Abstract: The invention is a spray coating machine for applying a protective coating to a pipe or pipeline as the machine travels down the pipe. The invention has a two piece yoke which separates at the top and bottom to enable it to be fitted around the pipe. Each of the two pieces of the yoke serve as a track on which a spray gun moves, one spray gun flexibly mounted on each of the two pieces of the yoke. The two spray guns are aimed at the pipe and are moved up and down opposite each other by means of a gear belt driven mechanism. The spray guns are controlled so that they spray during only one direction of travel and are turned off as they travel in the opposite direction.

Abstract: The invention is a spray machine for spraying liquid coating material onto the interior surface of a pipeline. The spray machine is provided with a movable frame which can be rolled on attached wheel assemblies through the pipeline and positioned with its spray gun pointing toward the interior pipe surface. The frame serves as a base to which the other parts of the spray machine attach. The spray gun and an attached hollow gun rotating shaft continuously rotate axially within the pipeline. When the spray gun is properly positioned, the spray gun is mechanically turned on and off by a cable attached to a gun actuating arm which is pivotally mounted on a bracket attached to the gun rotating shaft. The gun actuating arm is provided with a cam follower which travels in a rotating path against a movable cam plate assembly. The cam plate assembly is attached to and moved reardward by pistons of air actuated cylinders.

Abstract: A system for first heating a section of pipe and then wrapping a sheet of heat-shrinkable material around the pipe to cover the section, the heat-shrinkable material having an outer polyethylene side and an inner mastic side which goes against the pipe, the mastic side forming a mechanical bond to the pipe when heated and having a lower melt temperature than the shrink temperature of the material, comprising arranging a plurality of induction coil assemblies in spaced relation around the pipe section, the induction coil assemblies having relatively arcuate induction coils therein, mounting the coils on a rotation fixture to form an arcuate surface adjacent to and parallel with the surface of the pipe, locating a heater assembly on the rotatable fixture between a pair of induction coil assemblies, rotating the rotatable fixture around the pipe section to heat the pipe section to the melt temperature of the mastic, wrapping a sheet of heat-shrinkable material around the pipe to form a sleeve with overlapping en

Abstract: An apparatus and method for heating and coating a section of a pipe comprising a plurality of induction type heaters supported in spaced circumferential relation around the pipe section, the heaters having relatively flat and hollow induction coils therein, the coils of the induction heaters being oriented in a cylindrical surface adjacent to, and parallel with, the surface of the pipe, a coating dispenser mounted between a pair of induction heaters for dispensing a coating material on the surface of the pipe, the heaters and dispenser being rotated as a single assembly around the pipe while simultaneously applying an alternating electric potential to the induction heaters to heat the pipe to a suitable application temperature for a coating material, the coating material being applied to the thus-heated pipe through the dispenser while continuing to rotate the assembly, water being passed through the copper coils to keep them cool during the heating of the pipe.

Abstract: A machine for cleaning the interior uncoated surfaces surrounding the weld joints in an otherwise internally coated pipeline comprising a first plate mounted on the machine and extending transversely across the pipeline when the machine is disposed within the pipeline, a second plate mounted on the machine in spaced parallel relation with the first plate, a first resilient member mounted on the first plate and having a circular periphery for engaging the inner periphery of the pipeline wall, a second resilient member mounted on the second plate and having a circular periphery for engaging the inner periphery of the pipeline wall, the first and second plates with their attached resilient members forming a closed cleaning chamber sealed at its ends with respect to the pipeline, a hollow rotatable hub mounted on the machine and within the cleaning chamber and rotatable on an axis substantially co-axial with the longitudinal central axis of the pipeline, a plurality of hollow tubes extending radially outward from

Abstract: A method and apparatus for centering two concentric cylinders having different diameters is the subject of the present invention. A linear reference line is projected from an illuminating source along the length of the inner cylinder. At the other end of the cylinder is a photo receiver operable to provide a displacement reading related to the amount of light striking the receiver. As the inner cylinder is rotated about its center point, the amount of light striking the photo receiver varies based on the amount of arcuate displacement present at each point of the cylinder. The photo receiver then converts the incoming light into a displacement reading related to the arcuate displacement of the inner cylinder. The readings thus obtained are correlated with the points on the inner cylinder where they occurred to indicate the point and amount of maximum arcuate displacement. Thereafter, the outer cylinder is arcuately displaced a corresponding amount so that it will conform to the inner cylinder exactly.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for centering two concentric cylinders having different diameters is the subject of the present invention. A linear reference line is projected from an illuminating source along the length of the inner cylinder. At the other end of the cylinder is a photo receiver operable to provide a displacement reading related to the amount of light striking the receiver. As the inner cylinder is rotated about its center point, the amount of light striking the photo receiver varies based on the amount of arcuate displacement present at each point of the cylinder. The photo receiver then converts the incoming light into a displacement reading related to the arcuate diplacement of the inner cylinder. The readings thus obtained are correlated with the points on the inner cylinder where they occurred to indicate the point and amount of maximum arcuate displacement. Thereafter, the outer cylinder is arcuately displaced a corresponding amount so that it will conform to the inner cylinder exactly.