Cup for use on a pipeline

• US 5,295,279 A
• Filed: 01/13/1993
• Issued: 03/22/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TDW Delaware Incorporated
• Original Assignee: TDW Delaware Incorporated
• Inventors: Cooper, Andrew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): ROBERTS JR, EDWARD
• Application Number:
  US07/975,638
• Time in Patent Office: 433 Days
• Field of Search: 15/104.061, 15/104.062, 15/104.063, 15/3.5, 15/3.51, 166/121, 166/153, 166/170, 166/202, 33/302, 33/544.3, 73/865.8
• US Class Current: 15/104.061
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/0557 Pigs with rings shaped cleaning members, e.g. cup shaped pigs

Abstract

An improved cup for use on pipeline pigs is formed of a unitary material, such as urethane, the cup having a forward end, a rearward end and a central axis and with an integral flange portion providing means for securing the cup to a pipeline pig, the cup having an intermediate portion extending rearwardly from the flange portion, the intermediate portion having an interior frustro-conical surface and an exterior frustro-conical surface and the cup having a rearward portion, the external surface of the rearward portion curving in an arc to a generally cylindrical configuration. The cup preferably has a plurality of slits formed in the rearward portion, each of the slits being in the plane of the cup central axis and most preferably includes V-shaped grooves in the cup rearward portion external and/or internal surfaces, the grooves being of V-shaped configuration. The provision of the rounded exterior surface of the cup reduces the likelihood of the cup catching on obstructions within the pipeline and the provision of the slits and grooves functioning to increase flexibility of the cup allowing it to more readily deflect inwardly when obstructions in a pipeline interior wall are encountered.

Claims

1. An improved cup for use on pipeline pigs, such as a caliper pig or the like in which a pig body having one or more cups thereon is moved through the interior of a pipeline, the improved cup comprising:

a unitary cup of resilient material having a central axis and having a forward end and a rearward end;

the cup having at said forward end an integral radially extending circumferential flange portion with an axial opening therethrough, the flange portion providing means of securing the cup on a pipeline pig;

the cup having rearwardly of said flange portion, an integral intermediate portion of generally frustro-conical configuration with an interior frustro-conical surfaces and an exterior frustro-conical surface, the interior and exterior frustro-conical surfaces of said intermediate portion diverge away from each other in the direction towards said cup rearward end, the cup intermediate portion being thereby thicker towards said rearward end; and

the cup having a rearward portion of increased diameter adjacent said rearward end, the rearward portion having an external surface and an internal surface, the internal surface merging with said intermediate portion interior frustro-conical surface, and the external surface taken in planes of said central axis arching from said intermediate portion external frustro-conical surface to substantially a cylindrical surface at said rearward end.

2. An improved cup for pipeline pigs according to claim 1 wherein said rearward portion internal surface and said intermediate portion interior surface form a common frustro-conical surface interiorly of the cup.

3. An improved cup for pipeline pigs according to claim 1 wherein said cup rearward portion has a plurality of spaced apart slits therein, each slit being at least substantially in a plane of said cup central axis.

4. An improved cup for pipeline pigs according to claim 1 wherein said cup rearward portion has a plurality of spaced apart grooves formed in said rearward portion external surface.

5. An improved cup for pipeline pigs according to claim 4 wherein each said groove is of substantially V-shaped configuration taken in planes perpendicular to said cup central axis.

6. An improved cup for pipeline pigs according to claim 1 wherein said cup rearward portion has a plurality of spaced apart slits therein, each slit being at least substantially in a plane of said cup central axis and wherein said cup has a groove therein coincident with each said slit.

7. An improved cup for pipeline pigs according to claim 6 wherein each said groove is of substantially V-shaped configuration taken in planes perpendicular to said cup central axis.

8. An improved cup for pipeline pigs according to claim 6 wherein said grooves are in said cup rearward portion exterior surface.

