JP7610048B2 - Method for Removing Fluid Tubes - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a flow control device in which a fluid is continuously controlled within a housing that seals a fluid pipe, and a method for installing the flow control device.

Conventionally, when a failure such as leakage occurs in a part of a pipeline component that constitutes a flow path, a plug device (fluid control) is installed in the piping around the failed component in a continuous flow state as necessary, water is stopped downstream of the plug device, and the distribution branch pipe or the downstream branch pipe is repaired, or a switching valve (fluid control) is installed in a continuous flow state and a bypass route is temporarily set up to bypass the flow path via the switching valve, and the flow path surrounding the failed component is cut off to a minimum extent, and the component is repaired or replaced (for example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2).

The switching valve also uses a valve element installed inside to control the flow of fluid toward the main pipeline and the bypass pipeline, making it possible to carry out construction under uninterrupted flow conditions without blocking the entire flow path.

JP 2013-7232 A (page 4, figure 3) JP 2005-240892 A (page 3, figure 3)

However, in Patent Documents 1 and 2, when a failure such as leakage occurs in the pipeline itself, valves, joints, irregular pipes, etc. that constitute the branch pipeline branching off from the main pipeline (pipe section), if the failed component is located near the branch point of the main pipeline, it is not possible to secure space to install a fluid control device near the failed component in the branch pipeline. Therefore, in order to block the flow of fluid around the failed component, a fluid control device must be installed on both the upstream and downstream sides of the branch point of the main pipeline, and a fluid control device must be installed downstream of the failed component in the branch pipeline to block the flow near the failed component, and further temporary bypass paths must be installed separately to detour to the main pipeline side and the branch pipeline side. This causes problems in that the number of temporary bypass paths installed in the flow path increases, and the area of water outage becomes wider, making construction more complicated. In this case, by using a switching valve as the fluid control device, it is possible to install a bypass path via these switching valves, but the number of temporary bypass paths installed in the flow path increases, making construction more complicated.

The present invention was made with a focus on these problems, and aims to provide a flow control device and a method for installing the flow control device that can reduce the number of temporary bypasses installed in the flow path and narrow the area of water interruption.

In order to solve the above problems, the flow restrictor of the present invention comprises:
a housing that hermetically fits a pipeline portion of a fluid pipe and a branch portion branching off from the pipeline portion, and a fluid regulator that is installed in a cut-away portion between the pipeline portion and the branch portion in the housing and controls a flow path in the fluid pipe,
The housing has an opening into which a cutter capable of cutting between the pipeline portion and the branch portion is inserted.
According to this feature, the pipeline section and branch section of the fluid pipe are cut off together with a cutter inserted from an opening inside a sealed housing, and a fluid control device is installed at the cut point inside the housing in an uninterrupted flow state. This makes it possible to simultaneously control the fluid flowing in the pipeline direction and the branch direction, thereby reducing the number of temporary bypass paths installed in the flow path and narrowing the area of water interruption.

The housing has the opening through which the pipe portion can be cut off into a substantially C-shape by the cutter.
According to this feature, by using a cutter inserted from the opening to cut the pipeline section together with the branching section of the fluid pipe into an approximately C-shape, the area of the fluid pipe that needs to be cut can be reduced, thereby making it possible to miniaturize various devices for attaching the flow control device.

The fluid pipe includes a branch pipe connected to the branch portion, and the housing is characterized in that it hermetically fits around a connection portion between the branch portion and the branch pipe.
According to this feature, the pipeline portion of the fluid pipe and the connection portion between the branch portion and the branch pipe can be cut off together within a sealed housing using a cutter inserted through an opening.

The housing is made up of a plurality of divided bodies joined to each other, and each of the divided bodies extends in the pipeline direction of the pipeline portion and in the branching direction of the branching portion.
According to this feature, by joining each divided body extending in the pipeline direction of the pipeline section of the fluid pipe and in the branching direction of the branching section by welding, bolt and nut joints, etc. to form a housing, the rigidity of the fluid pipe can be maintained by the housing that is fitted tightly around the fluid pipe, even if the pipeline section and the branching section are removed within the housing.

The housing is characterized by having a seat in which the flow restrictor is sealingly mounted.
According to this feature, by installing the fluid regulator in a seat inside the housing, leakage of fluid between the fluid regulator and the housing can be prevented, and initial flow path control can be performed by the fluid regulator installed inside the housing.

