Work equipment

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

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[0001] The present invention relates to a working device having at least a housing that externally fits a fluid pipe in a sealed manner, a passage that communicates the inside and the outside of the housing, 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 Art

[0002] Conventionally, when performing work such as connecting an existing flow path through which water, gas, etc. flow to another flow path, for example, a housing is attached to an existing fluid pipe in a sealed manner, and a working valve device that can open and close the inside is attached to the tip of the housing. At the same time, a drilling machine having a cutter and a drive unit is installed in the working valve device, and the cutter is advanced by the drive unit with the working valve open, and a part of the fluid pipe is drilled inside the housing in a non-stop flow state.

[0003] When a part of an existing fluid pipe is drilled with such a drilling machine, instead of the drilling machine attached to the tip of the working valve device, a chip recovery device having a discharge pipe for discharging chips generated during drilling is attached. After that, the working valve is opened and the discharge pipe is inserted into the inside of the working valve device and the housing, and the chips scattered inside are sucked from the suction port formed at the lower end and discharged to the outside together with the fluid (for example, see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In the chip recovery device described in Patent Document 1 above, chips scattered inside the housing are sucked up from the suction port of the discharge pipe inserted into the housing. However, depending on various conditions such as the cutting method of the fluid pipe and the type of fluid inside the pipe, the manner in which the chips are present may not be uniform. For example, the chips may be widely scattered inside the housing, or they may be concentrated in specific locations such as the seat surface, which greatly affects the sealing performance, or in specific locations such as the corners inside the housing. In such cases, it becomes necessary to perform other tasks in addition to the chip suction work, such as cleaning specific locations and visually inspecting the inside of the housing.

[0006] However, in a continuous flow state, the only operation that can be performed inside the enclosure is a single process of suctioning out the chips through the discharge pipe, which presents a problem as it prevents the performance of various operations depending on the remaining chip configuration.

[0007] This invention was made in view of these problems, and aims to provide a work device that can perform various tasks by inserting various functional parts into the housing while the flow is continuous. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above problems, the work apparatus of the present invention is A work device comprising at least a housing that seals a fluid pipe, a passage connecting the inside and outside of the housing, a valve having a valve body capable of opening and closing the passage, and a functional part that can enter the housing through the passage, The device is characterized by having a sealed housing in a passage located outside the valve body, in which the functional unit can be kept in a waiting position. This feature allows the functional unit to be housed in a compartment outside the valve body, maintaining a sealed state while in standby mode. In this state, the passage can be opened and the functional unit can be inserted into the housing. This enables various functional units to be inserted into the housing and various operations to be performed while maintaining a continuous flow.

[0009] The device is characterized by having an extension portion that extends into the housing and has a detachable functional portion at its tip, and the housing portion having a sealing portion that seals the extension portion so that it can move forward and backward. This feature makes it possible to prevent fluid leakage from between the moving extension and the housing.

[0010] The device has an extension that extends toward the inside of the housing and has an extension at its tip to which the functional part can be attached and detached, and the housing is configured to house the tip of the extension and the functional part in a sealed manner. This feature allows the tip of the extension to be sealed and housed in the housing along with the functional part, so that when the passage is opened, the functional part can be inserted into the housing via the extension.

[0011] The valve is a working valve having a valve body that movably houses the valve body, and the housing portion is formed within the valve body. This feature makes it easy to form a housing by utilizing the internal space of the valve body that houses the valve element of the work valve.

[0012] The valve body is characterized by having an opening that allows the housing to be opened and closed. This feature allows the storage area to be opened wide, making it easier to access the functional components housed within it.

[0013] The invention is characterized by having a lid that can close the aforementioned opening, and a hole that can be opened and closed provided in the lid. This feature allows the inside of the casing to be viewed by opening the opening without removing the lid.

[0014] The lid is provided with an on-off valve through which the tip of the extension and the functional part are detachably inserted, and the lid is characterized by having a sealed second housing in a passage located outside the valve body of the on-off valve, through which the functional part can be kept in a waiting position. This feature allows the tip of the extension to be positioned in a housing outside the on-off valve, making it possible to attach and detach the functional part.

[0015] It is characterized in that the upper surface of the valve body is formed as a flat surface. According to this feature, the attachment and detachment of the functional part can be performed by using the upper surface of the valve body formed as a flat surface.

[0016] The valve is an on-off valve having a main body that rotatably holds the valve body, and the housing part is formed outside the valve body of the on-off valve. According to this feature, it becomes possible to accommodate the functional part in the housing part outside the on-off valve and make it standby.

[0017] The valve is a working valve having a valve box that movably accommodates the valve body, and the housing part is formed in a working cylinder that communicates with the valve box. According to this feature, since the housing part can be formed in a working cylinder different from the valve box, the size of the housing space can be set with high freedom.

[0018] It is characterized in that an air vent part is formed in the housing part. According to this feature, air can be easily vented when the housing part is filled with fluid.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019] [Figure 1] It is a partially broken front view showing a housing attached to a predetermined position of a fluid pipe, a shut-off valve device connected to the housing, and a perforator connected to the shut-off valve device. [Figure 2] It is a partially broken front view showing a working device to which a work control part is attached. [Figure 3] It is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line A-A of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] It is a partially broken front view showing a working device in a state where a working member of a discharge pipe is accommodated in a housing part. [Figure 5] It is a partially broken enlarged view showing the main part of FIG. 4. [Figure 6]This is a partially broken front view showing the work equipment during discharge operations controlled by the work control unit. [Figure 7] This is a partially broken front view showing a work device with the work component lifted and stored in the storage compartment. [Figure 8] This is a partially broken front view showing the work apparatus with the support pipe and discharge pipe removed. [Figure 9] (a) is a diagram showing the state in which the replaced work member is housed in the housing and the support pipe is attached to the upper connecting pipe, and (b) is a diagram showing the state in which the housing is filled with fluid and air is being bled out. [Figure 10] (a) to (e) are diagrams showing various working components. [Figure 11] (a) is a diagram showing the working member being removed from the discharge pipe, and (b) is a diagram showing the new working member being attached to the discharge pipe. [Figure 12] This is a partially cutaway front view showing the work device with the work cover removed from the valve body and the work components attached. [Figure 13] Figure 12 is a partially broken cross-sectional view showing a work apparatus in operation using the work components shown. [Figure 14] This is a diagram showing a low-pressure suction unit. [Figure 15] This is a partially broken cross-sectional view showing a work device in which discharge work is performed using a hose while monitoring with an imaging device used as a work component. [Figure 16] This is a schematic diagram showing a working apparatus as a modified example of the present invention. [Figure 17] This is a schematic diagram showing a working apparatus as another modification of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0020] Embodiments for implementing the work apparatus according to the present invention will be described below based on examples. [Examples]

[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 front side of Figure 1 will be referred to as the front side (front view) of the working apparatus, and the back side as the rear side (back view).

