GB2442295A

GB2442295A - Pipe Sleeves

Info

Publication number: GB2442295A
Application number: GB0713018A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Rosemary Burgess
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-07-04
Filing date: 2007-07-04
Publication date: 2008-04-02
Also published as: GB0713018D0

Abstract

A means of repairing piping by enabling leak-sealing compounds to be held firmly in place against a leak or leaks during the hardening of the compound, of especial use where leaks in pipes are difficult to reach and manual holding of sealing compounds in place is uncomfortable or not practicable. Embodiments may be secured around the piping by separate straps or may have integral straps, and may be used on straight or curved sections of piping. Sealing compounds may be pre-packed with the sleeve or may be applied to them, or to the leaking area of the piping, immediately before use of the sleeve.

Description

-H 2442295

Title of invention Pipe Sleeves

This invention addresses a problem often found in repairing leaks in piping containing liquid or gases, typically domestic water piping which will in this description be the general point of reference and exemplification in the following text, but not restricted to that.

It is known that proprietary products exist comprising a paste-type substance or compound which can be applied, without or after any necessary mixing to induce hardening, to leaks in piping and which have the characteristic of hardening after application so as to offer the prospect of sealing the leak.

It is also known that such existing products can be difficult to hold in position during drying or hardening, or otherwise fail of easy adhesion to the outer surface of the pipe being mended, so as not upon hardening to form to form an adequate seal for the leak. This problem can be exacerbated by difficulty of physical access to the point of the leak or by fluid or gas pressure from the leak being such as to push or to wash away or otherwise make an escape channel through the sealing compound before it has hardened. Dampness in the area of the leak can also make adhesion to the pipe problematic during applicadtion and hardening. The patience and steadiness of hand required to hold the sealing compound in place during hardening is also a cunent drawback to its use.

Due to these difficulties thus often experienced in application of such existing products, their reliabiity and ease of use are limited and are widely recognised as being so, and the more cumbersome and expensive method of repamng a pipe section, by cutting out the leaking section and fitting a new section of pipe, is often an automatic preference regardless of the availability of sealing compounds and their potential use.

This invention provides means of holding a layer of sealing compound firmly against the area of the leak whilst hardening takes place, with or without integral means of applying pressure such as to retain the compound in its desired position. it also materially reduces the likelihood of fluid pressure reducing or negating the desired sealing effect of the compound.

The invention comprises in its most basic embodiment an open sleeve with a part cylindrical profile and section, as in Figure (l). The diameter of this sleeve relates to the diameter of the pipng required to be repaired, in that typically the diameter of the sleeve would be slightly larger than the diameter of the piping to be repaired, thus allowing for applying a layer of the said sealing compound to the inner surface of the sleeve, before in turn placing and retaining the sleeve with its layer of compound over the place of the leak.

Constructed in one embodiment from a suitable impermeable and relatively stiff material, typically a plastic, the sleeve would be capable of flexing around the centre of the arc of its cross-section and compress and spread the sealing compound against the surface of the pipe section being repaired.

Means of tightening the sleeve against the surface of the piping would include, but are not limited to, self-locking straps as presently commercially available. In these existing products at one end of the strap is a one-way ratchet and the rest of the strap has grooves which, upon insertion into the ratchet, can only pass one way through the ratchet and therefore which, as pulled through to tighten on an embraced content, will not reduce in tightness upon manual release. The capability of tightening rapidly can be of significance, given that during leaks in piping the ejection of leaked liquids can quickly wash away compounds which, upon hardening without such displacement, would seal the leak. This capability for rapid tightening and applying an even pressure to a large area of compound can also enable pipe repairs to be undertaken during the continuance of a leak provided the leak is not too violent, that is to say that it can become in these circumstances unnecessary to drain a water or fluid supply or to switch off or turn off fluid pressures within the pipe under repair.

The general principle is illustrated in Figure 2, which shows a piece of piping with a layer of sealing compound between the piping and the sleeve, and two separate straps ready to be tightened up. Three straps might be more normal in simple repairs, one directly over the leak, and one towards either end of the sleeve, though it will be appreciated that there is a relationship between the stiffliess of the material of the sleeve and the number of strapping positions required.

