Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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PIPELAYER WITH QUICK ATTACH COUNTERWEIGHTS
The present invention relates to a pipelayer machine and more particularly a
counterweight assembly and counterweights for pipelayer machines.
BACKGROUND
A pipelayer machine is a machine that is specially designed to lay sections of
pipe in a
trench to create a pipeline. Previously, cranes had been used to raise up pipe
sections,
move the pipe section over a trench and then lower the pipe section into the
trench.
However, the cranes were not very maneuverable and were commonly modified from
cranes designed for other purposes in order to be used for installing the pipe
sections in
the trench. Eventually, excavators and crawlers began to be used to install
pipe sections
with kits being made and sold to convert an excavator or crawler to make them
suitable
for use in installing pipe sections in a trench. Eventually, purpose-made
pipelayer
machines were designed where the sole purpose of these pipelayer machines was
the
installing of pipes in pre-dug trenches.
A pipelayer machine will typically have tracks and a crawler body with an
engine. A
side boom can extend to one side of the pipelayer machine and the raising and
lowering
of the side boom is handled by a winch system. A counterweight assembly is
typically
provided on an opposite side of the pipelayer machine from the side that the
boom is
attached to in order to counterbalance the pipelayer machine against the
weight of the
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pipe section and prevent the pipelayer machine from tipping over when the boom
is used
to raise and lower a pipe section into a trench.
These pipelayer machines are used to lay a pipe section in a trench by using
the tracks to
maneuver the pipelayer machine next to a trench in which the pipe section will
be placed.
A hook, which is suspended from the boom, is then used to connect to the pipe
section
and a winch system is used to raise the pipe section from the ground. Once the
pipe
section is raised off the ground, the boom can be moved to move the pipe
section over the
trench. When the pipe section is positioned over the trench, the hook is then
lowered
while the boom remains stationary to lower the pipe section into the trench.
Commonly,
a number of pipelayer machines will be used at the same time to raise and
lower a single
pipe section into the trench with the different pipelayer machines working in
unison to
raise, laterally move and lower a pipe section into the trench.
The counterweights are attached to the opposite side of the pipelayer machine
than the
boom is attached to so that the counterweights can be used to counteract the
forces
applied to the pipelayer machine by the lifting and laterally moving a pipe
section with
the pipelayer machine. These counterweights are simply heavy weights designed
to
attach to some sort of assembly so that the counterweights can be moved
laterally
outwards from the side of the pipelayer machine before the machine is used to
lift the
pipe section and move it laterally outwards from the pipelayer machine on the
other side.
By moving the counterweights outwards, the moment acting on the pipelayer from
the
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counterweights is increased, countering the opposite moments acting on the
pipelayer due
to the boom and pipe section suspended from the boom.
However, these counterweights are usually installed on the pipelayer machine
and
removed at the worksite before and after the pipe section is placed in the
trench, rather
than these counterweights being left on the pipelaye machine all of the time,.
This
requires the counterweights to be installed and removed repeatedly onsite in
often less
than ideal conditions. Any decrease in the time it takes to install and remove
these
counterweights can lead to significant time savings, since must be done on
multiple
machines repeatedly. Additionally, difficulties with counterweight removal
delays the
whole process and since multiple pipelayer machines are commonly used,
probleths with
installing or removing these counterweights can delay the whole job.
Currently, pipelayer machines typically use a keyway where the counterweights
must be
raised and slid from the side over this specifically sized and configured
keyway before
the counterweights are secured in place. While this keyway securely attaches
the
counterweights to the pipelayer machine, it is difficult to align the
counterweights with
the keyway and requires these very heavy counterweights to be raised exactly
to the
keyway and then slid along the keyway very precisely. If for any reason the
counterweights jam or otherwise get stuck (for example by foreign-object
contamination,
such as gavel) on this keyway, they can be very difficult to get unstuck.
