CA2176734C - Method and apparatus for sealing leaks - Google Patents
Method and apparatus for sealing leaks Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2176734C CA2176734C CA 2176734 CA2176734A CA2176734C CA 2176734 C CA2176734 C CA 2176734C CA 2176734 CA2176734 CA 2176734 CA 2176734 A CA2176734 A CA 2176734A CA 2176734 C CA2176734 C CA 2176734C
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- patch
- applicator
- leak
- wall
- cavity
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Fee Related
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C73/00—Repairing of articles made from plastics or substances in a plastic state, e.g. of articles shaped or produced by using techniques covered by this subclass or subclass B29D
- B29C73/04—Repairing of articles made from plastics or substances in a plastic state, e.g. of articles shaped or produced by using techniques covered by this subclass or subclass B29D using preformed elements
- B29C73/10—Repairing of articles made from plastics or substances in a plastic state, e.g. of articles shaped or produced by using techniques covered by this subclass or subclass B29D using preformed elements using patches sealing on the surface of the article
- B29C73/12—Apparatus therefor, e.g. for applying
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C73/00—Repairing of articles made from plastics or substances in a plastic state, e.g. of articles shaped or produced by using techniques covered by this subclass or subclass B29D
- B29C73/04—Repairing of articles made from plastics or substances in a plastic state, e.g. of articles shaped or produced by using techniques covered by this subclass or subclass B29D using preformed elements
- B29C73/10—Repairing of articles made from plastics or substances in a plastic state, e.g. of articles shaped or produced by using techniques covered by this subclass or subclass B29D using preformed elements using patches sealing on the surface of the article
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16L—PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16L55/00—Devices or appurtenances for use in, or in connection with, pipes or pipe systems
- F16L55/16—Devices for covering leaks in pipes or hoses, e.g. hose-menders
- F16L55/168—Devices for covering leaks in pipes or hoses, e.g. hose-menders from outside the pipe
- F16L55/1683—Devices for covering leaks in pipes or hoses, e.g. hose-menders from outside the pipe by means of a patch which is fixed on the wall of the pipe by means of an adhesive, a weld or the like
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T137/00—Fluid handling
- Y10T137/0318—Processes
- Y10T137/0402—Cleaning, repairing, or assembling
- Y10T137/0441—Repairing, securing, replacing, or servicing pipe joint, valve, or tank
- Y10T137/0452—Detecting or repairing leak
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T156/00—Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
- Y10T156/10—Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
- Y10T156/1002—Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor with permanent bending or reshaping or surface deformation of self sustaining lamina
- Y10T156/1028—Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor with permanent bending or reshaping or surface deformation of self sustaining lamina by bending, drawing or stretch forming sheet to assume shape of configured lamina while in contact therewith
- Y10T156/1033—Flexible sheet to cylinder lamina
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T428/00—Stock material or miscellaneous articles
- Y10T428/20—Patched hole or depression
Abstract
Leaks can be sealed quickly by methods employing a flexible patch (26) applied by a resilient applicator (3) that can be caused to exert sufficient force against the patch (26) and the leaking surface (1) to stop fluid flow while a leak sealant (30) is curing. The resilient applicator (3) comprises a resilient deformable member (6) having a wall (7) that defines a cavity (8) for receiving the patch (26) entirely within the cavity (8) together with a leak sealant (30) for application to the leak (1).
Description
2 PC~IUS9~113290 IETHOD AND APPARATI;/S FOR SFALING LEA~S
2 BA~:~WKUu"L~ OF ~E lN v ~ LUN
4 This invention relates to the sealing of leaks, and more particularly to a leak sealing patch and a hand tool for 6 applying such a path to a fluid cr,nt~;n;ng body and to methods 7 using such a tool and patch. Prior leak sealing tools and 8 methods, as exemplified by U.S . Patent 3, 645, 816, required that 9 the surface area surrounding a leak be thoroughly cleaned before a patch could be applied, and also that any fluid 11 pressure within the leaking body be eliminated by draining 12 fluid from the body. Also, the tools used to apply leak seal 13 patches were made from rigid materials that could not be 14 ~ frrml~1 to conform to the shape of the surface area around the leak. This made it necessary to have a plurality of tools for 16 applying patches with each tool having a shape conforming to 17 a single specif ic area or contour .
19 OB.I~iu- lV~iS OF THE lNV~
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide 21 improved ap~licators, patches and methods for sealing leaks.
22 Another object is to seal leaks in fluid ~r,ntA1ninrj bodies 23 without requiring that such bodies be drained or that their 24 ;nt~rr;9l fluid pressure be ~1 ;m;n~ted.
A further object is to seal leaks in the outer surface of 26 bodies that are immersed in liquid.
27 A still further object is to f~rl l; t~te the use of a S
WO 95/15262 PCT/US94/132s0 single applicator for sealing leaks in cli~erent types o~
2 bodies having dif f erent sizes and shapes .
2 BA~:~WKUu"L~ OF ~E lN v ~ LUN
4 This invention relates to the sealing of leaks, and more particularly to a leak sealing patch and a hand tool for 6 applying such a path to a fluid cr,nt~;n;ng body and to methods 7 using such a tool and patch. Prior leak sealing tools and 8 methods, as exemplified by U.S . Patent 3, 645, 816, required that 9 the surface area surrounding a leak be thoroughly cleaned before a patch could be applied, and also that any fluid 11 pressure within the leaking body be eliminated by draining 12 fluid from the body. Also, the tools used to apply leak seal 13 patches were made from rigid materials that could not be 14 ~ frrml~1 to conform to the shape of the surface area around the leak. This made it necessary to have a plurality of tools for 16 applying patches with each tool having a shape conforming to 17 a single specif ic area or contour .
