British Gas Plc

Bg Corporation

Derek Stoves

William Edgar Robinson

John E Hatley

Roger W Hawkins

Arthur B Smelt

A steel service pipe is connected to a main by a tee. A flexible assembly is inserted through the open end of the pipe and through the tee into the main. The flexible assembly includes a section of lower stiffness and a ball and socket connection of even lower stiffness at its leading end. The ball is connected to a weight. The weight falls down on entering the tee and creates a turning moment on the assembly. A plastic pipe is inserted through the open end of the pipe over the assembly and is inserted through the tee into the main. The pipe has a corrugated leading end which is more flexible than the remainder of the pipe and has a tapered nose terminating in a cylindrical mouth which enters an aperture in a liner in the main.

Method of installing pipes

Self-centering suspension for in-pipe use

Apparatus for in-pipe use

Apparatus for bending plastic pipe

Gas governor module

A fluid flow control valve has a body enclosing a transfer passageway whose bounding surface is profiled to provide streamline flow conditions. The passageway is constricted by means of a piston-like valve moving transverse to the direction of fluid flow. A profiled shield protects the valve from direct impingement of fluid.

Fluid flow control valves

A sealable pressure vessel 5 has a closure member 8 held on by means of a bayonet fixing member which is movable between two positions while retaining the mechanical linkage between the vessel 5 and the closure member 8 forming a container 1. The bayonet fixing comprises a vessel lug 19 which co-operates with a stepped slot 18 in a locking ring 9 secured to the closure member. In one position of the lug 19 in the slot 18 the closure member is sealed on the vessel and the container is closed to atmosphere while in another position the seal is broken and the container is open to atmosphere. The closure member 8 incorporates a sliding valve 29 which has a spring urged piston 32 carrying a locking pin 33 to lock the lug 19 within the slot 18 when the container is closed to atmosphere. The piston 32 can vent the container to atmosphere when the closure member is sealed to the vessel if the piston 32 is raised since it then connects the interior of the container to atmosphere via a chamber 48 and two ports 49 and 51. Raising the piston 32 disengages the locking pin 33 from the lug 19 so that the closure member 8 can be removed from the vessel 5.

Fluid container with venting means

A regulator installation, for controlling the pressure and/or flow of gas in a gas transmission or distribution system, comprising a compact module (10) having an inlet (32) and an outlet (33) adapted to be fitted in a pipeline (1) and containing within its outer shell (21,22,23) a removable assembly secured by locking means (29,30) and which carries the essential elements (2 to 9 and 43 to 45) of the regulator installation such that the gas flow path from the inlet (32) passes through the elements (2 to 5) to the outlet (33). The shell is provided with a removable cover (23) for gaining access to the control elements (6 to 9 and 43 to 45) and to the locking means (30) for enabling the assembly (31) to be removed for servicing and replacement. FIG. 2 is suggested as the drawing to accompany the Abstract.

Growing community of inventors

Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom

Derek Stoves