GB2055440A

GB2055440A - Laying flexible drainage pipes

Info

Publication number: GB2055440A
Application number: GB8004082A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1979-07-24
Filing date: 1980-02-07
Publication date: 1981-03-04
Also published as: GB2055440B

Abstract

The invention relates to apparatus for trenching ground and simultaneously laying a flexible pipe 5 or electric cable in the trenched ground, the apparatus being adapted at its front end to be connected to a towing vehicle and when pulled along by the latter to cut by means of a bar 3 and form a trench, into which piping 5 or cable can be fed from a compartment comprising plates 1 in said apparatus, the latter also being provided with a chute 9 through which gravel 11 can be fed and discharged into the formed trench so as to cover the piping or cable laid therein. Preferably, the front of the apparatus is provided with a frame 19, 22, 24 that can be connected to the three point linkage of a tractor to facilitate towing of the apparatus and lowering and raising thereof. The pipe may be a perforated drainage pipe, a gas pipe or a water pipe. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for laying flexible drainage pipes in trenched ground This invention relates to apparatus for laying flexible drainage pipes (or flexible pipes for other purposes) in ground at the same time as it is trenched by the apparatus.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of apparatus for the above purpose that is adapted to be towed, preferably, but not essentially, by a tractor, and to facilitate laying of a flexible drainage pipe or a flexible water-conveying supply pipe continuously in a trench as it is formed by the apparatus. A further object of the invention is the provision of such apparatus capable of filling in, if required, a formed trench, after laying of piping, with covering material, e.g. gravel.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of such apparatus that is simple and inexpensive to produce and efficient and durable in use.

According to the present invention there is provided apparatus for laying flexible drainage pipes (or flexible pipes or the like for other purposes) in ground at the same time as it is trenched by the apparatus, the latter comprising a compartment through which the piping can be passed and guided into a trench as it is formed by the apparatus and also a hopper and a chute depending therefrom through which material, such as gravel, can be fed to cover the piping as it is la#id in the trench, the apparatus being adapted to be connected to means for towing it along the ground to be drained, and being adapted at its leading end to penetrate and cut through earth to form a trench therein.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the apparatus is provided at the front thereof with a towing frame adapted to be connected to hydraulically-actuated linkage of a tractor.

According to a further feature of the invention the bottom of the body of the apparatus is closed by a sole plate that acts to shatter the soil at the bottom of a trench as it is formed by the apparatus to facilitate easy access of water to the piping through perforations in the latter during drainage.

To enable the invention to be clearly understood and readily carried into effect a preferred embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying purely diagrammatic drawings wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus.

Figure 2 is a plan view taken on the line A-A of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an end view looking in the direction of the arrow B-B of Figure 1 of a towing frame intended to be connected to hydraulic linkage of a tractor.

Figure 4 is an end view taken on the line C-C of Figure 1, and Figure 5 is a section taken on the line D-D of Figure 1.

Referring to said drawings the apparatus comprises a body part consisting of a pair of laterally spaced-apart vertical plates 1 (as viewed in an upright position of use) bridged and closed at their lower ends by a sole plate 2 of upwardly opening semi-circular cross section and having a pointed leading end 2a.

The leading marginal parts of the plates 1 incline upwardly and rearwardly and merge towards one another as indicated at 1 b in Figure 5 and their leading edges are bridged by a bar 3 that is forced and cuts through the earth to form a trench as the apparatus is pulled along. The lower end 3a (Figure 1 ) of this bar 3 extends over and closes the leading end of the sole plate 2. Thus no earth is allowed to enter the interior of the apparatus between the plates 1 during trenching.

Preferably a strengthening plate 4 is welded to the bar 3 and to the leading marginal parts of the plates 1.

In use a flexible perforated plastic drain pipe indicated at 5 is fed between the plates 1 and guided by guide plates 6 and 7, that also constitute stiffeners, to an outlet la at the bottom of the plates to the rear of the sole plate 2, the pipe then passing on to the soil at the bottom of the formed trench and that has been shattered by the sole plate 2.

The guide plate 7 and portions of the plates 1 to the rear of the guide plate 7 in conjunction with a shutter 8, combine to define a chute 9 through which gravel, fed through a hopper 10 at the upper end of the chute 9 may be passed so as to cover the pipe 5 as shown at 1 1 so as to allow easy access of water to the interior of the drain pipe 5 through the perforations therein.

The shutter 8 is preferably arranged to slide vertically so that the height of a gravel discharge outlet 12 beneath the lower end of the shutter 8 can be adjusted to regulate the depth of covering of the pipe 5 by the gravel 1 1.

The apparatus may be pulled along in any suitable manner but it is preferred to provide, as a subsidiary feature, a frame by which the apparatus can be quickly and easily coupled to the hydraulic lift arms and top link of a tractor and pulled along by the latter while penetrating the ground to a required depth.

