Work device

Abstract

To provide a work device capable of performing various types of work by inserting various function parts into a housing in a non-cutoff flow state.SOLUTION: A work device 1 at least includes: a housing 3 which externally fits a fluid pipe 2 in a sealed state; a passage which communicates the inside of the housing and the outside; a valve 4 which has a valve body 4c capable of opening / closing the passage and a valve box 4a for storing the valve body so as to move; and a work member 47A as a function part which can enter the housing through the passage. The work device 1 has: an extension part 42 which extends toward the inside of the housing 3, and where the work member 47A is provided at a tip; and a sealed storage part 4Sa where the work member 47A can stand-by inside the valve box. At a lid part 31 capable of closing an opening of the valve box, an opening / closing valve 20 is provided for inserting the tip of the extension part 42 and the work member 47A so as to be inserted / removed. In a passage positioned further outside than the valve body of the opening / closing valve, a sealed second storage part 4Sb where the work member 47A can stand-by is provided, and between the storage part and the second storage part, a flexible pipe joint 37 is interposed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a working device having at least a housing that hermetically fits a fluid pipe, a passage that connects the inside of the housing to the outside, a valve having a valve body that can open and close the passage, and a functional part that can enter the housing through the passage. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, when performing work such as connecting an existing flow path through which water, gas, etc. flows to another flow path, for example, a housing is attached to the existing fluid pipe in a sealed manner, and a working valve device that can open and close the interior is attached to the tip of the housing. A drilling machine having a cutter and a drive unit is installed on the working valve device, and with the working valve open, the cutter is advanced using the drive unit to drill a part of the fluid pipe within the housing in a state of uninterrupted flow.

[0003] When drilling a portion of an existing fluid pipe using such a drilling machine, a chip collection device having a discharge pipe for discharging chips generated during drilling is installed in place of the drilling machine attached to the tip of the working valve device, and then the working valve is opened and the discharge pipe is inserted into the working valve device and the housing, so that chips scattered inside can be sucked in through a suction port formed at the bottom end and discharged to the outside along with the fluid (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Utility Model Registration No. 2535896 (pages 2 and 3, figures 1 to 3) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the chip collection device described in Patent Document 1, chips scattered inside the housing are sucked in through the suction port of a discharge pipe inserted inside the housing, but depending on various conditions such as the cutting method of the fluid pipe and the type of fluid inside the pipe, the chips may be scattered widely inside the housing, or may be concentrated in specific locations such as the seat surface, which has a significant impact on sealing performance, or in specific locations such as corners inside the housing, etc. In such cases, in addition to the task of sucking in the chips, other tasks such as cleaning specific locations and visually inspecting the inside of the housing may also be required.

[0006] However, the work that can be performed inside the housing when the flow is uninterrupted is limited to a single process of suctioning the chips to the outside through the discharge pipe, which creates the problem that it is not possible to perform various tasks depending on the state of the remaining chips.

[0007] The present invention has been made in response to these problems, and aims to provide a working device that can perform various tasks by inserting various functional parts into the housing in an uninterrupted flow state. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, the working device of the present invention comprises: A working device having at least a housing that hermetically fits a fluid pipe, a passage that connects the inside of the housing to the outside, a valve having a valve body that can open and close the passage, and a functional part that can enter the housing through the passage, The valve is characterized in that a sealed container portion in which the functional portion can wait is provided in a passage located outside the valve body. According to this feature, the functional part is stored in a storage section outside the valve body of the valve and kept in a sealed state while waiting, and in this state the passage can be opened and the functional part can be inserted into the housing, so that various functional parts can be inserted inside the housing in an uninterrupted flow state to perform various tasks.

[0009] The housing has an extension portion that extends into the housing and has a tip at which the functional portion can be attached and detached, and the housing portion has a sealing portion that seals the extension portion so that it can be advanced and retreated. According to this feature, leakage of fluid from between the extending portion that moves back and forth and the containing portion can be prevented.

[0010] The housing has an extension portion at its tip that extends into the housing and to which the functional portion can be attached and detached, and the accommodating portion is configured to be able to accommodate the tip of the extension portion and the functional portion in a sealed manner. According to this feature, the tip of the extension part can be sealed and accommodated in the accommodation part together with the functional part, so that when the passage is opened, the functional part can be inserted into the housing via the extension part.

[0011] The valve is an operating valve having a valve body that movably houses the valve element, and the housing portion is formed within the valve body. According to this feature, it is easy to form the accommodation portion by utilizing the internal space of the valve body that accommodates the valve body of the working valve.

[0012] The valve body is characterized in that an opening is formed in the valve body to open and close the accommodation portion. According to this feature, the housing portion can be opened widely, making it easier to access the functional portion housed in the housing portion.

[0013] The device is characterized in that a lid capable of closing the opening is provided, and the lid is provided with an openable and closable hole. According to this feature, it is possible to open the hole and visually check the condition inside the housing without removing the lid.

[0014] The cover portion is provided with an opening / closing valve through which the tip of the extension portion and the functional portion are removably inserted, and a passage located outside the valve body of the opening / closing valve has a sealed second storage portion in which the functional portion can wait. According to this feature, the tip of the extension portion is disposed in the housing portion outside the on-off valve, making it possible to attach and detach the functional portion.

[0015] The valve body has a flat upper surface. According to this feature, the functional part can be attached and detached by utilizing the upper surface of the valve body formed into a flat surface.

[0016] The valve is an on-off valve having a main body with the valve element rotatably mounted thereon, and the accommodating portion is formed outside the valve element of the on-off valve. According to this feature, the functional part can be accommodated in the accommodation part outside the on-off valve and kept on standby.

[0017] The valve is an operating valve having a valve body that movably houses the valve element, and the housing portion is formed in a working cylinder that communicates with the valve body. According to this feature, the accommodation section can be formed in a working cylinder separate from the valve box, so that the size of the accommodation space can be set with a high degree of freedom.

[0018] The container is characterized in that an air vent is formed in the container. According to this feature, air can be easily removed when filling the container with fluid. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] 1 is a partially cutaway front view showing a housing attached to a predetermined location on a fluid pipe, a gate valve device connected to the housing, and a drilling machine connected to the gate valve device. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway front view showing a work device to which a work control unit is attached. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] 10 is a partially cutaway front view showing the working device in a state in which the working member of the discharge pipe is housed in the housing portion. FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a partially cutaway enlarged view showing the main part of FIG. 4. [Figure 6]FIG. 10 is a partially cutaway front view showing the work device during a discharge operation by the work control unit. [Figure 7] 10 is a partially cutaway front view showing the working device with the working member pulled up and housed in the housing portion. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway front view showing the working device with the support pipe and the discharge pipe removed. [Figure 9] (a) is a diagram showing the state in which the replaced working member is accommodated in the accommodation section and the support tube is attached to the upper connecting tube, and (b) is a diagram showing the state in which the accommodation section is filled with fluid and air is being removed. [Figure 10] 1(a) to 1(e) are diagrams showing various working members. [Figure 11] FIG. 10(a) is a diagram showing a state in which the working member is being removed from the discharge pipe, and FIG. 10(b) is a diagram showing a state in which a new working member is attached to the discharge pipe. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a partially cutaway front view showing the working device in a state where the working cover has been removed from the valve box and a working member has been attached. [Figure 13] 13 is a partially cutaway cross-sectional view showing the working device in a state where the working member shown in FIG. 12 is performing work. FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a low-pressure suction unit. [Figure 15] 10 is a partially cutaway cross-sectional view showing a working device performing a discharge operation using a hose while checking with an imaging device serving as a working member. FIG. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing a working device as a modified example of the present invention. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing a working device as another modified example of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A working device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the following embodiments. [Example]

[0021] A working apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 13. In the following description, the near side of Figure 1 will be referred to as the front side (front face) of the working apparatus, and the far side will be referred to as the rear side (rear face).