A method for attaching the flow control device to the fluid pipe in an uninterrupted flow state, comprising the steps of:
sealingly surrounding the pipeline portion and the branch portion of the fluid pipe with the housing;
a step of inserting the cutter through the opening and cutting the fluid pipe from the pipe line portion to the branch portion;
inserting the fluid control valve through the opening to hermetically close the inside of the housing;
The present invention is characterized by the following:
According to this feature, the pipeline section and branch section of the fluid pipe are cut off together with a cutter inserted from an opening inside a sealed housing, and a fluid control device is installed at the cut point inside the housing in an uninterrupted flow state, thereby making it possible to simultaneously control the fluid flowing in the pipeline direction and the branch direction, thereby reducing the number of temporary bypass paths installed in the flow path, simplifying construction and narrowing the area of water interruption.

1 is a front cross-sectional view showing a housing of a flow restrictor attached to a fluid pipe in an embodiment. FIG. FIG. 13 is a top view showing the housing attached to the fluid conduit. 13 is a side view showing a cutting machine installed in an opening of a housing via a working valve. FIG. FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional side view showing a cutter for cutting a fluid pipe. 13 is a top view showing the inside of the housing cut by a cutter. FIG. 13 is a side view showing an installation machine installed in an opening of a housing via a working valve. FIG. 11 is a side view showing a flow control device installed in a housing by an installation machine. FIG. FIG. 4 is a partial front cross-sectional view showing a flow control device installed in a housing. FIG. 13 is a top view showing an example of a construction process in which a flow control device is installed to repair or replace a faulty valve installed in a branch straight pipe. 13 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional side view showing a diameter adjusting member and an inserting member in Modification 1. FIG. 13 is a top view showing a housing attached to a fluid pipe in Modification 2. FIG. FIG. 13 is a top view showing a housing attached to a fluid pipe in Modification 3.

The following describes the embodiments of the flow control device and the method for installing the flow control device according to the present invention.

In the embodiment, the flow control device and its installation method are described with reference to Figures 1 to 8, in which a predetermined portion of an existing fluid pipe 1 constituting a pipeline component is cut away within a housing 5, and a flow control 10 is installed at the cut away portion in an uninterrupted state. Note that the fluid in the fluid pipe 1 is drinking water in this embodiment, but it may be, for example, industrial water, sewage, gas, or a gas-liquid mixture of gas and liquid.

The fluid pipe 1 of this embodiment is a ductile cast iron pipe, and as shown in Figures 1 and 2, it is composed of a T-shaped pipe 2, which is an irregular pipe having a pipe line section 2a and a small-diameter branch section 2b branching from the pipe line section 2a, a pair of straight pipes 3, 3 connected to both ends of the pipe line section 2a of the T-shaped pipe 2 and extending in the pipe line direction, and a branch straight pipe 4 (branch pipe, see Figure 3) connected to the branch section 2b of the T-shaped pipe 2 and extending in the branch direction, and is formed in a substantially circular cross section. In this embodiment, the pipe line direction and branch direction of the fluid pipe 1 extend in a substantially horizontal direction, so that the T-shaped pipe 2 is arranged to form a T shape in a plan view. The fluid pipe according to the present invention may be made of other metals such as cast iron and steel, or made of concrete, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, polyolefin, etc. Furthermore, the inner surface of the fluid pipe may be coated with an epoxy resin layer, mortar, plating, etc., or an appropriate material may be powder coated on the inner surface of the fluid pipe.

The fluid pipe of the present invention may be composed of multiple pipes connected together, including at least an irregular pipe, as in this embodiment, or may be a single irregular pipe, such as a welded steel product. The irregular pipe is a general term for pipes that have at least a portion of various irregular parts, such as a curved pipe section, a branch section (branch pipe), a cross section (cross pipe), a section with a different diameter, a joint ring section, a short pipe section, a drainage section, etc.

First, as shown in FIG. 1, the housing 5 constituting the flow control device is fitted hermetically to the fluid pipe 1. The housing 5 has a multi-part structure, and in this embodiment, it is mainly composed of a housing body 50 composed of a first divided body 51 (divided body) constituting the upper side and a second divided body 52 (divided body) constituting the lower side, and a pair of joint covers 53, 53 divided into two in the vertical direction. The divided structure of the housing 5 is not limited to this embodiment, and may be divided, for example, in the horizontal direction, and may be divided into a predetermined number of parts, such as three or more. In this embodiment, the divided housings are joined by welding, but this is not limited to this, and they may be joined by fastening members such as bolts and nuts via packing, for example.

