US 12,422,081 B2
Branch pipe forming apparatus, lid doubling as valve element, branch pipe forming apparatus with lid doubling as valve element, and branch pipe formation method
Gou Horikawa, Osaka (JP); and Daisuke Kuwagaki, Osaka (JP)
Assigned to WATERWORKS TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION CO., LTD., Osaka (JP)
Appl. No. 17/921,386
Filed by WATERWORKS TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION CO., LTD., Osaka (JP)
PCT Filed Apr. 27, 2021, PCT No. PCT/JP2021/016746
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 26, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/221045, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 4, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-079115 (JP), filed on Apr. 28, 2020; and application No. 2020-173127 (JP), filed on Oct. 14, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0194030 A1, Jun. 22, 2023
Int. Cl. F16L 41/06 (2006.01); F16L 41/02 (2006.01); F16L 41/16 (2006.01)
CPC F16L 41/021 (2013.01) [F16L 41/06 (2013.01); F16L 41/16 (2013.01)] 5 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A branch pipe forming apparatus configured to be fitted on an existing pipe through which a fluid flows, in order to form a branch pipe communicating with a drilled hole formed by drilling a part of an outer circumferential surface of the existing pipe,
the branch pipe forming apparatus comprising:
a first split member and a second split member which comprise split surfaces along a plane including an axial center of the existing pipe and an axial center of the branch pipe and which are connected to each other in a sealed state by a fastening member; and
a tubular guide tube to guide a center drill of a drilling machine internally inserted into the guide tube,
wherein the first split member comprises a tube part with an opening to permit passage of a cutter of the drilling machine,
a cutter accommodation space is formed between the first split member and the second split member, the cutter accommodation space capable of accommodating the cutter at a position adjacent to the drilled hole formed along a direction perpendicular to the plane,
an axial center of the tube part is located between a portion of the branch pipe which portion is in the cutter accommodation space and the outer circumferential surface of the existing pipe in the cutter accommodation space,
the first split member and the second split member are coupled to each other at respective coupling portions with respective coupling openings opposite to each other across the drilled hole and the cutter accommodation space and holding therebetween an end portion of the branch pipe in a sealed state, and
a bolt configured to abut against a lower side in a vertical direction on the outer circumferential surface of the existing pipe, to prevent axis misalignment of the drilling machine, is screwed in the guide tube.