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:
Dec. 23, 1997
Filed:
Dec. 27, 1996
William Jack Rankin, Sapulpa, OK (US);
TDW Delaware, Inc., Wilmington, DE (US);
Abstract
A cleaning device for passing through a pipeline for removal of ferro-magnetic debris includes an elongated body having at least two spaced apart elastomeric cups that fit within a pipeline to be cleaned, the cups supporting the body so that its elongational axis is substantially co-axial with the pipeline cylindrical wall. A carrier is supported by the body and has a peripheral surface spaced adjacent to the pipeline internal wall. At least one permanent magnet is supported by the carrier peripheral surface and adjacent to the pipeline internal wall. A structure is provided to maintain the magnet oriented in the direction of, or parallel to, and adjacent the pipeline internal wall bottom portion so that the magnet attracts and retains ferro-magnetic debris. In one embodiment the carrier is free to rotate about the elongated body so that if the cleaning device rotates as it moves through a pipeline the magnet or magnets carried thereby are always positioned adjacent the pipeline bottom interior surface. In another embodiment, the carrier is fixed to the cleaning device body. A weight is attached to the body to prevent the cleaning device from rotating and to thereby maintain the peripheral surface of the carrier having the magnet therein adjacent the pipeline interior bottom.