[0022] An operation device 1 as an embodiment of the present invention is mainly composed of a housing 3 that hermetically fits over a predetermined portion of a fluid pipe 2 shown in Figure 1, a check valve device 4 that can open and close a passage connecting the inside of the housing 3 with the outside, and an operation control unit 5 that controls the operation inside the housing 3, as shown in Figure 2.The operation device is capable of performing various operations associated with drilling a fluid pipe 2, such as discharging foreign matter C (see Figure 2) such as chips and rust generated by the drilling operation in which a drilling machine 7 drills a predetermined portion of the fluid pipe 2 covered by the housing 3, and checking the inside of the housing 3 with a camera or the like after the drilling operation.

[0023] The following describes a series of work steps in which, using a housing 3 and a gate valve device 4 that constitute part of the above-mentioned work device 1, and a drilling machine 7 attached to the top of the gate valve device 4, a predetermined location of an existing fluid pipe 2, which is a pipeline component, is drilled inside the housing 3 under an uninterrupted flow condition, and then, using a work control unit 5, foreign matter C such as chips and rust that has been scattered inside the housing 3 due to the drilling is discharged to the outside of the housing 3.

[0024] In this embodiment, the fluid in the fluid pipe 2 is tap water. However, it may be, for example, industrial water, agricultural water, sewage, or other liquids other than water, or it may be gas or a gas-liquid mixture. The fluid pipe 2 is a ductile cast iron pipe formed into a straight pipe with a generally circular cross section. In this embodiment, the fluid pipe 2 is disposed generally horizontally. The fluid pipe according to the present invention may also be made of other metals, such as cast iron or steel, or concrete, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, or polyolefin. Furthermore, the inner surface of the fluid pipe may be coated with an epoxy resin layer, mortar, plating, or the like, or may be powder coated with an appropriate material.

[0025] When drilling the fluid pipe 2, first, the housing 3 is attached to a predetermined location of the fluid pipe 2 in a sealed manner via a sealing member (not shown). The housing 3 consists of a lower housing 3a disposed below the fluid pipe 2 and an upper housing 3b disposed above the fluid pipe 2. The lower housing 3a is formed in a roughly T-shape when viewed from the front, having a cylindrical body 13a with a bottom that extends downward, and curved plate-like half arms 14a, 14a that extend laterally and are generally perpendicular to the body 13a and are curved in a semicircular arc when viewed in the axial direction of the fluid pipe 2, and hermetically covers the lower outer periphery of the fluid pipe 2 via a sealing member (not shown). The upper housing 3b is formed in a generally T-shape in front view, having a cylindrical body 13b with a bottom that extends upward, and curved plate-like half arms 14b, 14b that extend laterally generally perpendicular to the body 13b and are curved in a semicircular arc when viewed in the axial direction of the fluid pipe 2, and hermetically covers the lower outer periphery of the fluid pipe 2 via a seal member (not shown). A flange 13c that protrudes in the outer diameter direction is formed on the periphery of the upper opening of the body 13b.

[0026] The housing 3 may be divided, for example, in the front-rear direction, or may be divided into a predetermined number of sections, such as three or more. In this embodiment, the divided sections are joined together in a sealed state by a plurality of fastening members (not shown) made of bolts and nuts, but this is not limiting and may be joined by welding, for example.

[0027] After the housing 3 is attached to the fluid pipe 2, the gate valve device 4 is connected in a sealed manner to the upper opening of the body 13b. The gate valve device 4 has a cylindrical valve box 4a that penetrates vertically, a valve cover 4b that protrudes rearward (toward the back of Figure 1) from the valve box 4a and is connected to the valve box 4a via a communication port formed on its inner surface, a valve disc 4c that is disposed between the valve box 4a and the valve cover 4b so as to be movable in a substantially horizontal direction and has a flat upper surface, and a recessed groove 4d that serves as a valve seat for receiving the valve disc 4c. The valve disc 4c can sealingly abut against the recessed groove 4d via a seal member 4g (see Figure 5).

[0028] Furthermore, flanges 4e, 4f protruding in the outward direction are formed on the periphery of the upper and lower openings of the valve box 4a, and the lower flange 4e is fastened to the flange 13c of the body 13b with a plurality of fastening members 91 consisting of bolts and nuts arranged circumferentially, thereby hermetically connecting the valve box 4a to the upper open end (opening) of the body 13b via a seal member (not shown). Furthermore, although not specifically shown, the end of a valve stem protrudes from the tip of the valve cover 4b and is threadedly engaged with the valve disc 4c inside the valve cover 4b, and an operating handle is provided at the end of this valve stem, and by rotating the operating handle to move the valve disc 4c between the valve box 4a and the valve cover 4b, the interior of the housing 3 can be opened and closed.

[0029] In addition, a storage section 4Sa capable of storing working members 47A to 47E as functional parts, which will be described later, is provided between the valve body 4c and the upper opening end of the valve box 4a. The inner diameter of the opening of the valve box 4a is approximately the same as the inner diameter of the opening of the housing 3.

[0030] Next, a drilling machine 7 is hermetically connected to the upper open end of the valve box 4a. The drilling machine 7 is mainly composed of a mounting flange tube 71, a cutter 72 for drilling holes in the fluid pipe 2, a drive motor 74 for rotating the cutter 72 within the mounting flange tube 71, and an advance / retract mechanism 73 for vertically advancing and retracting the cutter 72. The cutter 72 is cylindrical and has a diameter larger than the fluid pipe 2. It is composed of a hole saw 72a with a cutting blade circumferentially attached to its tip (the lower end in the figure), and a center drill 72b arranged coaxially with the rotation axis 72c of the hole saw 72a and protruding beyond the cutting blade. The cutter 72 is arranged concentrically with the upper open end of the body 13b of the housing 3. It is inserted into the body 13b from the upper open end and can advance at least to a position where it penetrates the wall of the fluid pipe 2.

[0031] A flange 71a protruding in the outer diameter direction is formed on the periphery of the lower opening of the mounting flange tube 71, and by fastening the flange 71a to the flange 4f of the valve box 4a with a plurality of fastening members 92 consisting of bolts and nuts arranged circumferentially, the drilling machine 7 is hermetically connected to the upper opening end of the valve box 4a via a sealing member (not shown).

[0032] Furthermore, the operation of connecting the gate valve device 4 to the upper opening end of the body 13b of the housing 3 and the operation of connecting the drilling machine 7 to the upper opening end of the valve box 4a are not necessarily limited to the order described above; the operation of connecting the drilling machine 7 may be performed after the operation of connecting the gate valve device 4, or these connection operations may be performed simultaneously in parallel, or the upper housing 3b, to which the gate valve device 4 and the drilling machine 7 have already been connected, may be connected to the lower housing 3a.

[0033] (Drilling process of fluid pipes using a drilling machine) Next, a brief description will be given of the process of drilling the fluid pipe 2 using the drilling machine 7. As shown in Figure 1, first, the valve body 4c of the gate valve device 4 is moved toward the valve cover 4b to open the inside of the housing 3. Next, while air is being released from an air release valve (not shown) provided at a predetermined location on the peripheral wall of the housing 3, the housing 3 is filled with fluid and water pressure approximately equal to that inside the fluid pipe 2 is applied to check for leaks, and after confirming that the air inside the housing 3 has been released, the air release valve (not shown) is closed.