As shown in FIG. 2, the housing body 50 is formed in a generally T-shape in top view from a conduit housing part 50a extending in the conduit direction along the conduit section 2a of the T-shaped pipe 2, a branch housing part 50b extending in the branch direction along the branch straight pipe 4 connected to the branch section 2b of the T-shaped pipe 2, and a bottomed, generally cylindrical flow-control housing part 50d (see FIG. 3) that extends in the vertical direction between the conduit housing part 50a and the branch housing part 50b and has an opening part 50c that opens upward.

A pair of joint covers 53, 53 that surround the connection parts 30, 30 between both ends of the pipe section 2a of the T-shaped pipe 2 and the pair of straight pipes 3, 3 are integrally joined to the mounting flanges 50e, 50e of the pipe housing part 50a. In addition, a pair of first pressure rings 54, 54 that are divided into upper and lower parts and prevent separation are attached in a sealed manner to the opening of the joint covers 53, 53 that extend to the connection ends of the straight pipes 3, 3. Here, the sealing position may be on the T-shaped pipe 2. In addition, the connection parts 30, 30 may be reinforced with separation prevention fittings described later in Modification 2 before the installation of the housing 5.

The branch housing section 50b extends to the connection end of the branch straight pipe 4 that is connected to the branch section 2b of the T-shaped pipe 2, and a second pressure ring 55 that is divided into two parts, upper and lower, is attached in a sealed manner to the opening of the branch housing section 50b to prevent separation. Note that the division direction and number of divisions of the first pressure ring 54 and the second pressure ring 55 are not limited to this embodiment.

The opening 50c of the flow-control housing section 50d is formed such that its radial center is located on the branching section 2b of the T-shaped pipe 2, and above the branching point between the pipe section 2a and the branching section 2b of the T-shaped pipe 2. In addition, the opening 50c in this embodiment is formed to include the connection section 40 between the branching section 2b of the T-shaped pipe 2 and the branch straight pipe 4. In addition, the connection section 40 may be reinforced with a detachment prevention metal fitting described later in Modification 2 before the installation of the housing 5.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3, a working valve 6 capable of closing the opening 50c is attached to the mounting flange 50f of the flow-controlling housing portion 50d of the housing 5, and a cutting machine 7 is installed above the working valve 6.

The cutter 7 is mainly composed of a mounting flange tube 71, a cutter 72 for cutting the fluid pipe 1, and a drive mechanism 73 for rotating the cutter 72 in the mounting flange tube 71 and moving the cutter 72 up and down. The cutter 72 is composed of a hole saw 72a with a cutting blade along the circumferential direction at the tip, and a center drill 72b arranged coaxially with the rotation axis of the hole saw 72a and protruding beyond the cutting blade. The hole saw 72a of the cutter 72 is configured concentrically with the opening 50c of the flow-restricting housing part 50d of the housing 5 as shown by the chain line A in Figure 2, and is inserted into the flow-restricting housing part 50d of the housing 5 from the opening 50c and can be advanced to a position near the bottom of the flow-restricting housing part 50d.

The specific process of cutting the fluid pipe 1 by the cutting machine 7 is as follows: first, the valve body (not shown) inside the working valve 6 is withdrawn to open the opening 50c of the housing 5, and then, as shown in FIG. 4, the cutter 72 of the cutting machine 7 is rotated and advanced downward to cut the fluid pipe 1 in an uninterrupted flow state. In this embodiment, the hole saw 72a constituting the cutter 72 cuts a part of the branching section 2b side of the pipe section 2a of the T-shaped pipe 2 constituting the fluid pipe 1 (see FIG. 2), the entire branching section 2b, and a part of the branching section 2b side of the branching straight pipe 4 connected to the branching section 2b of the T-shaped pipe 2 at once by the advancement of the hole saw 72a. At this time, it is preferable that the center drill 72b is positioned at a position that avoids the part of the connection section 40 of the branching section 2b where the sealing material is inserted, or on the branching straight pipe 4.

As shown in FIG. 5, the inside of the opening 50c of the housing 5 in plan view can see the cut opening that is approximately C-shaped in plan view on the pipe section 2a side of the T-shaped pipe 2 when viewed from above, and the cut opening of the branch straight pipe 4.