19 OB.I~iu- lV~iS OF THE lNV~
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide 21 improved ap~licators, patches and methods for sealing leaks.
22 Another object is to seal leaks in fluid ~r,ntA1ninrj bodies 23 without requiring that such bodies be drained or that their 24 ;nt~rr;9l fluid pressure be ~1 ;m;n~ted.
A further object is to seal leaks in the outer surface of 26 bodies that are immersed in liquid.
27 A still further object is to f~rl l; t~te the use of a S
WO 95/15262 PCT/US94/132s0 single applicator for sealing leaks in cli~erent types o~
2 bodies having dif f erent sizes and shapes .
3 Another obj ect is to provide a patch that can be used to 4 seal leaks in bodies of differing shapes and sizes.
An additional object is to provide an applicator for a 6 leak sealing patch that can be used on non-flat, non-horizontal 7 surfaces without permitting the patch to fall out of the 8 applicator.
9 Still another object is to provide a quick curing leak sealing patch that can be used to seal pressurized and 11 submerged leaks.
12 A further object is to provide methods for ~uickly sealing 13 leaks under widely varying conditions in bodies of differing 14 shapes.
A still further object is to provide relatively simple, 16 economical and durable leak sealing tools and patches, and 17 methods of using such tools and patches that can be employed 18 by persons that do not have special tr~in;nS or skills and l9 which do not possess defects found in similar prior art devices 2 0 and methods .
21 Other objects and advantages of the invention will be 22 found in the specification and claims and the scope of this 23 invention will be set forth in the claims.
v4~ KI~l-J.. OF ~R D~AWI21~
26 Fig. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of the invention.
27 ~:g 2 i~ ~ c-ogg gecti~l view ~aken al 2g the line 2-Z
WO 9~ 262 PCTru59~113290 ~ S
in Fig. 1.
2 Fig. 3 is a partial side view for the application of this 3 invention deformed against a curved body.
4 Fig. 4 is a cross se~ti~--~l view taken along the line 4-4 in Fig. 3.
6 Fig. 5 is an end view of the applicator shown in Fig. 1 7 with the patch removed.
8 Fig. 6 is a plan view of a patch in accord with this 9 invention with the sealant omitted.
Fig. 7 is a partial cross sectional side view showing 11 another embodiment of the invention.
13 DESCRIPTION- OF ~ lNv~-~LluN
14 The drawing illustrates methods, tools and patches in accord with this invention for sealing leaks 1 in a fluid 16 f-~.ntA;n;ng body such as a cylindrical pipe 2. A hand tool in 17 the form of an applicator 3 is used to secure a leak sealing 18 patch 5 to the outside surface of pipe 2 in the area 19 surrounding the leak.
Applicator 3 comprises a generally circular, hollow, 21 resilient, deformable unitary member 6 having a cup-shaped wall 22 portion 7 that defines a circular cavity 8 at one of its ends 23 10. A peripheral rim or flange 11 extends inwardly toward the 24 center of the applicator 80 as to surround and overlie cavity 8. Flange 11 defines the circular tP~n;n~l outer surface 12 2 6 of member 6 . Wall 7 has at its center within cavity 8 a 27 circular protrusion that defines a hollow blister 13 that c ~ c ~
.
extends toward outer sur~ace 12. ~3lister 13 is per~orated by 2 a circular center hole 14. ~ generally circular hollow tubular 3 portion 15 extends f rom wall 7 in the direction opposite to 4 surface 12 and provides resilient deformable member 6 with a hole 16 through its center. Tubular portion 15 may be 6 surrounded by a pair of integral circumferential stabilizing 7 ribs 17. The diameter D at end 10 of cup-shaped wall 7 may be 8 in the range of about one to six inches, and the height H may 9 be within a ratio of about 1:1 to about 1:5 of the diameter D.
A circular peripheral rim 18 surrounds and extends 11 outwardly away from tubular portion 15 at the opposite end 19 12 of member 6. A threaded end cap 20 has a circular peripheral 13 flange 21 which overlies and captures rim 18 so as to connect 14 the end cap to member 6. Applicator 3 ;n~ P~ a rigid handle 23 which has a threaded end 24 that screws into end cap 20 for 16 connecting the handle to member 6. An integral rigid 17 cylindrical plunger or rod portion 22 of reduced diameter 18 extends from end 24 into tubular portion 15. A bushi~g 25 19 inserted into end 19 protects and supports tubular portion 15 and helps hold member 6 and handle 23 together.
21 Patch 5 includes a piece 26 of flexible fluid permeable 22 fabric. Ideally the area of piece 26 will be sufficient to 23 cover leak 1 and surround the surface of body 2 on all sides 24 of the leak. However, when the leak is the result of a large crack or other rupture, two or more overlapping patches 5 may 26 have to be applied. The center portion 27 of piece 26 should 27 be reinforced so that it is flexible but fluid-imper~ious and WO 95115262 2`1 7 6 7 3 4 PCT/US94/13291) ~ ~, .
sufficiently strong to withstand enough applied force to stop 2 pressurized fluid from flowing out of leak 1 while the seal is 3 curing. Center portion 27 may comprise a reinforcing flexible 4 sheet member 28 having one side 29 secured to piece 26 by a bonding agent or by heat fusion. The center portion 27 can 6 also be reinforced by impregnating piece 26 with rubber or 7 plastic that will harden into a strong f lexible f luid 8 impervious mass. As shown in Pigs. 2 and 4, sealant 30 9 subst;3nt;Ally covers and adheres to piece 26 and the opposite side 31 of sheet member 28.