[0034] Next, the cutter 72 is rotated about the rotation axis 72c by the drive motor 74 of the drilling machine 7, and the cutter 72 is advanced downward by the advance / retract mechanism 73, drilling a hole in the upper part of the peripheral wall of the fluid pipe 2 without interrupting the flow. This drilling generates foreign matter C, such as chips from the fluid pipe 2 and rust that has peeled off from the inner peripheral surface of the fluid pipe 2, which scatter inside the casing 3 filled with fluid. Note that drilling may involve cutting or dividing a portion of the pipe in the axial direction using a cutter 72 or the like having a larger diameter than the fluid pipe 2, as in this embodiment, or it may involve forming a hole in the pipe wall using a cutter or the like having a smaller diameter than the fluid pipe 2.

[0035] When the fluid pipe 2 is perforated by the cutter 72, a cut piece (not shown) cut off from the fluid pipe 2 is held in the hole saw 72a. After that, the cutter 72 is retracted into the mounting flange tube 71 together with the cut piece (not shown) by the advance / retract mechanism 73, and the valve body 4c of the gate valve device 4 is moved toward the recessed groove portion 4d, thereby closing the inside of the valve box 4a.

[0036] Foreign matter C produced by drilling is scattered into the fluid in the housing 3 near the cut portion, and then some of it is discharged by water pressure together with the fluid in the pipe from a drain port (not shown) provided at the bottom of the housing 3, but the rest gradually sinks due to gravity over time and falls to the bottom of the housing 3, where it remains (see Figure 2). Since there is a risk that foreign matter C that has remained at the bottom of the housing 3 in this way will flow into the fluid pipe 2 due to the movement of the fluid, after the mounting flange cylinder 71 is removed from the valve box 4a and the drilling machine 7 is removed, the operation control unit 5 is attached to the valve box 4a, and the operation control unit 5 is used to perform a discharge operation to discharge the foreign matter C to the outside.

[0037] (Work Control Unit) Next, the configuration of the work control unit 5 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0038] As shown in Figure 2, the work cover 31, the flexible pipe joint 37, the connecting pipe 15 including the work ball valve 20, the support pipe 41, and the discharge pipe 42 constitute an operation control unit 5 that controls the discharge operation of foreign matter C inside the housing 3, and the housing 3, the gate valve device 4, and the operation control unit 5 constitute an operation device 1.

[0039] After the drilling operation by the drilling machine 7 is completed, the work cover 31 serving as a cover is fastened to the flange 4f of the valve box 4a with a plurality of fastening members 93 consisting of bolts and nuts arranged circumferentially, thereby hermetically closing the upper open end of the valve box 4a via the seal member 4h (see FIG. 5). The work control unit 5, which is an example of a work tool used to discharge foreign matter C, is hermetically connected to the top of the valve box 4a via the work cover 31. Furthermore, by closing the upper open end of the valve box 4a with the work cover 31, a storage section 4Sa is formed between the valve disc 4c in the valve box 4a and the work cover 31, i.e., below the work cover 31.

[0040] As shown in Fig. 3, the work cover 31 is formed in a disk shape, and a circular insertion hole 32 is formed at its center, penetrating vertically. A plurality of (four in this example) confirmation windows 33a-33d are formed around the insertion hole 32 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, each of which is a circular hole that penetrates vertically and has a slightly smaller diameter than the insertion hole 32. A translucent acrylic plate 35 is hermetically attached to each confirmation window 33a-33d via a sealing member (not shown), and the confirmation windows 33a-33d are closed so that the interior of the valve box 4a can be seen through the acrylic plate 35. The acrylic plate 35 is detachably attached to the confirmation windows 33a-33d.

[0041] Furthermore, a plurality of (four in this example) small holes 34a to 34d are formed between the respective confirmation windows 33a to 33d, penetrating vertically. The small holes 34a to 34d are used to inject fluid into the valve box 4a and to provide an air vent valve 36 for bleeding air when injecting water.

[0042] 2, a rubber flexible pipe joint 37 is hermetically connected to the center of the top surface of the working lid 31 via a seal member (not shown), and communicates with the interior of the valve box 4a via an insertion hole 32. Flanges 37a, 37b that protrude in the outward direction are formed on the periphery of the upper and lower openings of the flexible pipe joint 37, and the lower flange 37a is fastened to the working lid 31 with a plurality of fastening members 94 consisting of bolts and nuts arranged in the circumferential direction, thereby hermetically connecting the flexible pipe joint 37 to the working lid 31 via the seal member (not shown).

[0043] Above the flexible pipe joint 37, the connecting pipe 15 is connected in a sealed manner via a seal member (not shown) and communicates with the interior of the flexible pipe joint 37. Flanges 15a, 15b that protrude in the outer diameter direction are formed on the periphery of the upper and lower openings of the connecting pipe 15, and the lower flange 15a is fastened to the upper flange 37b of the flexible pipe joint 37 with a plurality of fastening members 95 consisting of bolts and nuts arranged in the circumferential direction, thereby sealingly connecting the connecting pipe 15 to the flexible pipe joint 37 via the seal member (not shown).

[0044] As shown in Fig. 5, the connecting pipe 15 is composed of a lower connecting pipe 15c, an upper connecting pipe 15d, and an operation ball valve 20 serving as an on-off valve hermetically connected between the lower connecting pipe 15c and the upper connecting pipe 15d via a sealing member (not shown). The operation ball valve 20 mainly comprises a main body 21 having a through passage 21a penetrating vertically therethrough, a ball 22 serving as a valve element rotatably supported within the main body 21, an operating handle 23 for opening and closing the ball 22, and a nipple 24 threadedly inserted into the lower end of the main body 21. The inner diameter L5 of the through passage 21a of the operation ball valve 20 is smaller than the inner diameters of the openings of the housing 3 and the valve box 4a. Fig. 2 shows the operation ball valve 20 in a closed state, and Fig. 5 shows the operation ball valve 20 in an open state.

[0045] 2, above the connecting pipe 15, a support pipe 41 is hermetically connected via a seal member (not shown) and communicates with the interior of the connecting pipe 15. A flange 41a protruding in the outward direction is formed on the periphery of the lower opening of the support pipe 41, and by fastening the flange 41a to the upper flange 15b of the connecting pipe 15 with a plurality of fastening members 96 consisting of bolts and nuts arranged in the circumferential direction, the support pipe 41 is hermetically connected to the connecting pipe 15 via a gasket 25 (see FIG. 5).

[0046] A discharge pipe 42 serving as an extension made of a metal material extending in the vertical direction is inserted movably within the support pipe 41 and sealed via an O-ring 26 provided on the inner peripheral surface of the flange 41a (see FIG. 5). A ball valve 43 is provided at the upper end of the discharge pipe 42. A flexible hose 48 is connected to the tip of the ball valve 43. A reel 45 is attached to the bottom of the support pipe 41 for winding up a wire rope 44, one end of which is fastened to the top of the discharge pipe 42, and a handle 46 for gripping the discharge pipe 42 is attached to the top of the discharge pipe 42.

