Safety system

• US 8,146,428 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2009
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Total Rebuild Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Terry J. Lavergne
• Inventors: Lavergne, Terry J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Caputo, Lisa
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAVIS HOLLINGTON, OCTAVIA L
• Application Number:
  US12/462,752
• Publication Number:
  US 20100037710A1
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 735/83, 200/83.R
• US Class Current: 73/583
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 3/12 Pressure testing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A safety system for testing high-pressure devices comprising an explosion-proof safety housing; a high-pressure pneumatics testing equipment located within the housing; a closeable access opening in the housing for inserting a high-pressure device for testing within the housing; a device located within the housing for coupling the high-pressure pneumatics testing equipment to the high-pressure device for testing; a control panel located outside the housing; and a device linking the high-pressure pneumatics testing equipment to the control panel for operating the high-pressure pneumatics testing equipment within the safety housing from the control panel.

Claims

1. A safety system for testing high-pressure devices comprising:

an explosion-proof safety housing;

a high-pressure pneumatics testing equipment located within said housing;

a bleed valve coupled to said high-pressure pneumatics testing equipment;

a closeable access opening in said housing for inserting a high-pressure device for testing within said housing;

means within said housing for coupling said high-pressure pneumatics testing equipment to said high-pressure device for testing;

a control panel located remote from said housing; and

means linking said high-pressure pneumatics testing equipment to said control panel for operating said high-pressure pneumatics testing equipment within said safety housing from said control panel.

2. The safety system for testing high-pressure devices as described in claim 1 wherein said means linking said high-pressure pneumatics testing equipment to said control panel includes means for monitoring and recording the operation of said high-pressure pneumatics testing equipment.

3. The safety system for testing high-pressure devices as described in claim 1 further including:

a sensor for sensing that said access opening is closed, said sensor coupled to said bleed valve to activate said bleed valve to prevent pressure buildup in the high-pressure testing equipment if the access opening is not closed.

4. The safety system for testing high-pressure devices as described in claim 3 wherein said sensor for sensing that said access opening is closed is located at said access opening.

5. The safety system for testing high-pressure devices as described in claim 3 wherein said bleed valve includes a spring maintaining said bleed valve in an opened condition to prevent pressure build-up in said high-pressure pneumatics testing equipment and is air operated to actuate said bleed valve to a closed condition to allow pressure build-up in said high-pressure pneumatics testing equipment.

6. The safety system for testing high-pressure devices as described in claim 1 wherein the high-pressure equipment testing device includes a low-pressure pump, an intermediate-pressure pump, and a high-pressure pump to provide sequential increase in the pressure to said high-pressure devices being tested.

7. The safety system for testing high-pressure devices as described in claim 1 wherein said explosion-proof safety housing comprises a stationary housing.

8. The safety system for testing high-pressure devices as described in claim 1 wherein said explosion-proof safety housing comprises a portable housing.

9. The safety system for testing high-pressure devices as described in claim 1 wherein said means linking said high-pressure testing equipment to said control panel comprises reinforced tubing.

10. The safety system for testing high-pressure devices as described in claim 1 wherein said system is pneumatically controlled.

11. A safety system for testing high-pressure devices comprising:

an explosion-proof safety housing;

high-pressure pneumatics testing equipment located within said housing;

a closeable access opening in said housing for inserting a high-pressure device for testing within said housing;

means within said housing for coupling said high-pressure pneumatics testing equipment to said high-pressure device for testing;

a control panel located remote from said housing;

a bleed valve coupled to said high-pressure testing equipment;

a sensor for sensing that said access opening is closed, said sensor coupled to said bleed valve to activate said bleed valve to prevent pressure buildup in the high-pressure testing equipment if the access opening is not closed; and

means linking said high-pressure pneumatics testing equipment to said control panel for operating said high-pressure pneumatics testing equipment within said safety housing from said control panel.

12. The safety system for testing high-pressure devices as described in claim 11 wherein said means linking said high-pressure pneumatics testing equipment to said control panel includes means for monitoring and recording of the operation of said high-pressure pneumatics testing equipment.

13. The safety system for testing high-pressure devices as described in claim 11 wherein said high-pressure equipment testing device includes a low-pressure pump, an intermediate-pressure pump, and a high-pressure pump to provide sequential increase in the pressure to said high-pressure devices being tested.

14. The safety system for testing high-pressure devices as described in claim 11 wherein said explosion-proof safety housing comprises a portable housing.

15. The safety system for testing high-pressure devices as described in claim 11 wherein said bleed valve includes a spring maintaining said bleed valve in an opened condition to prevent pressure build-up in said high-pressure pneumatics testing equipment and is air operated in opposition to said spring to actuate said bleed valve to a closed condition to allow pressure build-up in said high-pressure pneumatics testing equipment.

16. A method for safely testing high-pressure devices comprising the steps of:

providing an explosion-proof safety housing;

placing a low-pressure pump, an intermediate-pressure pump, and a high-pressure pump within said housing to provide sequential increase in the pressure to said testing high-pressure devices;

forming a closeable access opening in said housing;

inserting a high-pressure device for testing within said housing through said access opening;

providing a control panel outside said housing;

coupling said control panel to the testing equipment inside said housing; and

then

operating said high-pressure pneumatics testing equipment from said control panel for testing high-pressure devices.

17. The method for safely testing high-pressure devices as described in claim 16 including the step of monitoring and recording of the operation of said high-pressure pneumatics testing equipment from said control panel.

18. The method for safely testing high-pressure devices as described in claim 16 including the step of:

providing a bleed valve coupled to said high-pressure testing equipment; and

providing a sensor for sensing that said access opening is closed, said sensor coupled to said bleed valve to activate said bleed valve to prevent pressure buildup in the high-pressure testing equipment if the access opening is not closed.

19. The method for safely testing high-pressure devices as described in claim 18 wherein said bleed valve includes a spring maintaining said bleed valve in an opened condition to prevent pressure build-up in said high-pressure pneumatics testing equipment and is air operated to actuate said bleed valve to a closed condition to allow pressure build-up in said high-pressure pneumatics testing equipment.