11 Piece 26 may be made from any strong flexible fabric 12 comprising interr~nn~t~tl strands, such as woven and non-woven 13 cloth, tape and mesh, and piece 26 may be made from natural, 14 synthetic, metal or ceramic fibers. Preferably piece 26 is made from extremely high tensile strength Kevlar or Aramid 16 aromatic polyamid fibers. Sheet member 28 may be made from 17 flexible fluid-impervious material that is easily bondable or 18 fusible to the material of piece 26. Eard natural rubber or 19 synthetic rubbers such as styrene-b~lt~ no-styrene may be used for sheet member 28, but preferably member 28 should be made 21 from Neoprene rubber. The sealant 30 should cure rapidly 22 between temperatures o~ abut 5 to 2~ degrees C. without the 23 addition of .o7~t~rnzl1 heat and should securely bond to piece 26 24 and sheet member 28. ~referably, sealant 30 is an epoxy resin that cures in about one minute without external heat. Examples 26 of suitable sealants are disclosed in ~.S. Patents 4,569,956;
27 4,565,837 and 4,396,754. Also usable are the slightly slower Wo 95115262 PCT/US94/13290 curins materials disclosed in U: S . Patents 3, 976, 613; 3, 922, 358 2 and 3,556,831. Rf~ nt deformable member 6 should be made 3 f rom a material to which sealant 3 0 does not adhere, and 4 preferably is made from silicone rubber.
Fig. 7 shows another embodiment that is identical to that 6 of Figs. 1-6, except t~at pressure release means 35 has been 7 placed inside of cup-shaped wall 7. A small hole 36 through 8 wall 7 is covered by a flexible flap valve 37 that will close 9 the hole. When pressure within the applicator 3 needs to be released, a small rod or wire can be inserted through hole 36 11 and flap 37 can be pushed away from the hole to release the 12 pressure.
13 This invention also includes methods of sea~ing leaks 14 which will be apparent from the operation of applicator 3.
Piece 26 is cut to a size that will enable the entire patch 5 16 to fit within cup-shaped member 7, and sheet member 28 is fused 17 or bonded to the central area of piece 26. The patch is placed 18 inside of cup-shaped member 7 and a generous amount of sealant 19 30 is spread over the entire area member 28 and over essentially the entire area of piece 26 Sealant 30 should 21 permeate the fibers and/or the spaces between the fibers or 22 strands of piece 26. Patch 5 is surrounded by rf~ nt 23 deformable member 7 and one side 32 of the patch is supported 24 within the applicator and its opposite side 33 is exposed through the outer surface 12 at the applicator' s open end 10 .
26 By overlapping patch 5 with flange 11, patch 5 is prevented 27 from escaping from the applicator when open end 10 must the ~ WO 9511S2C2 2 1 7 6 7 3 4 PCr/Uss4/1329~
tilted sideways or downwardIy. Outer surface 12 is placed 2 against the surface of body 2 surroundi'ng and adjacent leak 1.
3 Force is applied at the opposite end of member 6 through handle 4 23 so as to deform flange 11 and place /~s~nt;~lly the entire outer surface 12 into contact with the surface of body 2.
6 Sufficient additional force is applied by handle 23 to deform 7 wall 7 and blister 13 against side 32 of the patch and force 8 side 33 of the patch into contact with the area of body 2 9 surrounding the leak. The effect of blister 13 and wall 7 deforming and pressing ayainst piece 26 is to generally mold 11 or shape piece 26 and sheet member 28 to the contour of the 12 surface of body 2. Applying additional force to handle 23 will 13 compress tubular portion 15 and cause rod portion 22 to move 14 through holes 14 and 16 into contact with side 32 opposite the central part of sheet member 28. ~l~ffi~iPnt pressure should 16 now be applied to sheet member 28 and piece 26 by pressing on 17 rod.portion 22 to stop fluid from escaping through leak 1.
18 relatively thin layer of sealant 30 will be trapped between 19 sheet member 28 and body 2, and piece 26 will hold additional sealant 30 in contact with the surface of body 2 around the 21 leak. The pressure from cup 7 and rod portion 22 should be 22 m~;nt;l;n~9 against patch 5 until the sealant 30 has cured and 23 the leak has been sealed. The force is then removed from the 24 handle end of applicator 3 and the applicator is pulled away from body 2 and pat~h 5. The applicator will return to its 26 original shape, but patch 5 will continue to conform to the 27 shape of body 2 in the area around leak 1. The fabric from Wo 95/15262 ~ , ~ PCT/US94/13290 ~ 7`6~:~`4` "
which piece 26 is made= acts as the medium for holding and 2 shaping sealant 30 before and during the curing process and as 3 reinforcement for strengthening the sealant after.it has cured.
4 Additional sealant 30 now may be spread over and around patch 5 to reinf orce the seal .
An additional object is to provide an applicator for a 6 leak sealing patch that can be used on non-flat, non-horizontal 7 surfaces without permitting the patch to fall out of the 8 applicator.
9 Still another object is to provide a quick curing leak sealing patch that can be used to seal pressurized and 11 submerged leaks.
12 A further object is to provide methods for ~uickly sealing 13 leaks under widely varying conditions in bodies of differing 14 shapes.
A still further object is to provide relatively simple, 16 economical and durable leak sealing tools and patches, and 17 methods of using such tools and patches that can be employed 18 by persons that do not have special tr~in;nS or skills and l9 which do not possess defects found in similar prior art devices 2 0 and methods .
21 Other objects and advantages of the invention will be 22 found in the specification and claims and the scope of this 23 invention will be set forth in the claims.
v4~ KI~l-J.. OF ~R D~AWI21~
26 Fig. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of the invention.
27 ~:g 2 i~ ~ c-ogg gecti~l view ~aken al 2g the line 2-Z
WO 9~ 262 PCTru59~113290 ~ S
in Fig. 1.