[0047] A working member 47A, which serves as a functional part and has a generally cylindrical shape and has a suction port 47a (see FIG. 5) for sucking in foreign matter C, is detachably attached to the lower end of the discharge pipe 42. As shown in FIG. 10(a), the working member 47A is formed in a cylindrical shape, with semicircular notches 47h, 47h formed on the front and rear sides of the tip (lower end). The suction port 47a of the working member 47A has a tip that is concavely curved in a front view (left view of FIG. 10(a)) and flat in a side view (right view of FIG. 10(a)).

[0048] If the tip of cylindrical working member 47A is flat, the lower end opening becomes suction port 47a, and as will be described later, when the tip is brought close to foreign matter C accumulated (piled up) on the bottom of housing 3, suction port 47a may become narrow and blocked depending on the inclination of the tip, making it difficult to move discharge pipe 42 or preventing the suction of large granular foreign matter C. Therefore, by providing notches 47h, 47h on the circumferential surface as in working member 47A and ensuring a large suction port 47a, when the tip of working member 47A is brought close to the bottom of housing 3, suction can be performed not only from the bottom side but also from the circumferential side, making it easier to suction foreign matter C.

[0049] 10(a), the inner diameter R2 of the notches 47h is larger than the inner diameter R1 of the working member 47A, so that the combined area of ​​the projected area A2 of the suction port 47a when viewed from the front and the rear of the working member 47A is equal to or larger than the area A1 of the suction port 47a when viewed from below the working member 47A. This prevents the suction force inside the working member 47A from being attenuated by the notches 47h.

[0050] Furthermore, working member 47A is detachable by threading a female thread formed on the inner peripheral surface of working member 47A into a male thread formed on the outer peripheral surface of the lower part of discharge pipe 42, but it may also be detachable by press-fitting, using a screw member, a locking member, etc. Note that working member 47A attached to the lower end of discharge pipe 42 can be replaced or substituted with various working members 47B to 47E (see Figures 10(b) to 10(e)) described below.

[0051] For example, as shown in Fig. 10(b), working member 47B uses an inclined plate 47b at its tip to sweep out and suck up foreign matter C. This inclined plate 47b has a suction port 47c and is bent sideways. Also, as shown in Fig. 10(c), working member 47C uses wire brushes 47d at its tip to sweep out and suck up foreign matter C. These wire brushes 47d are arranged in two rows on either side of suction port 47e, inclined toward the tip of working member 47C. Also, as shown in Fig. 10(d), working member 47D uses a rubber plate 47f at its tip to remove and suck up foreign matter C. This rubber plate 47f is wider than the outer diameter of discharge pipe 42 and is suitable for removing foreign matter C adhering to the seat surface inside housing 3 and for cleaning foreign matter contained in treated sewage. 10(e), working member 47E has a magnet 47g at its tip for attracting foreign matter C. Magnet 47g is formed in a generally circular shape concentric with discharge pipe 42, and is suitable for easily attracting chips when the fluid is gas. These working members 47A to 47E constitute the functional part of the present invention. The shapes, functions, types, etc. of these working members 47A to 47E can be variously changed, and they may be replaced or substituted with working members other than those described above.

[0052] Furthermore, the outer diameter dimension L1a of the working member 47A, the maximum outer dimension L1b of the working member 47B, and the maximum outer dimension L1c of the working member 47C are smaller than the inner diameter dimension L6 of the confirmation windows 33a to 33d, so that they can be inserted and removed through the confirmation windows 33a to 33d to perform attachment and detachment operations to and from the discharge pipe 42.

[0053] The longitudinal dimension of the discharge pipe 42 is designed to be a length that allows the working member 47A to reach near the bottom when inserted into the housing 3, as will be described later (see FIG. 6). As shown in FIG. 5, the outer diameter L1a of the working member 47A is the smallest, and the inner diameters L5, L4, L6 of the check windows 33a to 33d, L3, L2 of the flexible pipe joint 37, and L3 of the insertion hole 32 formed in the work lid 31 are formed to be gradually larger in this order (L1a <L5<L4<L6<L3<L2)。

[0054] Therefore, the working member 47A can be retracted from the accommodation portion 4Sa via the insertion hole 32, through the flexible pipe joint 37 and the lower connecting pipe 15c, and into the upper connecting pipe 15d above the work ball valve 20. In other words, the passages within the flexible pipe joint 37, the lower connecting pipe 15c, the work ball valve 20, and the upper connecting pipe 15d, which communicate with the accommodation portion 4Sa formed in the valve box 4a via the insertion hole 32, can pass the discharge pipe 42 and the working member 47A attached to the lower end of the discharge pipe 42, and can also accommodate the working member 47A, thereby constituting the accommodation portion 4Sb of the present invention. These accommodation portions 4Sa and 4Sb have an O-ring 26 (see FIG. 5) as a sealing portion that seals the discharge pipe 42 so that it can be moved back and forth.

[0055] Although discharge pipe 42 and working member 47A are made of metal, they may be made of any material as long as they maintain a substantially linear shape in the longitudinal direction, and may be made of various materials such as vinyl chloride. At least a portion of the tip of discharge pipe 42 or working member 47A may be made of a flexible tube made of rubber, which can prevent damage to the inner peripheral surface of housing 3.

[0056] (Foreign matter removal work) Next, the operation of discharging the foreign matter C will be described. As shown in Figure 2, after the drilling operation is completed and the drilling machine 7 is removed from above the gate valve device 4, a work cover 31 is attached to the upper end opening on the upper side of the valve box 4a, and a work control section 5 consisting of a flexible pipe joint 37, a connecting pipe 15 including a work ball valve 20, a support pipe 41, and a discharge pipe 42 is connected in a sealed state above the work cover 31. In this state, the work ball valve 20 is closed, and a work member 47A is accommodated in the accommodation section 4Sb consisting of the upper connecting pipe 15d above it.

[0057] 4, by opening the work ball valve 20, the discharge pipe 42 and the work member 47A attached to its lower end can be passed through the ball 22 of the work ball valve 20. Then, by rotating the handle 45a of the reel 45 to wind up the wire rope 44, the work member 47A at the tip of the discharge pipe 42 moves downward and is stored in the storage section 4Sa. In this state, the multiple fastening members 96 fastening the flange 41a of the support pipe 41 to the upper flange 15b of the connecting pipe 15 are loosened (see Figure 9(b)), and the air vent valve 36 provided on the work lid 31 is opened to vent the air, and the storage section 4Sa, the flexible pipe joint 37, the connecting pipe 15 including the work ball valve 20, and the discharge pipe 42 are filled with fluid, and water pressure approximately the same as that in the fluid pipe 2 is applied to check for leaks.After confirming that the air has been vented from the storage sections 4Sa and 4Sb, the fastening members 96 are tightened and the air vent valve 36 is closed.

[0058] 6, the valve element 4c of the gate valve device 4 is moved toward the valve cover 4b to open the passage in the valve box 4a, opening the interior of the housing 3. Furthermore, by opening the upper ball valve 43, the housing 3 and the outside are connected via the passages in the valve box 4a, flexible pipe joint 37, connecting pipe 15, working ball valve 20, and discharge pipe 42. The fluid in the housing 3 and the valve box 4a is discharged from the ball valve 43 to the outside via the hose 48, reducing the pressure on the discharge pipe 42 from the fluid, allowing the discharge pipe 42 to be smoothly inserted into the housing 3. If the water pressure of the fluid in the fluid pipe 2 is low, the discharge pipe 42 may be inserted manually without the wire rope 44, reel 45, or the like.

