Patents by Inventor Richard C. Polivka
Richard C. Polivka 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).
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Patent number: 9453597Abstract: An air inversion and steam cure apparatus for installing a flexible resin impregnated cured in place liner in an existing conduit is provided. The apparatus has a low friction seal between a moving liner and the stationary apparatus gland. The gland is operated and adjusted by displaceable members that move substantially perpendicular to the liner being inverted to engage the moving liner as it passes through the gland. No part of the gland extends into the chamber so that once a pre-shaped gland is adjusted, the pressure on the moving liner is not increased. As the liner reaches the distal end, it enters a sample and porting pipe with an exhaust pipe gland and exhaust pipe and is pierced by a rigid porting tool. Steam is then introduced into the liner to cure the resin and is exhausted through an exhaust hose connected to the porting tool. After cure, steam is replaced with air to cool the liner and the ends are cut to restore service through the existing conduit.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2012Date of Patent: September 27, 2016Assignee: INA Acquisition Corp.Inventors: Charles Delaney, Kurt Schlake, Joseph M Coyne, Richard C. Polivka, Franklin T Driver
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Publication number: 20130263443Abstract: An air inversion and steam cure apparatus for installing a flexible resin impregnated cured in place liner in an existing conduit is provided. The apparatus has a low friction seal between a moving liner and the stationary apparatus gland. The gland is operated and adjusted by displaceable members that move substantially perpendicular to the liner being inverted to engage the moving liner as it passes through the gland. No part of the gland extends into the chamber so that once a pre-shaped gland is adjusted, the pressure on the moving liner is not increased. As the liner reaches the distal end, it enters a sample and porting pipe with an exhaust pipe gland and exhaust pipe and is pierced by a rigid porting tool. Steam is then introduced into the liner to cure the resin and is exhausted through an exhaust hose connected to the porting tool. After cure, steam is replaced with air to cool the liner and the ends are cut to restore service through the existing conduit.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 4, 2012Publication date: October 10, 2013Inventors: Charles Delaney, Steve J. Hirtz, Jeffrey S. Collier, Kurt Schlake, Joseph M. Coyne, Richard C. Polivka, Franklin T. Driver
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Patent number: 8066499Abstract: Installation of a flexible cured in place liner by inverting the liner with air and curing the liner with steam introduced through a perforated lay flat hose without deflating the liner between the inversion and cure. The installation is performed with an apparatus having two independently operable glands with at least one fluid inlet port installed on the line downstream of the second gland liner. As the liner reaches the distal end of the conduit to be lined, it enters a sample and porting pipe with an exhaust pipe gland and exhaust pipe and it is pierced by a rigid porting tool. Steam is then introduced into the lay flat hose to cure the resin and is exhausted through an exhaust hose connected to a controllable exhaust pipe. After curing steam is replaced with air to cool the liner, the ends are cut to restore service through the host pipe.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2006Date of Patent: November 29, 2011Assignee: INA Acquisition Corp.Inventors: Franklin Thomas Driver, Steve J. Hirtz, Richard C. Polivka, James H. Blasczyk, Neil T. Birchler, Kyle M. Costa
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Patent number: 8038913Abstract: Installation of a flexible cured in place liner by inverting the liner with air and curing the liner with steam introduced through a perforated lay flat hose without deflating the liner between the inversion and cure. The installation is performed with an apparatus having two independently operable glands with at least one fluid inlet port installed on the line downstream of the second gland liner. As the liner reaches the distal end of the conduit to be lined, it enters a sample and porting pipe with an exhaust pipe gland and exhaust pipe and it is pierced by a rigid porting tool. Steam is then introduced into the lay flat hose to cure the resin and is exhausted through an exhaust hose connected to a controllable exhaust pipe. After curing steam is replaced with air to cool the liner, the ends are cut to restore service through the host pipe.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2009Date of Patent: October 18, 2011Assignee: INA Acquisition Corp.Inventors: Franklin Thomas Driver, Steve J. Hirtz, Richard C. Polivka, James H. Blasczyk, Neil T. Birchler, Kyle M. Costa