2 Fig. 3 is a partial side view for the application of this 3 invention deformed against a curved body.
4 Fig. 4 is a cross se~ti~--~l view taken along the line 4-4 in Fig. 3.
6 Fig. 5 is an end view of the applicator shown in Fig. 1 7 with the patch removed.
8 Fig. 6 is a plan view of a patch in accord with this 9 invention with the sealant omitted.
Fig. 7 is a partial cross sectional side view showing 11 another embodiment of the invention.
13 DESCRIPTION- OF ~ lNv~-~LluN
14 The drawing illustrates methods, tools and patches in accord with this invention for sealing leaks 1 in a fluid 16 f-~.ntA;n;ng body such as a cylindrical pipe 2. A hand tool in 17 the form of an applicator 3 is used to secure a leak sealing 18 patch 5 to the outside surface of pipe 2 in the area 19 surrounding the leak.
Applicator 3 comprises a generally circular, hollow, 21 resilient, deformable unitary member 6 having a cup-shaped wall 22 portion 7 that defines a circular cavity 8 at one of its ends 23 10. A peripheral rim or flange 11 extends inwardly toward the 24 center of the applicator 80 as to surround and overlie cavity 8. Flange 11 defines the circular tP~n;n~l outer surface 12 2 6 of member 6 . Wall 7 has at its center within cavity 8 a 27 circular protrusion that defines a hollow blister 13 that c ~ c ~
.
extends toward outer sur~ace 12. ~3lister 13 is per~orated by 2 a circular center hole 14. ~ generally circular hollow tubular 3 portion 15 extends f rom wall 7 in the direction opposite to 4 surface 12 and provides resilient deformable member 6 with a hole 16 through its center. Tubular portion 15 may be 6 surrounded by a pair of integral circumferential stabilizing 7 ribs 17. The diameter D at end 10 of cup-shaped wall 7 may be 8 in the range of about one to six inches, and the height H may 9 be within a ratio of about 1:1 to about 1:5 of the diameter D.
A circular peripheral rim 18 surrounds and extends 11 outwardly away from tubular portion 15 at the opposite end 19 12 of member 6. A threaded end cap 20 has a circular peripheral 13 flange 21 which overlies and captures rim 18 so as to connect 14 the end cap to member 6. Applicator 3 ;n~ P~ a rigid handle 23 which has a threaded end 24 that screws into end cap 20 for 16 connecting the handle to member 6. An integral rigid 17 cylindrical plunger or rod portion 22 of reduced diameter 18 extends from end 24 into tubular portion 15. A bushi~g 25 19 inserted into end 19 protects and supports tubular portion 15 and helps hold member 6 and handle 23 together.
21 Patch 5 includes a piece 26 of flexible fluid permeable 22 fabric. Ideally the area of piece 26 will be sufficient to 23 cover leak 1 and surround the surface of body 2 on all sides 24 of the leak. However, when the leak is the result of a large crack or other rupture, two or more overlapping patches 5 may 26 have to be applied. The center portion 27 of piece 26 should 27 be reinforced so that it is flexible but fluid-imper~ious and WO 95115262 2`1 7 6 7 3 4 PCT/US94/13291) ~ ~, .
sufficiently strong to withstand enough applied force to stop 2 pressurized fluid from flowing out of leak 1 while the seal is 3 curing. Center portion 27 may comprise a reinforcing flexible 4 sheet member 28 having one side 29 secured to piece 26 by a bonding agent or by heat fusion. The center portion 27 can 6 also be reinforced by impregnating piece 26 with rubber or 7 plastic that will harden into a strong f lexible f luid 8 impervious mass. As shown in Pigs. 2 and 4, sealant 30 9 subst;3nt;Ally covers and adheres to piece 26 and the opposite side 31 of sheet member 28.
11 Piece 26 may be made from any strong flexible fabric 12 comprising interr~nn~t~tl strands, such as woven and non-woven 13 cloth, tape and mesh, and piece 26 may be made from natural, 14 synthetic, metal or ceramic fibers. Preferably piece 26 is made from extremely high tensile strength Kevlar or Aramid 16 aromatic polyamid fibers. Sheet member 28 may be made from 17 flexible fluid-impervious material that is easily bondable or 18 fusible to the material of piece 26. Eard natural rubber or 19 synthetic rubbers such as styrene-b~lt~ no-styrene may be used for sheet member 28, but preferably member 28 should be made 21 from Neoprene rubber. The sealant 30 should cure rapidly 22 between temperatures o~ abut 5 to 2~ degrees C. without the 23 addition of .o7~t~rnzl1 heat and should securely bond to piece 26 24 and sheet member 28. ~referably, sealant 30 is an epoxy resin that cures in about one minute without external heat. Examples 26 of suitable sealants are disclosed in ~.S. Patents 4,569,956;
27 4,565,837 and 4,396,754. Also usable are the slightly slower Wo 95115262 PCT/US94/13290 curins materials disclosed in U: S . Patents 3, 976, 613; 3, 922, 358 2 and 3,556,831. Rf~ nt deformable member 6 should be made 3 f rom a material to which sealant 3 0 does not adhere, and 4 preferably is made from silicone rubber.
Fig. 7 shows another embodiment that is identical to that 6 of Figs. 1-6, except t~at pressure release means 35 has been 7 placed inside of cup-shaped wall 7. A small hole 36 through 8 wall 7 is covered by a flexible flap valve 37 that will close 9 the hole. When pressure within the applicator 3 needs to be released, a small rod or wire can be inserted through hole 36 11 and flap 37 can be pushed away from the hole to release the 12 pressure.