[0022] The work device 1, as an embodiment of the present invention, mainly consists of a housing 3 that seals a predetermined portion of the fluid pipe 2 shown in Figure 1, a gate valve device 4 that can open and close a passage connecting the inside and outside of the housing 3, and a work control unit 5 that controls work inside the housing 3, as shown in Figure 2. The device is capable of performing various tasks associated with drilling the fluid pipe 2, such as discharging foreign matter C (see Figure 2) such as chips and rust generated by drilling a predetermined portion of the fluid pipe 2 covered by the housing 3 using a drilling machine 7, and checking the inside of the housing 3 with a camera after the drilling work.

[0023] In the following, a series of work processes will be described, from drilling a predetermined location in the existing fluid pipe 2, which is a pipeline component, inside the housing 3 in a continuous flow state, using the housing 3 and gate valve device 4 that constitute part of the above-mentioned work apparatus 1, and a drilling machine 7 attached to the upper part of the gate valve device 4, to using the work control unit 5 to discharge foreign matter C such as metal shavings and rust scattered inside the housing 3 as a result of the drilling to the outside of the housing 3.

[0024] In this embodiment, the fluid in the fluid pipe 2 is tap water, but it may also be industrial water, agricultural water, sewage, or other liquids, or even gas or a gas-liquid mixture. The fluid pipe 2 is a ductile cast iron pipe and is formed as a straight pipe with a substantially circular cross-section. In this embodiment, the fluid pipe 2 is arranged in a substantially horizontal direction. 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 circumferential surface of the fluid pipe may be covered with an epoxy resin layer, mortar, plating, or a suitable material may be applied to the inner circumferential surface of the fluid pipe by powder coating.

[0025] When drilling a fluid pipe 2, first, the housing 3 is attached to a predetermined location on the fluid pipe 2 in a sealed manner via a sealing member (not shown). The housing 3 consists of a lower housing 3a disposed at the bottom of the fluid pipe 2 and an upper housing 3b disposed at the top of the fluid pipe 2. The lower housing 3a is formed in a roughly T-shape in front view, having a bottomed cylindrical body portion 13a extending downward and curved plate-like half-split arm portions 14a, 14a extending laterally approximately perpendicular to the body portion 13a and curved in a semi-circular arc shape when viewed from the axial direction of the fluid pipe 2, and seals the lower outer circumference of the fluid pipe 2 via a sealing member (not shown). Furthermore, the upper housing 3b is formed in a roughly T-shape when viewed from the front, having a bottomed cylindrical body portion 13b extending upward, and curved plate-like half-split arm portions 14b, 14b extending laterally substantially perpendicular to the body portion 13b and curved in a semi-circular arc shape when viewed from the axial direction of the fluid pipe 2, and seals the lower outer circumference of the fluid pipe 2 via a sealing member (not shown). A flange 13c projecting in the outer diameter direction is formed on the upper opening periphery of the body portion 13b.

[0026] Furthermore, the housing 3 may be divided, for example, in the front-to-back direction, and the number of divisions may also be a predetermined number of three or more. In this embodiment, the divided parts are joined together in a sealed state by multiple fastening members (not shown) consisting of bolts and nuts, but this is not limited to this, and for example, welding may also be used.

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

[0028] Furthermore, flanges 4e and 4f are formed on the upper and lower opening periphery of the valve body 4a, projecting outward in the radial direction. The lower flange 4e is fastened to the flange 13c of the body 13b by a plurality of fastening members 91 consisting of bolts and nuts arranged in the circumferential direction, thereby sealing the valve body 4a to the upper opening end (opening) of the body 13b via a sealing member (not shown). Although not specifically shown, the end of a valve stem, which is screwed with the valve body 4c inside the valve cover 4b, protrudes from the tip of the valve cover 4b. An operating handle is provided at the end of this valve stem, and by rotating the operating handle, the valve body 4c is moved between the valve body 4a and the valve cover 4b, allowing the inside of the housing 3 to be opened and closed.

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

[0030] Next, the drilling machine 7 is sealed and connected to the upper opening end of the valve body 4a. The drilling machine 7 mainly consists of a mounting flange cylinder 71, a cutter 72 for drilling the fluid pipe 2, a drive motor 74 for rotating the cutter 72 inside the mounting flange cylinder 71, and a retraction mechanism 73 for moving the cutter 72 up and down. The cutter 72 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a larger diameter than the fluid pipe 2 and consists of a hole saw 72a with a cutting blade along the circumferential direction at its tip (lower end in the figure), and a center drill 72b which is arranged coaxially with the rotation axis 72c of the hole saw 72a and protrudes further than the cutting blade. The cutter 72 is arranged concentrically with the upper opening end of the body portion 13b of the housing 3, is inserted into the body portion 13b from the upper opening end, and can advance to a position where it penetrates at least the pipe wall of the fluid pipe 2.

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

[0032] Furthermore, the connection of the gate valve device 4 to the upper opening end of the body portion 13b of the housing 3 and the connection of the drilling machine 7 to the upper opening end of the valve body 4a are not necessarily limited to the order described above. The connection of the drilling machine 7 may be performed first, followed by the connection of the gate valve device 4, or these connection operations may be performed simultaneously, or the upper housing 3b and the lower housing 3a may be connected with the gate valve device 4 and drilling machine 7 already connected.

[0033] (Drilling process for fluid pipes using a drilling machine) Next, the process of drilling the fluid pipe 2 using the drilling machine 7 will be briefly explained. 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. Then, while removing air from an air vent valve (not shown) provided at a predetermined location on the peripheral wall of the housing 3, fluid is filled into the housing 3 and water pressure approximately the same as that inside the fluid pipe 2 is applied to check for leaks. After confirming that the air has been removed from inside the housing 3, the air vent valve (not shown) is closed.