A suitable frame comprises two frame members 13 that are bolted by bolts 14, 15 and 16 between the leading marginal parts of the plates 1 of the body of the apparatus and the bar 4 that is positioned therebetween, the bolt 16 also serving as anchorage for securing the rear ends of a pair of outer frame members 17, defining an elongated "V", to said bar 4.

The upper front corner of the bar 4 has bolted thereto a bolt 18 a tube 19 that inclines upwardly and forwardly and is bolted at 20 at its forward end within a U-shape loop 21 of a,front vertical frame member 22 (Figure 3) connected at its lower ends to the front ends of the outer frame members 17 which are formed with forks 23.

The frame can be coupled to the hydraulically actuated lift arms of a tractor by bolts passed through holes 23a of the forks 23 and by a bolt passed through holes 22a in the limbs of the Ushaped loop of the front frame member 22.

The main frame assembly is held rigid by a pair of arms 24 welded at their rear ends to the side plates 1 of the apparatus and bolted at 25 at their front ends to the frame members 13 at about midway of the length of the latter.

When required to be used the apparatus can be easily and expeditiously connected by its frame to the lift arms and top link of a tractor as above explained. The plastic pipe 5 and the chute 9 for gravel are contained within the solid side plates and displaced earth, as the trench is formed, is prevented from entering the apparatus by the front of the apparatus being closed by the bar 3 and this earth is constrained by the side-plates to fall back into the trench behind the trailing edges of the plates. During forward movement of the apparatus plastic drainage piping 5 is fed by hand through the outlet 1 a into the trench as it is formed by the apparatus and the piping covered by gravel 11 fed through the hopper 10 and chute 9.

The apparatus can be lowered into the earth and subsequently raised after trenching by the hydraulically actuated linkage on the tractor.

The sole plate 2 serves to shatter the soil at the bottom of a trench as it is cut by the apparatus to facilitate drainage through perforations in the pipe.

Conveniently the apparatus can lay flexible plastic drain pipes or water-conveying pipes to a depth of about three feet in a continuous manner and can, if required, discharge a gravel infil into the formed trench to cover a pipe placed in the trench.

The apparatus can be worked at a rate of approximately two or three miles per hour so as to be capable of laying a considerable length of pipe a day.

Although the apparatus is primarily intended for laying perforated drain pipe, or alternatively for laying water-conveying pipes, it may advantageously be used for laying flexible piping for other purposes, e.g. for gas supplies or for laying electric power supply cables.

The apparatus may also be used as a mole drainer.

It will be appreciated that with the apparatus of this invention there is no need to effect back filling of the trench by a separate operation because due to the construction of the apparatus the earth, as previously explained, is constrained by the side plates to fall back into the trench behind the trailing edges of the plates.

Claims

1. Apparatus for laying flexible drainage pipes (or flexible pipes or the like for other purposes) in the ground at the same time as it is trenched by the apparatus, the latter comprising a compartment through which the piping can be passed and guided into a trench as it is formed by the apparatus and also a hopper and a chute depending therefrom through which material, such as gravel, can be fed to cover the piping as it is laid in the trench, the apparatus being adapted to be connected to means for towing it along the ground to be drained, and being adapted at its leading end to penetrate and cut through earth to form a trench therein.

2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 , wherein the bottom of the body of the apparatus is closed by a sole plate that acts to shatter the soil at the bottom of a trench as it is formed by the apparatus to facilitate easy access of water to the piping through perforations in the latter during drainage.

3. Apparatus as claimed in Claims 1 and 2, wherein said body part consists of a pair of laterally spaced-apart vertical plates (as viewed in an upright position of use) said plates being bridged and closed at their lower edges by said sole plate, the forward ends of said plates and the sole plate being closed to eliminate entry of displaced soil between the plates and also to facilitate trenching of the soil as it is towed along.

4. Apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, wherein guide plates are provided between said side plates between which piping can be fed and guided to an opening at the bottom of said side plates and to the rear of the sole plate and into a trench formed by the apparatus.

5. Apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, wherein said chute at the trailing end of the apparatus is fitted with a vertically slidable shutter to enable the depth of an opening at the bottom of said side plates to be adjusted to regulate the depth of gravel fed into the formed trench above the piping laid therein.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, including means by which it can be connected to and towed along behind a tractor.

7. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 6, wherein said means comprises a frame connected at its rear end to the apparatus and adapted at its leading end to be connected to the three-point hydraulically-actuated linkage of a tractor.

8. Apparatus for trenching ground to be drained and simultaneously laying a flexible drainage pipe (or a flexible pipe for other purposes) in the trenched ground, constructed substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.