In addition, a drain 56 (see Figures 2 and 3) that can discharge the fluid to the outside is attached to the bottom of the flow control housing 50d along with an openable and closable valve, so that cutting chips generated when the fluid pipe 1 is cut by the cutter 72 can be discharged to the outside together with the fluid. This drain 56 can also be used as a bypass for filling with water during the flow control operation.

Although not shown, when the fluid pipe 1 is cut by the cutter 72, the cut piece separated from the fluid pipe 1 is held in the hole saw 72a. Then, the cutter 72 is raised up into the mounting flange tube 71 together with the cut piece, and the opening 50c of the housing 5 is closed by a valve body (not shown) inside the working valve 6, completing the cutting operation of the fluid pipe 1. After the fluid pipe 1 is cut by the cutter 72, the pipe line portion 2a of the T-shaped pipe 2 and the branch straight pipe 4 that remain in the housing 5 are separated from each other, but are held together by the pipe line housing portion 50a and the branch housing portion 50b of the housing 5. Although not shown, the cutting machine 7 is removed with the opening 50c of the housing 5 closed by a valve body (not shown) inside the working valve 6.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6, an operating valve 6 capable of closing the opening 50c is attached to the mounting flange 50f of the flow-restricting housing portion 50d of the housing 5, so that the installation machine 8 can be installed above the operating valve 6.

The installation machine 8 is mainly composed of a mounting flange tube 81, a valve hanging fitting 82 for suspending the fluid control device 10, and a drive mechanism 83 for moving the valve hanging fitting 82 up and down within the mounting flange tube 81. The fluid control device 10 in this embodiment is a so-called plug mainly composed of a partition wall 11 and an upper cover portion 12. A first seal member S1 is attached to the partition wall 11 from the lower end to both sides, and a ring-shaped second seal member S2 is attached to the upper cover portion 12 around the outer periphery. The first seal member S1 and the second seal member S2 are composed of elastic materials such as rubber, elastomer, and resin, including NBR, SBR, and CR.

The specific process for installing the fluid control device 10 using the installation device 8 is as follows: first, the valve body (not shown) inside the working valve 6 is retracted to open the opening 50c of the housing 5; then, as shown in FIG. 7, the fluid control device 10 suspended by the valve hanging bracket 82 of the installation device 8 is advanced downward, and the fluid control device 10 is inserted into a predetermined position inside the flow control housing portion 50d of the housing 5.

As shown in FIG. 8, the side inner wall surface of the flow-control housing section 50d of the housing 5 has side wall steps 50g, 50g (seats) that are generally U-shaped when viewed from above and protrude further inward than other sections of the housing 5, and are formed so as to face each other. Therefore, when the fluid control 10 is inserted into the flow-control housing section 50d of the housing 5, both sides of the partition wall 11 of the fluid control 10 are guided by the side wall steps 50g, 50g, preventing the insertion position of the fluid control 10 from shifting.

In addition, a bottom wall step 50h (seat) that is continuous with the side wall steps 50g, 50g is formed on the bottom inner wall surface of the flow-control housing part 50d of the housing 5 (see FIG. 5). Therefore, when the flow control 10 is inserted to a predetermined depth into the flow-control housing part 50d of the housing 5, the first seal member S1 attached from the lower end of the partition wall 11 of the flow control 10 to both sides is pressed into the bottom wall step 50h and the side wall steps 50g, 50g formed in the flow-control housing part 50d in a sealed manner, and the annular second seal member S2 attached around the outer periphery of the upper cover part 12 of the flow control 10 is pressed against the side inner wall surface on the opening 50c side of the flow-control housing part 50d of the housing 5.

In this way, the flow control unit 10 is installed in the flow control unit 50d of the unit 5 so as to separate the pipe section 2a and the branch section 2b of the T-shaped pipe 2, thereby preventing leakage of fluid between the flow control unit 10 and the unit 5.

Next, the pressure screws N, which are provided in multiple circumferential directions around the opening 50c of the housing 5 and can move forward and backward in the radial direction, are advanced in the inner radial direction of the opening 50c (see Figures 2 and 8). As a result, the pressure screws N engage the upper cover 12 of the fluid control 10 so as to press it from above, preventing the fluid control 10 from slipping out of the opening 50c of the housing 5.

