GB2546971A

GB2546971A - A Tool for a pipe

Info

Publication number: GB2546971A
Application number: GB1601587.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Williams Geraint
Original assignee: DWR Cymru Cyfyngedig
Current assignee: DWR Cymru Cyfyngedig
Priority date: 2016-01-28
Filing date: 2016-01-28
Publication date: 2017-08-09
Anticipated expiration: 2036-01-28
Also published as: GB2546971B; GB201601587D0

Abstract

A tool for removing debris from within a pipe comprises a body 11 having a substantially ellipsoidal shape, a magnet 15 disposed at a first end of the body 11 for attracting magnetisable debris within the pipe and coupling means 16a disposed at a second end of the body 11, which is substantially opposite the first end, for coupling the body 11 with conveyancing means for conveying the body 11 along a pipe. The magnet 15 preferably extends within a recess 14 formed in the body 11 with a portion of the magnet 15 extending outwardly of the recess 15 away from the body 11. The body 11 may have a larger cross-sectional area than the magnet 15. The tool can be propelled through a pipe either by an elongate handle or rod or by fluid propulsion.

Description

A TOOL FOR A PIPE

This invention relates to a tool for a pipe, and particularly but not exclusively, to a tool for removing debris from the interior of waste pipes.

Clean water is an essential element in our day to day lives and for centuries it has been supplied to dwellings via a system of pipes. Many materials have been used for such pipes, ranging from wood, ceramics, metals and plastics. Also, in more recent years domestic and commercial waste has been removed from premises by means of waste pipes. Such pipes connect the premises to a centralised pipe network that is managed and maintained by a water company.

Therefore, the water pipes are connected to a central supply reservoir where the water undergoes water treatment works and the waste pipes are connected to a sewer network, where the sewage is filtered and then disposed of by the water company. Both the water supply and waste pipes can become fully or partially blocked over time. This blockage can be caused by many factors ranging from mineral deposits, waste food, grease hair or other items. This blockage is particularly problematic in regions possessing high lime scale and hard water.

In the case that a blockage occurs, the need to pass the waste or water through the orifice of reduced size can lead to excess pressures being exerted on the interior wall of the pipe and can lead to pipe breakages and consequential leakages. In terms of a water supply pipe, a fully blocked pipe can prevent water from flowing to a property and in the case of a fully blocked waste pipe, blockages can lead to issues with the removal of waste from a property and may result in the outpouring of excess water which can cause flooding, both internally and externally to the property.

Therefore, it is an important part of the maintenance process of the pipe to remove such blockages and to alleviate the excess pressures built up in the pipe. The ultimate aim is to maximise the throughput of the pipe, by the removal of material deposited in the pipe.

It is known to apply chemicals to the interior of the pipes to encourage removal or alleviate the blockage within the pipe, however this can on occasion exacerbate the problem as the chemical itself may react with the deposited material causing further material to build up. In the case of water pipes, the chemical itself may be detrimental to a person’s health and traces of the chemical may be found in the water supplied to a dwelling.

As an alternative to the chemical technique, a mechanical interaction may be provided between a tool applied and the material deposited on the interior walls of the pipe enabling the mechanical removal of dirt deposits from the interior of the pipe. However, current tools are difficult to manoeuvre along the interior of the pipe and the removal of the deposit is difficult to control in a reliable manner. This can often lead to unnecessary damage to the pipe on application of the tool and costly repairs are required as a result.

Therefore, the present invention and its embodiments are intended to address at least some of the above described problems.

According to an aspect of the invention there is provided a tool for removing debris from within a pipe, the tool comprising a body having a substantially ellipsoidal shape, a magnet disposed at a first end of the body for attracting magnetisable debris within the pipe and coupling means disposed at a second end of the body, which is substantially opposite the first end, for coupling the body with conveyancing means for conveying the body along a pipe.

In an embodiment, the body comprises a first and second planar surface formed at the first and second end thereof, respectively, which are preferably parallel.

In an embodiment, a portion of the magnet extends within a recess formed within the body and a portion of the magnet extends outwardly of the recess away from the body. The magnet is arranged to extend forwardly of the body within the pipe and preferably extends along an axis of the body.

The body comprises a larger cross-sectional area than the magnet such that the body can act as a skid to maintain the magnet in spaced relation with the interior of the pipe.

In an embodiment, the coupling means comprises a threaded bar which extends outwardly of the body, away from the body. The threaded bar may form part of a bolt which is passed through a channel which extends along the magnet and the body, from the first end of the body, such that a distal portion of the bolt extends out from the channel at the second end of the body.

The tool may further comprise conveyancing means for conveying the body along a pipe and in an embodiment, the tool comprises a fluid nozzle which is arranged to couple at one end with the coupling means, and at the other end with a source of fluid for jetting fluid therefrom within a pipe.

The nozzle is arranged to direct fluid away from the body to propel the body forwardly along the pipe and may comprise a plurality of outlets for ejecting fluid therefrom. The conveyancing means may further comprise a hose for fluidly coupling the nozzle with a source of fluid.

