Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
; ~3~z~ Docket WSR-lOOG~
SELF PROPELLED PIPE FUSION MACHINE
2 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
.4 Field of the Invention and Prior Art
5This invention consists of a self propelled machine
6 designed to join sections of pipe made out of thermo plastic
7 materiais such a polyethylene together to form a pipeline.
8 Piping of this kind has been used to construct pipelines for
9 the transportation of natural gas, sea water, and other
fluids. All kinds of weather conditions may be encountered
11 from extreme heat to extreme cold during the construction
12 process. Pipe used to form these lines ranges in internal
13 diameter size from four to over sixty inches (internal pipe
14 size-IPS) and it comes in various wall thickness (standard
dimensional ratio-SDR).
16 Sections of the pipe are joined together end-to end
lr either on the surface of the earth or in trenches to form a
18 line. In general, heat is applied to the pipe sections at
19 their ends which permits fusion. A British firm, for example,
is reported to use polyethylene socket fittings incorporating
21 electrical resistance heating elements to fuse pipe sections
22 together in a trench. The pipe sections are fitted together
23 at the socket and the heating elements are connected to a
24 source of electricity such as a generator located adjacent to
the trench. When energized, the heating elements cause the
26 plastic to melt at the pipe interface such tha~ pipe sections
27 fuse together. The joints are cooled naturally. Labor is
28 required to align and fit pipe sections together end-to~end,
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1 hold them in abutting relationship, and to operate the fusion
2 equipment.
3 Portable fusion equipment has also been used to
4 construct a pipeline. See U.S. Patent No. 4,342,708 issued
October 5, l9B2 to Arthur H. McElroy. McElroy Manufacturinq,
6 Inc., o Tulsa, Oklahoma, for example, manufactures a fusion
r machine mounted on wheels like a cart such that it can be
8 dragged by a tractor or other vehicle. The machine is equipped
9 with screw down clamps or jaws which are used to hold a pipe
section in juxtaposition with a pipe line and with a device
11 to move the pipe section coaxially with the pipeline to perform
12 the fusion operation. A facing cutter is part of the McElroy
13 equipment and is used to trim the facing ends of the pipe
14 section and the pipeline to make them parallel. A heater plate
is carried on the cart such that it may be positioned to apply
16 heat to melt the plastic and form a joint. Like the British
17 apparatus, the cart mounted fusion operation is performed in
18 the open or under tents, haulage equipment is required for the
19 fusion machine, the pipe joints are subject to the elements
during the fusion operation, and joint cooling occurs naturally.
21 The prior art also discloses self propelled machines
22 used for forming metal pipelines, as represented by following:
23 U.S. Patent Number Inventor Date
24 3,744,259 Wagley July 10, 1973
3,900,146 Fowler August, 19, 1975
4,286,914 Davidson, Jr. September 1, 1981
26 Wagley, for example, discloses a crawler mounted housing within
2r which sections of metal pipe are supported and welded together
28 to form a pipeline. The Fowler apparatus is similar using a
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1 number of housing units connected together to form a train.
2 Both patents indicate that apparatus of the kind disclosed
3 are useful in extreme climates whether cold (such as the
4 artic) or hot (temperatures exceeding 90F). Wagley points
out that extreme temperatures affect both the ef~iciency of
6 the workmen and the metalurgical properties of the welds.
7 Davidson discloses means for keeping pipe sections aligned
8 during the pipeline forming process.
9 Nothwithstanding the state of the prior art, it has
been common practice to construct pipelines using sections of
11 polyethylene or poly pipe either by towing or dragging a
12 fusion apparatus such as McElroy's machine in the direction
13 of construction or by using heating elements as discussed
14 above. In either event, the job of constructing the pipe
line is both labor and equipment intensive. Generators are
16 required to supply energy to the fusion apparatus and towing
17 means are necessary for hauling it and the generators.
18 Similarly, generators must be towed in the resistance heating
19 unit situation. Lifting apparatus is usually necessary for
larger diameter pipe and it too must be hauled or self propel-
21 led. In addition, weather conditions including extreme tempera-
22 tures affect the ability or inability to perform pipeline
23 construction operations. Further, fusion joints are affected
24 by blowing dirtl dust, seeds, rain, and the like which adversely
affect their integrity with potential adverse consequential
26 results to the pipeline.
27
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Summary of the Invention
The present invention overcomes the disadvantages
inherent in the prior art apparatus for forming a pipeline out of
sections of thermo plastic pipe by making fusion joints. It does
this by incorporating all the necessary apparatus and machlnery
into one self-propelled machine thereby increasing the efficiency
of operation, reducing the number of machines and labor used by
prior art methods, while increasing the speed of the pipeline
construction operation.