[0059] When working member 47A at the tip of discharge pipe 42 reaches the bottom of housing 3, accumulated foreign matter C is sucked together with the fluid through suction port 47a (see FIG. 10(a)) of working member 47A, passes through the inside of discharge pipe 42, and flows together with the fluid into hose 48 through ball valve 43. Foreign matter C is then captured by foreign matter collector 49 attached to the tip of hose 48, and only the fluid is discharged outside foreign matter collector 49. Foreign matter collector 49 is composed of a cylindrical container with a fine-mesh opening connected to the tip of hose 48, and is capable of storing foreign matter C inside the cylindrical container and discharging only the fluid to the outside.

[0060] 6, while viewing the inside of the housing 3 through the confirmation windows 33a to 33d, the operator can tilt the discharge pipe 42 as desired, thereby moving the working member 47A at the tip of the discharge pipe 42 over substantially the entire area along the bottom of the housing 3, thereby evenly suctioning the foreign matter C that has accumulated at the bottom. After starting the suction and discharge operation of the foreign matter C, the operator can lift the discharge pipe 42 upward when, by visual inspection through the confirmation windows 33a to 33d or by confirmation using an imaging device (not shown) (see, for example, imaging device 89 shown in FIG. 15), the foreign matter C is no longer visible in the housing 3, or there is no foreign matter C mixed in the fluid discharged from the foreign matter collector 49, or the amount of foreign matter C mixed in has become very small.

[0061] When finishing the operation of discharging the foreign object C, the working member 47A at the tip of the discharge pipe 42 is pulled upward above the ball 22 which is the valve body of the working ball valve 20 in the accommodating portion 4Sb, and is accommodated in the accommodating portion 4Sb in the upper connecting pipe 15d. Then, the working ball valve 20 is closed to close the passage, and the inside of the housing 3 is set in a closed state (see Fig. 7). When installing a flow control valve or the like inside the housing 3, next, the valve body 4c of the partition valve device 4 is moved to the valve box 4a side to be in a closed state. After that, by removing the support pipe 41 from the upper connecting pipe 15d and removing the discharge pipe 42, the operation of discharging the foreign object C is completed (see Fig. 8).

[0062] Next, after finishing the operation of discharging the foreign object C by the working member 47A, the case of replacing the working member 47A with the working members 47B and 47C to continue another operation (for example, the operation of sweeping out the foreign object C using the working members 47B and 47C) will be described. In the following, the case of replacing the working member 47A with the working member 47C will be described, and the description of the case of replacing it with the working member 47B will be omitted.

[0063] First, when the outer diameter dimensions L1a to L1c of the working members 47A to 47C are smaller than the inner diameter dimension L5 of the through passage 21a of the working ball valve 20 (L1a to L1c < L5), the working member 47A can be pulled upward through the through passage 21a of the working ball valve 20 to the accommodating portion 4Sb in the upper connecting pipe 15d above and accommodated. Therefore, in this case, for example, as shown in Fig. 7, after pulling up the discharge pipe 42 and the working member 47A above the ball 22 which is the valve body of the working ball valve 20 in the accommodating portion 4Sb and accommodating them in the accommodating portion 4Sb in the upper connecting pipe 15d, the housing 3 can be easily set in a closed state by only rotating the ball 22. As a result, as shown in Fig. 8, by removing the support pipe 41 from the upper connecting pipe 15d, the working member 47A together with the discharge pipe 42 can be extracted from the accommodating portion 4Sb.

[0064] Next, the working member 47A is removed from the tip of the discharge pipe 42 pulled out of the housing 4Sb, and another working member, such as working member 47C, that is large enough to fit inside the housing 4Sb is attached to the tip of the discharge pipe 42 to replace it. Then, as shown in FIG. 9(a), the working member 47B attached to the tip of the discharge pipe 42 is inserted into the housing 4Sb in the upper connecting pipe 15d, the flange 41a of the support pipe 41 is placed on the upper flange 15b of the connecting pipe 15, and multiple fastening members 96 are loosely attached. Next, as shown in FIG. 9(b), the work ball valve 20 is slightly opened to allow fluid to enter the housing 4Sb. Air is then vented from the housing 4Sb by fluid leaking from the gap 110 (air vent) between the flange 41a of the support pipe 41 and the upper flange 15b of the connecting pipe 15. Once it is confirmed that the housing 4Sb is filled with fluid, the fastening members 96 are tightened. As a result, the housing portion 4Sb is sealed via the gasket 25 between the flange 41a of the support pipe 41 and the upper flange 15b of the connection pipe 15, and the O-ring 26 provided on the inner circumferential surface of the flange 41a.

[0065] Next, the working ball valve 20 is further opened, and water pressure approximately equal to that in the fluid pipe 2 is applied to check for leaks. Once the presence or absence of water leakage has been confirmed, the handle 45a of the reel 45 is rotated to reel in the wire rope 44, and the working member 47C at the tip of the discharge pipe 42 is moved downward. Once the working member 47C passes through the storage section 4Sa and reaches the inside of the housing 3, the wire brush 47d at the tip is used to sweep out the foreign matter C, and the suction port 47e is used to perform suction. Once this work is complete, the working member 47B is raised and placed in the storage section 4Sb, and the working ball valve 20 is closed to close the inside of the housing 3. Depending on the discharge status, the working members 47A to 47C may then be replaced to perform another work, or the valve disc 4c may be slid toward the valve box 4a to close the passage and close the housing 3, thereby completing the work.

[0066] In this embodiment, the working member 47A is detachable from the tip of the discharge pipe 42, but if the working member 47A can be passed through the through passage 21a of the work ball valve 20 and pulled up to the upper connecting pipe 15d above, the working member 47A may be fixed integrally to the tip of the discharge pipe 42 by welding or the like. In this case, the discharge pipe will be replaced with various types of discharge pipes to which the working member 47B or 47C has been previously fixed at the tip.

[0067] Next, if the outer diameter dimensions L1a to L1c of the working members 47A to 47C are larger than the inner diameter dimension L5 of the through passage 21a of the working ball valve 20 (L1a to L1c > L5), the working members 47A to 47C cannot be removed through the through passage 21a of the working ball valve 20. Therefore, in this case, for example, as shown in Figure 11(a), the working member 47A at the tip of the discharge pipe 42 is pulled up to and accommodated in the accommodation section 4Sa above the valve disc 4c of the gate valve device 4, and the valve disc 4c is moved toward the valve box 4a to close the passage, bringing the interior of the housing 3 into a closed state. Then, with the tip of the discharge pipe 42 and the working member 47A attached to the tip housed within the storage section 4Sa, the acrylic plate 35 attached to one or more of the confirmation windows 33a to 33d is removed and placed on the top surface of the valve body 4c, and the working member 47A is removed and recovered from the tip of the discharge pipe 42 housed within the storage section 4Sa by inserting a tool or hand through the confirmation window 33a to 33d.

[0068] 11(b), for example, working member 47C is inserted into housing portion 4Sa through confirmation windows 33a-33d and screwed onto the tip of discharge pipe 42. In this state, the multiple fastening members 96 fastening flange 41a of support pipe 41 to upper flange 15b of connecting pipe 15 are loosened (see FIG. 9(b)), and air vent valve 36 provided on working lid 31 is opened to vent air, while housing portion 4Sa, flexible pipe joint 37, connecting pipe 15 including working ball valve 20, and discharge pipe 42 are filled with fluid and water pressure approximately equal to that in fluid pipe 2 is applied to check for leaks. After confirming that the air has been vented from housing portion 4Sa, each fastening member 96 is tightened and air vent valve 36 is closed.