9. An improved cup for pipeline pigs according to claim 6 wherein said grooves are in said cup rearward portion interior surface.

10. An improved cup for pipeline pigs according to claim 6 wherein each said grooves are in said cup rearward portion in both said interior and said exterior surfaces.

11. An improved cup for use on pipeline pigs, such as a caliper pig or the like in which a pig body having one or more cups thereon is moved through the interior of a pipeline, the improved cup comprising:

a unitary cup of resilient material having a central axis and having a forward end and a rearward end;

the cup having at said forward end an integral radially extending circumferential flange portion with an axial opening therethrough, the flange portion providing means of securing the cup on a pipeline pig;

the cup having rearwardly of said flange portion, an integral intermediate portion of generally frustro-conical configuration with an interior frustro-conical surface and an exterior frustro-conical surface; and

the cup having a rearward portion of increased diameter adjacent said rearward end, the rearward portion having an external surface and an internal surface, the internal surface merging with said intermediate portion interior frustro-conical surface, and the external surface taken in planes of said central axis arching from said intermediate portion external frustro-conical surface to substantially a cylindrical surface at said rearward end, said cup rearward portion having a plurality of spaced apart slits therein, each slit being at least substantially in a plane of said cup central axis.

12. An improved cup for use on pipeline pigs, such as a caliper pig or the like in which a pig body having one or more cups thereon is moved through the interior of a pipeline, the improved cup comprising:

a unitary cup of resilient material having a central axis and having a forward end and a rearward end;

the cup having at said forward end an integral radially extending circumferential flange portion with an axial opening therethrough, the flange portion providing means of securing the cup on a pipeline pig;

the cup having rearwardly of said flange portion, an integral intermediate portion of generally frustro-conical configuration with an interior frustro-conical surface and an exterior frustro-conical surface; and

the cup having a rearward portion of increased diameter adjacent said rearward end, the rearward portion having an external surface and an internal surface, the internal surface merging with said intermediate portion interior frustro-conical surface, and the external surface taken in planes of said central axis arching from said intermediate portion external frustro-conical surface to substantially a cylindrical surface at said rearward end, said cup rearward portion having a plurality of spaced apart grooves formed in said rearward portion external surface.

13. An improved cup for pipeline pigs according to claim 12 wherein each said groove is of substantially V-shaped configuration taken in planes perpendicular to said cup central axis.

14. An improved cup for use on pipeline pigs, such as a caliper pig or the like in which a pig body having one or more cups thereon is moved through the interior of a pipeline, the improved cup comprising:

a unitary cup of resilient material having a central axis and having a forward end and a rearward end;

the cup having at said forward end an integral radially extending circumferential flange portion with an axial opening therethrough, the flange portion providing means of securing the cup on a pipeline pig;

the cup having rearwardly of said flange portion, an integral intermediate portion of generally frustro-conical configuration with an interior frustro-conical surface and an exterior frustro-conical surface; and

the cup having a rearward portion of increased diameter adjacent said rearward end, the rearward portion having an external surface and an internal surface, the internal surface merging with said intermediate portion interior frustro-conical surface, and the external surface taken in planes of said central axis arching from said intermediate portion external frustro-conical surface to substantially a cylindrical surface at said rearward end, wherein said cup rearward portion has a plurality of spaced apart slits therein, each slit being at least substantially in a plane of said cup central axis and wherein said cup has a groove therein coincident with each said slit.

15. An improved cup for pipeline pigs according to claim 14 wherein each said groove is of substantially V-shaped configuration taken in planes perpendicular to said cup central axis.

16. An improved cup for pipeline pigs according to claim 14 wherein said grooves are in said cup rearward portion exterior surface.

17. An improved cup for pipeline pigs according to claim 14 wherein said grooves are in said cup rearward portion interior surface.

18. An improved cup for pipeline pigs according to claim 14 wherein each said grooves are in said cup rearward portion in both said interior and said exterior surfaces.