IP Library Granted Patent US 8,567,449
Granted Patent B2
US 8,567,449 · App. 12/363,782 · Granted Oct 29, 2013

Systems and methods for locating and restoring service lines in pipeline rehabilitation

Inventors: John A. Cain (Fairplay, CO); Harry L. Baum (Frisco, CO); James D. Kiegley (Silt, CO); Ralph Cordonnier (Buena Vista, CO); Corwin J. Bryant (Buena Vista, CO); Dan Cohen (Breckenridge, CO)
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,567,449
App. No.
12/363,782
Granted
Oct 29, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention include a system for locating and restoring service lines during pipeline restoration. According to some embodiments of the present invention, the system includes a movable chart, a plug with a marking magnet, and an attachment part. In some embodiments of the present invention, the movable cart is deployed along the inside of a pipeline. In some embodiments, the attachment part is movably coupled to the movable cart. The attachment part is configured to install a plug into the service line at a location where the service line intersects the pipeline, according to some embodiments. In other embodiments, the attachment part is configured to mark the location of the plug in the service line and remove the plug from the service line to restore a fluid connection between the service line and the pipeline.

Claims (29)

1. A method for locating and restoring service lines in pipeline restoration, the method comprising:

inserting a plug into a service line opening, wherein the plug comprises a marking magnet;

installing a tubular liner within the pipeline by filling a space between the tubular liner and the pipeline, including between the tubular liner and the plug, with grout; and

locating the plug by locating the marking magnet from within the pipeline.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein locating the plug comprises sensing a magnetic field of the marking magnet.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

after the grout has substantially solidified, locating the plug by detecting a presence of a magnetic field of the marking magnet.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising marking a location of the plug on an inside of the tubular liner.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising removing the plug from the service line opening to restore a fluid connection between the service line and the pipeline.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein removing the plug from the service line opening comprises cutting through the tubular liner at the service line opening.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein removing the plug from the service line opening further comprises cutting through the grout at the service line opening.

8. A method for locating and restoring service lines in pipeline restoration, the method comprising:

inserting a plug into a service line opening, wherein the plug comprises a marking magnet;

installing a tubular liner within the pipeline by filling a space between the tubular liner and the pipeline with grout; and

locating the plug by locating the marking magnet;

wherein locating the plug comprises:

providing a movable magnet on a cart; and

moving the cart within the pipeline until the movable magnet moves toward the marking magnet.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein locating the plug further comprises moving the cart within the pipeline until the movable magnet jumps from the cart onto an inside of the tubular liner at or near a location of the plug.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising removing the plug from the service line opening to restore a fluid connection between the service line and the pipeline.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein removing the plug comprises drilling a hole through the tubular liner.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the hole is a first hole, wherein the movable magnet comprises a second hole, and wherein drilling the first hole through the tubular liner comprises inserting a drill bit into the second hole.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the hole is a first hole, wherein the movable magnet comprises a second hole, and wherein drilling the first hole through the tubular liner comprises inserting a centering device of a circular drill bit into the second hole.

14. A method for locating and restoring service lines in pipeline restoration, the method comprising:

inserting a plug into a service line opening, wherein the plug comprises a marking magnet;

installing a tubular liner within the pipeline by filling a space between the tubular liner and the pipeline with grout;

locating the plug by locating the marking magnet; and

after the grout has substantially solidified, locating the plug by detecting a presence of a magnetic field of the marking magnet,

wherein detecting the presence of the magnetic field of the marking magnet comprises exposing a movable magnet in the pipeline to the magnetic field.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 10, 2017
From: WPW, LLC
To: SZARKOWSKI, JERRY
Reel/Frame 043823/0679 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 26, 2013
From: WESTERN PIPEWAY, LLC
To: WPW, LLC
Reel/Frame 031300/0204 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 12, 2010
From: WESTERN SLOPE UTILITIES, INC.
To: WESTERN PIPEWAY, LLC
Reel/Frame 024823/0566 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 18, 2009
From: CAIN, JOHN A.; BAUM, HARRY L.; KEIGLEY, JAMES D.; CORDONNIER, RALPH; BRYANT, CORWIN J.
To: WESTERN SLOPE UTILITIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 022698/0507 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61025627 · Feb 1, 2008
Related Publication 20090272452A1 · Nov 5, 2009