[0034] Next, the drive motor 74 of the drilling machine 7 rotates the cutter 72 around the rotation axis 72c, and the advance / return mechanism 73 moves the cutter 72 downward, drilling a hole in the upper part of the peripheral wall of the fluid pipe 2 in a continuous flow state. This drilling generates foreign matter C such as chips from the fluid pipe 2 and rust that has peeled off from the inner surface of the fluid pipe 2, which are scattered inside the housing 3 filled with fluid. Note that drilling may involve cutting or dividing a part of the fluid pipe axial direction with a cutter 72 or the like which has a larger diameter than the fluid pipe 2, as in this embodiment, or it may involve forming a hole in the pipe wall with a cutter or the like which has a smaller diameter than the fluid pipe 2.

[0035] When the fluid pipe 2 is drilled by the cutter 72, the severed piece (not shown) from the fluid pipe 2 is held inside the hole saw 72a. Subsequently, the retraction mechanism 73 pulls the cutter 72 together with the piece (not shown) into the mounting flange cylinder 71, moving the valve body 4c of the gate valve device 4 toward the groove 4d side and closing the inside of the valve body 4a.

[0036] The foreign matter C generated by the drilling is scattered into the fluid in the housing 3 near the cut section. Some of it is then discharged by water pressure along with the fluid in the pipe through a drain port (not shown) located 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 accumulates (see Figure 2). Since there is a risk that the foreign matter C accumulated at the bottom of the housing 3 may flow into the fluid pipe 2 due to the movement of the fluid, the drilling machine 7 is removed by detaching the mounting flange cylinder 71 from the valve body 4a, and the work control unit 5 is attached to the valve body 4a. This work control unit 5 then performs 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 explained based on Figures 2 to 5.

[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 a work control unit 5 that controls the discharge of foreign matter C from inside the housing 3, and the work device 1 is made up of the housing 3, the gate valve device 4, and the work control unit 5.

[0039] After the drilling operation by the drilling machine 7 is completed, the work cover 31, which serves as the lid, is fastened to the flange 4f of the valve body 4a by a plurality of fastening members 93 consisting of bolts and nuts arranged in the circumferential direction, thereby sealing the upper open end of the valve body 4a via the sealing member 4h (see Figure 5). The work control unit 5, which is an example of a work tool for discharging foreign matter C, is sealed above the valve body 4a via this work cover 31. Furthermore, as the upper open end of the valve body 4a is sealed by the work cover 31, a housing portion 4Sa is formed between the valve body 4c and the work cover 31 in the valve body 4a, that is, below the work cover 31.

[0040] As shown in Figure 3, the work cover 31 is formed in a disc shape, and a circular through-hole 32 is formed at its center, extending vertically. In addition, several (four in this example) inspection windows 33a to 33d are formed around the through-hole 32 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, each being a circular opening slightly smaller in diameter than the through-hole 32 and extending vertically. A translucent acrylic plate 35 is sealed to each inspection window 33a to 33d via a sealing member (not shown), and the inside of the valve body 4a is closed off, allowing visibility through the acrylic plate 35. The acrylic plate 35 is detachably attached to the inspection windows 33a to 33d.

[0041] Furthermore, between each of the inspection windows 33a to 33d, there are multiple (four in this example) small holes 34a to 34d that penetrate vertically. The small holes 34a to 34d are used to inject fluid into the valve body 4a and to install an air vent valve 36 for removing air during the injection process.

[0042] As shown in Figure 2, a rubber flexible pipe joint 37 is sealed and connected to the center of the upper surface of the work cover 31 via a sealing member (not shown), and communicates with the inside of the valve body 4a via an insertion hole 32. Flanges 37a and 37b protruding in the outer diameter direction are formed on the upper and lower opening periphery of the flexible pipe joint 37, and the flexible pipe joint 37 is sealed and connected to the work cover 31 via a sealing member (not shown) by fastening the lower flange 37a to the work cover 31 with a plurality of fastening members 94 consisting of bolts and nuts arranged in the circumferential direction.

[0043] Above the flexible pipe joint 37, the connecting pipe 15 is sealed and connected via a sealing member (not shown), communicating with the inside of the flexible pipe joint 37. Flanges 15a and 15b are formed on the upper and lower opening edges of the connecting pipe 15, projecting in the outer diameter direction. The lower flange 15a is fastened to the upper flange 37b of the flexible pipe joint 37 by a plurality of fastening members 95 consisting of bolts and nuts arranged in the circumferential direction, thereby sealing the connecting pipe 15 to the flexible pipe joint 37 via a sealing member (not shown).

[0044] As shown in Figure 5, the connecting pipe 15 consists of a lower connecting pipe 15c, an upper connecting pipe 15d, and a working ball valve 20, which serves as an on / off valve and is sealed between the lower connecting pipe 15c and the upper connecting pipe 15d via a sealing member (not shown). The working ball valve 20 mainly consists of a main body 21 having a through passage 21a that penetrates vertically, a ball 22 as a valve body rotatably supported within the main body 21, an operating handle 23 for opening and closing the ball 22, and a nipple 24 screwed into the lower end of the main body 21. The inner diameter L5 of the through passage 21a of the working ball valve 20 is smaller than the inner diameter of the openings of the housing 3 and the valve body 4a. Figure 2 shows the working ball valve 20 in the closed state, and Figure 5 shows the working ball valve 20 in the open state.

[0045] As shown in Figure 2, a support pipe 41 is sealed above the connecting pipe 15 via a sealing member (not shown) and communicates with the inside of the connecting pipe 15. A flange 41a protruding in the outer diameter direction is formed on the lower opening periphery of the support pipe 41, and the support pipe 41 is sealed to the connecting pipe 15 via a gasket 25 (see Figure 5) 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.

[0046] Inside the support pipe 41, a discharge pipe 42, which is an extension made of metal material extending in the vertical direction, is movable and sealed via an O-ring 26 provided on the inner circumferential surface of the flange 41a (see Figure 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. In addition, a reel 45 for winding up a wire rope 44, one end of which is locked to the upper part of the discharge pipe 42, is attached to the lower part of the support pipe 41, and a handle 46 for gripping the discharge pipe 42 is attached to the upper part of the discharge pipe 42.

[0047] A functional part, a work member 47A, which is roughly cylindrical in shape and has a suction port 47a (see Figure 5) for sucking up foreign matter C, is detachably attached to the lower end of the discharge pipe 42. As shown in Figure 10(a), the work member 47A is formed in a cylindrical shape, and semicircular notches 47h, 47h are formed on the front and rear sides of the tip (lower end). The suction port 47a of the work member 47A has a concave curved tip when viewed from the front (left view in Figure 10(a)) and a flat tip when viewed from the side (right view in Figure 10(a)).