13 This invention also includes methods of sea~ing leaks 14 which will be apparent from the operation of applicator 3.
Piece 26 is cut to a size that will enable the entire patch 5 16 to fit within cup-shaped member 7, and sheet member 28 is fused 17 or bonded to the central area of piece 26. The patch is placed 18 inside of cup-shaped member 7 and a generous amount of sealant 19 30 is spread over the entire area member 28 and over essentially the entire area of piece 26 Sealant 30 should 21 permeate the fibers and/or the spaces between the fibers or 22 strands of piece 26. Patch 5 is surrounded by rf~ nt 23 deformable member 7 and one side 32 of the patch is supported 24 within the applicator and its opposite side 33 is exposed through the outer surface 12 at the applicator' s open end 10 .
26 By overlapping patch 5 with flange 11, patch 5 is prevented 27 from escaping from the applicator when open end 10 must the ~ WO 9511S2C2 2 1 7 6 7 3 4 PCr/Uss4/1329~
tilted sideways or downwardIy. Outer surface 12 is placed 2 against the surface of body 2 surroundi'ng and adjacent leak 1.
3 Force is applied at the opposite end of member 6 through handle 4 23 so as to deform flange 11 and place /~s~nt;~lly the entire outer surface 12 into contact with the surface of body 2.
6 Sufficient additional force is applied by handle 23 to deform 7 wall 7 and blister 13 against side 32 of the patch and force 8 side 33 of the patch into contact with the area of body 2 9 surrounding the leak. The effect of blister 13 and wall 7 deforming and pressing ayainst piece 26 is to generally mold 11 or shape piece 26 and sheet member 28 to the contour of the 12 surface of body 2. Applying additional force to handle 23 will 13 compress tubular portion 15 and cause rod portion 22 to move 14 through holes 14 and 16 into contact with side 32 opposite the central part of sheet member 28. ~l~ffi~iPnt pressure should 16 now be applied to sheet member 28 and piece 26 by pressing on 17 rod.portion 22 to stop fluid from escaping through leak 1.
18 relatively thin layer of sealant 30 will be trapped between 19 sheet member 28 and body 2, and piece 26 will hold additional sealant 30 in contact with the surface of body 2 around the 21 leak. The pressure from cup 7 and rod portion 22 should be 22 m~;nt;l;n~9 against patch 5 until the sealant 30 has cured and 23 the leak has been sealed. The force is then removed from the 24 handle end of applicator 3 and the applicator is pulled away from body 2 and pat~h 5. The applicator will return to its 26 original shape, but patch 5 will continue to conform to the 27 shape of body 2 in the area around leak 1. The fabric from Wo 95/15262 ~ , ~ PCT/US94/13290 ~ 7`6~:~`4` "
which piece 26 is made= acts as the medium for holding and 2 shaping sealant 30 before and during the curing process and as 3 reinforcement for strengthening the sealant after.it has cured.
4 Additional sealant 30 now may be spread over and around patch 5 to reinf orce the seal .
6 It has thus been shown that by the practice of this 7 invention only one flexible deformable applicator 3 is required 8 for sealing leaks in various types of vessels, tanks, pipes and 9 . .-,)nt~inPrs of many different slzes and shapes. Applicator 3 can be used to apply patches 5 on overhead surfaces and on 11 horizontal and vertical surfaces without permitting escape of 12 the patch; flange 11 overlaps patch 5 and holds the patch 13 inside of cup shaped wall 7 when the handle 23 is pointed 14 horizontally or downwardly. Great force can be applied by plunger 22 to hold sheet member 28 tightly against the surface 16 of the body being repaired so fluid does not have to be drained 17 from the body nor does ;nt~rn~l fluid pressure have to be 18 relieved. ~lange 11 also prevents patch 5 from being pushed 19 away or sliding away from the applicator or the area around the leak when plunger 22 applies a large force against the patch.
21 Reinforcing ribs 17 prevent lateral collapse of the tubular 22 member 15 when force is applied by the plunger. The surface 23 around the leak does not have to be totally clean and the 24 applicator 3 can apply patches 5 to bodies submerged in water, hydrocarbons or oil, as for example when repairing ship hulls 26 or transformers. Pressurized leaks up to 90 psi have been 27 sealed by this invention.
~ WO 9511~262 2 1 7'~ 7 ~3~4 ~ 5, PCT S94/13290 While the invention has been described with reference to 2 particular embodiments, it is not intPn~ to illustrate or 3 describe herein all of the equivalent forms or ramifications 4 thereof. Also, the words used are words of description rather than limitation, and various changes may be made without 6 departing from the spirit or scope of the invention disclosed 7 herein. It is ;ntPnri.sfl that the appended claims cover all such 8 changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of the 9 invention.
21 Reinforcing ribs 17 prevent lateral collapse of the tubular 22 member 15 when force is applied by the plunger. The surface 23 around the leak does not have to be totally clean and the 24 applicator 3 can apply patches 5 to bodies submerged in water, hydrocarbons or oil, as for example when repairing ship hulls 26 or transformers. Pressurized leaks up to 90 psi have been 27 sealed by this invention.
~ WO 9511~262 2 1 7'~ 7 ~3~4 ~ 5, PCT S94/13290 While the invention has been described with reference to 2 particular embodiments, it is not intPn~ to illustrate or 3 describe herein all of the equivalent forms or ramifications 4 thereof. Also, the words used are words of description rather than limitation, and various changes may be made without 6 departing from the spirit or scope of the invention disclosed 7 herein. It is ;ntPnri.sfl that the appended claims cover all such 8 changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of the 9 invention.
