Gas diversion device and method for pipe repair therewith

• US 8,695,619 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2011
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Atmos Energy Corporation
• Original Assignee: Atmos Energy Corporation
• Inventors: Kissinger, Richard L.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, KEVIN L
• Application Number:
  US13/304,133
• Publication Number:
  US 20120125457A1
• Time in Patent Office: 874 Days
• Field of Search: 137/1, 137/15.03, 137/15.08, 137/561.A, 137/315.01, 138/97, 285/132.1, 285/131.1
• US Class Current: 137/15.08
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 55/132 the closure device being a plug fixed by radially deforming the packing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0441 Repairing, securing, replacing, or servicing pipe joint, valve, or tank
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/598 With repair, tapping, assembly, or disassembly means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/85938 Non-valved flow dividers

Abstract

A gas diversion device includes a compression coupling having a gasket disposed therein, and a first straight pipe section coupled to the compression coupling. The device further includes a Y-pipe coupled to the first straight pipe section and an electrically conductive pipe. The device further includes a threaded cap having a hole therethrough. The compression coupling is placed over an open end of a broken gas pipe service riser and the first straight pipe section receives a portion of the gas pipe service riser therein. The threaded cap receives an expansion plug tool through the first hole, and the Y-pipe and the first straight pipe slideably receive a portion of the expansion plug tool therein. The expansion plug tool further includes an expansion plug coupled thereto to facilitate positioning of the expansion plug within the open end of the gas pipe service riser.

Claims

1. A gas diversion device comprising:

a compression coupling having a first gasket disposed therein;

a first straight pipe section having a first open end and a second open end, the first open end being coupled to the compression coupling;

a Y-pipe having a first Y-pipe portion including a first Y-pipe open end and a second Y-pipe open end, the first Y-pipe open end being coupled to the second open end of the first straight pipe section, the Y-pipe further including a second Y-pipe portion having a second Y-pipe portion open end;

an electrically conductive pipe having a first end coupled to the second Y-pipe portion open end;

a slip to thread male adaptor coupled to the second Y-pipe open end, the slip to thread adaptor having a first threaded portion; and

a threaded cap threadably coupled to the first threaded portion and having a first hole therethrough;

wherein the compression coupling is adapted to be placed over an open end of a gas pipe service riser and wherein the first straight pipe section is adapted to receive a portion of the gas pipe service riser therein; and

wherein the threaded cap is adapted to receive an expansion plug tool through the first hole and wherein the first Y-pipe portion and the first straight pipe portion are adapted to slideably receive a portion of the expansion plug tool therein, the expansion plug tool further including an expansion plug coupled thereto to facilitate positioning of the expansion plug within the open end of the gas pipe service riser.

2. The gas diversion device of claim 1 further comprising:

a female slip adaptor and a second straight pipe section coupled thereto, wherein the slip to thread male adaptor is coupled to the second Y-pipe open end by the female slip adaptor and the second straight pipe section.

3. The gas diversion device of claim 1, wherein the first gasket is selected from a plurality of gaskets, the selected first gasket having an inner diameter corresponding to an outer diameter of the gas pipe service riser.

4. The gas diversion device of claim 1, wherein the first straight pipe section is formed of a substantially transparent material to facilitate positioning of the expansion plug within the open end of the gas pipe service riser.

5. The gas diversion device of claim 1 further comprising:

a ground connection being adapted to provide an electrical connection between the electrically conductive pipe and a ground.

6. The gas diversion device of claim 1 wherein the compression coupling includes:

a female portion;

a compression ring; and

a male portion;

wherein the compressing ring is disposed between first gasket and the female portion and wherein the male portion is threadably coupled to the female portion.

