Importance

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Abstract

Devices and methods for trenchlessly replacing an existing utility pipe with a replacement pipe and a tracer wire are described in this application. A replacement pipe may be joined to the head adaptor of a trenchless splitter tool with a tracer wire being trapped between them, resulting the tracer wire extending from within the replacement pipe through a joint to the exterior of the replacement pipe. A protective cap (or deflector) may be placed of the portion of tracer wire extending from the joint. The splitter tool may then be introduced into and travelled along the existing pipe, splitting and displacing the existing pipe, and placing replacement pipe and tracer wire along the path of the existing pipe, thereby functionally replacing the existing pipe with a replacement pipe and a tracer wire. Other embodiments are described.

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First Claim