In this way, the pressure screw N presses the upper cover 12 of the fluid control unit 10 from above, making it possible to remove the installation device 8 and the operating valve 6 from the housing 5.

Next, a lid member 57, which is annular when viewed from above, is fixed to the mounting flange 50f of the flow control casing portion 50d of the casing 5. At this time, the lid member 57 presses the upper surface of the upper lid portion 12 of the fluid control 10 from above, and together with the pressure screw N, prevents the fluid control 10 from slipping out of the opening 50c of the casing 5. This completes the installation of the fluid control 10 inside the casing 5. It goes without saying that when cutting or installing valves in an uninterrupted flow state, lids are attached to all windows, through holes, work holes, etc. in a sealed manner.

As described above, the flow control device of this embodiment is configured to cut out the pipe line section 2a and the branch section 2b branching off from the pipe line section 2a of the T-shaped pipe 2 that constitutes the fluid pipe 1 together in the housing 5 that is hermetically fitted around the pipe line section 2a and the branch section 2b branching off from the pipe line section 2a by using the hole saw 72a of the cutter 72 of the cutting machine 7 that is inserted through the opening 50c, and to install the flow control device 10 at the cut-out location in the housing 5. This allows the flow of fluid flowing in the pipe line direction of the pipe line section 2a of the T-shaped pipe 2 and in the branch direction of the branch section 2b to be controlled simultaneously, thereby reducing the number of temporary bypasses in the flow path and narrowing the area of water outage.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 9, for example, even if a failed valve V1 is located near a branch point of a fluid pipe 1 and there is no space to install an inserting valve V2 upstream of the failed valve V1 in a straight branch pipe 4, a housing 5 can be hermetically fitted around the pipeline section 2a and branch section 2b (see FIG. 2) of a T-shaped pipe 2 that constitutes the branch area of the fluid pipe 1, and within the housing 5, the pipeline section 2a and branch section 2b can be cut off together with a hole saw 72a of a cutter 72 of a cutting machine 7, and a fluid control 10 can be installed at the cut-out point within the housing 5, thereby blocking the flow of fluid from the pipeline section 2a of the T-shaped pipe 2 to the branch section 2b while maintaining an uninterrupted flow of fluid in the pipeline direction. Therefore, in order to maintain an uninterrupted flow of the fluid in the pipe section 2a of the T-shaped pipe 2 in the pipe direction, as in the past, there is no need to install valves (fluid control valves) on both the upstream and downstream sides of the branch point of the fluid pipe 1 and temporarily install a bypass path that detours from the branch point in the pipe direction. By installing a single fluid control valve 10, the fluid heading in the pipe direction of the pipe section 2a of the T-shaped pipe 2 and the branch direction of the branch section 2b can be controlled simultaneously, making construction easier. In addition, by installing a new inserting valve V2 downstream of the broken valve V1 in the branch straight pipe 4, a temporary bypass path (not shown) can be installed to maintain an uninterrupted flow of the fluid in the branch direction, and the water interruption range in the fluid pipe 1 can be configured as narrow as possible. The inserting valve V2 is not limited to a new one, and an existing one may be used.

In addition, the cutter 72 inserted through the opening 50c of the housing 5 cuts the pipe section 2a together with the branch section 2b of the T-shaped pipe 2 into an approximately C-shape, thereby reducing the area of the fluid pipe 1 that is cut away, and therefore various devices for attaching the flow control device, such as the operating valve 6, cutting machine 7, and installation machine 8, can be made smaller.

In addition, the C-shaped cut opening on the pipe section 2a side of the T-shaped pipe 2 and the cut opening of the branch straight pipe 4 on the branch section 2b side of the T-shaped pipe 2 can be seen from the inside of the opening 50c of the housing 5 when viewed from above, so that the pipe section 2a of the T-shaped pipe 2 and the branch straight pipe 4 can be easily approached by inserting the cutter 72 inserted from the opening 50c into the housing 5.

In addition, the cutter 72 has a hole saw 72a, so by rotating the hole saw 72a, the pipe section 2a and the branch section 2b of the T-shaped pipe 2 can be cut together, making cutting easy.

