Apparatus for plugging holes

Abstract

An apparatus for plugging a hole, the apparatus including: a chamber for housing a plurality of plugs which are sized to fit the hole, the chamber having a feed channel to permit passage of plugs under gravity to a feed location at or near an end of the apparatus; a plug exit; a guide for positioning the apparatus such that the plug exit is at an entrance to, or is within, the hole; and a push rod for driving a plug from the feed location through the plug exit into the hole.

1 . An apparatus for plugging a hole, the apparatus including:
 a chamber for housing a plurality of plugs which are sized to fit the hole, the chamber having a feed channel to permit passage of plugs under gravity to a feed location at or near an end of the apparatus;   a plug exit;   a guide for positioning the apparatus such that the plug exit is at an entrance to, or is within, the hole; and   a push rod for driving a plug from the feed location through the plug exit into the hole.   
     
     
         2 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the guide comprises a tip of the push rod. 
     
     
         3 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the guide comprises a projecting shaft at the end of the apparatus, within which the push rod is slideable. 
     
     
         4 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , including a plunger coupled to the push rod for driving the push rod. 
     
     
         5 . Apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the plunger has a withdrawn position, and a depressed position in which the push rod projects beyond the plug exit. 
     
     
         6 . Apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the apparatus includes biasing means for biasing the plunger towards either the depressed position or the withdrawn position. 
     
     
         7 . Apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the biasing means biases the plunger to the depressed position, in which position the tip of the push rod protrudes beyond the plug exit. 
     
     
         8 . Apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein withdrawing the plunger into the withdrawn position causes a plug to be loaded into the feed location, and wherein subsequently releasing the plunger drives the push rod against the plug to force the plug to the plug exit. 
     
     
         9 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the feed location is defined by tapered sidewalls which narrow into one end of a delivery channel, the other end of the delivery channel opening into the plug exit. 
     
     
         10 . Apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the delivery channel has a width which is less than the diameter of the plugs. 
     
     
         11 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , including at least one plug housed in the chamber. 
     
     
         12 . A method of plugging a hole, the method including:
 providing an apparatus according to  claim 11 ;   positioning the guide in the hole;   withdrawing the push rod to feed a plug into the feed location under gravity; and   driving the push rod to force the plug through the plug exit into the hole.   
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 12 , wherein the apparatus includes: a plunger coupled to the push rod for driving the push rod, the plunger having a withdrawn position, the plunger also having a depressed position in which the push rod projects beyond the plug exit, the apparatus further including biasing means for biasing the plunger towards either the depressed position or the withdrawn position; and wherein said driving of the push rod is achieved by releasing the plunger subsequent to withdrawing the push rod.