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

[0049] Furthermore, as shown in the enlarged view of Figure 10(a), the inner diameter dimension R2 of the notches 47h, 47h is larger than the inner diameter dimension R1 of the working member 47A. As a result, the combined area of ​​the projected area A2 of the suction port 47a when viewed from the front of the working member 47A and the projected area A2 of the suction port 47a when viewed from the rear of the working member 47A is greater than or equal to the area A1 of the suction port 47a when viewed from below. This prevents the suction force inside the working member 47A from being attenuated by the notches 47h, 47h.

[0050] Furthermore, the working member 47A is detachable by screwing the female threaded portion formed on the inner circumferential surface of the working member 47A into the male threaded portion formed on the lower outer circumferential surface of the discharge pipe 42, but it may also be detachable by press-fitting or via screw members or locking members. The working member 47A attached to the lower end of the 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 Figure 10(b), the working member 47B performs sweeping and suctioning of foreign matter C using an inclined plate 47b at its tip, and the inclined plate 47b has a suction port 47c and is bent toward the side. Also, as shown in Figure 10(c), the working member 47C performs sweeping and suctioning of foreign matter C using a wire brush 47d at its tip, and the wire brush 47d is arranged in two rows on either side of the suction port 47e and is inclined toward the tip of the working member 47C. Also, as shown in Figure 10(d), the working member 47D performs dropping and suctioning of foreign matter C using a rubber plate 47f at its tip, and the rubber plate 47f is formed to be wider than the outer diameter of the discharge pipe 42, making it suitable for dropping foreign matter C adhering to the seat surface inside the housing 3 and for cleaning foreign matter contained in treated wastewater. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 10(e), the working member 47E performs the task of attracting foreign matter C with a magnet 47g at its tip. The magnet 47g is formed in a substantially circular shape concentric with the discharge pipe 42, making it suitable for attracting chips when the fluid is a gas. These working members 47A to 47E constitute the functional part of the present invention. The shape, function, type, etc., of these working members 47A to 47E can be changed in various ways, and they may be substituted or replaced with working members other than those described above.

[0052] Furthermore, since the outer diameter L1a of the work member 47A, the maximum outer diameter L1b of the work member 47B, and the maximum outer diameter L1c of the work member 47C are smaller than the inner diameter L6 of the inspection windows 33a to 33d, it is possible to insert and remove them from the inspection windows 33a to 33d and attach and detach them from the discharge pipe 42.

[0053] Furthermore, the longitudinal dimension of the discharge pipe 42 is designed to be such that the working member 47A can reach near the bottom when inserted into the housing 3, as will be described later (see Figure 6). Also, as shown in Figure 5, the diameter dimensions of each part are such that the outer diameter L1a of the working member 47A is the smallest, followed by the inner diameter L5 of the working ball valve 20, the inner diameter L4 of the connecting pipe 15, the inner diameter L6 of the inspection windows 33a to 33d, the inner diameter L3 of the flexible pipe joint 37, and the inner diameter L2 of the insertion hole 32 formed in the working cover 31, in that order, gradually increasing in diameter (L1a <L5<L4<L6<L3<L2)。

[0054] Therefore, the working member 47A can be pulled in from the housing 4Sa through the insertion hole 32, through the flexible pipe joint 37 and the lower connecting pipe 15c, up to the upper connecting pipe 15d above the working ball valve 20. In other words, the passages within the flexible pipe joint 37, the lower connecting pipe 15c, the working ball valve 20, and the upper connecting pipe 15d, which communicate with the housing 4Sa formed in the valve body 4a via the insertion hole 32, allow the discharge pipe 42 and the working member 47A attached to the lower end of the discharge pipe 42 to pass through, and can also house the working member 47A, thus constituting the housing 4Sb of the present invention. These housings 4Sa and 4Sb have an O-ring 26 (see Figure 5) as a sealing part that seals the discharge pipe 42 so that it can move back and forth.

[0055] Although the discharge pipe 42 and the working member 47A are made of metal, the material can be any material as long as it maintains a substantially straight shape in the longitudinal direction, and can be changed to various materials such as polyvinyl chloride. In addition, at least a portion of the tip of the discharge pipe 42 and the working member 47A may be made of rubber flexible pipe, which prevents damage to the inner surface of the housing 3.

[0056] (Foreign object removal work) Next, the process of removing foreign matter C will be explained. As shown in Figure 2, after the drilling work 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 body 4a, and a work control unit 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 manner above the work cover 31. In this state, the work ball valve 20 is in a closed state, and the work member 47A is housed in the housing section 4Sb consisting of the upper connecting pipe 15d above it.

[0057] Next, as shown in Figure 4, by opening the work ball valve 20, the discharge pipe 42 and the work member 47A attached to its lower end can pass 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 housed in the storage section 4Sa. In this state, the multiple fastening members 96 that fasten the flange 41a of the support pipe 41 and 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 cover 31 is opened to release the air. Fluid is then filled into the housing section 4Sa, the flexible pipe joint 37, the connecting pipe 15 including the work ball valve 20, and the discharge pipe 42 to apply water pressure approximately equal to that inside the fluid pipe 2 to check for leaks. After confirming that the air has been released from the housing section 4Sa and the housing section 4Sb, each fastening member 96 is tightened and the air vent valve 36 is closed.

[0058] Next, as shown in Figure 6, the valve body 4c of the gate valve device 4 is moved toward the valve cover 4b to open the passage inside the valve body 4a, opening the inside of the housing 3. In addition, by opening the upper ball valve 43, the housing 3 and the outside are connected via the passages inside the valve body 4a, flexible pipe joint 37, connecting pipe 15, working ball valve 20, and discharge pipe 42. The fluid inside the housing 3 and valve body 4a is discharged to the outside through the ball valve 43 and hose 48, reducing the pressure on the discharge pipe 42 caused by the fluid, so that the discharge pipe 42 can be smoothly inserted into the inside of the housing 3. If the water pressure of the fluid in the fluid pipe 2 is low, the discharge pipe 42 may be inserted by hand without providing a wire rope 44 or reel 45.