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Counterweights that can be relatively quickly and easily installed on the
pipelayer
machine yet still be securely attached are desirable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION =
In a first aspect, a pipelayer machine is provided. The pipelayer machine can
include a
main body having a first side and a second side, a first side track provided
on the first
side of the main body, a second side track provided on the second side of the
main body,
a side boom provided on the first side of the main body, a counterweight
assembly
provided on the second side of the main body, the counterweight assembly
having a
counterweight mounting frame and at least one counterweight comprising a body
with a
first side engageable with the counterweight mounting frame.
In a further aspect, a further pipelayer machine is provided. The pipelayer
machine can
include a main body having a first side and a second side, a first side track
provided on
the first side of the main body, a second side track provided on the second
side of the
main body, a side boom provided on the first side of the main body, a
counterweight
assembly provided on the second side of the main body and at least one
counterweight.
The counterweight assembly can include a counterweight mounting frame having a
circular engagement mount, a frame body extending below the engagement mount
and at
least one lug flange extending below the frame body and having an aperture
passing
therethrough, at least one fixed member connected at a first end to the second
side of the
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main body, at least one frame member pivotally connected at a first end to a
second end
of the at least one fixed member and a second end of the at least one frame
member
connected to the counterweight mounting frame, at least one support member
pivotally
connected at a first end inside the second side track and a second end of the
at least one
support member connected to the at least one frame member and an actuator
connected
between the second side of the main body and the at least one support member.
The at
least one counterweight can include a body with a first side having a side
profile
corresponding to the counterweight frame mount, an engagement hook on the side
profile
of the first side of the body, the engagement hook configured to engage with
the
engagement mount of the counterweight mounting frame engageable with the
counterweight mounting frame and at least one protruding lug extending from
the first
side of body of the counterweight and having an aperture passing therethrough,
the at
least one protruding lug positioned to correspond with the at least one lug
flange on the
counterweight mounting frame so that the aperture in the at least one
protruding lug
aligns with the aperture in the at least one lug flange.
In a further aspect, a counterweight for connection to a counterweight
assembly of a
pipelayer machine is provided. The counterweight can include a body having a
first side
engageable with a counterweight frame of the counterweight assembly.
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DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A preferred embodiment of the present invention is described below with
reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pipelayer machine;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a counterweight assembly in a loading
position;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the counterweight assembly of FIG. 2 in an
extended position;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the counterweight assembly with the
counterweights not attached;
FIG. 5 is a front view of a counterweight mounted on the counterweight
mounting
frame; and
FIG. 6 is a front view of a counterweight.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 illustrates a pipelayer machine 10 for placing sections of pipe section
in a trench.
The pipelayer machine 10 can include a main body 20, an engine 30, a first
side track 34,
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a second side track 36, a cab 38, a side boom 40, a counterweight assembly
100, a boom
winch 50, a hook winch 60 and a hook 70.
The main body 20 can have a first side 22 and a second side 24 and hold the
engine 30
and the pair of tracks 32, 34. The cab 38 is provided for an operator to sit
in and control
the operation of the pipelayer machine 10.
The side boom 40 is used to support a pipe section that is lifted off of the
ground by the
pipelayer machine 10 and to move the pipe section laterally away from the
pipelayer
machine 10 over top of the trench so that the pipe section can be lowered by
the pipelayer
machine 10 into the trench. The side boom 40 can be pivotally connected at a
proximal
end 42 of the side boom 40 to a first side 22 of the main body 20 of the
pipelayer
machine 10 so that the side boom 40 extends laterally from the first side 22
of the main
body 20. In one aspect, the proximal end 42 of the side boom 40 can be
connected inside
the first side track 34 on the first side 22 of the main body 20 so that the
first side track
34 rotates around the proximal end 42 of the side boom 40.
In one aspect, the side boom 40 can have a triangular frame.
The boom winch 50 can be used to raise and lower the side boom 40. The boom
winch
50 can be operatively attached to a distal end 44 of the boom 40 by a boom
cable 46. The
boom winch 50 can be attached to the main body 20 of the pipelayer machine 10
so that
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the boom cable 46 passes between the boom winch 50 and the distal end 44 of
the side
boom 40 in front of the cab 38 of the pipelayer machine 10.
