Pipes and tubular conduits – With closures and plugs
Reexamination Certificate
2002-04-30
2004-09-14
Brinson, Patrick (Department: 3752)
Pipes and tubular conduits
With closures and plugs
C138S09600T, C285S015000, C220S324000, C220S263000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06789578
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to pipeline closures, and particularly to clamp-type closures that are designed for pigging subsea petroleum pipelines.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Petroleum products flowing through pipelines deposit silt, mud, and foreign material on the walls of the pipe, much like fatty deposits within arteries. Debris traveling through oil pipelines has a tendency to accumulate on the pipe wall, which accordingly reduces the flow area and efficiency of the pipeline. Further, water and other liquids settle in low points of gas pipelines, forming similar obstructions to the flow of fluid through the line. To clean, or flush-out, the pipeline it is common practice within the petroleum industry to insert a “pig” into the pipeline. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,125,116; 3,218,660; 3,246,355; and 3,473,550, disclose various devices for launching and receiving pigs in pipelines. The pig may be moved through the pipeline to push any foreign debris that may be obstructing the flow through the line. This foreign material is either removed at the end of the pipeline, or ejected somewhere along the path of the pipeline.
To obtain access to pipeline, a closure device may be used at an opening of the pipeline. Referring to
FIGS. 1A-1B
, a standard closure device
10
according to the prior art is illustrated. The standard closure device
10
includes a door
12
, a clamp
20
, and a mounting hub
30
. In
FIG. 1A
, a frontal view shows the door
12
pivoted adjacent the open clamp
20
. In
FIG. 1B
, a side view shows the closure device
10
in a locked down or closed position by solid line and in an open position by dotted line. The door
12
includes a blind hub
14
with a flange
16
. The door
12
attaches to the clamp
20
by a hinge
18
. The clamp
20
includes first and second clamp segments
22
a
and
22
b
, which are locked or retracted with a plurality of threaded rods
24
and nuts
26
. The clamp segments
22
a
and
22
b
are supported on slide rods
28
a
and
28
b
. The mounting hub
30
includes a flange
32
and an opening
34
. The opening
34
provides access to a pipeline (not shown). In the closed position shown in
FIG. 1A
, the flange
16
of the blind
14
and the flange
32
of the mounting hub
30
are held together within grooves
23
in the locked clamp segments
22
a
and
22
b.
To open the standard closure
10
, the nuts
28
are loosened to retract the clamp segments
22
a
and
22
b
from one another. The hinged door
12
is pivoted to move the blind hub
14
away from the mounting hub
30
and to provide fast, easy access to the opening
32
. A safety interlock system (not shown) may prevent opening when the closure
10
is pressurized. Only one operator is required for a quick open/close. The standard closure device
10
utilizes a high-pressure metal-to-metal seal to provide a positive, leak proof seal in applications such as pig launchers and receivers, filters, strainers, reactors, or pressure vessels.
In many adverse environments and/or locations, such as flow lines at subsea oil or gas wellheads, pigging a line may expose divers to extreme danger, that is of course if the depth even allows a diver to be present. The expense and the inherent dangers to life that are associated with diver-assisted pipeline operations prevent many subsea pipelines from being flushed and cleaned. The current invention is directed to a remotely operated closure device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One aspect of the present invention provides a closure device. The closure device includes a first mechanism moving a first hub into relation with a second hub attached to a conduit to close access to the conduit or moving the first hub out of relation with the second hub to open access to the conduit. The closure device includes a second mechanism retaining the first hub in sealed engagement with the second hub or releasing the first hub from sealed engagement with the second hub. The closure device includes a third mechanism simultaneously actuating the first mechanism and the second mechanism.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a remotely operable closure, including a base hub, a clamping mechanism, a drive mechanism, and a closure mechanism. The base hub allows access to a conduit. The clamping mechanism is disposed about the base hub and is actuatable to clamp or unclamp about the base hub and a blind hub. The drive mechanism is remotely operable to actuate the clamping mechanism. the closure mechanism is actuatable with the clamping mechanism to move the blind hub into or out of engagement with the base hub.
Yet another aspect of the present invention provides a method for remotely operating a closure. The method includes the steps of: actuating a single mechanism with a first operation; moving a first hub into relation with a second hub to close access to the closure with the first operation; clamping the first hub in sealed engagement with the second hub with the first operation; actuating the single mechanism with a second operation; unclamping the first hub from sealed engagement with the second hub with the second operation; and moving the first hub out of relation with the second hub to open access to the closure with the second operation.
The foregoing summary is not intended to summarize each potential embodiment of every aspect of the invention disclosed herein, but merely to summarize the appended claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2707575 (1955-05-01), Wheatley
patent: 3672403 (1972-06-01), Wilson et al.
patent: 3997197 (1976-12-01), Marsh et al.
patent: 4014367 (1977-03-01), Milo
patent: 4133558 (1979-01-01), Ahlstone
patent: 4153278 (1979-05-01), Ahlstone
patent: 4351446 (1982-09-01), Madden
patent: 4477105 (1984-10-01), Wittman et al.
patent: 4688632 (1987-08-01), Cooley, Jr.
patent: 4707323 (1987-11-01), Vowell
patent: 4730853 (1988-03-01), Gjessing
patent: 5368342 (1994-11-01), Latham et al.
patent: 5412981 (1995-05-01), Myers et al.
patent: 5640999 (1997-06-01), Wood
patent: 6003558 (1999-12-01), Neto et al.
patent: 6070912 (2000-06-01), Latham
patent: 6305720 (2001-10-01), Spiering et al.
patent: 6363973 (2002-04-01), Fiebig
patent: 6568554 (2003-05-01), Booth et al.
“GrayLoc: Remotely Operated Connections, Quick Disconnect Connections,” Bulletin 66-2, Gray Tool Company, undated, p. 1-5.
“General Product Specification: Collet Connector,” No. 11-891219 by HydroTech Systems, 1975, p. 1-3 and Figures 1-2.
“BIMS Proposal to Supply Subsea Connection Systems for the Kerr-McGee Oil and Gas Corporation,” Product Description Section 3, Big Inch, Mar. 2000, p. 2-25.
Latham Raymond E.
Pasztor Gyula
Brinson Patrick
Howrey LLP
Reflange, Inc.
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