 Articulated Snake with Multiple Drive Units for negotiating tight bends & inclines, fully reversible
The Pipe Snake has been developed to fulfil the need for a pipe coating & inspection tool which was able to negotiate tight corners, in any direction, and able to climb and descend inclines. The snake is normally configured with 60m of hose bundle and greater lengths can be used if required. A skid mounted winch is also used to keep the tension when the snake is in reverse by means of a slipping coupling. This coupling can also be locked.
Centrally located controls allow control of both snake and winch speed & direction independantly, pump speed and the spinner operation. The snake is driven into the pipe by three independant drive units coupled together, with a spinning head attached to the front of the train. Each drive unit has independant suspension that allows it to automatically adjust to the size of the pipe. This mechanism uses a design which guarentees that the drive unit is always on centre line of the pipe.
The snake is able to negotiate bends as tight as 0.7m, and will climb inclines as steep as vertical. The hose bundle has markings every metre so that the exact penetration distance is known. Once the snake has been driven into the pipe for the required distance, coating can begin. Coating takes place when the snake is in reverse, on the way out of the pipe.
The type of coating can be anything from wax to epoxy paint. A suitable application head is attached to he front unit to suit the product being applied. The speed of the snake can be accurately controlled, and the stroke rate of the pump is displayed on the control unit. A simple calculation determines the snake speed required for a given coating thickness. All the controlls are centrally mounted giving the operator complete access.
A loading device is supplied for loading the snake into the pipe, and for recovering it after coating is complete. Other attachments can be mounted on the front of the snake, such as a video camera for internal inspection of long complex pipe forms. A full technical support package is available including engineers to operate the unit for your specific requirements.intermittently.
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CoverCat 900 Pipe Snake - Pipeline Equipment