The invention provides a ~achine for forming a pipelina
out of sections of plastic pipe comprising: a. a single self
propelled housing, including an engine providing motive power for
said housing; b. an electric generator mounted within said housing
and driven by said en~ine; c. fusion apparatus mounted within said
housing havlny at least one electric resistance heating element
for euslng sections of plaskic p.tpe together inside the housing to
form a ~olnt, said fusion apparatus being connected to and
energized by said generator; and, d. cooling apparatus energized
by said generator to supply cooling air wi~hin said housing to a
join~ following fusion, said apparatus including an air
conditioner carried by said housing ~o supply ~he cooling air, and
a heat dissipater for applying the cooling air to the joint.
The invention also provides a machine for making a
pipeline ~rom sections of plastic pipe comprising: a. a self~
propelled housing including an engine providing motive power; b.
an electric generator mounted within said housing and driven by
said engine; c. fusion apparatus mounted within said housing
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provided with a heating element energized from said generator to
fuse plastic pipe sectlons togethex ~o form a joint; d a pickup
trough ex~ending from said housing and supported ~hereby equipped
wlth spaced apart rollers to feed pipe sections serially to said
fusion apparatus; e. a plurality of power operated clamps mounted
on said fusion apparatus to hold a pipe section in mating
relationship with another section o-f pipe; ~. cooling apparatus
connected ~o and energi~ed by said generator to apply cooling air
to a fusion joint g. control means connected to operate said
eooling apparatus for a sek period of time; h. power operated pipe
lifting apparatus to elevate ~oined sec~ions of pipe above said
fusion apparatus; i. pipeline laying apparatus connected to said
housing; and ~. control apparatus driven by said engine to operate
said plckup trough, pipeline laying appaxatusr said clamps, and
said plpe lifting apparatus, said control apparatus comprising
hydraulically powered ~ylinders connected in a system to operate
each element from a station lo~ated within said housing.
Preferably a trailer is connected to the self propelled
machine to be towed thereby wlth movable elements to support a
pipeline and for laying same while coopexatin~ with a pipe pickup
boom to assist in maintaining the pipe aligned and strain relieved
inside the fusion machine. The pipe fusion apparatus may have
individually controlled hydraulic clamps or ~aws to reduce
operator fatigue, ~o compensate for out-of-round pipe~ and to
- maintain even pressure on
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1 the pipe during the fusion process and kick o~t rollers to
2 lift the completed pipeline out of the fusion apparatus to
3 avoid damage to the pipeline.
4 Brief Description of the Drawings
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the pipe fusion machine;
6 Figure 2 is a top elevation of the pipe fusion machine;
7 Figure 3 is a detail view showing the fusion apparatus
8 used with the machine;
9 Figure 4 is a wiring schematic of an electrical timing
circuit; and
11 Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the hydraulic
12 operating and propulsion circuits for the machine.
13 Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiment
14 Referring to Figures 1 and ~ of the drawing, the pipe
fusion machine 10 includes a housing 12 supported on a frame
16 14 for move~ent on wheels 16. A pipe entry boom or trough
17 18 is supported for vertical movement at the front end of
18 the frame. The boom is moved with respect to the ground by
19 a hydraulically operated piston mounted in a cylinder 20 such
that the pipe trough can be positioned as low as ground level,
21 if necessary, depending on the size of pipe being used to
22 form a pipeline. The boom or trough is provided with spaced
23 apart rollers 22 along its length to facilitate movement of
24 individual sections of pipe 23 into the housing 12. The rollers
could be of the driven or po~ered kind.
26 The housing is provided with a pipe entry port on its
2r front wall aligned along a pipe axis 26 with the boom or trough
28 18 and a pipeline exit port 28 located in the back wall of the
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l housing. A modified McElroy fusion machine 30 is supported
2 within the housing 12 in alignment with the pipe entry and
3 exit ports on the pipe axis 26. The fusion apparatus 30 is
4 generally of the kind described in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,352,708
issued October 5, 1982 and 3,729,360 issued April 14, 1973 to
6 A. H. McElroy.
7 Referring to Figures 1 and 3, the fusion apparatus is
8 provided with three or more pipe clamps 32 and 33 which are
; 9 described as ~jaws~ in U.S. Patent No. 4,352,708. The clamps
are spaced apart along the pipe axis 26 and at least one clamp
ll is mounted for coaxial movement along the axis. A section of
12 pipe 23 may be clamped by the jaws 32 and moved along the axis
13 26 such that its facing end may be juxtaposed with the facing
14 end of a pipeline 34 held in the jaws 33 of the fusion apparatus.