[0069] Next, the valve element 4c is moved toward the valve cover 4b to open the interior of the housing 3, and then the discharge pipe 42 is moved downward to insert the working member 47C into the interior of the housing 3, thereby performing the sweeping and suctioning operations of the foreign matter C (see FIG. 6). After these operations are completed, the working member 47C at the tip of the discharge pipe 42 is raised up to and accommodated in the accommodation section 4Sa above the valve element 4c of the gate valve device 4, and the valve element 4c is moved toward the valve box 4a to close the interior of the housing 3 (see FIG. 4). Note that, for convenience of explanation, an example is shown in which the working member 47A is removed and replaced with the working member 47C, but it may also be replaced with the working members 47B, 47D, 47E, etc.

[0070] 6, if foreign matter C, such as chips, becomes clogged in suction port 47a during the suction and discharge operation of foreign matter C using working member 47A, making suction difficult, as shown in FIG. 4, working member 47A at the tip of discharge pipe 42 is pulled up to and accommodated in storage section 4Sa, and then valve element 4c is moved toward valve box 4a to close the interior of housing 3. Then, acrylic plates 35 attached to one or more of observation windows 33a-33d can be removed (see FIG. 11(a)), and foreign matter C clogged in suction port 47a can be removed by inserting a tool or hand through the observation window 33a-33d. Next, observation windows 33a-33d are closed with acrylic plates 35, and valve element 4c is moved toward valve cover 4b to open the interior of housing 3, allowing the suction and discharge operation to be resumed.

[0071] In this way, by lifting and storing the working member 47A up into the storage section 4Sb outside the ball 22 of the working ball valve 20, the inside of the housing 3 can be closed by the ball 22, and the working member 47A can be removed from the upper connecting pipe 15d, which is the storage section 4Sb, to replace it with another working member 47B, 47C, etc., or to unclog the suction ports 47a, 47c, 47e. After that, by storing the working members 47A to 47C again in the storage section 4Sb and leaving them on standby, it becomes possible to apply water pressure approximately equal to that in the fluid pipe 2 to check for leaks before performing another task.

[0072] Furthermore, by lifting and storing the working member 47A up to the accommodation section 4Sa, which is located outside the valve disc 4c in the closed position of the valve box 4a, the interior of the housing 3 can be closed by the valve disc 4c, and the working members 47B, 47C can be replaced or clogs can be removed inside the accommodation section 4Sa. After that, by storing the working members 47A-47C again in the accommodation section 4Sa and leaving them on standby, it becomes possible to apply water pressure approximately equal to that inside the fluid pipe 2 to check for leaks before performing another task. Furthermore, when storing the working members 47A-47C in the accommodation sections 4Sa, 4Sb, the above-mentioned tasks can be performed while the discharge pipe 42 remains supported by the valve box 4a via the working cover 31. This allows for the multiple steps of the work to be performed without interrupting the flow, and the work can be immediately resumed after replacing the working member or removing the clog.

[0073] In addition, in this embodiment, an example is given of a form in which the discharge work of foreign matter C is performed by an operation control unit 5 connected via a flexible pipe joint 37 to a position corresponding to the insertion hole 32 formed in the center of the work lid 31, but the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, as shown in Figure 12, the discharge work may be performed by connecting the operation control unit 5 via a flexible pipe joint 37 to a position corresponding to the confirmation windows 33a to 33d other than the center of the work lid 31.

[0074] 12, work can be performed by connecting a work control unit 5 via a flexible pipe joint 37 at a position corresponding to the confirmation windows 33a to 33d, and connecting another work control unit 5A at a position corresponding to the insertion hole 32. In other words, the number of work control units 5, 5A, etc. connected can be one or more, and they can be connected at any position. Note that while the work control unit 5 reels up the wire rope 44 by rotating the handle 45a of the reel 45, as shown in work control unit 5A, when the water pressure is high, the support pipe 41 and discharge pipe 42 can be stretched across a chain block 53, and the chain can be reeled up using an operating handle (not shown) attached to the chain block 53.

[0075] Furthermore, in the case of a housing 103 shown in Figure 13, which has a seat surface 101 on the inner bottom surface, when a working member 47D (see Figure 10(d)) having a maximum outer dimension L1d larger than the inner diameter dimension L2 of the insertion hole 32 or the inner diameter dimension L6 of the confirmation windows 33a to 33d is attached to the tip of the discharge pipe 42, or when a working member 47E (see Figure 10(e)) having a maximum outer dimension L1e larger than the inner diameter dimension L2 of the insertion hole 32 is attached, the working members 47D, 47E cannot be inserted into the interior of the valve box 4a through the insertion hole 32 or the confirmation windows 33a to 33d, so the working lid 31 can be suspended by a lifting device H and a wire W equipped with a hook suspended from a crane not shown, and removed from the upper open end of the valve box 4a.

[0076] 12, for example, after attaching a work member 47D to the tip of the discharge pipe 42 of the work control unit 5, as shown in Fig. 13, the work lid 31 can be hermetically attached to the upper open end of the valve box 4a to close it, and then the work member 47D can be used to remove foreign matter C adhering to the seat surface 101. In this way, by attaching multiple work control units 5, 5A to the work lid 31 and attaching various work members 47A to 47E to their tips, multiple tasks can be performed simultaneously, improving work efficiency.

[0077] Although not specifically explained or illustrated, after the above-mentioned foreign matter C discharge and confirmation work is completed, the gate valve device 4 is removed after a flow control valve or the like is installed inside the housing 3 and the upper opening of the housing 3 is sealed and closed with a lid member (not shown).

[0078] (Actions and Effects) As described above, the working device 1 as an embodiment of the present invention has at least a housing 3 that hermetically fits around the fluid pipe 2, a passage that connects the inside of the housing 3 to the outside, a valve (e.g., a check valve device 4, a working ball valve 20) that has a valve body (e.g., a valve body 4c, a ball 22) that can open and close the passage, and working members 47A to 47E as functional parts that can enter the housing 3 through the passage, and has sealed storage sections 4Sa, 4Sb in the passage located outside the valve body (outside when the inside of the fluid pipe 2 is used as a reference) where the working members 47A to 47E can wait.

[0079] According to this, the working members 47A to 47E are stored in the storage sections 4Sa, 4Sb outside the valve body 4c of the check valve device 4 and the ball 22 of the working ball valve 20 and are kept waiting while being kept in a sealed state (watertight state), and in this state the passage can be opened and the working members 47A to 47E can be inserted into the housing 3.Therefore, various working members 47A to 47E can be inserted inside the housing 3 in an uninterrupted flow state and various tasks can be performed inside the housing 3, such as discharging or sweeping out foreign matter C.

[0080] Furthermore, the housing portions 4Sa, 4Sb have discharge pipes 42 as extensions that extend into the housing 3 and have working members 47A to 47E at their lower ends to which they can be attached or detached, and the housing portions 4Sa, 4Sb have O-rings 26 as sealing parts that seal the discharge pipes 42 so that they can move back and forth, thereby preventing leakage of fluid from between the discharge pipes 42 that move back and forth and the housing portions 4Sa, 4Sb. Note that the sealing parts that seal the extensions so that they can move back and forth are not limited to the O-rings 26, and other sealing materials such as packing may also be used.

