Patent attributes
Structure, and a related method, for sealing, from the outside, a leaking puncture wound in the wall of a liquid container. This structure includes a patch body having a perimetered cavity selectively securable via a self-torque-limiting bolt to the outside of such a container in a manner whereby the cavity overlies and faces the wound, with the cavity's perimeter surrounding the wound, and a patch pellet contained and confined in the cavity and formed, at least in part, of a reaction substance which, with the patch body secured to the container, reacts to contact with liquid leaking from the container at least by imbibing such liquid and swelling to apply wound-sealing pressure, and more preferably by additionally reacting with leakage liquid to form a sticky coagulant mass for aiding in applying sealing pressure to the wound. The patch body may either be placed directly against the outside of a container or may be employed with an intermediate, resilient gasket which centralizes the symmetrical introduction of leakage liquid into the pellet-containing cavity in the patch body.
