The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 25, 1994
Filed:
Apr. 30, 1993
Charles A Long, Jr, Birmingham, AL (US);
Abstract
In a tube eversion apparatus having a chamber in which eversion pressure is produced, that pressure is controllably sealed by providing curtain means communicating with the chamber through which the eversion tube slides and by providing inflatable means, preferably one on each side of the curtain means, which when inflated is caused to press against the curtain means, thereby to press the curtain means against the eversion tube sliding therethrough so as to produce the seal which maintains the eversion pressure in the chamber. A pair of sets of such inflatable means may be mounted on the apparatus one above the other with the individual sets of inflatable means being individually controlled, thus producing not only redundancy of the sealing means but also permitting enlarged or discontinuous portions of the eversion tube assembly to pass through the sealing means without interfering with the seal produced thereby. The inflatable means are mounted on the apparatus in an exposed position, facilitating repair and replacement.