[0059] Then, when the working member 47A at the tip of the discharge pipe 42 reaches the bottom of the housing 3, the accumulated foreign matter C is sucked in along with the fluid from the suction port 47a of the working member 47A (see Figure 10(a)), passes through the inside of the discharge pipe 42, and flows into the hose 48 from the ball valve 43 along with the fluid. The foreign matter C is then captured by the foreign matter recovery machine 49 attached to the end of the hose 48, and only the fluid is discharged to the outside of the foreign matter recovery machine 49. The foreign matter recovery machine 49 consists of a cylindrical container with a fine-mesh opening connected to the end of the hose 48, and is designed to contain the foreign matter C inside the cylindrical container, allowing only the fluid to be discharged to the outside.

[0060] Furthermore, the operator can visually inspect the inside of the housing 3 through the inspection windows 33a to 33d and, as shown in Figure 6, tilt the discharge pipe 42 as desired, thereby moving the working member 47A at the tip of the discharge pipe 42 along almost the entire bottom of the housing 3, allowing for thorough suction of foreign matter C accumulated at the bottom. After commencing the suction and discharge of foreign matter C, the operator can visually inspect through the inspection windows 33a to 33d or use an imaging device (not shown, see, for example, the imaging device 89 shown in Figure 15) to determine if foreign matter C is no longer visible in the housing 3, if there is no more foreign matter C mixed in the fluid discharged from the foreign matter recovery machine 49, or if the amount of foreign matter C mixed in becomes very small, then the discharge pipe 42 is raised upwards.

[0061] When finishing the discharge operation of 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). In addition, when installing a flow control valve or the like inside the housing 3, then, the valve body 4c of the partition valve device 4 is moved to the valve box 4a side to be in a closed state. Thereafter, by removing the support pipe 41 from the upper connecting pipe 15d and removing the discharge pipe 42, the discharge operation of the foreign object C is completed (see Fig. 8).

[0062] Next, after finishing the discharge operation of 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 passed through the through passage 21a of the working ball valve 20 and pulled upward to the accommodating portion 4Sb in the upper connecting pipe 15d for accommodation. 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 only by rotating the ball 22. Thereby, 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 that has been pulled out of the housing section 4Sb, and the working member is replaced with another working member of a size that can be accommodated in the housing section 4Sb, for example, working member 47C, which is attached to the tip of the discharge pipe 42. Then, as shown in Figure 9(a), the working member 47B attached to the tip of the discharge pipe 42 is inserted into the housing section 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 the multiple fastening members 96 are loosely attached. Next, as shown in Figure 9(b), the working ball valve 20 is slightly opened to allow fluid to enter the housing section 4Sb. After that, air is vented from the housing section 4Sb by fluid leakage 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, and once it is confirmed that the housing section 4Sb is filled with fluid, each fastening member 96 is tightened. As a result, the housing section 4Sb is sealed via the gasket 25 between the flange 41a of the support pipe 41 and the upper flange 15b of the connecting pipe 15, and via the O-ring 26 provided on the inner circumferential surface of the flange 41a.

[0065] Next, the work ball valve 20 is opened further to apply water pressure approximately equal to that inside the fluid pipe 2 and to check for leaks. Then, the handle 45a of the reel 45 is rotated to wind up the wire rope 44, and the work member 47C at the end of the discharge pipe 42 is moved downwards, passing through the housing section 4Sa and reaching inside the housing 3. At this point, the wire brush 47d at the end is used to sweep out foreign matter C and the suction port 47e is used for suction. Once the work is finished, the work member 47B is pulled up and stored inside the housing section 4Sb, and the work ball valve 20 is closed to close the inside of the housing 3. After that, depending on the discharge situation, the work members 47A to 47C may be replaced to perform other work, or the valve body 4c may be slid towards the valve casing 4a to close the passage and close the housing 3, thus ending the work.

[0066] In this embodiment, the working member 47A is detachably attached to the tip of the discharge pipe 42. However, if the working member 47A can be passed through the through passage 21a of the working ball valve 20 and pulled up to the upper connecting pipe 15d, the working member 47A may be integrally fixed to the tip of the discharge pipe 42 by welding or the like. In this case, it would be possible to replace it with various discharge pipes that have working members 47B or 47C already fixed to the tip.

[0067] Next, if the outer diameters L1a to L1c of the working members 47A to 47C are larger than the inner diameter 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 by passing them through the through passage 21a of the working ball valve 20. 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 the housing 4Sa above the valve body 4c of the gate valve device 4 and housed there, and the valve body 4c is moved toward the valve casing 4a to close the passage and close the inside of the housing 3. Subsequently, with the tip of the discharge pipe 42 and the work member 47A attached to its tip housed in the housing section 4Sa, the acrylic plates 35 attached to one or more inspection windows 33a to 33d are removed and placed on the upper surface of the valve body 4c. Then, tools or hands are inserted through the inspection windows 33a to 33d to remove and retrieve the work member 47A from the tip of the discharge pipe 42 housed in the housing section 4Sa.

[0068] Next, as shown in Figure 11(b), for example, the work member 47C is inserted into the housing section 4Sa through the inspection windows 33a to 33d and screwed onto the end of the discharge pipe 42. In this state, the multiple fastening members 96 that fasten the flange 41a of the support pipe 41 and 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 cover 31 is opened to release the air. At the same time, the housing 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 to apply water pressure approximately equal to that inside the fluid pipe 2 and check for leaks. After confirming that the air has been released from the housing section 4Sa, each fastening member 96 is tightened and the air vent valve 36 is closed.

[0069] Next, the valve body 4c is moved toward the valve cover 4b to open the inside of the housing 3, and then the discharge pipe 42 is moved downwards to insert the working member 47C into the inside of the housing 3, thereby enabling the sweeping out and suction of foreign matter C (see Figure 6). Once these operations are completed, the working member 47C at the end of the discharge pipe 42 is pulled up to the housing 4Sa above the valve body 4c of the gate valve device 4 and housed, and the valve body 4c is moved toward the valve casing 4a to close the inside of the housing 3 (see Figure 4). For the sake of explanation, the example shown here is the removal of the working member 47A and replacement with the working member 47C, but it is also possible to replace it with working members 47B, 47D, 47E, etc.