In an alternative embodiment the conveyancing means comprises at least one elongate handle or rod, and may further comprise an adapter which is arranged to couple with the coupling means and the handle or rod, for coupling the handle or rod with the body.

Whilst the invention has been described above it extends to any inventive combination of the features set out above, or in the following description, drawings or claims. For example, any features described in relation to any one aspect of the invention is understood to be disclosed also in relation to any other aspect of the invention.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of a tool according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the tool illustrated in figure 1 with the rod removed, taken along line A-A;

Figure 3 is a schematic illustration of a tool according to a second aspect of the present invention; and,

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the tool illustrated in figure 3 with the hose removed, taken along line B-B.

Referring to figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, there is illustrated a tool 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention for removing debris from within a pipe (not shown). The tool 10 comprises a body 11 which may be formed of metal such as mild steel, or a rigid plastics material such as poly vinyl chloride. In the illustrated embodiment, the body 11 comprises a substantially spherical shape having a first and second truncated region defining a first and second planar surface 12, 13. The first and second planar surfaces 12, 13 are orientated substantially parallel to each other and the first surface 12 comprises a recess 14 formed therein having a substantially cylindrical shape, which extends into the body 11 along an axis thereof. The tool 10 further comprises a magnet 15 having a substantially cylindrical shape, the cross-sectional area of which is dimensioned to provide a friction fit within the recess 14. In an alternative embodiment, the magnet 15 may be rigidly secured therein using an adhesive or fastener (not shown), for example. A proximal portion of the magnet 15 is arranged to extend within the recess 14, while a distal portion of the magnet 15 is arranged to extend out from the recess 14, away from the body 11.

The tool 10 further comprises coupling means disposed at the second end of the body 11 for detachably coupling the body 11, and thus the magnet 15, with conveyancing means. In an embodiment, the coupling means comprises a threaded bar 16a which extends along the axis of the body 11, out though the second surface 13 of the body 11, and in the embodiment illustrated, the threaded bar 16a comprises a portion of a bolt 16 which is arranged to extend along a channel 17a, 17b separately formed within the body 11 and magnet 15, which are co-aligned. The channel 17a may comprise an internal thread (not shown) and extends along the axis of the body 11. When the bolt 16 is fully inserted, a head 16b of the bolt 16 is arranged to extend within a recessed portion 18 on the magnet 15, while a distal end of the bolt 16, namely a portion of the threaded bar 16a, extends out though the second surface 13 of the body 11.

In the embodiment illustrated in figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, the conveyancing means comprises an elongate rod 19 or handle which is arranged to detachably couple with the body 11 for conveying the body 11 and thus the magnet 15 along the pipe (not shown). The detachable coupling may be provided by directly coupling a distal end of the rod 19 for example, with the threaded bar 16a. Alternatively, and as illustrated in figure 2 of the drawings, the tool 10 may further comprise an adapter 20, which is arranged to couple at first end with the threaded bar 16a, and at a second end with a distal portion of the rod 19.

The adapter 20 comprises a cylindrical housing 21 having a first and second bore 22, 23 formed therein which are orientated coaxially. The first and second bore 22, 23 respectively extend into the adapter housing 21 from the first and second end thereof and the first bore 22 comprises an internal thread (not shown) for coupling with the threaded bar 16a. The second bore 23 comprises an internal cross-sectional shape and size which is matched to the external shape and size of the distal portion of the rod 19 so that the distal portion of the rod 19 forms an intimate fit within the second bore 23. The distal portion of the rod 19 may further comprise a first and second protuberance (not shown) which are biased radially outwardly of the rod 19 from diametrically opposed positions, to locate within radially extending apertures 24 formed at diametrically opposed positions in the side wall of the housing 21.

Accordingly, in use, an operator (not shown) first couples the body 11 and thus the magnet 15 to the adapter 20 using the threaded bar 16a and first bore 22, and then inserts a distal end of a rod 19 into the second bore 23, so that the protuberances (not shown) snap-locate within the diametrically opposed apertures 24 to lock the rod 19 to the adapter 20, to prevent both rotational and translation movement relative to the adapter 20.

The operator then inserts the body 11 of the tool 10 within the pipe (not shown) to be cleared of debris, so that the body 11 contacts an interior surface of the pipe (not shown), and pushes the body 11 along the pipe. If required, further rod extension pieces (not shown) may be detachably coupled to the rod 19 to increase the overall length of the rod 19 and thus the extent to which the body 11 can be passed into the pipe (not shown).

The reduced cross-sectional area of the magnet 15 compared with the body 11 ensures that the magnet 15 is held in spaced relation from the pipe, while the curved exterior surface of the body 11 enables the body 11 to ride or skid easily over any obstructions, such as a dislocated joint between neighbouring pipe sections (not shown), without snagging at the obstruction. As the body 11 and thus the magnet 15 is moved along the pipe, any magnetic material disposed therein becomes attracted to the magnet 15 and can be drawn out therefrom as the operator pulls on the rod 19 to return the body 11.