The boom winch 50 can be wound to raise the boom 40 around its pivotally
connected
proximal end 42 or unwound to lower the boom 40 around the pivotally connected
proximal end 42. Typically, the boom cable 46 is used in conjunction with a
block and
tackle assembly to increase the force applied to the boom 40 by the boom winch
50 to aid
the boom winch 50 in raising the boom 40.
The hook winch 60 and hook 70 can be used to raise and lower a pipe section.
The hook
winch 60 can be connected to the hook 70 with a hook cable 72 and the hook
winch 60
can be wound to raise the hook 70 and thereby any pipe section attached to the
hook 70
or unwound to lower the hook 70. Typically, the hook cable 72 is used with a
block and
tackle assembly to increase the force the hook winch 60 can apply to a pipe
section
suspended from the hook 70.
Referring to FIG. 2, the counterweight assembly 100 is connected to the second
side 24
of the main body 20 on an opposite side of the main body 20 from the first
side 22. The
counterweight assembly 100 is used to counterbalance the forces applied to the
pipelayer
machine 10 created when the pipelayer machine 10 lifts a pipe section off of
the ground
and moves it outwards laterally outward from the pipelayer machine 10 using
the boom
40 to position the pipe section over a trench. The counterweight assembly 100
uses
counterweights 150 and can move these counterweights .150 laterally away from
the
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second side 24 of the main body 20 of the pipelayer machine 10 before the pipe
section is
picked up and moved laterally away from the first side 22 of the main body 20
of the
pipelayer machine 10 as shown in FIG. 3 to counteract the forces applied to
the pipelayer
machine 10 by the weight of the pipe section and the boom 40.
Referring to FIGS. 2-5, the counterweight assembly 100 can include a
counterweight
mounting frame 110, a pair of fixed members 120, a pair of frame members 130,
a pair of
support members 140, an actuator 145 and one or more counterweights 150.
The counterweight mounting frame 110 is configured to mate with and hold the
counterweights 150. The counterweight mounting frame 110 can have an elongate
shape
running parallel to the main body 20 of the pipelayer machine 10. The
counterweight
mounting frame 110 can have a circular engagement mount 112 provided on top of
a
frame body 114 with the frame body 114 extending downwards from the engagement
mount 112. The counterweight mounting frame 110 can have one or more lug
flanges
116 extending down below the frame body 114. Each lug flange 116 can have an
aperture 118 passing through it to accept a pin 119.
The fixed members 120 can be connected at first ends 122 to the second side 24
of the
main body 20. Second ends 124 of the fixed members 120 can be pivotally
connected to
first ends 132 of the frame members 130 so that the frame members 130 can be
pivoted
around their first ends 130 relative to the second ends 124 of the fixed
members 120. The
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second ends 134 of the fixed members 130 can be connected to the counterweight
mounting frame 110.
The support members 140 can be pivotally connected at first ends 142 to the
second side
24 of the main body 20 of the pipelayer machine 10. In one aspect, the first
ends 142 of
the support members 140 can be pivotally connected inside the second side
track 36 so
that the second side track 36 rotates around the first ends 142 of the support
members
140. Second ends 144 of the support members 140 can be connected to the frame
members 130.
The actuator 145 can be connected between the second side 24 of the main body
20 of the
pipelayer machine 10 and one of the support members 140 so that extending the
actuator
145 will rotate the support members 140 around their first ends 142, forcing
the frame
members 130 to pivot upwards around their first ends 132, thereby moving
counterweight
mounting frame 110 outwards and rotating the counterweight mounting frame 110
upwards. In one aspect, the actuator 145 can be a hydraulic cylinder.
The counterweight assembly 100 can have an initial position, as shown in FIG.