The housing 5 also includes a housing body 50 that is divided into two parts, an upper part and a lower part, and is joined to each other. Each housing body 50 is mainly composed of a pipeline housing part 50a that extends in the pipeline direction along the pipeline section 2a of the T-shaped pipe 2, and a branch housing part 50b that extends in the branch direction along the branch straight pipe 4 that is connected to the branch section 2b of the T-shaped pipe 2. By joining each housing body 50 that extends in the pipeline direction of the pipeline section 2a of the T-shaped pipe 2 and in the branch direction of the branch section 2b of the T-shaped pipe 2 by welding or the like to form the housing 5, the rigidity of the fluid pipe 1 can be maintained by the housing 5 that is fitted hermetically, even if the pipeline section 2a and the branch section 2b of the T-shaped pipe 2 are cut out within the housing 5.

In addition, the flow-control housing section 50d of the housing 5 has the flow control fluid 10 sealed against the side wall steps 50g, 50g and bottom wall step 50h in the flow-control housing section 50d, thereby preventing leakage of fluid between the flow control fluid 10 and the housing 5 (flow-control housing section 50d), and initial flow path control can be performed by the flow control fluid 10 installed in the flow-control housing section 50d of the housing 5.

In addition, in the above embodiment, a form in which the cutter 72 of the cutting machine 7 is rotated and advanced downward to directly cut off the fluid pipe 1 is exemplified, but as a variant example 1 of the present invention, as shown in Figure 10, a diameter adjustment member 100 (adjustment part) may be provided within the housing 5 above the branch straight pipe 4 to adjust the pipe line section 2a of the T-shaped pipe 2 and the branch straight pipe 4 (branch section 2b of the T-shaped pipe 2) to approximately the same diameter. In this case, by rotating the cutter 72 of the cutting machine 7 and moving it downward, the hole saw 72a of the cutter 72 comes into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the pipeline section 2a of the T-shaped pipe 2 having a larger diameter and the upper surface of the diameter adjustment member 100 (adjustment section) provided at the upper end of the outer peripheral surface of the branch straight pipe 4 having a smaller diameter at approximately the same time. In other words, the hole saw 72a of the cutter 72 will not come into contact with only one side of the outer peripheral surface of the pipeline section 2a of the T-shaped pipe 2, and the resistance to the hole saw 72a during cutting acts approximately uniformly, thereby suppressing the inclination of the cutter 72, making it easier to cut off the pipeline section 2a and branch section 2b (branch straight pipe 4) of the T-shaped pipe 2 together with the cutter 72. It is preferable to select a material for the diameter adjustment member 100 (adjustment portion), such as cast iron or steel, that has the same rigidity as the pipe line portion 2a and the branch straight pipe 4 of the T-shaped pipe 2 to be cut. In this way, the cutting resistance applied by the cutting machine 7 to the pipe line portion 2a, the branch straight pipe 4, and the diameter adjustment member 100 (adjustment portion) can be made uniform, making cutting even easier.

In addition, a cylindrical insert member 101 (insertion portion) into which the center drill 72b of the cutter 72 is inserted is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the branch portion 2b of the T-shaped pipe 2. By inserting the center drill 72b into the insert member 101, the rotation axis of the hole saw 72a arranged coaxially with the center drill 72b can be positioned, so that the pipe line portion 2a and the branch portion 2b (branch straight pipe 4) of the T-shaped pipe 2 can be cut together without misalignment. The diameter adjustment member 100 and the insert member 101 may be fixed to the fluid pipe 1 (T-shaped pipe 2 and branch straight pipe 4) by welding or a band. Furthermore, the installation position, dimensions, shape, etc. of the diameter adjustment member 100 and the insert member 101 may be freely configured according to the fluid pipe 1 in which the fluid control 10 is installed. Also, only the diameter adjustment member 100 or the insert member 101 may be installed.

