SMOKETAPE

• Main Authors: TUBBS, Donald, A, DUNN, Ryan, C, PARMAN, Joshua, M, WRIGHT, Bryan, D
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 10.04.2019
• Subjects: BLASTING; ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVEFUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; HEATING; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; LIGHTING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; WEAPONS

Signal tape (790) is disclosed which helps to prevents damage to buried infrastructure such as a natural gas pipeline. The invention provides an immediate and forceful warning to excavation equipment operators of the proximity of and of impending damage to buried infrastructure. The signal tape (790) comprises a strong core material (793) which may be a woven aramid fiber tape firmly attached to a series of spaced smoke generators (792, 792′). The core material and smoke generators are sealed within thermoplastic layers (796, 796′) of thin tape for environmental protection. A strike by excavation equipment, for example a backhoe bucket will cause the core material to come to the surface where it can be seen. As the core material (793) moves, it ignites at least one smoke generator (792, 792′) which is then pulled to the surface emitting a dense cloud of colored [and odorous] smoke. Portions of the protective tape are also pulled to the surface.