Process and device for inspecting and/or servicing and repairing subsidiary canals branching off from a main drain

• US 5,571,977 A
• Filed: 03/07/1995
• Issued: 11/05/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jens-Werner Kipp
• Original Assignee: Jens-Werner Kipp
• Inventors: Kipp, Jens-Werner
• Primary Examiner(s): RAEVIS, ROBERT R
• Application Number:
  US08/397,201
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 73/865.8, 73/623, 348/84, 15/104.061, 15/104.31, 324/220, 324/221
• US Class Current: 73/865.8
• CPC Class Codes: E03F 7/12 Installations enabling inspection personnel to drive along sewer canals
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 2101/30 Inspecting, measuring or testing
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 55/265 specially adapted for work at or near a junction between a main and a lateral pipe
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 55/28 Constructional aspects
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 55/48 Indicating the position of the pig or mole in the pipe or conduit
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 7/06 of cavities, e.g. tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/005 using pigs or moles G01M3/246, G01M3/2823 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/38 by using light G01M3/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/12 operating with electromagnetic waves operating with millimetre waves G01V8/005
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 37/005 Photographing internal surfaces, e.g. of pipe, G03B37/02 - G03B37/06 take precedence; instruments for performing medical examinations of cavities or tubes of the body by photographic inspection A61B1/00

Abstract

A process is disclosed for inspecting subsidiary canals that branch off from a main drain. A camera probe (24) is deflected from the main drain pipe (10) into the branching off subsidiary, canal pipe (12) by means of a deflecting frame (22; 76; 96). The process is characterized by a propulsion by reaction of the camera probe (24), a fluid under pressure being supplied to reaction jets (34; 90) mounted on the camera probe so as to drive the latter into the subsidiary canal pipe (12).

Claims

1. A device for inspecting subsidiary canals which branch off from a main drain where a camera probe (24) is deflected from the main drain pipe (10) with a deflecting frame (22;

76;

96) into the branching off subsidiary canal pipe (12), characterized in that the camera probe (24) is driven forward in the subsidiary canal pipe (12) by propulsion, by supplying a pressure medium to reaction jets (34;

90) mounted on the camera probe, said device including a camera probe (24) and a deflecting frame (22;

76;

96) which can be held in position in the main drain pipe (12) for deflecting the camera probe into the subsidiary canal, characterized in that the camera probe (24) is provided with reaction jets (34;

90) and is connected to a hose (36) for supplying a pressure medium to the reaction jets, wherein the reaction jets (34) are contrived on a rim (32) which encircles the periphery of the camera probe (24) at a distance from its front end, and are oriented outwards at an angle in relation to the axis of the canal probe (24).

2. The device of claims 1, characterized in that the rear end of a hose (36) connected to the camera probe (24) is connected to another jet (104) to generate additional propulsion, which is itself connected to a hose (106) for supplying the pressure medium and which only responds when the pressure medium reaches a certain minimum pressure.

3. The device of claim 1, characterized in that the deflecting frame (96) is formed by a cylindrical block (98) to the rear end of which a push rod (100) is eccentrically fixed, and whose rear end forms a tapered deflecting surface (102) for the camera probe (24).

4. A device in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the location finder (234) is integrated in the camera probe (210).

5. The device of claim 4, characterized in that the location finder (234) is accommodated in the camera housing (222).

6. The device of claim 4, characterized in that the location finder is mounted on or in a camera slide which accommodates the actual camera housing.

7. A device in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the location finder (234) and the camera electronics (228) are connected via a camera cable (236) to a common power source.

8. A device for inspecting subsidiary canals which branch off from a main drain where a camera probe (24) is deflected from the main drain pipe (10) with a deflecting frame (22;

76;

96) into the branching off subsidiary canal pipe (12), characterized in that the camera probe (24) is driven forward in the subsidiary canal pipe (12) by propulsion, by supplying a pressure medium to reaction jets (34;

90) mounted on the camera probe, said device including a camera probe (24) and a deflecting frame (22;

76;

96) which can be held in position in the main drain pipe (12) for deflecting the camera probe into the subsidiary canal, characterized in that the camera probe (24) is provided with reaction jets (34;

90) and is connected to a hose (36) for supplying a pressure medium to the reaction jets, wherein a camera cable (40) connected to the camera probe (24) is integrated in the hose (36).

9. The device of claim 8, characterized in that the deflecting frame has a pipe-shaped mount (26) for accommodating the camera probe (24), which is pivotably fixed to a main drain probe (14;

78 ).

10. The device of claim 9, characterized in that the main drain probe (78) is a basket-like essentially cylindrical frame to whose front end the mount (26) is pivotably fixed with hinge (84) and which is provided with guide eyelets (88) disposed radially beyond the hinge (84) for a draw rope (86) for pivoting the mount.

11. The device of claim 9, characterized by at least one guide roller (42) for the hose (36) disposed on the mount (26) or on the main drain probe (14;

76).

12. The device of claim 9, characterized by a guide element (54) which is pivotable in relation to the main drain probe (14) for deflecting a rinsing hose (52) which can be introduced into the subsidiary canal pipe (12) independently of the camera probe (24).

13. The device of claim 12, characterized in that the guide element (54) is a guide channel fixed to the mount (26).

14. The device of claim 9, characterized in that a drive mechanism with at least one set of drive rollers (44;

48) for driving the hose (36) and or rinsing hose (52) is provided on the main drain probe (14).

15. The device of claim 9, further including drive rollers characterized in that the mount (26) and the associated pivot drive mechanism (30) and the drive rollers (44,48) are mounted on a shaft (16) running parallel to the axis of the main drain pipe (10), which can be rotated around its axis relative to the main drain probe (14) by a drive motor (18).

16. The device of claims 9, characterized in that the main drain probe (14) is provided with roller feet (58) projecting radially in a star shape, whose free ends rest with driveable sets of rollers (60) against the inside surface of the main drain pipe (10).