Claims (20)
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. An applicator for securing a leak sealing patch to a body comprising: a resilient deformable member having a wall that defines a cavity for receiving such a patch entirely within said cavity prior to said member being deformed, said cavity being located at one end of said resilient deformable member, said resilient deformable member having an outer surface that surrounds said cavity, and said outer surface comprising a peripheral flange that overlies said cavity and said patch disposed within said cavity, said wall being deformable against one side of said patch so as to deform and hold an opposite side of said patch against a surface of said body when said outer surface of said resilient deformable member is placed against said body and force is applied to an end of said resilient deformable member opposite to said one end.
2. The applicator defined in claim 1, wherein said wall is circular and cup shaped.
3. The applicator defined in claim 1, wherein said wall of said resilient deformable member defines a blister within said cavity that protrudes toward said outer surface.
4. The applicator defined in claim 1, wherein said resilient deformable member has a hole through its center.
5. The applicator defined in claim 4, wherein said resilient deformable member has a hollow tubular portion extending from said wall in a direction opposite to said outer surface .
6. The applicator defined in claim 5, wherein said tubular portion is surrounded by a circumferential rib.
7. The applicator defined in claim 6, further comprising a handle having a plunger extending into said tubular portion, said plunger being movable through said tubular portion into contact with said one side of said patch when said wall is deformed so as to force said opposite side of said patch into contact with said body.
8. The applicator defined in claim 1, for securing a leak-sealing patch to a body having a fluid leak comprising said resilient deformable member being circular and hollow and having a hole through its center, said wall being cup-shaped, said outer surface of said resilient deformable member defining said peripheral flange that extends inwardly and overlies said cavity, said cup-shaped wall defining within said cavity a blister that protrudes toward said peripheral flange, said resilient deformable member having a hollow tubular portion extending from said wall toward said end opposite to said one end, said tubular portion being surrounded by a plurality of circumferential ribs, and said cup-shaped wall and said blister being deformable against one side of said patch so as to hold an opposite side of said patch against a surface of said body around such a leak when said peripheral flange is placed against said surface of said body and force is applied from said opposite end against said tubular portion.
9. The applicator defined in claim 8, further comprising a handle having a plunger extending into said tubular portion, said plunger being movable into contact with said one side of said patch when said wall is deformed so as to force said patch into leak-sealing contact with said body at said leak.
10. The applicator defined in claim 9, further comprising means for relieving fluid pressure within said cavity.
11. Means for sealing a fluid leak in a body, comprising:
(a) a leak sealing patch for covering a surface of said body adjacent said leak, said patch comprising a piece of fluid-permeable flexible fabric having a flexible fluid-impervious pressure-resistant center portion;
(b) a quick curing adhesive sealant covering one side of said patch, said sealant being bondable to said fabric and center portion; and (c) an applicator for said patch comprising a resilient deformable member having a wall that defines a cavity that receives said patch and said sealant entirely within said cavity prior to said member being deformed, said resilient deformable member having an outer surface that surrounds said cavity, said wall being deformable against a side of said patch opposite to said one side of said patch so as to deform and hold said patch and said sealant on said one side of said patch against said surface of said body adjacent said leak when force is applied to said applicator so as to deform said wall around said leak, and said wall of said resilient deformable member being made from a material to which said sealant does not adhere.
(a) a leak sealing patch for covering a surface of said body adjacent said leak, said patch comprising a piece of fluid-permeable flexible fabric having a flexible fluid-impervious pressure-resistant center portion;
(b) a quick curing adhesive sealant covering one side of said patch, said sealant being bondable to said fabric and center portion; and (c) an applicator for said patch comprising a resilient deformable member having a wall that defines a cavity that receives said patch and said sealant entirely within said cavity prior to said member being deformed, said resilient deformable member having an outer surface that surrounds said cavity, said wall being deformable against a side of said patch opposite to said one side of said patch so as to deform and hold said patch and said sealant on said one side of said patch against said surface of said body adjacent said leak when force is applied to said applicator so as to deform said wall around said leak, and said wall of said resilient deformable member being made from a material to which said sealant does not adhere.
12. The invention defined in claim 11, wherein said sealant comprises an epoxy resin.
13. The invention defined in claim 12, wherein said resilient deformable member is made from material comprising silicone rubber.
14. The invention defined in claim 12, wherein said center portion of said patch comprises neoprene rubber.
15. A patch for sealing a leak in a fluid containing body comprising a piece of fluid-permeable flexible fabric having a flexible fluid-impervious pressure-resistant center portion; a quick-curing adhesive substantially covering and adhering to one side of said fabric and said center portion;
said center portion being constructed and arranged to be held tightly against a surface of said body adjacent said leak by force applied from an opposite side of said center portion, whereby said sealing patch is capable of sealing pressurized leaks.
said center portion being constructed and arranged to be held tightly against a surface of said body adjacent said leak by force applied from an opposite side of said center portion, whereby said sealing patch is capable of sealing pressurized leaks.
16. The patch defined in claim 15, wherein said center portion comprises a flexible fluid-impervious sheet member affixed to one side of said piece.
17. The patch defined in claim 16, wherein said piece comprises aromatic polyamid fibers, said sheet member comprising neoprene rubber, and said adhesive comprises quick curing epoxy resin.
18. The method of sealing a leak in a fluid containing body comprising the steps of:
(a) surrounding a patch with a deformable applicator having an outer surface for contact with said fluid containing body, so as to support a first side of said patch within said applicator and expose a second, opposite side of said patch through said outer surface at an open end of said applicator;
(b) placing said outer surface of said applicator against a surface of said body adjacent said leak;
(c) applying force at an opposite end of said applicator so as to deform said outer surface of said applicator against said surface of said body in an area adjacent said leak;
(d) applying sufficient additional force at said opposite end of said applicator to deform said applicator against said one side of said patch;
(e) forcing said opposite side of said patch into contact with said area adjacent said leak;
(f) molding said patch to conform to the shape of said area adjacent said leak;
(g) holding said patch in contact with said area adjacent said leak for sufficient time for said patch to cure and seal said leak; and (h) removing the force at said opposite end of said applicator so as to remove said applicator from contact with said patch and allow said applicator to recover to its original shape while said patch remains in a shape conforming to said area of said body adjacent said leak.
