GB2349933A

GB2349933A - Apparatus for treating elongate members

Info

Publication number: GB2349933A
Application number: GB9911085A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael G Bell
Original assignee: Vauxhall Motors Ltd
Current assignee: Vauxhall Motors Ltd
Priority date: 1999-05-12
Filing date: 1999-05-12
Publication date: 2000-11-15
Anticipated expiration: 2019-05-12
Also published as: GB9911085D0; GB2349933B

Abstract

Apparatus for treating an elongated member comprises first and second annular spacers means (10) operable to fit around an elongated member (16) in spaced relationship from one another; a shroud (18) connectable to the spacers (10) so as to be spaced from the elongated member (16); and treating means (22) operable to treat the elongated member (16) within the shroud (18). The spacers (10) allow for the member to be treated even with a vacuum being created therearound. The system is thus useful for treating asbestos-lagged pipes.

Description

2349933 APPARATUS FOR TREATING MTE MEMBERS The present invention relates

to apparatus for treating elongate members, for example tubes and in particular tubes having an exterior coating which must be treated, the coating being of a dangerous or environmentally unfriendly character, such as asbestos.

There are still many sites which have asbestos requiring removal. Removal of asbestos is particularly dangerous and by law must be carried out to the satisfaction of government health agencies. There is also a civil "duty of care".

It has been known to envelop a tube with a bag-like member and to remove asbestos from within the bag. However, it has been found that this system does not provide satisfactory isolation of asbestos particles during the removal process and its use is no longer allowed by some government health authorities, such as the Health and Safety Executive of the British government.

The present invention seeks to provide an improved system for removing asbestos from elongate members, parzicularly tubes.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided apparatus for treating an elongated member comprising first and second spacing means operable to fit around an elongated member in spaced relationship from one another; a shroud connectable to the spacing means so as to be spaced from the elongated member; and treating means operable to treat the elongated member within the shroud.

2 Each spacing means preferably is of annular form with a central aperture through which an elongate member can extend.

In the preferred embodiment, the spacing means can be opened from the annular form to fit around an elongate member, with closing means being provided. Preferably, the closing means includes a zip fastener, buttons, Velcro(-"') or other suitable fastening means.

Each spacing means is, in the preferred embodiment, inflatable.

The shroud is preferably securable to the spacing means after the spacing means have been located on an elongated member. Securing of the shroud can be provided, for example, by a zip fastener, buttons by Velcro (TM), by suitable welding or gluing or by any other suitable means.

The shroud preferably includes a waste location for collecting waste produced during treatment of the elongated member. The waste location may provide, for examule, a waste bag. In the preferred embodiment, the waste bag is sealed to the shroud.

The treatment means preferably includes one or more tools and/or one or more gloves locatable within the shroud and operable from outside the shroud. The treatment means preferably also includes extraction means for extracting waste and other matter from around the elongate member during treatment. An inlet may be provided into the shroud for allowing gas or air to be fed into the shroud during treatment of the elongate member.

3 The system preferably includes vacuum means operable to create a low pressure within the system.

The system is preferably designed for treating asbestos lagged pipe and therefore to provide a suitable sealing around the area to be treated.

The system may be re-usable or disposable afzer use.

An embodiment of the present invention is described below, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of annular spacer; Figure 2 is a perspective view of two spacers of Figure 1 coupled around a tube; and Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view in the lcngitudinal direction of a tube with a preferred embodiment of treatment system disposed around the tube.

The proposed system described below is designed for treating asbestoslagged pipes.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown in perspective the preferred embodiment of annular spacer 10. The spacer 10 is dimensioned for specific tubes, such that spacers of different dimensions may be provided to treat different sizes of tube and tubes having different thicknesses of lagging.

4 The spacer 10 is openable into a C-shape as shown in Figure 1 to have two ends 12, 14 which can be secured together by a fastening device, such as a zip fastener, buttons, Velcro (TM) or the like, so as to form a closed annular shape.

In the preferred embodiment, the annular spacer 10 is inflatable for ease of transportation, storage and for ease 3f fitting on to a lagged pipe. The annular spacer 10 can be made of a plastics material, rubberised canvas or any other similar material. It is still preferably C-shaped, so that it can be fitted over the pipe and then sealed closed, like the spacers In an alternative embodiment, the annular spacer 10 is solid, that is not inflatable, but sufficiently flexible to allow relatively easy location over a pipe.

