PIG AND METHOD FOR CLEANING TUBES
First Claim
1. A pig for cleaning tubes, comprising:
- a hollow body having a circular cross-section in at least one plane perpendicular to an axis of the body, the body having an outer periphery; and
scraping edges forming the outer periphery of the body, wherein the scraping edges are longitudinal edges of a wire.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of cleaning tubing in an operating heater, in which the tubing has an inlet and an outlet. While the heater is in operation, a hollow, metallic and/or tubular mesh pig is run through the tubing from the inlet to the outlet. Cleaning should be done before contaminant has hardened. An improved pipe pig, preferably hollow, metallic and/or made from tubular mesh, has scraping edges made from longitudinal edges of a wire. The tubular mesh may be a knit, weave or may be knotted. The pig is preferably radially expandable up to twice its fully compressed radius, and may have an expander to force it radially outward. The pipe pig is preferably made of a resilient wire having a polygonal cross-section.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. A pig for cleaning tubes, comprising:
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a hollow body having a circular cross-section in at least one plane perpendicular to an axis of the body, the body having an outer periphery; and
scraping edges forming the outer periphery of the body, wherein the scraping edges are longitudinal edges of a wire. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 20)
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8. A pig for cleaning tubes, comprising:
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a body having a circular cross-section in at least one plane perpendicular to an axis of the body, the body having an outer periphery;
scraping edges forming the outer periphery of the body, wherein the scraping edges are longitudinal edges of a tubular mesh made of wire. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A pig for cleaning tubes, comprising:
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a body made entirely from metal and having a circular cross-section in at least one plane perpendicular to an axis of the body, the body having an outer periphery; and
scraping edges forming the outer periphery of the body, wherein the scraping edges are longitudinal edges of a wire. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 21, 22)
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23. A pig for cleaning tubes, comprising:
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a hollow metallic body having a circular cross-section in at least one plane perpendicular to an axis of the body, the body having an outer periphery; and
scraping elements formed on the outer periphery of the body for cleaning tubing, the scraping elements having scraping edges. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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- 26. A method of cleaning tubing, in which the tubing has an inlet and an outlet, the method comprising the step of running a tubular mesh pig having a scraping action through the tubing from the inlet to the outlet, wherein the scraping action is caused by longitudinal edges of one or more wires on the outer periphery of the pig.
- 33. A method of cleaning tubing, in which the tubing has an inlet and an outlet, the method comprising the step of running a pig having a scraping action through the tubing from the inlet to the outlet while the heater is in operation, wherein the scraping action is caused by longitudinal edges of one or more wires on the outer periphery of the pig.
- 38. A method of cleaning tubing with a pig, in which the tubing has an inlet and an outlet, and the tubing has a first section with a first diameter and a second section with a second diameter and the pig is variably expandable for cleaning both the first and second sections, the method comprising the step of running a pig having a scraping action through the tubing from the inlet to the outlet through the first and second sections, wherein the scraping action is caused by longitudinal edges of one or more wires on the outer periphery of the pig.
Specification