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Patent number: 8015695Abstract: A process and apparatus for internally reinstating a connection in a lined conduit is provided. The connection may be a branch pipe or corporation stop that may or may not protrude into the conduit. It may be milled prior to lining. The process includes the step of locating the connection visually or with a probe, such as all eddy current probe. forming at an opening in the lining at the connection and then installing a T-nut with a sealing gasket facing the liner to hold the liner in place and form a seal between the T-nut and liner and the connection. The apparatus includes a motor coupled to a turntable with drive to install the T-nut and a supply of T-nuts mounted on a slide for loading the T-nuts onto the drive for installation of the T-nuts without having to remove the assembly between each installation.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2007Date of Patent: September 13, 2011Assignee: INA Acquisition Corp.Inventors: Richard C. Polivka, Keith B. Oxner, Stephen B. Heuiser
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Patent number: 7866968Abstract: Installation of a flexible cured in place liner by inverting the liner utilizing an inversion sleeve assembly with an installation apparatus having at least one selectively operable rigid gland. The sleeve assembly includes a sleeve portion of an absorbable material secured in an apparatus with an inversion boot fitted at the distal end with an inlet port for inversion and/or curing fluid. The sleeve assembly and apparatus are particularly well suited for inverting with air and curing the liner with steam introduced through a perforated lay flat hose using an apparatus with two glands. The installation sleeve is the same dimension as the liner to be installed and is reusable thereby substantially reducing the set up time to install using the dual gland apparatus. Preferably, the flexible sleeve is a length of dry cured in place liner inverted on to itself to expose two impregnable surfaces. The sleeve may have a built in fluid inlet port for use with a dual gland apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2007Date of Patent: January 11, 2011Assignee: INA Acquisition Corp.Inventors: Franklin Thomas Driver, Neil T. Birchler, Kyle M. Costa, Richard C. Polivka, Weiping Wang
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Publication number: 20090289451Abstract: A T-nut assembly for reinstating a sealed connection in a lined conduit is provided. The assembly includes a rigid T-nut having a hollow tubular region with an engagement surface at one end and a base with an opening therethrough at the other. The base has a larger diameter than the tubular region. The T-nut includes an integral shoulder around the tubular member at the base and has a larger diameter than the tubular region and less than the base. The outside of the shoulder has a wall extending above the shoulder to form an annular recess at the engagement end. A substantially rigid sealing washer is placed in the annular recess and a compressible gasket is placed on the base about the shoulder.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 19, 2009Publication date: November 26, 2009Applicant: INA Acquisition Corp.Inventors: Keith B. Oxner, Richard C. Polivka, Stephen B. Heuiser, Neil T. Birchler
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Publication number: 20090165927Abstract: Installation of a flexible cured in place liner by inverting the liner with air and curing the liner with steam introduced through a perforated lay flat hose without deflating the liner between the inversion and cure. The installation is performed with an apparatus having two independently operable glands with at least one fluid inlet port installed on the line downstream of the second gland liner. As the liner reaches the distal end of the conduit to be lined, it enters a sample and porting pipe with an exhaust pipe gland and exhaust pipe and it is pierced by a rigid porting tool. Steam is then introduced into the lay flat hose to cure the resin and is exhausted through an exhaust hose connected to a controllable exhaust pipe. After curing steam is replaced with air to cool the liner, the ends are cut to restore service through the host pipe.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 11, 2009Publication date: July 2, 2009Inventors: Franklin Thomas Driver, Steve J. Hirtz, Richard C. Polivka, James H. Blasczyk, Neil T. Birchler, Kyle M. Costa
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Patent number: 6682668Abstract: A process for lining an existing pipeline or conduit with a flexible resin impregnated cured in place liner by pulling in the liner and inflating it with a reusable endless inflation bladder is provided. The liner includes a resin absorbent material in tubular form with an impermeable membrane forming an outer layer. The absorbent material is saturated with a thermoset resin and pulled into the existing conduit. A flexible inflation bladder maintained on a inflation bladder spool is everted into the collapse liner which is then forced against the interior surfaces of the existing conduit, allow to cure and the bladder removed and rewound on the spool. When the everting and curing fluid is hot water, the hot water is removed and stored for reuse as the inflation bladder is withdrawn.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 2000Date of Patent: January 27, 2004Assignee: Insituform (Netherlands) B.V.Inventors: Franklin T. Driver, Charles H. Nance, Richard C. Polivka