In the preferred embodiment, each of the clamps 32 and
16 33 is provided with a hydraulically powered closure operator
17 36 which is used in lieu of the hand operated screws or knobs
18 provided with the McElroy appartus. Each closure operator 36
l9 consists of piston operable within a cylinder 37 ~Figure 5)
between fully closed and fully open positions by a valve 39
21 controlled by an electrical actuator coil. Accordingly, the
22 same pressure is applied to the pipe section and pipeline
for each fusion operation thereby assuring proper alignment for
24 each joint made. The hand knobs or screws provided with the
2~ McElroy appartus by co~trast permit variable pressure on the
26 pipe section and pipeline as may occur from operator fatigue,
27 out-of-round pipe, and other variables. Such variables may
28 affect the integrity of pipe joints. The hand knob operation
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1 is also materially slower.
2 The fusion apparatus 30 as supplied by McElroy is
3 provided with a facer element or shaver for shaving the facing
4 ends of the pipe 23 and the pipeline 34 to make them parallel,
~ and it is provided with a resistance heating ele~ent from
6 which heat is applied to the facing ends to melt them such
r that they can be fused together to form a joint. All fusion
8 methods and machines that I am aware of allow the joint to
9 cool naturally. In the preferred embodiment cooling air is
10 supplied to the fused joint from an adjustable heat dissipator
11 collar or band 38 attached by a ho~e 40 to a blower fan 42.
12 The blower fan is attached to receive cooling air from an air
13 conditioner 44 supported on the roof 46 of the housing 12.
14 The heat dissipator band comprises two hollow semi circular
lS channel elements pivotally joined together at one end so that
16 they may be brought together and closed around a fusion joint
17 so as to form a collar such that cooling air can be applied when
18 the blower is actuated. The band is provided with an opening
19 t the end opposite the hinge to allow the cooling air to exit.
ifferent sized bands may be used with the hose for different
21 sizes of pipe.
22 In the preferred embodiment, the motor for blower fan
23 42 is connected in an electrical timing circuit which is mounted
24 in a timer box 48 located on the rear inside wall of the housing
2 at an operator's station 49.
26 As shown in Figure 2, an alternator 50 is driven by the
27 ngine 52 through a belt 54 operating off a drive shaft 56
28 through a c ifugal clutch 57; The alternator is the princi-
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1 pal source of electricity for the machine and is used to operate
2 the air conditioner, the heating element for the fusion appara-
3 tus, lighting, the blower fan, and other purposes.
4 Referring now to Figure 4, a timing circuit of the
kind which may be employed is shown connected to be energized
6 from the alternator. Essentially, a first timer mechanism is
7 used for the heating or pipe fusing operation and it is also
8 used to initiate the cooling operation while a second timer
9 mechanism is employed to control the length of time for the
cooling cycle~ As will be appreciated, various kinds of timing
11 devices may be used to achieve the desired result.
12 In the circuit shown in Figure 4 a push to start
13 button 60 is connected to energize a first timer 62 which can
14 be set for the combined fusing and cooling operations. When
timer 62 energizes its switch contacts 63 and 63a close to
16 supply line voltage to a second timer 64 and relay 66. Relay
17 66 has a pair of contacts 68 which make to apply power to a
18 light 70 to indicate a fusion operation. The second timer is
19 set to operate at the end of the heating or fusion cycle so as
to switch line power from xelay 66 to cooling relay 69. Contacts
21 69a for the cooling relay are connected to supply power to the
22 blower fan 42 and an indicator lamp 71, and this circuit is
23 deenergized when timer 62 times out. In the preferred embodi-
24 ment, a bell and counter are connected to be operated when
timer 62 times out. The bell and counter both perform single
26 operations, i.e.~ the bell sounds for a predetermined interval
27 and shuts off while the counter may be of any kind which can
28 advance o tep each time it i operated, i.e., operation oE
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1 timer 62, and it is used to count joints made.
2 The pipe fusion-laying machine is, of course, held
3 stationary during the pipe fusion or joint making operations.
4 Referring again to Figures 1 through 3, once the fusion operatisn
is completed the closure operators 36 are actuated to open the
6 clamps or jaws 32 and 33 thus releasing the completed section
7 of pipeline. In the preferred embodiment, kickout rollers
8 80 and 82 are provided at the front and rear of the McElroy
9 appara~us 30. These rollers are supported by hydraulically
operated pistons and during the fusion operation are in the
11 down position. Once the fusion operation is completed0 the
12 machine operator can actuate the pistons by operating electrically
13 controlled actuators to cause the rollers ~o rise and kick the
14 pipeline out of the apparatus 30.