2, where
the counterweight mounting frame 110 is positioned adjacent the second side 24
of the
main body 20 of the pipelayer machine 10. In the initial position, the
engagement mount
112 is positioned above the frame body 114 and the frame body 114 extends
below the
engagement mount 112 and angles away from the second side 24 of the main body
20 of
the pipelayer machine 10 as the frame body 114 extends along its length from
the
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engagement mount 112. From this initial position, by extending the actuator
145, the
positioning of the fixed member 120, frame member 130 and support member 140
can
cause the counterweight mounting frame 110 and therefore the counterweights
150
attached to the counterweight mounting frame 110 to move outwards from the
initial
position shown in FIG. 2 laterally away from the second side 24 of the main
body 20 of
the pipelayer machine 10 and rotated upwards, into an extended position as
shown in
FIG. 3. By extending the actuator 145, the actuator 145 will force the support
members
140 to rotate around their first ends 142, forcing the frame members 130 to
pivot upwards
around the first ends 132 of the frame members 130 since the first ends 132 of
the frame
members 130 are pivotally connected to the second ends 122 of the support
members
120, thereby moving the counterweight mounting frame 110 outwards and rotating
the
counterweight mounting frame 110 upwards, away from being substantially
vertical, into
the extended or operating position shown in FIG. 3. From the extended
position, the
actuator 145 can be retracted to once again move the counterweight mounting
frame 110
back towards the second side 24 of the main body 20 of the pipelayer machine
10 and
into the more substantially vertical initial position to allow the removal and
attachment of
the counterweights 150 to the counterweight mounting frame 110.
In this manner, before the pipelayer machine 10 is used to pick up a pipe
section using
the hook 70 and then move the pipe section laterally using the boom 40 and
hook 70 in
conjunction, the actuator 145 can be used to move the counterweights 150 from
the initial
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position into the extended position, thereby moving the center of gravity CG
of the
counterweights 150 laterally outwards from the second side 24 of the main body
20 of the
pipelayer machine 10 to counterbalance the forces the pipe section will apply
to the first
side 22 of the main body 20 of the pipelayer machine 10 to try and prevent the
pipelayer
machine 10 from tipping over.
Referring to FIG. 6, each counterweight 150 can have a lift eye 160, a body
170, an
engagement hook 180 and a protruding lug 190.
The body 170 of the counterweight 150 is designed to be heavy and it can have
a first
side 171 that has a side profile designed to correspond with the counterweight
frame
mount 110. The engagement hook 180 is formed near the top of the first side
171 of the
counterweight 150 and is sized to engage with the engagement mount 112 on the
counterweight mounting frame 110. An inner opening 182 formed by the
engagement
hook 180 can have a shape that corresponds with an outer profile of the
rounded
engagement point 112 on the counterweight mounting frame 110. The inner
opening 182
of the engagement hook 180 open at the bottom to form a passage 183 through
which the
engagement point 112 of the counterweight mounting frame 110 can pass to enter
into
and engage with the inner opening 182.
The body 170 of the counterweight 150 can extend rearwards and downwards from
this
engagement hook 180 so that a center of gravity, CG, is offset from the
engagement hook
180 of the counterweight 150, with the center of gravity, CG, being positioned
both
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vertically below the engagement hook 180 and horizontally spaced from the hook
engagement 180.
The lift eye 160 can be pivotally attached to the body 170 of the
counterweight 150 so
that the lift eye 160 can be attached to a crane to lift and move the entire
counterweight
150. The lift eye 160 can be positioned relative to the body 170 of the
counterweight 150
so that the center of gravity CG of the body 170 of the counterweight 150 is
positioned
inline and vertically below the lift eye 160.
The protruding lug 190 can extend from the first side 171 of the body 170 of
the
counterweight 150. An aperture 191 can be provided passing through the
protruding lug
190.
Referring to FIG. 4, to install the counterweight 150 on the counterweight
mounting
frame 110 of the counterweight assembly 100, a crane can be used to lift the
counterweight 150 by the lift eye 160. With the counterweight 150 suspended by
the
crane and not in contact yet with the counterweight mounting frame 110, the
counterweight 150 should hang with the lift eye 160 being vertically aligned
with the
center of gravity CG of the counterweight 150. The crane can then be used to
lower the
counterweight 150 onto the counterweight mounting frame 110 by lowering the
engagement hook 180 of the counterweight 150 on the circular engagement mount
112
on the counter weight mounting frame 110 so that the engagement hook 180 is
partially
surrounding the circular engagement mount 112.