[0070] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, if foreign matter C such as metal shavings clogs the suction port 47a during the suction and discharge operation of foreign matter C by the working member 47A, making suction difficult, as shown in Figure 4, the working member 47A at the tip of the discharge pipe 42 is pulled up to the housing section 4Sa and stored, and then the valve body 4c is moved toward the valve casing 4a to close the inside of the housing 3. Then, the acrylic plates 35 attached to one or more inspection windows 33a to 33d are removed (see Figure 11(a)), and the foreign matter C clogged in the suction port 47a can be removed by inserting a tool or hand through the inspection windows 33a to 33d. Subsequently, the inspection windows 33a to 33d are closed with the acrylic plates 35, and the valve body 4c is moved toward the valve cover 4b to open the inside of the housing 3, thereby allowing the suction and discharge operation to be resumed.

[0071] In this way, by pulling the working member 47A up to the housing section 4Sb outside the ball 22 of the working ball valve 20 and housing it, the inside of the housing 3 is closed by the ball 22, and the working member 47A can be removed from the upper connecting pipe 15d, which is the housing section 4Sb, and replaced with other working members 47B, 47C, etc., or the blockage of the suction ports 47a, 47c, 47e can be cleared. After that, by housing the working members 47A to 47C back into the housing section 4Sb and keeping them on standby, it is possible to check for leaks by applying water pressure approximately the same as the pressure inside the fluid pipe 2 before proceeding with other work.

[0072] Furthermore, by lifting the working member 47A to the housing section 4Sa, which is outside the valve body 4c located in the closed position of the valve casing 4a, the valve body 4c closes the inside of the housing 3, allowing the working members 47B and 47C to be replaced or the blockage to be cleared inside the housing section 4Sa. After that, by housing the working members 47A to 47C again inside the housing section 4Sa and keeping them on standby, it is possible to check for leaks by applying water pressure approximately the same as that inside the fluid pipe 2 before performing another operation. In addition, when housing the working members 47A to 47C in the housing sections 4Sa and 4Sb, the above operations can be performed while the discharge pipe 42 remains supported by the valve casing 4a via the working cover 31, so that multiple operations can be performed in an uninterrupted flow state, and operations can be immediately resumed after the working member is replaced or the blockage is cleared.

[0073] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a configuration in which the foreign matter C is discharged is illustrated by a work 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 cover 31. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, as shown in Figure 12, the work control unit 5 may be connected via a flexible pipe joint 37 to a position corresponding to the inspection windows 33a to 33d, which are other than the center of the work cover 31, and the discharge operation may be performed.

[0074] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 12, the work control unit 5 may be connected to the positions corresponding to the inspection windows 33a to 33d via the flexible pipe joint 37, and other work control units 5A may be connected to the positions corresponding to the insertion holes 32 to perform the work. In other words, there may be one or more work control units 5, 5A, etc. connected, and they may be connected at any position. In addition, the work control unit 5 was winding up the wire rope 44 by rotating the handle 45a of the reel 45, but when the water pressure is high, as shown in the work control unit 5A, the support pipe 41 and the discharge pipe 42 may be connected with a chain block 53, and the chain may be wound up using an operating handle (not shown) attached to the chain block 53.

[0075] Furthermore, in cases such as the housing 103 shown in Figure 13, where the inner bottom surface has a seat surface 101, when attaching a work member 47D (see Figure 10(d)) having a maximum outer dimension L1d larger than the inner diameter L2 of the insertion hole 32 or the inner diameter L6 of the inspection windows 33a to 33d, or when attaching a work member 47E (see Figure 10(e)) having a maximum outer dimension L1e larger than the inner diameter L2 of the insertion hole 32, the work members 47D and 47E cannot be inserted into the valve body 4a through the insertion hole 32 or the inspection windows 33a to 33d. In such cases, the work cover 31 can be suspended by a lifting device H and wire W equipped with a hook suspended from a crane (not shown), and removed from the upper opening end of the valve body 4a.

[0076] Then, as shown in Figure 12, for example, after attaching the work member 47D to the tip of the discharge pipe 42 of the work control unit 5, and then as shown in Figure 13, after sealing the upper opening end of the valve body 4a with the work cover 31, 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 and 5A to the work cover 31 and attaching various work members 47A to 47E to the tip, it becomes possible to perform multiple tasks simultaneously, thereby improving work efficiency.

[0077] Although not shown in detail in the illustrations, the gate valve device 4 is removed after the above-mentioned foreign matter C discharge and inspection work is completed, a flow control valve and the like are installed inside the housing 3, and the upper opening of the housing 3 is sealed with a cover member (not shown).

[0078] (Effects / Actions) As described above, the working device 1 as an embodiment of the present invention includes at least a housing 3 that seals the fluid pipe 2, a passage that connects the inside and outside of the housing 3, a valve (e.g., a gate valve device 4, a working ball valve 20) having 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 the passage located outside the valve body (outside when the inside of the fluid pipe 2 is used as the reference point) has sealed housings 4Sa, 4Sb in which the working members 47A to 47E can wait.

[0079] According to this, the working members 47A to 47E are housed in the housings 4Sa and 4Sb outside the valve body 4c of the gate valve device 4 and the ball 22 of the working ball valve 20, and are kept in a sealed (watertight) state while on standby. 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 into the housing 3 in a continuous flow state, and various operations such as discharging or sweeping out foreign matter C inside the housing 3 can be performed.

[0080] Furthermore, the housing 3 has an extension pipe 42 that extends inward and has a lower end to which working members 47A to 47E can be attached and detached, and the housing sections 4Sa and 4Sb have an O-ring 26 that seals the discharge pipe 42 so that it can move back and forth, thereby preventing fluid leakage from between the moving discharge pipe 42 and the housing sections 4Sa and 4Sb. Note that the sealing part that seals the extension so that it can move back and forth is not limited to the O-ring 26, but other sealing materials such as packing may be used.

[0081] Furthermore, the housing 3 has an extension pipe 42 that extends inward and has a lower end to which working members 47A to 47E can be attached and detached. The housing sections 4Sa and 4Sb are configured to accommodate the lower end of the discharge pipe 42 and the working members 47A to 47E in a sealed manner. As a result, the lower end of the discharge pipe 42 can be housed in the housing sections 4Sa and 4Sb together with the working members 47A to 47E, allowing the working members 47A to 47E to be inserted into the housing 3 via the discharge pipe 42 when the passage is opened.