Other means of securing the sleeve against the sealing compound and the piping exist, potentially tape or string, but typically might not have the ease of use and potential for tight and rapid fastening as would the straps described above and illustrated generally in Figure 2.

In a further embodiment, the tightening straps could be incorporated with the sleeve as a single integral item, as illustrated in Figure 3. It will be appreciated both that it is possible to manufacture, for example by injection moulding, from suitable plastic or other materials, as a one-piece part, a sleeve with trailing Straps capable of being rapidly linked and tightened, and that the joining method of the straps is not limited to that illustrated.

It will be appreciated that the sealing compound would normally be applied to the inner surface of the sleeve prior to placing the sleeve over the leak, rather than attempting to apply compound to the leak and then placing the sleeve over the compound prior to tightening. This allows for the achievement of a relatively even spread of compound over the entire area of the sleeve and further, by surrounding the leak with compound applied under pressure, would, even in the event of a local displacement of the compound through the pressure of leaking fluids, still be capable of sealing the leak.

Although in practice it is not difficult to spread compounds as presently commercially available over a smooth surface, such that the compound will not fill off whilst the sleeve is put into place, the addition of ribbing or grooving or other roughening or abrading of the inner surface of the sleeve can only assist in securing initial adhesion of the compound to the inner surface of the sleeve. Further, it would limit the potential of the compound for movement under pressure from the leak afler the sleeve has been applied and while it is being tightened. Figure 4 illustrates an example of this principle with the cross-hatching indicating the lines of small ridges on the inner surface of the sleeve * I --A flirther embodiment of the above principle of using raised sections on the inner surface of the sleeve to contain, and inhibit movement of, the compound, would be the incorporation of a raised section, or wall, around the perimeter of the inner surface of the sleeve, the height of such raised section or wall being necessarily at least marginally less than the thickness of the compound applied. The section drawings in Figure 5 illustrate.

It will be appreciated that an embodiment incorporating this feature further reinforces the potential for use of sealing compounds that are not self-hardening.

The invention clearly can be supplied commercially in varying lengths and diameters and capacity for spring tension around its cross-sectional diameter, whether or not such commercial embodiments incorporate integral means of tightening by integral straps as exemplified in Figure 3, and/or incorporate the introduction of features on the inner surface as exemplified in Figures 4 and 5. It will also be appreciated that commercial embodiments of the invention can be made in a number of diameters and profiles such as to suit the various profiles and forms of the various sizes of piping, whatever their contents, that might require mending, and that the invention may be made of any material particularly suitable to containing the particular content of the piping being mended.

It will flirther be appreciated that while the length of cross section of the sleeve(s) has, for purposes of illustration only, been shown herein as around 50% of the circumference of the pipe being mended, an increase in the length of the cross section in relation to the circumference of the pipe, would, with the sleeve manufactured from a suitably springy material and with a suitable radius, allow for a clip- fit around the pipe needing repair without securing by straps, and that this could be suitable for the repair of simple leaks where, in particular, there is little or no pressure from leaking fluids.

It will be appreciated that descriptions, examples and drawing references thus far in this document, tend to address only the mending of leaks in straight sections of pipe, or potentially with a mild curve. The principles of the invention are however applicable to repairs of curved sections of pipe.

Figure 6 illustrates a sleeve made so as to fit onto a curved pipe section. The illustration is of a sleeve in its simplest form, that is without showing options for ribbing or grooving or abrading the inner surface of the sleeve, or for fastening straps being integral, or for a perimeter wall, all as described above for embodiments designed for the mending of straight pipe sections.

It will be appreciated that some radii of certain curves in piping, typically domestic piping, are more common or standard than others, and that therefore embodiments, as exemplified in simple form in Figure 6, designed to conform to such more common or standard radii could therefore be capable of viable commercial manufacture.

It will be seen that the embodiment illustrated in Figure 6 is designed to fit around the outside radius of a bend in a pipe. It will be appreciated that sleeves designed and profiled to fit onto the sides of curves, or onto their inside radii, can also be manufactured and fall within the scope of this invention.