Referring to figures 3 and 4 of the drawings, there is illustrated a tool 100 for removing debris from within a pipe according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The tool 100 of the second embodiment is substantially the same as the tool 10 of the first embodiment and so like features have been referenced using the same numerals, but increased by 100. However, the tool 100 of the second embodiment comprises a different means of conveying the body 111 and magnet 115 along the pipe (not shown).

In the embodiment illustrated in figures 3 and 4 of the drawings, the conveyancing means comprises a nozzle 130 which is arranged to receive fluid, such as water, from a pressurised fluid source 140 and eject the fluid as a series of jets (shown as arrows) to propel the body 111 along the pipe (not shown). The nozzle 130 comprises a substantially cylindrical housing 131 which is arranged to directly couple at a first end thereof with the threaded bar 116a associated with the tool body 111. In this respect, the nozzle housing 131 may comprise an internally threaded bore 132 formed therein for receiving at least a portion of the threaded bar 116a. A second end of the nozzle 130 comprises an adapter 133 for fluidly coupling the nozzle 130 and in particular a fluid channel 134 formed therein with the source of fluid 140, via a conduit, such as a hose 135.

The fluid channel 134 comprises an inlet 136 located at a central portion of the second end of the nozzle housing 131 for receiving fluid into the channel 134. The inlet 136 is arranged in fluid communication with an annular channel 134 which extends around the inlet 136 and comprises a plurality of channel outlets 137 angularly separated around the inlet 136 at the second end of the nozzle housing 131. The outlets 137 are arranged to eject the fluid rearwardly of the nozzle 130 to propel the nozzle 130 and thus the body 111 forwardly along the pipe (not shown).

In use, the operator detachably couples the body 111 and thus the magnet 115 to the nozzle 130 using the threaded bar 116a and internally threaded bore 132 formed within the nozzle 130. The operator subsequently couples a first end of the hose 135 to the inlet 136 to the nozzle 130 and a second end of the hose 135 to a source of pressurised fluid 140. The tool body 111 is then placed within the pipe and the fluid is permitted to pass from the pressurised source 140 to the nozzle 130, whereupon the fluid is ejected rearwardly of the nozzle 130 and acts to propel the nozzle 130 and thus the body 111 along the pipe (not shown).

As the body 111 and thus the magnet 115 is propelled along the pipe, any magnetic material disposed therein becomes attracted to the magnet 115. The debris can subsequently be removed from the pipe (not shown) by discontinuing the supply of fluid to the nozzle 130 and pulling on the hose 135 to retrieve the body 111.

Various modifications to the principles described above would suggest themselves to the skilled person. For example,

Claims

1. A tool for removing debris from within a pipe, the tool comprising a body having a substantially ellipsoidal shape, a magnet disposed at a first end of the body for attracting magnetisable debris within the pipe and coupling means disposed at a second end of the body, which is substantially opposite the first end, for coupling the body with conveyancing means for conveying the body along a pipe.

2. A tool according to claim 1, wherein the body comprises a first and second planar surface formed at the first and second end thereof, respectively.

3. A tool according to claim 2, wherein the first and second planar surfaces are substantially parallel surfaces.

4. A tool according to any preceding claim wherein a portion of the magnet extends within a recess formed within the body and a portion of the magnet extends outwardly of the recess away from the body.

5. A tool according to any preceding claim, wherein the magnet extends along an axis of the body.

6. A tool according to any preceding claim, wherein the body comprises a larger cross-sectional area than the magnet.

7. A tool according to any preceding claim, wherein the coupling means comprises a threaded bar which extends outwardly of the body, away from the body.

8. A tool according to claim 7, wherein the threaded bar comprises a bolt which is passed through a channel which extends along the magnet and the body, from the first end of the body, such that a distal portion of the bolt extends out from the channel at the second end of the body.

9. A tool according to any preceding claim, further comprising conveyancing means for conveying the body along a pipe.

10. A tool according to claim 9, wherein the conveyancing means comprises a fluid nozzle which is arranged to couple at one end with the coupling means, and at the other end with a source of fluid for jetting fluid therefrom within a pipe.

11. A tool according to claim 10, wherein the nozzle is arranged to direct fluid away from the body to propel the body forwardly along the pipe.

12. A tool according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the nozzle comprises a plurality of outlets for ejecting fluid therefrom.

13. A tool according to any of claims 10 to 12, wherein the conveyancing means further comprises a hose for fluidly coupling the nozzle with a source of fluid.

14. A tool according to claim 9, wherein the conveyancing means comprises at least one elongate handle or rod.

15. A tool according to claim 14, further comprising an adapter which is arranged to couple with the coupling means and the handle or rod, for coupling the handle or rod with the body.

16. A tool substantially as herein described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.