7. A method for diverting gas from a broken gas pipe service riser using a gas diversion device, the gas diversion device having:

a compression coupling;

a first straight pipe section having a first open end and a second open end, the first open end being coupled to the compression coupling;

a Y-pipe having a first Y-pipe portion including a first Y-pipe open end and a second Y-pipe open end, the first Y-pipe open end being coupled to the second open end of the first straight pipe section, the Y-pipe further including a second Y-pipe portion having a second Y-pipe portion open end;

an electrically conductive pipe having a first end coupled to the second Y-pipe portion open end;

a slip to thread male adaptor coupled to the second Y-pipe open end, the slip to thread adaptor having a first threaded portion; and

a threaded cap threadably coupled to the first threaded portion and having a first hole therethrough;

the method comprising;

selecting a first gasket having an inner diameter corresponding to an outer diameter of the broken gas pipe service riser;

disposing the first gasket within the compression ring;

placing the compression coupling over an open end of the broken gas pipe service riser such that the open end of the broken gas pipe service riser passes through the first gasket and the first pipe section receives a portion of the gas pipe service riser therein;

sliding a portion of an expansion plug tool having an expansion plug attached thereto through the first hole, the first Y-pipe portion and the first straight pipe section;

positioning the expansion plug within the open end of the gas pipe service riser; and

detaching the expansion plug from the expansion plug tool.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

removing the gas diversion device from the gas pipe service riser.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

cutting off a portion of the open end of the broken gas pipe service riser above the expansion plug positioned therein.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

threading the open end of the broken gas pipe service riser.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

attaching a valve to a threaded open end of the gas pipe service riser; and

placing the compression coupling over a portion of the valve such that a portion of the valve passes through the first gasket and the first pipe section receives the portion of the valve therein.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

reattaching the expansion plug tool to the expansion plug; and

sliding the expansion plug tool up to remove the expansion plug through the valve and from the open end of the gas pipe service riser.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

closing the valve; and

removing the gas diversion device from the valve.

14. A gas diversion device comprising:

an elongated body having an upper end and a lower end, the body defining an enclosed longitudinal passageway disposed along a longitudinal axis between the upper end and the lower end;

the body further having an upper portion proximate to the upper end and a lower portion proximate to the lower end;

the upper portion including a bifurcated section defining a first path and a second path, the first path constituting a portion of the longitudinal passageway and the second path originating from the longitudinal passageway and extending from the side of the body at an angle to the longitudinal axis;

the lower portion being at least partially formed of a transparent material such that the interior of the longitudinal passageway is visible through the body from the exterior of the body;

a first partial closure removably mountable on the upper end of the body, the first partial closure defining, when mounted on the upper end of the body, a first hole therethrough generally aligned with the longitudinal axis and having a cross-sectional area that is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the longitudinal passageway at the upper end of the body;

a second partial closure mounted on the lower end of the body, the second partial closure defining a second hole therethrough generally aligned with the longitudinal axis and having a cross-sectional area that is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the longitudinal passageway at the lower end of the body; and

an electrically conductive pipe having a first end coupled to the bifurcated section and defining an enclosed passageway disposed along the second path extending away from the body, the enclosed passageway being in fluid communication with the longitudinal passageway of the body.

15. The gas diversion device of claim 14, wherein the first partial closure is configured such that the first hole is large enough to allow the passage of an expansion plug tool from the exterior of the device into the longitudinal passageway, but too small to allow the passage of an expansion plug from the exterior of the device into the longitudinal passage.

16. The gas diversion device of claim 15, wherein the first partial closure is removably mounted to the upper end of the body by means of a threaded connection.

17. The gas diversion device of claim 14, wherein the second partial closure further comprises a flexible annular gasket configured to provide a substantially gas-tight seal around a pipe of a predetermined diameter extending from the exterior of the device into the lower portion of the longitudinal passageway.

18. The gas diversion device of claim 17, wherein the second partial closure includes an upper portion removably connected to a lower portion such that the flexible annular gasket is removably held in position therebetween when the lower portion is connected to the upper portion.

19. The gas diversion device of claim 18, wherein the second partial closure is configured to interchangeably hold any one of a plurality of flexible annular gaskets configured to seal around pipes of different predetermined diameters.

20. The gas diversion device of claim 14, further comprising a ground connection configured provide an electrical connection between the electrically conductive pipe and a ground.