[0081] In addition, it has a discharge pipe 42 as an extension part that extends into the housing 3 and has a lower end at which working members 47A to 47E can be attached and detached, and the storage parts 4Sa, 4Sb are configured to be able to store the lower end of the discharge pipe 42 and working members 47A to 47E in a sealed state, so that the lower end of the discharge pipe 42 can be stored in the storage parts 4Sa, 4Sb together with the working members 47A to 47E, and therefore when the passage is opened, the working members 47A to 47E can be inserted into the housing 3 through the discharge pipe 42.

[0082] Furthermore, the working members 47A to 47E as functional parts are attached to the lower end of the discharge pipe 42 as the extension part, but for example, if the direction of advancement and retreat of the extension part is approximately horizontal, they may be attached to the tip in the insertion direction rather than the lower end.

[0083] Furthermore, the valve is a check valve device 4 having a valve box 4a that movably accommodates the valve body 4c, and the accommodation section 4Sa is formed within the valve box 4a, making it easy to form the accommodation section 4Sa by utilizing the internal space of the valve box 4a that accommodates the valve body 4c.

[0084] In addition, the valve box 4a has an opening (the upper opening end of the body 13b) that can open and close the storage section 4Sa, so that by removing the work lid 31, the storage section 4Sa can be opened wide, making it easier to access the work members 47A to 47E stored in the storage section 4Sa.

[0085] Furthermore, a working lid 31 is provided as a lid portion capable of closing the opening of the valve box 4a, and the working lid 31 is provided with confirmation windows 33a to 33d as openable and closable hole portions, so that the confirmation windows 33a to 33d can be opened to visually check the status inside the housing 3 without removing the working lid 31. Furthermore, it is also possible to perform work such as inserting working members 47A to 47C into the housing 3 through the confirmation windows 33a to 33d.

[0086] In addition, the work lid 31 is provided with a work ball valve 20 as an opening / closing valve through which the lower end of the discharge pipe 42 and the work members 47A to 47E are removably inserted, and a passage located outside the ball 22 of the work ball valve 20 has a storage section 4Sb as a sealed second storage section in which the work members 47A to 47E can wait, so that the lower end of the discharge pipe 42 can be positioned in the storage section 4Sb outside the work ball valve 20, making it possible to attach and detach the work members 47A to 47E.

[0087] Furthermore, since the upper surface of the valve disc 4c is formed as a flat surface, the upper surface of the valve disc 4c formed as a flat surface can be used to perform the work of attaching and detaching the working members 47A to 47E. During the work, not only the acrylic plate 35 but also tools and necessary members may be placed on the upper surface of the valve disc 4c.

[0088] Furthermore, the valve is a work ball valve 20 having a main body 21 with a rotatable ball 22 as a valve body, and the storage section 4Sb is formed outside the ball 22 of the work ball valve 20, so that the work members 47A to 47C can be stored in the storage section 4Sb outside the work ball valve 20 and kept waiting.

[0089] Furthermore, the valve is a check valve device 4 having a valve box 4a that movably accommodates the valve body 4c, and the accommodation section 4Sa is formed within a working tube 61 that communicates with the valve box 4a, so that the accommodation section 4Sc can be formed in a working tube 61 that is different from the valve box 4a, allowing the size of the accommodation space to be set with a high degree of freedom.

[0090] In addition, since an air vent section (for example, an air vent valve 36 or a gap 110 between the flange 41a of the support pipe 41 and the upper flange 15b of the connecting pipe 15) is formed in the storage sections 4Sa, 4Sb, air can be easily vented when filling the storage sections 4Sa, 4Sb with fluid.

[0091] 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.

[0092] For example, in the above embodiment, when performing work to discharge foreign matter C by suction using work member 47A or the like, there is no problem with the suction force if the pressure in the fluid pipe 2 is high, but if the pressure in the fluid pipe 2 is low, the suction force may be weak and the foreign matter C may not be sucked up properly.Therefore, for example, as shown in Figure 14, suction through the discharge pipe 42 may be forcibly performed using a low-pressure suction unit 80 consisting of a strainer 81 to which the hose 48 of the work control unit 5 is connected, an electric pump 82 for sucking up wastewater, a connecting pipe 83 connecting the strainer 81 and the electric pump 82, and a water supply pipe 84 connected to a water supply tank not shown and supplying water into the connecting pipe 83.

[0093] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example was given in which the working members 47A to 47E could be attached to the tip of the discharge pipe 42, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in Fig. 15, a flexible hose 88 or the like may be attached as a functional part to the tip of the discharge pipe 42, and the hose 88 may be inserted into the fluid pipe 2 so that foreign matter C can be sucked in. Furthermore, an imaging device 89 as a functional part made up of a camera or the like may be attached to the tip of the discharge pipe 42, and an image of the inside of the housing 3 captured by the imaging part of the imaging device may be displayed on a monitor device (not shown) or the like for confirmation. In this way, even when the fluid inside the housing 3 is highly turbid and visual confirmation through the confirmation windows 33a to 33d is difficult, confirmation can be easily made using the imaging device 89.

[0094] Furthermore, by attaching a light source (for example, a light emitting diode or the like) (not shown) as a functional part to the tip of discharge pipe 42 so that it can illuminate the inside of housing 3, it is possible to improve visibility when visually checking the work status inside housing 3 through check windows 33a to 33d or when checking the status using images captured by imaging device 89. The light source may be attached alone to the tip of the extension part, or may be attached to the extension part together with imaging device 89, or may be attached to an extension part separate from imaging device 89.

[0095] In addition, in the above embodiment, an example was given of a form in which a check valve device 4 having a valve body 4c that can open and close the inside of the housing 3 and an operation ball valve 20 having a ball 22 as a valve body that can open and close the inside of the housing 3 are applied as a valve having a valve body that can open and close the inside of the housing 3, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a valve having a valve body that is separate from the valve body 4c of the check valve device 4 and the ball 22 of the operation ball valve 20 may be applied as long as it is a valve having a valve body that can open and close the inside of the housing.

[0096] In addition, in the above embodiment, an example was given of a form in which the storage section 4Sa provided inside the valve box 4a and the storage section 4Sb consisting of the flexible pipe joint 37, the lower connecting pipe 15c, the working ball valve 20 and the upper connecting pipe 15d are used as storage sections that can accommodate the tip of the discharge pipe 42 as the extension section and the working members 47A to 47E as the functional sections, but the present invention is not limited to this, and is not limited to the above storage sections 4Sb, 4Sb as long as they are formed outside the valve body such as the valve body 4c and the ball 22.

[0097] Specifically, for example, as shown in Figure 15, a separate working cylinder 60 or the like may be provided in a sealed state between the valve box 4a and the working cover 31 of the gate valve device 4, and a storage section 4Sc communicating with the storage section 4Sa may be provided inside this working cylinder 60. This makes it possible to store large chips and the like that cannot be stored in the storage section 4Sa in the storage section 4Sc or in two storage sections 4Sa and 4Sc. In this way, because the storage section 4Sc can be formed in a working cylinder 60 separate from the valve box 4a, the size of the storage space can be set with a high degree of freedom even when it is not possible to secure a large space to form a storage section outside the valve disc 4c in the valve box 4a that slidably supports the valve disc 4c.

[0098] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the housing 3 and the valve box 4a of the gate valve device 4 are configured separately, but the housing 3 and the valve box 4a of the gate valve device 4 may be integrated. In other words, the accommodation section may be provided inside the valve box 4a, like the accommodation section 4Sa in the above-described embodiment, or may be provided outside the valve box 4a, like the accommodation section 4Sb provided inside the flexible pipe joint 37, the lower connecting pipe 15c, the working ball valve 20, and the upper connecting pipe 15d that are connected in a sealed state to the valve box 4a, or the accommodation section 4Sc provided inside the working cylinder 60 shown in FIG. 15 .

