Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
212 words
A method of working the internal surface of an elongated, hollow, open-ended object with a device capable of traveling along said internal surface, said method comprisng the steps of: a. positioning said device in the object adjacent one of the ends; b. securing a rope having a length approximately at least as long as the length of said object to said device; c. providing lightweight means adapted to be moved the length of said object by an air stream; d. positioning said lightweight means on the side of said device which is closest the other end of said object; e. joining a section of said rope with said lightweight means at a distance along the rope removed from said device which is at least approximately equal to the length of said object; f. directing a stream of air against said lightweight means to move the latter together with said rope along the length of said object; g. pulling said device through said object to said other end with said rope; h. moving the rope to a position where it will not interfere with the working operation of said device; and i. moving said device back through said object toward said one end as the device is operated to work said internal surface.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
212 words
A method of working the internal surface of an elongated, hollow, open-ended object with a device capable of traveling along said internal surface, said method comprisng the steps of: a. positioning said device in the object adjacent one of the ends; b. securing a rope having a length approximately at least as long as the length of said object to said device; c. providing lightweight means adapted to be moved the length of said object by an air stream; d. positioning said lightweight means on the side of said device which is closest the other end of said object; e. joining a section of said rope with said lightweight means at a distance along the rope removed from said device which is at least approximately equal to the length of said object; f. directing a stream of air against said lightweight means to move the latter together with said rope along the length of said object; g. pulling said device through said object to said other end with said rope; h. moving the rope to a position where it will not interfere with the working operation of said device; and i. moving said device back through said object toward said one end as the device is operated to work said internal surface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of directing a stream of air comprises directing a short blast of air against said lightweight means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of providing a lightweight means comprises providing a bucket and said joining step comprises placing said rope in the bucket.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said object comprises a joint of pipe and said device is adapted to sandblast said internal surface whereby said step of moving the device back through said object comprises sandblasting said internal surface of the pipe.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as set forth in claim 4, wherein the step of directing a stream of air comprises passing air through said device.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
71 words
A method as set forth in claim 4 wherein said device is also adapted to spray paint said surface with a protective coating and wherein the step of directing a stream of air comprises passing air through the device and further including the additional steps of repeating steps (d), (e), (f), (g) and (h); and again moving said device back through said object to paint the internal surface of the pipe.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said object comprises a joint of pipe and said device is adapted to spray paint said internal surface whereby said step of moving the device back through said object comprises spray painting said internal surface.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as set forth in claim 7, wherein the step directing a stream of air comprises passing air through said device.