16 During the construction operation the pipeline 34, as
16 shown in Figure 1, is supported by a roller 90 mounted on a
17 slide supported, for example, by a hollow member such as a pipe
18 92, fixedly mounted at the rear of the frame 14. The roller
19 may be adjusted and locked in place in the vertical direction
to allow for different sizes of pipe which may be used in
21 constructing pipeline 34. It will be appreciated that the
22 mechanical support provided by roller 90 and its support assembly
23 cooperates with that provided by the rollers used on the boom
24 or trough 18 to relieve strain tension on the pipe and pipeline
at the joint while the fusion operation is performed.
26 In the preferred embodiment additional strain relief
27 is obtained by using a trailer 94 to support the pipeline 34.
28 The trai1e s connected by a chain 96 or similar tow to the
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1 frame 14 and is pulled by the machine 10 as the latter moves
2 forward along the right of way for the pipeline. The trailer
3 is provided with a V roller 98 to support the pipeline 34 and
4 assist in laying it on the right of way or in a trench. The
roller 98 may be moved vertically under the control of the
6 fusion machine operator by support member 99 attached to a
7 piston mounted in a hydraulically operated cylinder 100. It
8 will be appreciated that the height of the roller 98 may be
9 adjusted relative to the height of the boom or trough 18 at the
front of the pipe fusion machine 10 and the roller 90 mounted
11 at the rear of the frame to allow for changes in ground elevation,
12 e.g., while moving the machine down or up a hill, along the
13 right of way for pipeline. A trailer is used in the preferred
14 embodiment to provide flexibility for horizontal changes in
the direction of the pipeline as well as vertical changes.
16 It will also be appreciated that all operations asso-
17 ciated with the fusion process with the exception of the opera-
18 tion of feeding sections of pipe 23 into the pipe boom or
lg trough 18 can be performed by one person working in the vicinity
of the control console 58 inside the housing 12. That is
21 because the engine 56 provides the power source to operate all
22 systems associated with the pipe fusion-laying machine. This
2~ in turn means the operational controls for the fusion apparatus,
24 boom, rollers and trailer, may be located adjacent to the con-
trols for propelling and steering the machine. The preferred
26 embodiment uses a hydrostatic drive to propel the machine and
27 the hydraulic system associated therewith is also used to
28 provide operational control for the fusion process.
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1 The hydraulic propulsion and operational circuit is
2 shown in schematic form in Figure 5 of the drawings. Referring
to Figure 5, the propulsion system is driven by the engine 56
4 which, eOg., may be a commercially available diesel engine
rated at 60 hp, to drive a variable volume hydraulic pump 102.
6 The engine also drives a second hydraulic pump 104 used for the
7 operational system. A single reservoir 106 supplies hydraulic
8 fluid to operate an exciter or charge pump 108 for pump 102 and
9 to supply fluid to pump 104.
The propulsion system is conventional, and in the pre-
11 ferred embodiment each wheel 16 is driven by a hydraulic motor
12 110. Two speed ranges are provided, a high range for highway
13 travel and a low range for pipe fusing operations, using speed
14 selectors 112 to control the range for each motor 110. Speed
selection for the four wheel motors may be obtained from an
16 electrically operated ran~e selector valve 114 located in the
17 hydraulic operational circuit.
18 The steering is hydraulically controlled using a
19 priority valve 116 located in the operationq circuit which
valve is connected through the usual steering control 118 to
21 provide fluid to a power steering operating cylinder 120, The
22 rear wheels are supplied with hydraulic fluid from the propulsion
circuit through a control valve 122 which valve operates automati-
24 cally to brake the machine in the event of loss of fluid.
The operational hydraulic circuit includes the pump 104
26 which supplys fluid to priority valve 116. In the preferred
27 embodiment, priority valve 116 is operated by an electrically
28 powered coil actuator with the operating switch located at the
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1 control panel 58. In the preferred embodiment, the electrically
2 powered coil actuators are connected to the machine's 12 VDC
3 battery supply system which is also used in the conventional sense
4 to obtain power for the machine, although 110 VAC valve actuators
energized from the generator could be used in place of the 12
6 volt actuators. This system permits centralization of the
7 controls at the control panel 58.
8 Parallel connected hydraulic operational circuits are
9 on the output side of the priority valve 116 and include all
hydraulically operated elements for the pipe fusion machine.