(a) surrounding a patch with a deformable applicator having an outer surface for contact with said fluid containing body, so as to support a first side of said patch within said applicator and expose a second, opposite side of said patch through said outer surface at an open end of said applicator;
(b) placing said outer surface of said applicator against a surface of said body adjacent said leak;
(c) applying force at an opposite end of said applicator so as to deform said outer surface of said applicator against said surface of said body in an area adjacent said leak;
(d) applying sufficient additional force at said opposite end of said applicator to deform said applicator against said one side of said patch;
(e) forcing said opposite side of said patch into contact with said area adjacent said leak;
(f) molding said patch to conform to the shape of said area adjacent said leak;
(g) holding said patch in contact with said area adjacent said leak for sufficient time for said patch to cure and seal said leak; and (h) removing the force at said opposite end of said applicator so as to remove said applicator from contact with said patch and allow said applicator to recover to its original shape while said patch remains in a shape conforming to said area of said body adjacent said leak.
19. The method defined in claim 18, further comprising moving a plunger through said applicator into contact with said one side of said patch for applying sufficient force to said opposite side of said patch to prevent escape of pressurized fluid from said body.
20. The method defined in claim 19, further comprising overlapping said opposite side of said patch with a rim that prevents escape of said patch from said applicator.
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US08/158,695 | 1993-12-02 | ||
| US08/158,695 US5423932A (en) | 1993-12-02 | 1993-12-02 | Apparatus for sealing leaks |
| PCT/US1994/013290 WO1995015262A1 (en) | 1993-12-02 | 1994-12-01 | Method and apparatus for sealing leaks |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2176734A1 CA2176734A1 (en) | 1995-06-08 |
| CA2176734C true CA2176734C (en) | 2001-03-13 |
Family
ID=22569293
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2176734 Expired - Fee Related CA2176734C (en) | 1993-12-02 | 1994-12-01 | Method and apparatus for sealing leaks |
Country Status (9)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| US (3) | US5423932A (en) |
| EP (1) | EP0732995B1 (en) |
| JP (1) | JP2957010B2 (en) |
| CN (1) | CN1069581C (en) |
| BR (1) | BR9408209A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2176734C (en) |
| DE (1) | DE69431440T2 (en) |
| RU (1) | RU2134835C1 (en) |
| WO (1) | WO1995015262A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (16)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US5423932A (en) * | 1993-12-02 | 1995-06-13 | American Velodur Metal, Inc. | Apparatus for sealing leaks |
| US6222542B1 (en) | 1995-10-10 | 2001-04-24 | Anysoft, Ltd | Apparatus for and method of acquiring, processing and routing data contained in a GUI window |
| US6296006B1 (en) * | 1998-03-10 | 2001-10-02 | Koppl Company, Inc. | System and method for sealing leaks in vessels |
| US6158475A (en) * | 1999-03-04 | 2000-12-12 | Clemmer; David Grant | Underground pipe support |
| US6247499B1 (en) | 1999-08-13 | 2001-06-19 | Ico, Inc. | Pipe wrap corrosion protection system |
| DE10129807A1 (en) * | 2001-06-23 | 2003-01-02 | Reiner Schulze | Working method for sealing leaks in pipes carrying liquids or containers containing liquids |
| CA2569054A1 (en) * | 2004-06-02 | 2005-12-15 | Golden Triangle Enterprises Pty Ltd. | Apparatus and method for capturing and containing sulphur hexafluoride gas leakage |
| DE102004059223B4 (en) * | 2004-12-09 | 2006-09-21 | Diamant-Metallplastic Gmbh | Method for repairing a leak in a container or pipe wall for a pressure medium |
| US7356229B2 (en) * | 2005-02-28 | 2008-04-08 | 3M Innovative Properties Company | Reflective polarizers containing polymer fibers |
| US8109312B2 (en) * | 2007-12-29 | 2012-02-07 | Michelin Recherche Et Technique S.A. | Tire patch applicator |
| US8056594B2 (en) * | 2008-04-11 | 2011-11-15 | Man-Young Jung | Long drive patch for tire puncture |
| US8960215B2 (en) * | 2012-08-02 | 2015-02-24 | General Electric Company | Leak plugging in components with fluid flow passages |
| US8925590B2 (en) | 2013-02-07 | 2015-01-06 | King Fahd University Of Petroleum And Minerals | Pipeline leak detection and repair device |
| US9624664B2 (en) | 2014-01-16 | 2017-04-18 | Jennifer Judd | Popcorn ceiling patch |
| US10386007B2 (en) | 2015-06-30 | 2019-08-20 | Pro Paint Gear Inc. | Coating/membrane repair kit |
| CN114263804B (en) * | 2022-01-04 | 2023-05-23 | 河南省禹志建设工程有限公司 | On-line plugging construction method with water pressure |
Family Cites Families (17)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US2069722A (en) * | 1936-02-27 | 1937-02-02 | M B Skinner Company | Pipe leak sealing gasket |
| US2236913A (en) * | 1937-11-17 | 1941-04-01 | M B Skinner Co | Welding patch clamp |
| US2833327A (en) * | 1953-08-28 | 1958-05-06 | Boyce Reginald Donovan | Adhesive repair patches |
