step of compressing comprising: applying a wrench on to said rotatable element, said wrench having a handle extending outwardly beyond said channel member; and moving said wrench so as to rotate said rotatable element and to compress said sealing member.

20. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the pipe repair apparatus of the present invention.

[0042] FIG. 2 is in end view of the channel member of the pipe repair apparatus of the present invention.

[0043] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the compression assembly and the sealing element as used in the pipe repair apparatus of the present invention.

[0044] FIG. 4 is at it side elevational view showing a leak in a pipe.

[0045] FIG. 5 is an end view showing the placement of the channel member over the leak in the pipe.

[0046] FIG. 6 illustrates the diversion of fluid flow by the channel member of the present invention.

[0047] FIG. 7 shows the installation of the sealing member and compression assembly over the leak of the pipe.

[0048] FIG. 8 is a side elevational view showing the sealing of the leak in the pipe by the pipe repair apparatus of the present invention.

[0049] FIG. 9 is an end view showing the sealing of the leak of the pipe with the pipe repair apparatus of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0050] Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown the pipe repair apparatus 10 of the present invention. The pipe repair apparatus 10 includes a channel member 12, a sealing member 14 positioned in the interior of the channel member, and a compression assembly 16 cooperative with the sealing member 14. The channel member 12 as will be described hereinafter has a first open end 18 and a second open end 20. The sealing member 14 has a channel 22 extending therethrough. This channel 22 opens at opposite ends of the sealing member 14. The sealing member 14 can be formed of a compressible or deformable material. The compression assembly 16 has a portion 24 extending through the channel 22 of the sealing member. The compression assembly includes a rotatable element 26 extending outwardly of the channel 22 of the sealing member 14. The rotatable element 26 is rotatable so as to compress or deform the sealing member 14 within the channel member 12 so as to seal the leak.

[0051] As can be seen in FIG. 1, the compression assembly 16 includes a threaded member 28 extending through the channel 22 of the sealing member 14 so as to have an end extending outwardly of an end of the sealing member 22. In particular, the threaded member has a portion extending outwardly of the end 20 of the channel member 12. The rotatable element 26 is threadedly mounted on the threaded member 28 adjacent to the end 18 of the channel member 12 and exterior of the channel 22 of the sealing member 14. As will be described hereinafter, the threaded member 28 has threads extending in one direction adjacent to one end of the threaded member 28 and has threads extending in an opposite direction adjacent an opposite end of the threaded member. A first bearing member 30 is threadedly affixed adjacent to one of the ends of the threaded member 28. The first bearing member 30 bears against one end of the sealing member 14. As can be seen, the first bearing member 30 has a diameter greater than a diameter of the channel 22 of the sealing member 14. A second bearing member 32 is positioned on the threaded member 28 adjacent to an opposite end of the threaded member. The second bearing member 32 bears against an opposite end of the sealing member 14. The second bearing member 32 also has a diameter greater than the diameter of the channel 22 of the sealing member 14. It can be seen that the rotatable element 26 bears against a surface of the second bearing member 32. The rotatable element 26 is a nut that is threadedly secured to the threaded member 28.

[0052] FIG. 1 shows that the channel member 12 has a pair of flanges 34 and 36 extending upwardly therefrom. Each of these flanges 34 and 36 is adjacent to the respective ends 18 and 20 of the channel member 12. The flanges 34 and 36 defined a region 38 at the top of the channel member 12 adapted to receive a tape material thereover.

[0053] FIG. 2 shows an end view of the channel member 12 of the present invention. In particular, the channel member 12 includes sidewalls 40 and 42 that are arranged in spaced parallel relationship to each other. A back wall 44 extends between the pair of sidewalls 40 and 42 so as to define the interior 46 of the channel member 12. FIG. 2 shows that the ends of the channel member 12 are open.

[0054] FIG. 3 is an exploded view showing the sealing member 14 and the compression assembly 16. In particular, in FIG. 3, the sealing member 14 has a channel 22 extending longitudinally and centrally therethrough. The sealing member 14 has a first end 48 and a second end 50.

[0055] The compression assembly 16 includes the threaded member 28. The threaded member 28 has reverse threads thereon. In other words, there is a first set of threads 52 that extend in one direction and a second set of threads 54 that extend in an opposite direction. The rotatable element 26 is in the form of a nut that can be secured on to the first set of threads 52. The first bearing member 50 will be positioned adjacent to the end 50 of the sealing member 14. The first bearing member 30 will be received by the second set of threads 54. The second bearing member 32 is located adjacent to the interface of the rotatable element 26. The second threaded member 32 can be slidably positioned on the first set of threads 52 of the threaded member 28 so as to ultimately bear against the and 48 of the sealing member 14.