[0082] Furthermore, although the functional working members 47A to 47E were attached to the lower end of the discharge pipe 42 which is the extension, for example, if the direction of movement of the extension 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 gate valve device 4 having a valve casing 4a that movably houses a valve body 4c, and the housing portion 4Sa is formed inside the valve casing 4a, making it easy to form the housing portion 4Sa by utilizing the internal space of the valve casing 4a that houses the valve body 4c.

[0084] Furthermore, the valve body 4a has an opening (the upper opening end of the body 13b) that allows the housing section 4Sa to be opened and closed. By removing the work cover 31, the housing section 4Sa can be opened wide, making it easier to access the work members 47A to 47E housed in the housing section 4Sa.

[0085] Furthermore, a work cover 31 is provided as a lid that can close the opening of the valve body 4a, and the work cover 31 is provided with inspection windows 33a to 33d that can be opened and closed. This makes it possible to open the inspection windows 33a to 33d and visually check the condition inside the housing 3 without removing the work cover 31. It also makes it possible to perform tasks such as inserting work members 47A to 47C into the interior through the inspection windows 33a to 33d.

[0086] Furthermore, the work cover 31 is provided with a work ball valve 20, which serves as an on / off valve through which the lower end of the discharge pipe 42 and the work members 47A to 47E can be inserted and removed. The passage located outside the ball 22 of the work ball valve 20 has a sealed second housing section 4Sb in which the work members 47A to 47E can be stored. This allows the lower end of the discharge pipe 42 to be positioned in the housing 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 body 4c is formed as a flat surface, the attachment and detachment of the work members 47A to 47E can be performed using the flat upper surface of the valve body 4c. Note that during the work, not only the acrylic plate 35 but also tools and other necessary materials may be placed on the upper surface of the valve body 4c.

[0088] Furthermore, the valve is a working ball valve 20 having a main body 21 that rotatably houses a ball 22 as a valve body, and the housing portion 4Sb is formed outside the ball 22 of the working ball valve 20, so that the working members 47A to 47C can be housed in the housing portion 4Sb outside the working ball valve 20 and kept in standby.

[0089] Furthermore, the valve is a gate valve device 4 having a valve body 4a that movably houses the valve body 4c, and the housing section 4Sa is formed in a work cylinder 61 that communicates with the valve body 4a, so that the housing section 4Sc can be formed in a work cylinder 61 different from the valve body 4a, the size of the housing space can be set with a high degree of freedom.

[0090] Furthermore, since air vents are formed in the housing sections 4Sa and 4Sb (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), air can be easily vented when filling the housing sections 4Sa and 4Sb with fluid.

[0091] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings, the specific configurations are not limited to these embodiments, and any changes or additions that do not depart from the spirit of the present invention are also included.

[0092] For example, in the above embodiment, when performing the operation of removing foreign matter C by suction using a work member 47A, etc., there is no problem with the suction force when the pressure in the fluid pipe 2 is high, but when the pressure in the fluid pipe 2 is low, the suction force may be weak and it may not be possible to adequately suction the foreign matter C. For example, as shown in Figure 14, a low-pressure suction unit 80 may be used to forcibly perform suction by the discharge pipe 42, which consists of a strainer 81 to which the hose 48 of the work control unit 5 is connected, an electric pump 82 for suctioning drainage, 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) that supplies water into the connecting pipe 83.

[0093] Furthermore, while the above embodiment illustrates a configuration in which working members 47A to 47E can be attached to the tip of the discharge pipe 42, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, as shown in Figure 15, a flexible hose 88 or the like as a functional part may be attached to the tip of the discharge pipe 42, and the hose 88 may be inserted into the fluid pipe 2 to allow for the suction of foreign matter C. Alternatively, an imaging device 89, which is a functional part consisting of a camera or the like, may be attached to the tip of the discharge pipe 42, and the image of the inside of the housing 3 captured by the imaging unit of the imaging device may be displayed on a monitor device (not shown) for confirmation. This allows for easy confirmation using the imaging device 89 even when the turbidity of the fluid inside the housing 3 is high and it is difficult to visually confirm it through the confirmation windows 33a to 33d.

[0094] Furthermore, by attaching a light source (e.g., a light-emitting diode) as a functional part to the tip of the discharge pipe 42 so that the inside of the housing 3 can be illuminated, visibility can be improved when visually checking the working conditions inside the housing 3 through the inspection windows 33a to 33d or when checking the images captured by the imaging device 89. The light source may be attached to the tip of the extension on its own, attached to the extension together with the imaging device 89, or attached to an extension separate from the imaging device 89.

[0095] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example was given in which a gate valve device 4 having a valve body 4c that can open and close the housing 3 and a work ball valve 20 having a ball 22 as a valve body that can open and close the housing 3 were applied as valves having a valve body that can open and close the housing. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and any valve having a valve body that can open and close the housing may be applied, provided that the valve has a valve body separate from the valve body 4c of the gate valve device 4 and the ball 22 of the work ball valve 20.

[0096] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example was given in which a housing portion 4Sa, provided inside the valve body 4a, and a housing portion 4Sb consisting of a flexible pipe joint 37, a lower connecting pipe 15c, a working ball valve 20, and an upper connecting pipe 15d were applied as housing portions capable of accommodating the tip of the discharge pipe 42 as an extension portion and the working members 47A to 47E as functional portions. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and is not limited to the above housing portions 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 work cylinder 60 or the like may be sealed between the valve body 4a and the work cover 31 of the gate valve device 4, and a storage section 4Sc communicating with the storage section 4Sa may be provided inside this work cylinder 60. This makes it possible to store large metal 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, since the storage section 4Sc can be formed in a work cylinder 60 different from the valve body 4a, even when it is not possible to secure a large space outside the valve body 4c in the valve body 4a that supports the valve body 4c so that it can slide, the size of the storage space can be set with a high degree of freedom.

[0098] Furthermore, although the above embodiment illustrates a configuration in which the housing 3 and the valve body 4a of the gate valve device 4 are configured separately, the housing 3 and the valve body 4a of the gate valve device 4 may be integrated. In other words, the housing may be provided inside the valve body 4a, as in the housing 4Sa of the above embodiment, or it may be provided outside the valve body 4a, such as the housing 4Sb provided inside the flexible pipe joint 37, lower connecting pipe 15c, working ball valve 20 and upper connecting pipe 15d which are connected to the valve body 4a in a sealed state, or the housing 4Sc provided inside the working cylinder 60 shown in Figure 15.