Referring to Figure 2, two of the annular spacers 10 of Ficrure 1 are shown fitted around a pipe 16 to be treated. The annula-r spacers 10 are spaced from one another by a predetermined distance, related to the width of a shroud described in further detail in Figure 3.

Referring now to Figure 3, the preferred treatment system is shown in cross-section. A shroud 18 is loca--ed over the annular spaces 10 and has a substantially annaular form extending around the exteriors of the annular spacers 10. The shroud 18 could be coupled to the annular spacers 10 by any Jp fastener, suitable coupling system, examples being a z buttons, Velcro(TM), by suitable welding or gluing.

At a lower position 20 as shown in Figure 3, the shroud 18 provides a waste outlet extending to a waste bag. In the preferred embodiment, the waste bag is securely fastened to the shroud 18 to prevent any leakage of waste during treatment of the tube 16.

The shroud 18 is also provided with glove, tool and pize holes 22. In practice, these holes are sealed and provide the ability to manipulate, for example, tools wiz-hin the shroud!8 to remove asbestos from the pipe 16. Gloves may be integral with the shroud 18.

As can be seen in Figure -35, the annular spacers 10 also include bares 24 to provide inlets, for example for air or other treatment gas and an extraction conduit 2G which in the preferred embodiment is connected to a vacuum cleaner approved for the waste being handled.

In use, the annular spacers 10 are placed around a tube 1-6 a-- a location to be treated and, in the preferred embodiment, sealed at their ends 12, 14 and inflated. The shroud 18 is then placed over the annular spacers 10 and sealed in the appropriate manner, Removal of asbestos from the pipe 16 is then effected by means of tools and gloves at the openings 22. A vacuum is preferably created within the shroud 18 to assist in removal of loose debris produced during removal of the asbestos, with the bulk of the removed asbestos falling to the waste bag via the exit 6 20. In practice, some of the dust will go into the vacuum cleaner, the bigger lumps will fall into the waste bag.

The creation of a vacuum within the shroud 18 enables anv air leakage, if such exists, to be from outside the shroud 18 into the shroud, thereby ensuring that no loose asbestos is lost to the outside environment. The spacers 10 ensure that the shroud 18 remains spaced from the pipe to facilitate creatmenz, despite the creation of the vacuum within the shroud 18. The spacers 10 in practice provide a good seal around the pipe 165 to reduce any possible air leakage.

The inlet 24 is typically provided with a non-return valve and filter.and the spacers 10 are such that on inflation they create a tight seal around the sealing rod 28 located at the inlet and the extraction conduit 26. Of course, the inlet 24 and ext ension 2G tubes could couple directly to the shroud 18.

The waste bag is preferably held in a downwards configuration, for example by a weight or a board within the bag to ensure that the bag is not raised into the shroud IS by the effect of the vacuum created within the shroud 18.

The device is preferably re-usable to save on costs.

It will be apparent to the reader that the annular spacers need not be exactly the same and, typically, two different spacers may be used in cases where it is necessary to put a spacer on a portion of the tube 16 which has already been treated, which therefore would have a smaller outer diameter, and the second spacer around a portion of the tube which is still lagged with I.

7 asbestos. In some embodiments, the spacers are designed to fit around tubes of different dimensions, with the necessary seal being provided by suitable inflation of the seals.

8

Claims

1. Apparatus for treating an elongated member comprising first and second spacing means operable to fit around an elongated member in spaced relationship from one another, a shroud connectable to the spacing means so as to be spaced from the elongated member; and treating means operable to treat the elongated member within the shroud.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each spacing means is of annular form with a central aperture through which an elongate member can extend.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each spacing means can be opened from the annular form tc fit around an elongate member, with closing means being provided.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the closing means includes a zip fastener, buttons, Velcro(T") or other suitable fastening means.

5. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein each spacing is inflatable.

6. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the shroud is securable to the spacing means after the spacing means have been located on an elongated member.

7. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein securing means in the form of a zip fastener, buttons, Velcro 9 (TM), suitable welding or gluing or in any other suitable form is provided to secure the shroud to the spacing means.

8. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the shroud includes a waste location for collecting waste produced during treatment of the elongated member.

4on

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the waste locat. provides a waste bag.

10. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the treatment means includes one or more tools and/or one or more gloves locatable within the shroud and oT)erable from outside the shroud.

11. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the treatment means includes extraction means for extracting waste and other matter from around the elongate member during treatment.

12. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, including vacuum means operable to create a low pressure within the system.

13. Apparatus for treating an elongated member substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.