[0056] As will be described hereinafter, the reverse threads associated with the threaded member 28 create a very unique configuration for the present invention. In other words, the rotation of the rotatable element 26 on the first set of threads 52 will cause the first bearing member 30 to be drawn inwardly against the and 50 of the sealing member 14. Simultaneously, this rotation of the rotatable element 26 on the first set of threads 52 will urge the second bearing member 32, in the form of a washer, to be urged toward the end 48 of the sealing element 14. As such, with only a single rotation of the rotatable element 26, both the first bearing member 30 and the second bearing member 32 will move toward each other so as to compress and deform the sealing element 14 within the interior 46 of the channel member 12.

[0057] FIGS. 4-9 illustrates the steps in the method of the present invention. In particular, in FIG. 4, it can be seen that there is a tubular member 60 that has a leak 62 through the wall of the tubular member 60. A fluid 64 is illustrated as gushing or flowing through the leak 62. Within the concept of the present invention, the tubular member 60 can be in the nature of a high-pressure pipe. As such, the fluid 64 will be flowing through the leak 62 with very high pressures. Before the present invention, it was very difficult to seal such a leak without shutting down the process from which the fluid 64 flows through the pipe 60. The present invention provides a very unique approach whereby the leak 62 can be effectively sealed without shutting down the fluid flow process.

[0058] FIG. 5 shows a first step in the process of the present invention. As can be seen, the channel member 12 is positioned over the leak 62 of the pipe 60. With reference to FIG. 2, it can be seen that the bottom ends of the sides 40 and 42 of the channel member 12 will be placed against the exterior of the pipe 60 on opposite sides of the leak 62. As such, the fluid flowing through the leak 62 will pass into the interior 46 of the channel member 12. Importantly, FIG. 6 shows how the use of the channel member 12 serves to divert the fluid flow 64. When the channel member 12 is placed over the leak 62, the fluid flow is diverted outwardly of the open ends of the channel member 12. As such, the fluid will flow from a direction generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of the pipe 60 to opposite directions that are each parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pipe. In practice, it was found that this application of the channel member 12 onto the exterior of the pipe 60 can be carried out with very little force. In particular, the force associated with the fluid flow 64 is diverted outwardly in two directions opposite to one another. As such, the back wall 44 of the channel member 12 can actually block any contact between the fluid flow 64 and the hand or tool used to place the channel member 12 over the leak 62.

[0059] FIG. 7 shows that the channel member 12 has been placed over the leak 62. The sealing member 14, along with the compression assembly 16, can now be inserted into one of the open ends of the channel member 12. As such, the sealing member 14 and the compression assembly 16 will be received within the interior 46 of the channel member 12. This installation can be carried out prior to placing the channel member 12 over the leak 62 or can be carried out subsequent to the placement of the channel member 12 over the leak 62. The force of flow through the leak 62 will strongly urge the sealing member 14 toward the back wall 44 of the channel member 12 so as to generally fix a position of the sealing member 12. Ultimately, the rotatable element 26 associated with the compression assembly 16 will extend outwardly of the end of the channel member 12.

[0060] FIG. 8 illustrates how the pipe repair apparatus 10 can be manipulated so as to effectively seal the leak 62. FIG. 8 shows that the rotatable element 26 has been rotated so as to cause the first bearing member 30 and the second bearing member 32 to move inwardly against the respective ends of the sealing member 14 so as to strongly compress the sealing member 14 within the interior of the channel member 12. The deformation and compression of the sealing member 14 will urge a portion of the sealing member 14 into the leak 62. Further rotation of the rotatable element 26 will further seal and block fluid from flowing out of the leak 62. Importantly, this can be carried out by simply placing pressure on to the back wall 44 of the channel member 22. A wrench can be used so as to grasp the rotatable element 26. Since the wrench has a handle that extends outwardly away from the rotatable element 26, the wrench can be manipulated and moved by the hand of a worker without close contact with the fluid flow 64. This can be carried out very quickly and easily by relatively inexperienced worker.

[0061] FIG. 9 shows a final step in the process of the present invention. As can be seen in FIG. 9, the sealing element 14 has been compressed so as to extend into the opening of the leak 62. Once this is established, a tape material 70 can be wrapped around the exterior of the pipe 60 and also wrapped around the channel member 12. In particular, the tape will extend around the area and 38 between the flanges 34 and 36 of the channel member 12. This tape material can be a fiberglass tape impregnated with water-activated resin. This tape material 70 can be in the nature of TAPEGLASS manufactured and sold by Technofink. A variety of other types of tape material can also be used so as to fixedly maintain the channel member 12, along with its sealing material 14, in the position over the leak 62.

[0062] As a result of this repair, the leak 62 on the pipe 60 has been sealed. This sealing process can be carried out as the process fluid continues to flow through the pipe 60.

[0063] The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention is illustrative and explanatory thereof. Various changes in the details of the illustrated construction, or in the steps of the described method, can be made within the scope of the present claims without departing from the true spirit of the invention. The present invention should only be limited by the following claims and their legal equivalents.