[0099] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the housing section is provided with a housing section 4Sa inside the valve body 4a, and housing sections 4Sb and 4Sc are also provided outside the valve body 4a. In other words, although the present invention illustrates a configuration in which the working device 1 has multiple housing sections 4Sa, 4Sb, and 4Sc, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the working device 1 only needs to have at least one of the multiple housing sections 4Sa, 4Sb, and 4Sc, whether inside or outside the valve body 4a. Moreover, the working device 1 may have four or more housing sections.

[0100] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the valve body of the valve was exemplified as being provided in a valve casing 4a or main body 21 that is sealed to the housing 3, such as the valve body 4c of the gate valve device 4 or the ball 22 of the work ball valve 20. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be provided in the housing. Specifically, for example, as shown in Figure 16, a work ball valve 120 having a ball 122 as a valve body may be sealed to the housing 103A via a connecting pipe 15A. In this case, a housing 4Sd capable of accommodating a functional part (for example, a work member 47Z) may be provided outside the ball 122, and a discharge pipe 42 as an extension may be supported by a support pipe 41 connected to the connecting pipe 15A so as to be able to move back and forth inside the housing 103A.

[0101] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the extension and functional parts were provided so as to be insertable from above to below the housing 3. However, the direction of movement of the extension is not limited to the vertical direction, and it may be possible to move in a direction other than the vertical direction, such as substantially horizontally. For example, as shown in Figure 16, it may be provided so as to be insertable from the side of the housing 103A toward the interior.

[0102] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the working device 1 is exemplified as having a gate valve device 4 having a valve body 4c and a working ball valve 20 having a ball 22 as a valve body. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the working device does not necessarily have to have two or more valves as long as it has at least one valve having a valve body. Also, if only one is provided, as shown in Figure 16, it may consist only of a working ball valve 120, or it may consist only of the gate valve device 4 of the above embodiment, and the type of valve may be different from the valve described above.

[0103] Furthermore, although the above embodiment illustrates a configuration in which a gate valve device 4 having a valve body 4c movable between a valve casing 4a and a valve cover 4b is provided separately from the housing 3, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the gate valve device 4 may be provided integrally with the housing 3. For example, as shown in Figure 17, the valve body 4c may be movably provided in the housing 103B without providing a separate valve casing or the like from the housing 103B. In this case, a housing 4Se should be provided in the space outside the valve body 4c in the housing 103B.

[0104] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, examples of operations related to the drilling of the fluid pipe 2 by the drilling machine 7 inside the housing 3 were shown, including the operation of the work control unit 5 to suck up and discharge foreign matter C, sweep it out, drop it from the sheet surface, and adsorb it, and the operation of imaging device 89 to image and confirm the inside of the housing 3. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and may also include operations using various other tools, such as the operation of checking the water quality inside the housing 3 with a detection device (not shown), and the operation of checking for water leaks performed before drilling the fluid pipe 2.

[0105] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the work control unit 5 is exemplified as being composed of a work cover 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. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, 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 cover 31, a flexible pipe joint 37, and a connecting pipe 15 including a work ball valve 20.

[0106] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a discharge pipe 42 made of metal was used as an extension that is provided to move back and forth toward the inside of the housing 3, but the present invention is not limited to this, and may be made of a flexible material such as a rubber hose. Also, the extension does not have to be a pipe member in which foreign matter C can move inside, such as the discharge pipe 42, but may be made of a simple rod member. In other words, as long as it is provided to move back and forth toward the inside of the housing 3, the material, function, etc. can be changed in various ways depending on the functional part attached to the tip.

[0107] Furthermore, while the above embodiment illustrates a configuration in which a work device 1 capable of discharging foreign matter C generated as a result of cutting a predetermined location in the fluid pipe 2 with a drilling machine 7 is applied, the present invention is not limited thereto, and a work device capable of discharging foreign matter C generated as a result of drilling a predetermined location in the fluid pipe 2 with a drilling machine 7 or the like may also be applied.

[0108] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example was given in which a valve body 4c is provided so as to be movable horizontally relative to the valve box 4a and is positioned on the valve box 4a to close the inside of the housing 3, as a valve body that can open and close the inside of the housing 3. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a valve body that closes the inside of the housing by moving the valve body 4c in the vertical direction may also be used. In addition, the type of valve body is arbitrary and can be changed in various ways.

[0109] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the gate valve device 4 having a valve body 4c that can open and close the housing 3 is removed by closing the upper opening of the housing 3 with a lid member (not shown) after the completion of the foreign matter C discharge work and inspection work. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be left in place. [Explanation of symbols]

[0110] 1. Working device 2 Fluid tube 3,103,103A,103B enclosure 4. Gate valve device (valve, work valve) 4a Valve box 4b Valve cover 4c valve body 4d Groove 4Sa, 4Sd, 4Se storage area 4Sb, 4Sc containment section (second containment section) 5,5A Work Control Unit 7 Drilling machine 15,15A connecting pipe 15c Lower connecting pipe 15d Upper connecting pipe 20. Work ball valves (valves, on / off valves) 21 Main unit (main body) 22 Ball (valve body) 26 O-ring (sealing part) 31 Work lid (lid part) 32 Through hole 33a~33d Inspection window (hole) 35 Acrylic sheet 36. Air vent valve (air vent section) 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 unit) 110 Gap (Air vent) C Foreign matter

Claims

1. A work device comprising at least a housing that seals a fluid pipe, a passage connecting the inside and outside of the housing, 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, It has an extended portion that extends toward the inside of the housing and has the functional part provided at its tip, The valve box has a sealed housing in which the functional unit can be kept in standby, A lid portion capable of closing the opening of the valve body is provided with an on-off valve through which the tip of the extension portion and the functional portion can be inserted and removed, and a passage located outside the valve body of the on-off valve has a sealed second housing portion in which the functional portion can be kept in standby. A work device characterized in that a flexible pipe joint is interposed between the aforementioned housing section and the second housing section.

2. The work device according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing portion has a sealing portion that seals the extension portion so that it can move forward and backward.

3. The work device according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing section is configured to house the tip of the extension section and the functional section in a sealed manner.

4. The work device according to claim 1, characterized in that the lid portion is provided with an opening and closing hole.

5. The working device according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper surface of the valve body is formed as a flat surface.

6. The work device according to claim 1, characterized in that the on / off valve has a body that rotatably houses the valve body.

7. The work device according to claim 1, characterized in that an air vent is formed in the housing portion.

Images