CA1046298A - Pipe laying and transporting vehicle - Google Patents

Pipe laying and transporting vehicle

Info

Publication number
CA1046298A
CA1046298A CA277,268A CA277268A CA1046298A CA 1046298 A CA1046298 A CA 1046298A CA 277268 A CA277268 A CA 277268A CA 1046298 A CA1046298 A CA 1046298A
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
vehicle
elongated frame
pipe
pipe section
pair
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
CA277,268A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Bernard Desourdy
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to CA277,268A priority Critical patent/CA1046298A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1046298A publication Critical patent/CA1046298A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16LPIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16L1/00Laying or reclaiming pipes; Repairing or joining pipes on or under water
    • F16L1/024Laying or reclaiming pipes on land, e.g. above the ground
    • F16L1/06Accessories therefor, e.g. anchors
    • F16L1/065Accessories therefor, e.g. anchors fixed on or to vehicles

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Handcart (AREA)

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A vehicle for easy and convenient transporting and laying of a large diameter pipe or pipe section, in particular in a tunnel.
This pipe laying and transporting vehicle comprises an elongated frame defining opposite end portions and e central portion, roadwheels arranged in a single longitudinal row, and each selectively steered and raisable relative to the frame, and connected to one of the end portions, a pair of carrying device mounted on the central portion and engaging a pipe section to carry it as it is surrounding the central portion, and each currying device being upwardly and laterally displaceable end including rollers engaging the inner face of the pipe section and driven to selectively rotate the latter about its longitudinal axis and transversely align the same with a pre-cedingly installed pipe section.