| US2908061A (en) * | 1957-11-15 | 1959-10-13 | Adams Pipe Repair Products | Pipe clamp device |
| US3645816A (en) * | 1969-07-14 | 1972-02-29 | Lockheed Aircraft Corp | Method for sealing leaks in fluid tanks |
| US3823050A (en) * | 1971-10-04 | 1974-07-09 | Jones & Co Inc R A | Label applicator head |
| GB1546073A (en) * | 1976-05-10 | 1979-05-16 | Ready Seal Ltd | Method of repairing leaks in pipes and pipelines carrying fluent medium under pressure and means for use in the method |
| SU629399A2 (en) * | 1977-05-24 | 1978-10-25 | Предприятие П/Я Р-6601 | Device for removing leak in pipeline |
| US4358495A (en) * | 1981-04-06 | 1982-11-09 | Parker Robert F | Drywall patch kit |
| SU1086290A1 (en) * | 1982-05-28 | 1984-04-15 | Кохтла-Ярвеское Ордена Октябрьской Революции Сланцехимическое Производственное Объединение Им.В.И.Ленина | Device for removing leaks,primarily in reservoirs |
| US4568589A (en) * | 1983-10-06 | 1986-02-04 | Illinois Tool Works Inc. | Patch and method of repairing discontinuities in work surfaces |
| SU1263959A1 (en) * | 1984-12-30 | 1986-10-15 | Предприятие П/Я В-8685 | Device for stopping leakage from pipeline |
| US4756337A (en) * | 1986-02-24 | 1988-07-12 | Royston Laboratories, Inc. | Gasline repair kit |
| FR2613000B1 (en) * | 1987-03-23 | 1989-07-28 | Legot Jacques | REPAIR TAPE |
| US4959251A (en) * | 1987-09-11 | 1990-09-25 | Owens R Larry | Elastic patch for holes in walls |
| US5030493A (en) * | 1989-06-08 | 1991-07-09 | Neptune Research, Inc. | High strength resin-cloth structural system |
| US5423932A (en) * | 1993-12-02 | 1995-06-13 | American Velodur Metal, Inc. | Apparatus for sealing leaks |
-
1993
- 1993-12-02 US US08/158,695 patent/US5423932A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
-
1994
- 1994-12-01 CA CA 2176734 patent/CA2176734C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1994-12-01 WO PCT/US1994/013290 patent/WO1995015262A1/en active IP Right Grant
- 1994-12-01 JP JP51565295A patent/JP2957010B2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1994-12-01 RU RU96115258A patent/RU2134835C1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1994-12-01 DE DE1994631440 patent/DE69431440T2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1994-12-01 EP EP95904748A patent/EP0732995B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1994-12-01 BR BR9408209A patent/BR9408209A/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1994-12-01 CN CN94194360A patent/CN1069581C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
-
1995
- 1995-06-05 US US08/463,269 patent/US5500064A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1995-06-05 US US08/461,978 patent/US5629065A/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| EP0732995A1 (en) | 1996-09-25 |
| BR9408209A (en) | 1997-08-26 |
| CN1174533A (en) | 1998-02-25 |
| EP0732995B1 (en) | 2002-09-25 |
| CA2176734A1 (en) | 1995-06-08 |
| EP0732995A4 (en) | 1998-07-01 |
| US5629065A (en) | 1997-05-13 |
| US5500064A (en) | 1996-03-19 |
| DE69431440T2 (en) | 2003-06-05 |
| JPH10503262A (en) | 1998-03-24 |
| WO1995015262A1 (en) | 1995-06-08 |
| CN1069581C (en) | 2001-08-15 |
| DE69431440D1 (en) | 2002-10-31 |
| US5423932A (en) | 1995-06-13 |
| RU2134835C1 (en) | 1999-08-20 |
| JP2957010B2 (en) | 1999-10-04 |
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| CA2176734C (en) | Method and apparatus for sealing leaks | |
| US4357961A (en) | Pipeline repair kit | |
| US4361451A (en) | Process for everting a lining into a conduit utilizing two injection fluids | |
| US5975183A (en) | Repair pressure applicator for in the field damaged aircraft | |
| CA1235559A (en) | Windshield repair kit and method | |
| KR100875627B1 (en) | Branch pipe lining material and branch pipe lining method | |
| JP4160303B2 (en) | Damage repair device | |
| KR20060049352A (en) | Material and construction method for lining a branch pipe | |
| US5069836A (en) | Method of repairing windshield breaks | |
| CA2150111A1 (en) | Improvements relating to the lining of pipelines and passageways | |
| US3461009A (en) | Process of molding a tank | |
| JP2002264154A (en) | Method for molding hollow molded article of reinforced synthetic resin | |
| KR19980067878A (en) | Branch pipe lining and pipe lining method | |
| KR19990072579A (en) | Branch pipe liner bag and branch pipe lining method | |
| RU96115258A (en) | METHOD AND APPLICATOR FOR SEALING LEAKAGE PLACES | |
| JPH029405A (en) | Filter for pressure fluid | |
| CA1174021A (en) | Process for causing at least two bodies to adhere to each other, in particular in order to manufacture, repair or retread a tire | |
| US7686915B1 (en) | Vacuum-bagging process using PTFE beads | |
| US5160688A (en) | Method of making a component pipe coupling | |
| GB2080916A (en) | Repairing a leak in a pipe | |
| CN111683804A (en) | Method of molding tubular composite structures | |
| GB1579022A (en) | Sealing conduits | |
| GB1565564A (en) | Packages for sealing pipes or vessels | |
| KR101864172B1 (en) | Branch pipe lining method and branch pipe lining apparatus | |
| US5149395A (en) | Handheld fluid leak sealing apparatus |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| MKLA | Lapsed |