Abstract:
In one aspect, the invention is directed to a conduit laying system for laying conduit, including a vehicle, a trench former, a conduit feed system and a base material handling system. The trench former is configured for forming a trench. The conduit feed system includes a conduit feed passage having a conduit feed passage inlet for receiving at least one conduit and a conduit feed passage outlet positioned to deposit the at least one conduit in the trench. The base material handling system includes a base material hopper and at least one base material passage. The at least one base material passage is positioned to receive base material from the base material hopper and to discharge base material in the trench around the at least one conduit. The base material handling system, the conduit feed system and the trench former are driven by the vehicle.
Abstract:
The present invention provides, in one aspect, a method and corresponding system in which the production costs may be reduced by virtue of the fact that the laying of the pipe conduit on the one hand and the encasing of the pipe conduit with backfill concrete on the other hand may be carried out in parallel.
Abstract:
Metal pipe sections are welded together at the job site and then progressively coated with concrete by a traveling coating machine moving along the length of the pipe. After the coating operation the pipe is supported on forms having an upper concave portion shaped to receive the curved pipe. After the coating has hardened the pipe can be removed from the forms and installed. Apertures in the forms allow fluid to drain from the coating. Curved shims containing apertures aligned with those in the forms may be used to accommodate smaller pipe diameters.
Abstract:
Apparatus for laying conduit, cable and the like, most advantageously in a trench, features a hopper embodied in a frame adapted to be placed within a trench and loaded with gravel or other embedment material. The construction and placement of the hopper provides for discharge therefrom of the embedment material as the frame is moved the length of the trench, the discharge being to the bottom and at one end of the frame and to a level metered by a readily adjustable control blade. A feed tube extended through the frame and the hopper, to position within the body of the embedment material introduced therein, is provided with a mount enabling its substantially universal adjustment. This feed tube serves to guide and discharge the conduit, cable or the like to be laid simultaneously with the discharge of the embedment material and within and at a predetermined level with respect thereto. The frame per se embodies means for a finish shaping and conditioning of the trench as it is moved while the feed tube serves to provide a firming and compacting action on the embedment material over which it is drawn and to form a nest for the article being laid which facilitates a precise positioning of such article in a substantially straight line path.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a corrugated pipe fabricator and installer which in its preferred embodiment comprises a conventional mole plow modified to the extent that a sheet of corrugated material which is mounted on a spool mounted on the frame carrying the mole is fed to a rotating shaping cylinder operably mounted coaxially with the mole. The corrugated material is fed at an appropriate angle and forms corrugated pipe in the proccess which is dispensed into the channel formed by the mole.
Abstract:
A pipe coupling for joining abutting sections of pipe particularly adapted for connecting corrugated plastic drain pipe to provide a strong yet flexible coupling having a relatively smooth external surface thereby avoiding entanglement of the coupling in the guide of a trencher for the subterranean laying of the pipe. The pipe coupling consists of a substantially flexible rectangular shaped sleeve having at least two rows of teeth disposed along the length of the sleeve and means for fastening the ends of the sleeve around two sections of pipe to allow each row of teeth to engage at least one corrugated groove disposed at or near the end of each section of pipe to provide a coupling having a wide range of applicability for connecting a variety of corrugated pipe configurations.
Abstract:
The disclosed vibratory cable plow has a generally horizontal boom supported on transverse horizontal and vertical pivots and a trailer supported on the boom by a vertical pivot. A plow blade is supported on a vibration isolating frame beneath the trailer. In a first embodiment, the rear of the assembly is supported on wheels which are pivoted by piston-cylinders to control the depth of penetration of the plow blade. The first embodiment of the disclosed plow assembly provides remote steering, blade pitch, boom tilt, and depth adjustment and the entire assembly may be raised by piston-cylinders, about the transverse horizontal pivot, for transport. In a second embodiment of the cable plow, the rear of the assembly is supported on V-shaped struts, and the plow frame is supported within the opening formed by the struts on converging upper and lower links. The upper links are longer than the lower links to permit an attack angle for the blade which works well in a variety of soil conditions as well as an elliptical motion of the blade which reduces the forces required to pull the blade through the ground.
Abstract:
A tractor mounted device for directly burying rigid wall metal pipe below the surface of the ground. A trench is formed by an upstanding ripper shank and the pipe is inserted to the bottom of the trench through an elongated guide member carried rearwardly of the shank. The guide member includes a sloping S-shaped tube carried on a box shaped frame. The frame has side panels which support the walls of the trench between the shank and the terminal end of the guide tube. The tube is curved such that the pipe is subjected to minimal bending stress and has a reverse bend at the terminal end which straightens the pipe so that it will lie parallel with the bottom of the trench.
Abstract:
PIPING IS MOLE-PLOUGHED INTO THE GROUND BY INSERTING INTO A LENGTH OF PIPING, IN PARTICULAR CLAYWARE PIPE-LENGTHS ABUTTING END-TO-END AND PREFERABLY CONNECTED BY SLIGHTLY RESILIENT PLASTICS SLEEVES, AN INFLATABLE BAG WHICH IS EXPANDED INTO GRIPPING CONTACT ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE PIPING, TO ENABLE THE PULL TO MOLE-PLOUGH THE PIPING INTO THE GROUND TO BE DISTRIBUTED ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE PIPING, AND THE BAG MAY BE REINFORCED SO AS TO TAKE THE PULL FROM THE BOLE-PLOUGH OR IT MAY BE INSERTED ALONG WITH A WIRE TO BE CONNECTED TO THE MOLE-PLOUGH, WITH THE WIRE INSIDE OR, ADVANTAGEOUSLY, OUTSIDE THE BAG.