In the above embodiment, the flow-control housing part 50d of the housing 5 has a radial center located above the branching part 2b of the T-shaped pipe 2, and the opening 50c is formed to straddle the pipe line part 2a and the branching part 2b of the T-shaped pipe 2, and a form in which a part of the pipe line part 2a and the entire branching part 2b of the T-shaped pipe 2 constituting the fluid pipe 1 and a part of the branched straight pipe 4 connected to the branching part 2b of the T-shaped pipe 2 are cut by the cutter 72 is exemplified. However, as shown in FIG. 11 as a modified example 2 of the present invention, the flow-control housing part 150d of the housing 105 may be configured such that the radial center is located above the pipe line part 2a of the T-shaped pipe 2, and the opening 150c is formed to straddle the pipe line part 2a and the branching part 2b of the T-shaped pipe 2, and the cutter 72 cuts off a part of the pipe line part 2a and the branching part 2b of the T-shaped pipe 2 together, as shown by the dashed line B. In particular, in this case, it is preferable to install the above-mentioned anti-detachment fittings on the connection parts 30, 30 and connection part 40 before installing the housing 5, in order to prevent the pipe section 2a from moving when it is cut, and to fix the remaining parts of the T-shaped pipe 2 after cutting. In detail, the connection parts 30, 30 and connection part 40 are provided with a seal that seals these connection parts with a press ring. Here, the anti-detachment press ring shown by the dotted line in FIG. 11 has a main body divided in the circumferential direction and has a locking member (not shown) built into the main body that bites into and locks the outer circumferential surface of the straight pipe 3, the branch straight pipe 4, or the pipe section 2a. The bolts and nuts connecting the press ring and the socket are replaced one by one, and the anti-detachment fittings are installed by connecting them via the anti-detachment press ring and biting into the locking member. The anti-detachment fittings may also be fittings that have a locking member on a main body divided in the circumferential direction and are fitted to the socket across the press ring.

In the above embodiment, a form in which a part of the T-shaped pipe 2 that forms a branch region mainly by the pipe section 2a and the branch section 2b is cut off is exemplified. However, as shown in FIG. 12 as a modified example 3 of the present invention, the flow-controlling housing section 250d of the housing 205 is located on the straight pipe 3 connected to the collar 202, and the opening 250c is formed to straddle the connection section 230 between the collar 202 and the straight pipe 3, and as shown by the chain line C, the cutter 72 may be configured to cut off the branch region formed by a drain or bypass (not shown) provided on the bottom side of the collar 202 or the straight pipe 3 together with the connection section 230. Note that the fluid pipe cut off by the cutter 72 may not have a drain or bypass.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and the present invention also includes modifications and additions that do not deviate from the gist of the present invention.

For example, in the above embodiment, a plug is used as the fluid control valve 10, but the present invention is not limited to this as long as it controls the fluid in the fluid pipe 1. For example, the fluid control valve may be a gate valve, a butterfly valve, a switching valve, or the like.

In the above embodiment, the branch section 2b of the T-shaped pipe 2 constituting the fluid pipe 1 is configured to have a smaller diameter than the pipe section 2a, but the pipe section and the branch section of the T-shaped pipe may have approximately the same diameter.

In addition, the fluid pipe 1 cut by the cutter 72 is not limited to a T-shaped pipe, but may be a bent pipe, a reducer, a cross pipe, or other irregular pipes.

1 Fluid pipe 2 T-pipe 2a Pipe section 2b Branch section 3 Straight pipe 4 Branch straight pipe (branch pipe)
5 Housing 6 Working valve 7 Cutting machine 8 Installation machine 10 Flow control 11 Partition wall 12 Top cover 50 Housing body 50a Pipe housing 50b Branch housing 50c Opening 50d Flow control housing 50f Mounting flange 50g Side wall step (seat)
50h Bottom wall step (seat)
51 First divided body (divided body)
52 Second divided body (divided body)
57 Cover member 71 Mounting flange tube 72 Cutter 72a Hole saw 72b Center drill 73 Drive mechanism 81 Mounting flange tube 82 Valve hanging fitting 83 Drive mechanism 100 Diameter adjustment member 101 Insert member 105 Housing 150c Opening 150d Flow-restricting housing part 202 Joint ring 205 Housing 230 Connection part 250c Opening 250d Flow-restricting housing part

Claims (2)

A method for removing a part of a fluid pipe in an uninterrupted flow state, comprising:
a step of hermetically surrounding at least a pipe line portion of a fluid pipe, a branch portion branching from the pipe line portion, and a branch straight pipe connected to the branch portion with a housing;
using a cutter equipped with a hole saw and a center drill inside the housing, the center drill drilling a hole at a position that avoids a sealing material interposed between the branch portion and the branch straight pipe, and the hole saw cutting through the remainder of the pipeline portion and the branch straight pipe at a position where the sealing material is located on the inner diameter side of the hole saw, while leaving a part of the pipeline portion of the fluid pipe in the pipeline direction . The method for cutting a fluid pipe according to claim 1, characterized in that the center drill drills a hole in the pipe line section or the pipe top of the branch section.

Images