Material or article handling – Cylindrical bar handling device – Pipe laying
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-26
2001-11-20
Fischetti, Joseph A. (Department: 3652)
Material or article handling
Cylindrical bar handling device
Pipe laying
C414S745700, C414S746500, C414S685000, C414S910000, C294S067200, C294S067210, C037S906000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06318952
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to pipe laying equipment, and more particularly to a tool for use with an excavator for supporting a length of pipe while lowering the pipe into a trench and connecting it to a second length of pipe.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
The process of laying sections of pipe for an underground pipe line involves first digging a trench to the required depth. A heavy mobile piece of equipment known as an excavator is then typically used to lower a section of pipe into the trench. The pipe is secured to an end of an arm or boom of the excavator with chains and C-hooks.
A disadvantage of this method is that it is necessary to place a worker in the trench to guide the newly lowered section of pipe into contact with a previously installed section. The worker must also disengage the C-hooks and chains from the pipe. The task of manipulating the pipe in the trench is not without some hazard, due in part to the weight of the pipe and excavator arm. In deep trenches, the additional hazard of possible collapse of the trench walls must be carefully guarded against for the safety of the trench worker. In cases where there is danger of wall collapse, shoring is often put in place to support the soil. The shoring must then be removed and reinstalled for the process of laying the next section or sections of pipe, etc.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,232,502 by Recker describes an apparatus designed to lay pipe with an excavator without the need for a worker in the trench. A horizontally positioned arm
78
is suspended from the working end of an excavator boom assembly, attached with a rotary coupler
76
(FIG.
2
and col.
3
, lines
31
-
32
). In order to avoid the need for a worker in the trench to apply pipe sealant, a sealant is forced through the rotary coupler and sprayed from the end of the horizontal arm. The apparatus as described has some disadvantages and is not in common use. The rotary coupler with conduit is not a standard quick coupler, and requires special modification of the excavator. Connecting the horizontal arm
78
and conduit requires a second worker, or alternatively the excavator operator has to leave the cab to manually perform the operation. Positioning the arm
78
and support beam
80
in the process of connecting the tool to the excavator arm assembly is also a problem due to the weight of the tool, and the fact that without other support, the tool could only lay on the ground, 90 degrees disoriented, requiring an operator, probably with additional equipment to lift it into position for connecting to the excavator coupling device
70
. In addition, the rotary connection
76
is not durable enough to withstand repeated use, or rigid enough to allow undesired rotation of a pipe placed on the arm
78
. For example, a typical eight foot section of 54 inch diameter concrete pipe weighs about 1370 pounds per foot, or a total of 10,960 pounds. A much more rigid and strong connection is required for practical use.
It is apparent that an improved tool and method of laying pipe is needed that keeps workers out of the pipe trench, and that is robust and can be used with a standard excavator arm quick coupling device.
SUMMARY
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a tool for use in lowering a section of pipe into a trench that avoids the use of chains and c-hooks that must be removed by a trench worker.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a tool for laying pipe that is rugged in construction and that can be attached to the working end of an excavator boom assembly by an excavator operator without leaving the excavator cab.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a tool that facilitates the joining of pipe sections without the need for a trench worker.
Briefly, a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a tool for attachment to a working end of an excavator arm for use in supporting a pipe section while lowering it into a trench. The tool has a proximal end from which extends an elongated arm, held in an approximately horizontal position when in use. A vertical riser is attached to the arm at the proximal end, and an upper end of the riser is attached to a quick coupling connector for attachment to a corresponding mating quick coupling on the working end of an excavator arm. A lateral support, extending from each side of the tool is included, making the tool self supporting in a vertical position on level ground in a position ready for connection to an excavator arm. The present invention further includes the combination of the tool with a leveling device attached to an excavator, a combination that provides precision alignment and joining of pipe lengths in a trench.
An advantage of the tool of the present invention is that it allows a pipe to be positioned in a trench with improved accuracy.
A further advantage of the tool of the present invention is that it allows a pipe supported by the tool to be joined to another pipe in a trench without the need for a trench worker.
A still further advantage of the present invention is that it reduces worker injury by avoiding the need for a worker in the trench during the pipe laying operation.
Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides a pipe laying tool that is self supporting, and does not require an excavator operator to leave the excavator cab to connect the tool.
REFERENCES:
patent: Re. 32532 (1987-10-01), Sonerud
patent: 1844385 (1932-02-01), Goldsmith
patent: 2881928 (1959-04-01), Morris
patent: 3561615 (1971-02-01), Forsberg
patent: 3834566 (1974-09-01), Hilfiker
patent: 3958704 (1976-05-01), Wire et al.
patent: 3989150 (1976-11-01), Stephenson et al.
patent: 4362435 (1982-12-01), Henry
patent: 4480942 (1984-11-01), Farrow
patent: 4682912 (1987-07-01), Henry
patent: 4934897 (1990-06-01), Anderson et al.
patent: 5232502 (1993-08-01), Recker
patent: 5522699 (1996-06-01), Smith
patent: 5688009 (1997-11-01), Pienta
patent: 5707175 (1998-01-01), Geelhoed
Fischetti Joseph A.
Jaffer David H.
M&W Hook Enterprises
Pillsbury & Winthrop LLP
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