Description

~04~Z98 This invention relates to a vehicle and, more particularly, to a vehicle o~ the type adapted for transporting and laying a pipe or pipe sections of relatively large diameter, such as for instance of 8 or more feet in diameter.
The pipe sections of 8 or more feet in diameter which are commonly used to lay a water supply pipeline are very heavy and must be transported and layed with a crane or the like machine. The laying of such pipe or pipe sections in a tunnel is even more difficult due to the limited tunnel space available to use appropriate equipment.
It is a general object of the present invencion to provide a vehicle or machine which accelerates an~ facilitates the laying of a pipe or pipe Aection, in particular in a t~mnel.
It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide a vehicle which conveniently transports the above-mentioned pipe sections and position the latter for laying of a pipeline.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a pipe ~ying and transporting vehicle which is self-sufficient to pick up, transport a~d position a pipe or pipe section.
It is a particular object of the present inve~tion ~ provide a pipe laying an~ transporting vehicle which is specifically adapted for use in a tunnel and takes advantage of the lateral side waIls of the tunnel for its lateral equilibrium and for a simpler system of roadwheels and steering thereof.
It is a more specific object of the present inve~ltion to proride a pipe laying and transporting vehicle which includes a simple roadwheel and steering system including roadwheels arr~nged in a single longitudinal row and a simple independent pivoting of each roadwheel with lateraIly projecting guide wheels to engage the lateral side walls of the tunnel an~ thus keep the transverse equilibrium of the vehicle. - 2 -1~46Z98 The above end other ob~ects and advantaOe~ of the present invention will be better understood with reference to the following detailed description of a preferred embodimen~ thereof which is illustrated~ by way of example, in ~he accompanying drawings, whereins ~igure 1 i9 a top view of a pipe laying and transporting vehicle according to a preferred embodimenG of the present invention;
~igure 2 is a side elevation view of the vehicle of Eigure 1;
Eigure 3 is a front elevation view of the same pipe laying and trans-porting vehicle;
Eigures 4 and 5 are cross-sectional views as seen along lines 4-4 and 5-5 respectively in Figure 2; and Figures 6, 7, 8~ and 9 are schematic side elevation views of the same vehicle showing as many distinct sequential positions of operation thereof.
The pipe laying and transporting vehicls, as illustrated in the accompanying drawingæ, comprises an elongated frame including a pair of laterally spaced-apart and rigidly interconnected beams 1.
This elongated frame defines a front portion, a rear portion and a central portion. ~ pair of forked frame structures 2 are rigidly connected to the beams 1 at the front portion and a single forked frame structure 2 is rigidly connected to the beams 1 at ~he rear portion. Each forked frame qtructure 2 has opposite legs 3 fixedLy secured at their lower end onto the beams 1 respectivelg, as best shown in ~igure 5. ~ach forked frame structure 2 is provided with a wheel and axle assembly, a steering system and an elevating device, as hereinafter defined in detail.
~ach wheel and axle asse~bly includes a U-shaped bracket 4~ a roadwheel 5 and an axle 6 rotatably supporting the roadwheel relative to the U-shaped bracket. The elevating device includes a hydraulic cylinder 7 longitudinally extending upright and fi~ed inside the corresponding 104t;298 forked frame structure 2. ~ach hy~ aullc cylinder 7 lncludes a piston rod 8 having its lower end rigidlg fixed to the U-sh~ped bracket 4 of the corIespon~ing wheel and axle assembly and rotatable about its lon~itudir~l axis which thus con~titute~ the steering axis for the correspondin~ wheel and axle assembly. The actuation of the hydraulic cylinder 7 by the corresponding hydraulic fluid lines 9 relatively produces retraction or extension of the piston rod o and a corrosponding elevation or lowering of the associated roadwheel 5. Thus, as indicated by the vertical arrows 10 and 11 in ri~ures 6-9, each roadwheel may be selectively eleva-t~d or lowered relat~ve to the elon~ated frame defined by the longitudinal beams 1. It must be noted that each wheel and axle assembly includes a single roadwheel 5 which is transversely centered relative to the vehicle and such that the three roadwheels are longitudinally aligned in a qin~le ro~.
Of course, each single wheel could be replaced by a dual wheel and the rear wheel and axle assembly could include a pair of roadwheels axially spaced apart tran3ver3ely Qf the vehicle to provide transverse equilibrium to the latter.
~he steerin~ asse~bly for ea¢h wheel and axle a~s~mbly ~20 includes a pair of hydraulic cylinders 12 connected on opposite sides respectivel~ Qf the corresponi~ing U-shaped bracket 4~ at one end to the latter and at the other end to the corre~pon~ing beam 1. The concerted actuation Qf the hydraulic cylinders 12 produce3 steeri~g of the cor-responding roadwheel. Thus~ each wheel and a%le assembly ls individually steered for tr~nsverse control of the vehicle.
The rear portion of the vehicle constitutes the propul~ive portion and, to that effe¢t, is provided with an en~ine 13 connected by a chain drlve 14 to the axle 6 of the corre~pondl~g roadwheel 5. It must be noted that this rear portion need not be motorized,in which case the vehicle would be powered by a tractor or the llke. ~esides, the ~046Z98 propulsive portion of the vehicle could constitute a tractor type ~mit pivotally coupled to -the remainder trailer-like portion of the vehicle. Such tractor type unit can then take any known and appropriate form.