A further embodiment that offers a general purpose means of addressing the mending of curved pipe sections of a variety of radii is exemplified in Figure 7. As will be seen and as is described in the illustration, this sleeve is capable of flexing around both its horizontal and vertical axes with its long centre section being placed against the long Section of the piping being mended, and the attached flaps with integral fasteners being then tightened to the flaps directly opposite. This action thereby draws the sleeve into near conformity with the curved profile of the pipe. Three flaps are shown on each side of the central section for the purposes of illustration. Two on each side would be the minimum to achieve a curved profile to the grip on the pipe.

In the illustration the flaps are shown as rectangular, ie they would overlap each other when tightened around the outside radius of a bend in a pipe. The illustration also indicates how by profiling their dimensions, their opposing edges could, when tightened, become more nearly contiguous rather than overlapping. It will be appreciated that the desirability of this option would to a significant extent be a function of the stiffness of the material used in the manufacture of the sleeve.

In a parallel embodiment a sleeve could be manufactured for application to the innei radius of the pipe being mended, with the flaps flared out and therefore overlapping when the sleeve is lying in the flat condition as illustrated, to the extent that their opposing edges would overlap or become contiguous after tightening of the straps.

Mends to the sides of curves could also be achievable through making the width of the sleeve (including the flaps) more than 50% of the diameter of the pipe plus the thickness of the sealing compound, thus allowing a wrap around the side of the pipe. An alternative is to manufacture an embodiment of the example shown in Figure 7 as an arc when laid flat, with widths of the flaps in proportion.

It will also be appreciated that a sleeve could be manufactured from a generally flexible material, such as for example rubber, which would allow it effectively to wrap around irregular or curved sections of piping, provided that the material used remained sufficiently stiff to maintain pressure on the compound and that its profiles when tightened onto the piping remained sufficiently conforming to the outer shape of the section of the pipe being mended.

Leaks also occur at joints in piping, and it is typical that at such joints the diameter of the joint may be greater than the diameter of the pipe. It will be appreciated that where the increase in diameter is relatively small, the action of sleeves, straight in their long section as generally indicated in Figures 1 to 5, should, depending to an extent also on the thickness of compound applied, accommodate such relatively small increase. However where the increase is substantial, a further embodiment of the invention can allow for this by making part or all of the sleeve's long section dome shaped, as indicated in Figure 8, with the diameter of the arc of the sleeve at the peak of the dome larger than the diameter at the ends of the sleeves. As Figure 8 indicates, a number of different dome profiles could be of use.

It will be appreciated that such domed sleeves could also be used for the mending of straight sections of pipe through ensuring that the amount of compound applied to their inner surfaces is sufficient to fill the space between the sleeve and the pipe section under repair, thus providing a general purpose product for the mending of straight sections of pipe, regardless of whether a piping joint is incorporated in the section or not.

It will also be appreciated that variations of this doming could be employed so as to provide embodiments suitable for application to a variety of curved pipe sections.

It will also be appreciated that the principle illustrated in Figure 7 for the mending of curved pipe sections, with the opposing pairs of flaps being capable of being tightened independently of neighbouring flaps, allows for local variations in the diameter of the sleeve when tightened around the pipe, thus allowing the potential for effective coverage ofjoints in curved pipe sections.

It will further be appreciated that it would be of convenience to avoid the manual operation of spreading the sealing compound onto the sleeve prior to effecting a repair, and this embodiment, of a sleeve with its associated layer of sealing compound applied prior to its point of sale, is now described.

It is well known that a number of materials exist that have the characteristic of being able to be forced, under mild or medium pressure, into conformity with a surface against which they are pressed, and further thereby to be forced into surface features, such as cracks, scratches, holes or undulations. A simple example is the product Plasticine @, characteristically sold as a child's toy material. A further example is non-hardening compounds designed to be applied to the screw-type threads of plumbing connections, having the characteristic of sealing very small areas of potential leakage whilst not being capable of displacement by any fluid or gas pressure reasonably to be expected. it will be appreciated that such materials, held in place by the width and length of the sleeve following tightening associated strapping whether the strapping is integral to the sleeve or not, would require very high pressures against them, from a leak, to be laterally displaced. Figure 5 also typifies practicable cross sections of such an assembly, though the presence of the walls shown thereon may not be necessary from the point of view of achieving the seal, though it may be desirable from the point of view of production assembly, and its illustration therefore fills within the scope of this invention regardless of the presence of walls.

