Patents by Inventor Alwin Sigel

Alwin Sigel has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6101951
    Abstract: A robot for the repair of sewer pipes comprises a carriage unit driven by a traction motor (2) arranged internally of a carriage housing (1) with wheels (7,9). The carriage housing (1) is connected to a rotary head (15) arranged immediately before the carriage housing (1). The rotary head (15), having tools and/or inspection devices mounted thereon, is driven by rotary motor (22). The traction motor (2) and the rotary motor (22) are arranged in a mutually overlapping relationship. The rotary head (15) is connected to a hollow shaft (23) extending through the whole carriage housing (1). The rotary head (15) is adapted for attachment of a robot arm carrying a tool support. A swivel arm of the robot arm as well as the tool support can be swiveled by hydraulic cylinders. The end of the robot arm facing away from the rotary head (15) is provided with a support wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: Scheiff GmbH
    Inventor: Alwin Sigel
  • Patent number: 5674030
    Abstract: The invention involves a device and a process which can be employed for sealing building branch lines (3b) leading from a building or a collecting manhole directly to a sewer main (4) using a relining process in which liners (1) made of self-hardening/self-curing sealant are used. In the process according to the invention, a pipe repairing machine (6) is employed which features a rope guiding device (10) at its front end (14), said rope guiding device (10) being comprised of a roller mount (15) to which a deflection pulley (5) and a retaining roller (16) are affixed. The pipe repairing machine (6) into whose rope guiding device (10) the rope (7) to which the liner (1) is attached is threaded is positioned inside the sewer main (4) at the building branch line junction (2) in such a manner that the rope (7) does not come into contact with the building branch line edge (9) facing the pipe repairing machine (6) when taut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1997
    Assignee: Sika Equipment AG.
    Inventor: Alwin Sigel
  • Patent number: 5423352
    Abstract: The new, remote-controlled installation of sheathing into inaccessible manifolds and junctions from subsidiary into main piping makes it possible to repair damaged intersections cheaply, rapidly and reliably, without the intersection having to be exposed by excavation. An application device (1), which is installed on a pipe-repairing machine, makes insertion of a lost sheathing (4) into the subsidiary piping (8) possible. The cavity (12) which comes about in this way between the sheathing (4) and the damaged part is subsequently sprayed with specially suited sealing mass by means of a high-pressure nozzle (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 13, 1995
    Assignee: Sika Robotics AG
    Inventor: Alwin Sigel
  • Patent number: 5409143
    Abstract: The object of the invention is a container (1) especially for chemical substances consisting of a substance chamber (2) of tubular plastic film (10) and a funnel-shaped headpiece (3). The film consists of low-density and the headpiece of high-density plastic. The tubular plastic film (10) is secured in the headpiece (3) by pressing. The headpiece (3) may be divided into a plate-shaped (4) and a tubular (5) section. On the side towards the substance chamber, the plate-shaped section (4) has an annular groove. The plastic film (10) is pressed into place by a securing ring with a U-shaped cross-section which can be pressed into the annular groove. A snap mechanism holds the securing ring firmly in the groove. The tubular plastic film (10) is firmly pressed between the securing ring and the groove walls. The container (1) can be closed at the rear by a suitable closure device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 25, 1995
    Assignee: Sika Robotics AG
    Inventors: Alwin Sigel, Walter Schibli
  • Patent number: 5285817
    Abstract: The new, remote-controlled installation of sheathing into inaccessible manifolds and junctions from subsidiary into main piping makes it possible to repair damaged intersections cheaply, rapidly and reliably, without the intersection having to be exposed by excavation. An application device (1), which is installed on a pipe-repairing machine, makes insertion of a lost sheathing (4) into the subsidiary piping (8) possible. The cavity (12) which comes about in this way between the sheathing (4) and the damaged part is subsequently sprayed with specially suited sealing mass by means of a high-pressure nozzle (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 15, 1994
    Assignee: Sika Robotics
    Inventor: Alwin Sigel
  • Patent number: 5054187
    Abstract: This invention is a new method and at the same time a new piece of equipment for the renovation of damaged pipelines in which formation of fragments has come about or the pipelines have partly been completely destroyed. The machine can be fitted to a channel renovation robot or to a conventional luge and can be remote controlled with television support. With the machine, which has a simple locking mechanism (4), a metal sheathing (11) is inserted into the interior of the pipe. The sheathing is ejected there in order to repair a damaged point or a missing piece of pipe, whereupon a sealing mass is pressed onto the outside through holes in the sheathing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1991
    Assignee: Sika Robotics AG
    Inventor: Alwin Sigel
  • Patent number: 4785512
    Abstract: The invention in question is a repairing machine, which is suited to repairing damaged conduits which are inaccessible for repair work. This repairing machine is remote-controlled and monitored with television cameras. At the head of the driving carriage, various devices, which are necessary for the repairs, can be attached to a motor-driven rotatable toolhead. A simple construction of the movable head has made it possible to accomplish all of the necessary movements with uncomplicated mechanics, and at the same time, to forego a tedious slide coupling for the control lines without letting them get tangled with the device. Therefore, with this invention, the production costs for the whole device could be lowered and, likewise, the proneness to repairs could be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1988
    Inventor: Alwin Sigel
  • Patent number: 4112850
    Abstract: Conveyor apparatus for checking the interior of a pipeline. The apparatus includes two chassis sections, one of which is adapted to drive the apparatus, and the other of which is driven. A pair of endless belts connects both of the chassis sections and are maintained in contact with the interior wall of the pipeline. The spacing between the portions of the belts in contact with the wall may be adjusted to the width of the pipeline. A swivel plate is provided to adjust the spacing between rollers which urge the belts into contact with the wall. The swivel plates and chassis sections are spring-biased to adjust the slight variations in pipeline diameter and are adjustable for different pipeline diameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1977
    Date of Patent: September 12, 1978
    Inventor: Alwin Sigel-Gfeller