The vehicle is laterally guided and kept in equil-ibrium relative to the central ~ow of roadwheels 5 by laterally projecting guide wheels 15 arranged in two sets connected to the opposite end portions of the vehicle. Each set of guide wheels 15 includ~-two guide wheels on each side of the vehicle and connected to an adjustable device to be laterally adjusted relative to the vehicle. The àdjustable device includes a hydrau-lic cylinder 16 longitudinally extending transversely relative to the~vehicle, and a walking beam 17 centr-ally pivoted about an upright axis on the outer end of the piston rod of the corresponding cylinder. The pair of guide wheels 15 at each end and on each side of the vehicle are rotatably connected to the opposite ends respectively of the corresponding walking beam 17 to rotate substantially in a horizontal plane and longitudinally roll relative to the elongated frame against the inner face of a tunnel shown by the outline 18 or of a pipe section, shown by the outline 10; both in Figure 3. The hydraulic cylinders 16 serve to adjust the guide wheels 15 transversely outward, as indicated by the arrow and letter E in Figure l, as required to pass from the inner face of the tunnel 18 to the inner face of a pipe section 19, and vice versa.
A pair of carrying devices 20 are mounted on the central portion of the elongated frame and adapted to carry a pipe section 19 as it is surrounding the cen-tral portion, as shown in Figure 1, 2,3,7,8 and 9 of ~' ~ _ 5 _ ~04~;298 the drawings. A pair of transverse fname structures 21 are fixed -to the beams 1 and form each a base for a corresponding carrying device 20. A base me~ber 22 is mounted on each frame structure 21 and trans-versely slides on the latter - 5a -~046Z98 relative to -the frame Or the vehicle. A hydrsulic cylinder 23 longi-tudinally extends transversely of the vehicle and i9 connected at its opposite ends to the base member 22 and to the frame to adjustably dis-place the base member and thus the whole corresponding carrying device lateral}y relative to the vehicle frame. ~ach carrying device 20 includes a support 24 having a stem portion 25 rigidly projecting down-ward from the botto~ thereof and slidable longitudinally upright in an aperture of the correspon~;ne b~se member 22. ~ hydraulic cylinder 26 longitudinally extends upright and is connected at its opposite ends to the support 24 to adjustably displace the support 24 up or down. A
~eries of idler rollers 27 and driven rollers 28 are rotatably mounted on the support members 24 and a~ially extend parallel to each other and to the beams 1. ~ach roller 27 and 28 radially pro~ects outward relative to the corresponding support 24 to roll in contact with the inner face of the carried pipe section 19. A motor 29 is mounted on the rear support 24 and connected by a chain drive 30 to the shaft of the rollers 28 to selectively rotate the latter in either of the two angular directions thereof. The motor 29 constitutes a hydraulic motor driven by the hydraulic fluid supplied by a hydraulic fluid supply and pump unit 31. ~ppropriate valve control units 32 and 33 are provided to selectively actuate the respective hydraulic actuators includ~næ the cylinders 1~ 16, 23, and 26.
The pipe laying and transporting vehicle according to the illw trated embodiment i~ specifically adapted to be used in a tunnel~
since it essentially has only a single row of roadwheels 5 and it needs to Pind lateral equilibrium with the guide wheels 15. A vehicle according to another embodiment of the present invention could be made to transport the pipe sections 19 in an open area by providing the rear portion of the vehicle with inherent equilibrium, such as by laterally spaced-apart roadwheels, To lay a pipe in a tunnel, the roadwheels 5 are upwardly elevated or retracted and the carryin~ ~viceS
21 are lowered relative to the elongated frame to allow the vehicle to engage forwardly in a pipe section 19, as shown by the arrow 32 in Figure 6. The carrying devices 20 and the roadwheels 5 are then outwardly extended to lift the pipe section 19 off the ground while it is surrounding the central portion of the elongated body. The vehicle then proceeds toward the installed portion of the pipe line, as indicated by the arrow 33 in Figure 7, and the pipe section 19' installed on t~e cross members 34.
When the front of the vehicle reaches the installed pipe section 19', the foremost roadwheel 5 is elevated to allow the front of the vehicle to engage in the installed pipe section 19' L Then the foremost roadwheel 5 is lowered to carry the weight of the front portion of the vehicle in replacement of the other forward roadwheel 5 in which is in turn elevated to penetrate in the pipe section 19', as shown in Figure 8. An anchor device 35 is then deployed inside the installed pipe section 19' and connected to a hydraulic cylinder 36 at the front of the vehicle. The hydraulic actuat~s which produce the desired transverse control are then actuated to align the carried pipe section 19 with the installed pipe section 19'. Then, the hydraulic actua-tor 36 is contracted to draw the carried pipe section 19 in tight and sealed engagement with the outer end of the installed pipe section.
After further crossmemb~,rs 34 have been put in place to carry the still carried pipe section 19, the vehicle is actuated to roll out of the installed portion of the pipeline, as shown by the arrow 37 in Figure 9.