It is further known that certain malleable materials also have the property of being self-hardening following contact with water or other fluids, or gasses, and that their individual self-hardening propensities may or may not be dependent on the type of fluid or gas with which contact is made.

It is further known that some materials, in one example artist' s modelling materials, which remain malleable whilst having no Contact with air, begin to harden once contact with air is established.

It is known that, with such existing sealing, or potentially sealing, compounds as defined in the above three paragraphs, there is no difficulty in bonding or adhering a layer of such compounds to materials which might be used in the manufacture of the sleeves.

It will therefore be understood that a sleeve, as defined herein, may be manufactured for onward sale with an integral layer, on the surface and or surfaces (see Figure 7 to understand why the plural may be used) of the sleeve to be opposed to the leak, of a suitable sealant material or compound having one or more of the above characteristics, such as to be capable of immediate application to a leak without recourse to separately applying a sealing compound to the sleeve prior to repair.

It will be appreciated that different sealing compounds may be appropriate depending on, for example but without limitation, whether the leak is water or water-based, chemical, petroleum-based, or a gas, and depending also on the temperature of the piping, its flexibility (for example but not limited to hose-type piping as used in car engines), and the fluid or gas contained therein and on the pressure exerted by any leaking pipe content, and that the use of any such compound, bonded or adhering to the sleeve in an integral product, and appropriate to the type of leak to be sealed, falls within the scope of this invention.

It will be appreciated that the potential for integration of fixing straps (as shown in Figure 3) onto such sleeves also mounting their own sealing compound, is an embodiment of this invention.

A feature of repair sleeves thus supplied with integral sealing compound could also in one embodiment include an easily demountable layer of airtight or near-air-tight covering over the compound, such as could be simply be peeled off immediately prior to use without significant deforming of the sealant layer such as would limit its effectiveness.

An example of such demountable covering would be the light plastic covering used with printer ink cartridges to prevent drying of ink during storage, and which is peeled off immediately prior to use. Alternatively a sleeve with its sealant integral to it as described herein, could be supplied in an airtight bag or other appropriate container.

It will also be appreciated that it is feasible to construct a sleeve, having sufficient tensile strength to contain the pressure of a leak and also effectively to be retained against a pipe by strapping (as exemplified herein but not limited to that), from a material which itself would mould itself under pressure to the surface of a pipe being repaired and thereby seal a leak.

It will be appreciated that all repair sleeve variations discussed and or illustrated in this patent application, are capable of incorporating options such as ribbing, grooving, or abrading the inner surface of the sleeve, and or the incorporation and placement of any number of integral straps into a single component, and or the incorporation of a raised section or wall around all or part of the perimeter of the inner surface and that all such embodiments form part of the invention. It will further be appreciated that all dimensions or radii illustrated or implied are variable according to the type and sizes of pipe desired to be or likely to be repaired and according to type of leak, and that all such resulting embodiments remain within the scope of the invention. It will fluther be appreciated the invention is capable of being manufactured from a range of materials offering differing degrees of flexibility and also suitable as appropriate to the containment of the type of liquid or gas present in the pipe before, during, or after repair. It will finally be appreciated that a sleeve pre-loaded (prior to sale) with any sealing compound appropriate to the type of leak to be addressed also forms part of this invention. -o-CLA1M

Claims

1. Any device of shape such as to fit around a part of the outer

profile of a section of piping and capable of being fastened firmly to that piping, whether by integral or separate strapping means, such strapping passing around the piping.

2. Any device as in Claim I having no integral securing straps.

3. Any device in Claim I having integral securing straps.

4. Any device as in Claims 1,2 or 3 of sufficient flexibility to allow it to be tightened around a piping section.

5. Any device as in Claims 1,2,3 014 having a roughened or ribbed inner face providing means of assisting in the adherence to it of any leak sealing compound.

6. Any device as in Claims 1,2,3,4 or 5 having a raised section around the edges of its inner section such as to minimise the spread of sealing compound when straps are tightened.

7. Any device as in Claims I to 6 inclusive manufactured with a sealing compound applied to part or all of its inner surface.