11 The circuit 124 is shown branched in Figure 5, at junction 126,
12 to provide fluid to an operating valve 12B for the pipe trough
13 operating cylinder 20, to a valve 130 supplying fluid to cylinder
14 100 to adjust the height of the roller on trailer 94, and to
valves 132 and 134 connected to cylinders 136 and 137 respec-
16 tively for operating the kickout rollers 80 and 82 at the front
17 and rear of the McElroy fusion apparatus. In the preferred
18 embodiment valves 128 for operating the pipe trough and 130 for
19 controlling the height of pipe roller 98 on the trailer are of
the standard return type, and levers located at or adjacent to
21 the machine operator's console S8 are used to give continuous
22 control over the amount of fluid supplied to the cylinders
23 20 and 100 respectively.
24 The pipe positioning members provided on the trough
and trailer are in addition to pipe position and axial force
26 alignment members 138 provided on the Mc21roy apparatus. The
27 members 138 are controlled through valve 140 which is also
28 provided with the McElroy apparatus. Valve 140 is shown connected
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1¦ to receive ~luid at junction 126. Also connected to the junction
21 is valve 142 which is provided in the McElroy apparat~s and is
51 used to supply fluid to a hydraulic motor 144 used to drive the
4 ¦ pipe shaving wheel 146 on that apparatus. Similarly, the
5 ¦ operating cylinders 37 for the clamps or jaws 32 and 33 on the
6 ¦ McElroy are operated by coil activated valves 39 connected to
7 ¦ junction 126.
81 Best Mode of Operation
9 ¦ The pipe fusion laying machine of the preferred embodi-
10 ¦ ment uses only two men, a machine operator and a laborer, to
11 I fuse sections of pipe into a pipeline using pipe sections of up
12 ¦ to 10 inch IPS, SDR 17 in size. The self propelled fusion
13 ¦ machine is capable of fusing larger pipe sizes although addi-
14 ¦ tional labor may be necessary to feed sections of pipe into
15 ¦ trough. Referring to figures 1 and 5, the machine operator
16 ¦ positions the boom or pipe trough 18 vertically relative to the
17 ¦ ground by operating valve 128 using the valve operating lever
18 ¦ so that a laborer can load a section of pipe 23 thereon and
19 ¦ move it on rollers 22 into the housing 12 through entry port 24
and into the fusion apparatus 30.
21 Prior to positioniny the boom, the machine operator
2~ moved the fusion machine forward along the pipeline such that a
23 previously joined section of pipeline 34 is propelled on rollers
24 90 and 98 rearwardly of the machine. The use of individual
hydraulic motors to drive the wheels 16 permits the machine
26 operator to position the machine 10 precisely thereby allowing
27 a pipe section 23 to be positioned precisely relative to the
Z8 ~ pipeline 34 the fusion apparatus 30. As those skilled in
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1 the art will appreciate, coaxial movement of clamps 32 relative
2 to jaws 33 alonq the pipeline axis 26 is constrained by the
3 size and members used in the construction of the fusion apparatus
4 30.
After pipe section 23 is moved into the self propelled
6 pipe fusion housing the machine o~perator positions same relative
7 to the pipeline 34 in and the closes the clamps 32 by operating
8 valves 39. The pipe and face shaving operation i5 performed
9 using the shaving wheel 146. One beneficial result of my
invention is that shavings from the pipe are collected within
11 the housing. In the past, pipeline construction workers had to
12 pick the shavings up from the right of way to avoid pollution.
13 After face shaving, the operator applies the heating element to
14 the end faces and presses the push to start button 60 (Figure
4) causing the heating lamp to go on. When it times out, the
16 operator removes the heating element, brings the end of pipe
17 section 23 into contact with the facing end of the pipeline 34
18 allowing fusion, and he applies the heat dissipator band 38 to
19 the joint to apply cooling air.
The cooling cycle is controlled automatically by the
2~ timers as previously described. In general, the application
22 of cooling air reduces the amount of waiting time following a
23 fusion operation by about one half. That is, natural cooling
24 given an ambient of about 75F for eight inch pipe takes about
~5 three minutes whereas this time is reduced to about one and a
26 half minutes using the heat dissipation band. ~ccordingly,
27 the number of fusion joints which can be made using the self
28 I prope1led ion mochine durin g a ten-hour working day is
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increased considerably over that produced by prior art apparatus
and methods.
Af~er the cooling cycle is completed the timer bell
sounds and the operator removes the heat dissipation band 38 from
the completed joint. The operator then energizes valves 132 and
134 to effect ~ickout of the pipeline 34 by rollers 30 and 82 from
the fusion apparatus. The self propelled housing may then be
moved along the right of way to receive ano~her section of pipe
23.