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Once the engagement hook 180 is in contact with the engagement mount 112 with
the
engagement mount 112 positioned in the inner opening 182 of the engagement
hook 180,
the crane can continue to lower the counterweight 150 by the lift eye 160.
However, the
engagement hook 180 will be prevented from continuing to move downwards by the
engagement mount 112 on the counterweight mounting frame 110; instead the
circular
engagement mount 112 will only allow the engagement hook 180 to rotate around
the
circular engagement mount 112. Because the center of gravity CG of the
counterweight
is offset horizontally from the engagement hook 180, as the counterweight 150
continues
to be lowered down by the crane to which the lift eye 160 is attached, the
horizontal
offset of the center of gravity CG from the engagement hook 180 generates a
moment
which will cause the counterweight 150 to rotate around the circular
engagement mount
112 on the counterweight mounting frame 110 and cause the center of the
circular
engagement mount 112 to act as a pivot point for the counterweight 150. As the
counterweight 150 continues to be lowered, the counterweight 150 will continue
to pivot
around the circular engagement mount 112 and the body 170 of the counterweight
150
will swing towards and against the counterweight frame mount 110 until the
first side 171
body 170 of the counterweight 150 rests against the frame body 114 of the
counterweight
mounting frame 110 as shown in FIG. 6. The frame body 114 of the counterweight
frame
mount 110 can act as a stop to prevent further rotational motion of the
counterweight 150
around the circular engagement mount 112.
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When the first side 171 of the body 170 of the counterweight 150 swings up
against the
counterweight frame mount 110, the protruding lug 190 can be positioned
adjacent one or
more of the lug flanges 116 with the aperture 118 in the lug flange 116
aligned with the
aperture 191 in the protruding lug 190. One of the pins 119 can be inserted
through the
aperture 118 of the lug flange 116 and the aperture 191 of the protruding lug
190 to
secure the counterweight 150 in position against the counterweight mounting
frame 110.
In one aspect, a pair of lug flanges 116 can correspond with each protruding
lug 190 with
the lug flanges 116 positioned on the counterweight mounting frame 110 so that
the
protruding lug 190 swings in between the pair of lug flanges 116 and the pin
119 can be
inserted through the pair of lug flange 116 and the protruding lug 190 to
secure the
counterweight 150 in place on the counterweight mounting frame 110.
With the counterweight 150 securely in place on the counterweight mounting
frame 110,
the counterweight assembly 100 can be extended from its initial position, as
shown in
FIG. 2, to its extended position, as shown in FIG. 3, before a pipe section is
picked up
and moved laterally outwards by the pipelayer machine 10.
To remove the counterweight 150, the counterweight assembly 100 can be moved
into its
initial position using the actuator 145. The pin(s) 119 can then be removed
from the
apertures 118 in the lug flange 116 and the apertures 191 in the protruding
lug 190 to
release the counterweight 150. A crane can then be used to lift the
counterweight' 150 by
the lift eye 160. By lifting the counterweight 150 by the lift eye 160, the
counterweight
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150 will pivot around the center of the rounded engagement mount 112 until the
center of
gravity CG of the counterweight 150 is positioned substantially vertically
below the lift
eye 160. Further lifting the counterweight 150 by the lift eye 160 will cause
the
engagement hook 180 to lift off of the rounded engagement mount 112 of the
counterweight assembly mount 110 until the counterweight 150 is completely
free of the
counterweight assembly mount 110 and is hanging freely by the lift eye 160.
The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the
invention.
Further, since numerous changes and modifications will readily occur to those
skilled in
the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction
and operation
shown and described, and accordingly, all such suitable changes or
modifications in
structure or operation which may be resorted to are intended to fall within
the scope of
the claimed invention.
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