~ _ 7 _ It must be under~tood that many changes in the nonessential details of construction may be made with-out dep~ar-ting from the spirit and scope of the present invention and features claimed.

- 7a -

Claims (4)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A pipe laying and transporting vehicle compri-sing an elongated frame defining a pair of opposite end portions and a central portion intermediate said end portions, first and second roadwheels mounted under-neath one end portion for carrying the same and a third roadwheel mounted underneath the other end portion for carrying the same, said roadwheels disposed in a single row centrally and longitudinally of the vehicle, each roadwheel connected between the same and the respective end portions for selectively elevating and lowering the roadwheels relative to said end portions, a steering system for each of said first,second, and third roadwheels, motor means mounted on the elongated frame and connected to said third roadwheel for pro-ducing propulsion of the pipe laying and transporting vehicle, guide wheels connected to each end portion and laterally projecting from each side thereof, said guide wheels outwardly adjustable relative to said frame toward operative engagement with a sidewall to laterally stabilize said vehicle, a pair of carrying devices mounted on said central portion and spaced apart there-along and operatively engaging a pipe section to carry it as it is surrounding said central portion with said opposite end portions of said frame and with said roadwheels being on the outside of the ends of said pipe section, each carrying device including an upright support, rollers carried by the upper end of said support and axially extending longitudinally of said elongated frame, parallel one to another and radially projecting outward from the corresponding support into operative rolling engagement against the inner face of an overlying portion of a pipe section, a drive connected to the rollers to selectively rotate the latter in either of the two angular directions to rotate the pipe about its longitudinal axis, means mounting said support for up-and-down movement and for transverse movement relating to said elongated frame, first power means to raise and lower said - 8a -support and rollers relative to said elongated frame, and second power means to transversely shift said support and rollers relative to said elongated frame.
2. A pipe laying and transporting vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein there is a pair of guide-wheels on each side of each end portion of the frame, each pair of guidewheels being rotatably carried at the opposite ends, respectively, of a walking beam about an upright axis, each walking beam being pivoted imtermediate its ends about an upright pivot axis on the outer end of a hydraulic cylinder and pis-ton unit supported in horizontal position by said elongated frame and extending laterally outwardly therefrom to selectively displace the pair of guide-wheels outwardly and inwardly transversely of the elongated frame.
3. A pipe laying and transporting vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein each elevating device includes a bracket supporting the corresponding road-wheel and an elevating hydraulic cylinder connected to said bracket and to the corresponding end portion:
of said elongated frame, the elevating hydraulic cylinder extending upright and defining the steering axis for the corresponding roadwheel.
4. A pipe laying and transporting vehicle as defined in claim 3, wherein each of said steering systems includes a pair of hydraulic cylinders connected to the bracket on opposite sides thereof, and connected to the elongated frame for selectively steering the corresponding roadwheel about the steering axis defined by the corresponding elevating hydraulic cylinders.
CA277,268A 1977-04-28 1977-04-28 Pipe laying and transporting vehicle Expired CA1046298A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA277,268A CA1046298A (en) 1977-04-28 1977-04-28 Pipe laying and transporting vehicle

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA277,268A CA1046298A (en) 1977-04-28 1977-04-28 Pipe laying and transporting vehicle

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1046298A true CA1046298A (en) 1979-01-16

Family

ID=4108538

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA277,268A Expired CA1046298A (en) 1977-04-28 1977-04-28 Pipe laying and transporting vehicle

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (1) CA1046298A (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
AU2013201635B2 (en) * 2012-04-27 2015-04-09 Mitchell Water Australia Pty Ltd Pipe welding system
AU2013205560B2 (en) * 2012-04-27 2016-08-11 Mitchell Water Australia Pty Ltd Pipe welding system

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
AU2013201635B2 (en) * 2012-04-27 2015-04-09 Mitchell Water Australia Pty Ltd Pipe welding system
AU2013205560B2 (en) * 2012-04-27 2016-08-11 Mitchell Water Australia Pty Ltd Pipe welding system

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