Importance

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Abstract

A method of replacing an existing underground pipe, especially a sanitary sewer line, uses a boring machine that advances a drill string of hollow rods through the existing pipe. The method includes the steps of mounting a rotary cleaning tool on a distal end of the drill string, moving the cleaning tool progressively through the underground pipe while rotating the drill string in order to clean the inside of the pipe, flushing debris loosened by the cleaning tool from the pipe using a pressure fluid, removing the cleaning tool from the drill string and mounting a camera assembly on the distal end of the drill string, moving the camera and drill string through the underground pipe on the drill string and inspecting the inside surface of the pipe with the camera, removing the camera from the drill string and replacing it with a pipe destroying apparatus, moving the pipe destroying apparatus through the pipe to destroy the existing pipe, and then installing a replacement pipe along the same line as the destroyed existing pipe. This permits a single piece of equipment, such as a directional drill rig, to perform several different functions as part of the pipe replacement process.

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First Claim