[0099] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the storage section includes storage section 4Sa inside valve box 4a, and storage sections 4Sb and 4Sc are also provided outside valve box 4a. In other words, although an example has been given in which working device 1 includes multiple storage sections 4Sa, 4Sb, and 4Sc, the present invention is not limited to this, and working device 1 may include at least one of the multiple storage sections 4Sa, 4Sb, and 4Sc, regardless of whether it is inside or outside valve box 4a. Furthermore, working device 1 may include four or more storage sections.

[0100] In the above embodiment, the valve element of the valve, such as the valve element 4c of the gate valve device 4 or the ball 22 of the working ball valve 20, is provided in the valve box 4a or the main body 21, which are hermetically connected to the housing 3. However, the present invention is not limited to this and may be provided in the housing. Specifically, for example, as shown in FIG. 16, an working ball valve 120 having a ball 122 as a valve element may be hermetically provided in the housing 103A via a connecting pipe 15A. In this case, a housing section 4Sd capable of housing a functional section (e.g., a working member 47Z) may be provided outside the ball 122, and a discharge pipe 42 as an extension section may be supported by a support pipe 41 connected to the connecting pipe 15A so as to be able to advance and retreat inside the housing 103A.

[0101] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the extension portion and the functional portion are provided so as to be insertable from above to below in the housing 3, but the direction of advancement and retreat of the extension portion is not limited to the up-down direction, and it may be movable in a direction other than the up-down direction, such as a substantially horizontal direction. For example, as shown in Fig. 16, it may be provided so as to be insertable from the side of the housing 103A toward the inside.

[0102] In the above embodiment, the working device 1 is exemplified as having a gate valve device 4 with a valve element 4c and an operation ball valve 20 with a ball 22 as a valve element, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the working device does not necessarily have to have two or more valves as long as it has at least one valve with a valve element. Also, when only one valve is provided, it may be provided with only an operation ball valve 120 as shown in Figure 16, or it may be provided with only the gate valve device 4 of the above embodiment, and the type of valve may be different from the above valves.

[0103] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example has been given in which the gate valve device 4 having the valve element 4c movable between the valve box 4a and the valve cover 4b is provided separately from the housing 3, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the gate valve device 4 may be provided integrally with the housing 3. For example, as shown in Fig. 17, the valve element 4c may be movably provided in the housing 103B without providing a valve box or the like separate from the housing 103B. In this case, the accommodation section 4Se may be provided in the space outside the valve element 4c in the housing 103B.

[0104] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, examples of work related to drilling the fluid pipe 2 by the drilling machine 7 inside the housing 3 include the work of sucking and discharging foreign matter C by the work control unit 5, sweeping it out, removing it from the sheet surface, suctioning it, and taking an image of the inside of the housing 3 using the imaging device 89 to check it, but the present invention is not limited to this and may also include work using various other tools other than those mentioned above, such as the work of checking the water quality inside the housing 3 using a detection device (not shown) and the work of checking for leaks before drilling the fluid pipe 2.

[0105] In addition, in the above embodiment, an example was given of a form in which the work control unit 5 is composed of a work lid 31, a flexible pipe joint 37, a connecting pipe 15 including a work ball valve 20, a support pipe 41, and a discharge pipe 42, but the present invention is not limited to this, and as long as it has at least a support pipe 41 and a discharge pipe 42, it does not necessarily have to have a work lid 31, a flexible pipe joint 37, and a connecting pipe 15 including a work ball valve 20.

[0106] In the above embodiment, the discharge pipe 42 made of a metal material is used as the extension portion provided so as to be able to advance and retreat toward the interior of the housing 3, but the present invention is not limited to this and may be formed of a flexible member such as a rubber hose. Furthermore, the extension portion does not have to be a tubular member like the discharge pipe 42, through which the foreign object C can move, but may be formed of a simple rod member. In other words, as long as the extension portion is provided so as to be able to advance and retreat toward the interior of the housing 3, the material, function, etc. can be variously changed depending on the functional portion attached to the tip.

[0107] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example is given of a form in which a working device 1 is applied that is capable of discharging foreign matter C that occurs when a predetermined portion of a fluid pipe 2 is cut by a drilling machine 7, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a working device that is capable of discharging foreign matter C that occurs when a predetermined portion of a fluid pipe 2 is drilled by a drilling machine 7 or the like may be applied.

[0108] In the above embodiment, the valve element 4c is provided as a valve element capable of opening and closing the inside of the housing 3, and is movable horizontally relative to the valve box 4a, and is placed on the valve box 4a to close the inside of the housing 3. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a valve element that closes the inside of the housing by moving the valve element 4c vertically may be used. The type of valve element is also arbitrary and can be changed in various ways.

[0109] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the check valve device 4 having a valve body 4c that can open and close the inside of the housing 3 is exemplified as being removed by closing the upper opening of the housing 3 with a cover member (not shown) after the foreign matter C discharge work and inspection work are completed, but the present invention is not limited to this and may be left as is. [Explanation of symbols]

[0110] 1 Work equipment 2 Fluid tube 3,103,103A,103B housing 4. Gate valve device (valve, working valve) 4a Valve box 4b Operculum 4c Valve body 4d groove part 4Sa, 4Sd, 4Se storage area 4Sb, 4Sc housing unit (second housing unit) 5,5A Work control unit 7 Drilling machine 15,15A connecting pipe 15c Lower connecting pipe 15d Upper connecting pipe 20. Work ball valve (valve, on-off valve) 21 Main body (main body) 22 Ball (valve body) 26 O-ring (sealing part) 31 Work lid (lid part) 32 Insertion hole 33a~33d Check window (hole) 35 Acrylic plate 36 Air vent valve (air vent) 37 Flexible pipe joint 41 Support pipe 42 Discharge pipe (extension part) 47A~47E, 47Z Working parts (functional parts) 60 Work Cylinder 88 Hose (functional part) 89 Imaging device (functional part) 110 Gap (air vent) C Foreign matter

Claims

1. A working device having at least a housing that hermetically fits a fluid pipe, a passage that connects the inside of the housing with the outside, a valve having a valve body that can open and close the passage and a valve box that movably houses the valve body, and a functional part that can enter the housing through the passage, an extension portion that extends into the housing and has the functional portion at its tip; The valve box has a sealed accommodation section in which the functional section can wait, An opening / closing valve through which the tip of the extension portion and the functional portion are detachably inserted is provided on a lid portion capable of closing the opening of the valve box, and a sealed second accommodating portion in which the functional portion can wait is provided in a passage located outside the valve body of the opening / closing valve, A working device, characterized in that a flexible pipe joint is interposed between the housing portion and the second housing portion.

2. The working device according to claim 1 , wherein the housing portion has a sealing portion that seals the extension portion so that the extension portion can be advanced and retreated.

3. 2. The working device according to claim 1, wherein the housing portion is configured to be able to house the tip of the extension portion and the functional portion in a sealed state.

4. The working device according to claim 1, wherein the cover portion is provided with an openable and closable hole portion.

5. 2. The working device according to claim 1, wherein the upper surface of the valve body is formed into a flat surface.

6. 2. The work device according to claim 1, wherein the on-off valve has a main body that rotatably supports the valve element.

7. 2. The working device according to claim 1, wherein the housing portion is formed with an air vent portion.

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