GB2238294A - Pipe dispensers - Google Patents

Abstract

To prevent contraction of windings, e.g. of pipe or cable, of a large reel 26 during unwinding, and thus avoid whiplash of unwound material, a spider 25 on trailer 11 has extensible arms 27 whose end rollers 28 prevent reel contraction. The reel is also carried on fixed roller 16, and horizontally adjustable rollers 17, 18 and 19. Upwardly pivotable arms 20, 21 carry adjustable rollers engaging outside the reel to prevent bodily movement of the reel. Spider mast 24 is telescopic. Rollers may engage the flat reel side faces to prevent lateral movement (Fig. 3). <IMAGE>

Description

PiPe Dispensers This invention relates to pipe dispensers and in particular, but not exclusively, to dispensers for large reels of gas or water pipe.

Although- the term pipe is used throughout the specification it will be understood that the invention is equally applicable to reels of other elongate material such as cable and the term pipe includes such material.

Throughout the country large lengths of gas pipe are being replaced by plastic pipe which is supplied in reels. Over the years these reels, and the pipe, have got steadily larger and various trailers have been proposed for dispensing them. Essentially these consist of large gantries carrying a rotatable spider or core on which the reel can be placed. The size of the gantries cause problems with overhead cables and the like and it is common for the reel to act like a coiled spring as it is pulled out for laying, because the inner layer of the reel or the remaining undispensed pipe contracts inwardly on to the spider. The energy stored as a result is sufficient to cause sudden whiplashes endangering workers; stretching of the pipe resulting in weak points and actual kinks in the pipe.The result is that the pipe either has to be dispensed very slowly or a considerable time can be spent having to cut out and replace damaged lengths of pipe.

The present invention consists in a pipe dispenser comprising a support for a reel of pipe, means for restricting translational movement of the reel so that the pipe can be drawn off the reel and means for resisting radial contraction of the reel as the pipe is withdrawn from the reel.

The provision of means for resisting the radial contraction greatly reduces the possibilities of energy being stored in the reel as pipe is laid.

In a preferred embodiment the contraction resisting means are adjustable between a loading position and a position in which the means engage the inner face of the reel. The contraction resisting means may comprise one or more arms which are longitudinally adjustable.

Alternatively the contraction resisting means may include a roller for engaging the inner face of the reel and it is preferred that there are at least two such rollers.

The translational movement resisting means may include a plurality of rollers mounted on the support for engaging the outer face of the reel to resist transitional movement of the reel whilst allowing the reel to rotate. At least one of the translational resisting rollers is conveniently positionally adjustable so that reels of different dimensions can be accommodated.

From another aspect the invention may consist in a dispenser for a pipe comprising a support for a reel of pipe; a pair of s paced rollers on the support for receiving a reel to restrict translational movement thereof and one or more rollers for engaging the inner face of the reel and extending therethrough.

This combination of inner and outer rollers is particularly preferred because it enables the reel to rotate readily as pipe is drawn off and there is thus the least resistance to the dispensing of the pipe.

From a further aspect the invention consists in a pipe dispenser comprising support means for a reel of pipe having means for maintaining the position and inner dimensions of the reel whilst allowing rotation of the reel whilst pipe is withdrawn.

In any of the above constructions the support may include a trailer or the like.

Although the invention has been defined above it is to be understood that it includes any inventive combination of the features set out above or in the following description.

The invention may be performed in various ways and specific embodiments will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a pipe dispenser; Figure 2 is a view of a clamp roller assembly; and Figure 3 is a side view of an alternative form of pipe dispenser.

A pipe dispenser generally indicated at 10 comprises a trailer 11 and a reel support 12.

The trailer consists of an open chassis 13 and a frame 14 which defines horizontal parallel tracks, one of which is shown at 15. The chassis 13 carries a fixed roller 16 and an adjustable roller 17, the position of which can be adjusted longitudinally on the chassis 13. Further adjustable rollers 18,19 are provided on the tracks 15 and yet more are carried by respective pairs of foldable arms 20,21.

Each of the adjustable rollers is essentially constructed as shown in Figure 2 and it will be seen that they are carried by inverted U shape members 22,23 which can be locked to their respective supports.

The chassis 13 also carries a mast 24 which in turn rotatably supports a spider 25 for receiving a reel 26. The spider 25 has readily extending longitudinally adjustable arms 27 each of which preferably carries rollers 28 on their free ends. The mast 24 can be telescopically extended by means of winches not shown and it will be seen that the lower ends of the arms 20,21 are pivotally connected to a triangular plate 29 for movement with the mast. Supports 30 are also connected to these arms 20,21 intermediate their ends. These supports are in turn connected to clamps 31 which can be slid along tracks 18 to adjust the elevation of the arms 20,21.

In use the height of the mast 24 is adjusted so that the spider 25 lies coaxially with the intended axis position of the reel 26. The reel is then slid on to the spider 25, which has its arms 27 adjusted inwardly so that the reel can be easily mounted. In this position the reel also sits on fixed rollers 16 and adjustable rollers 17, which has been positioned to engage the reel. Once the reel 26 is mounted on the spider 25, the further adjustable rollers are brought in to engage the reel, the arms 20,21 having first being adjusted into suitable positions.

The arms 27 of the spider 25 are then moved outwardly so that their rollers 28 engage the inner face of the reel to prevent any inward radial contraction.

In this arrangement the reel as a whole may rotate as pipe is withdrawn and the arms 27 prevent inward, energy storing, contraction of the reel. it will be understood with any known arrangements the spider is undersized in order to allow the reel to be slid on without difficulty.

In fact, as can be seen in Figure 3, the number of rollers illustrated in Figure 1 is probably far too great and they and the spider can be replaced by two bottom rollers 32, on which the reel sits, and one or more rollers 34 which extend through the reel and engage its inner surface to resist contraction. these could be of adjustable position and would normally be threaded through the reel once it was loaded on the bottom rollers 32.

Further adjustable rollers 35,36 may be provided on the frame to assist in preventing translational movement, whilst |longitudinal rollers 37 may be provided to locate the reel laterally.

The dispenser 10 is shown on a trailer 11 and this is convenient from the point of view of dispensing long lengths of pipe because it can be simply hitched to a vehicle and driven off. However, for economic reasons it may be desirable to greatly reduce the size of this vehicle and it is conceivable that it could be configured more along the lines of a porter's trolley.

The use of an extendable mast and the lowerable arms 20,21 means that the height of the dispenser when not carrying a reel is greatly reduced and need never be greater than the height of the reel even in use. The height problems of existing trailers are thus avoided.

Claims (10)

1. A pipe dispenser comprising a support for a reel of pipe, means for restricting translational movement of the reel so that the pipe can be drawn off the reel and means for resisting radial contraction of the reel as the pipe is withdrawn from the reel.

2. A dispenser as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the means for restricting translational movement of the reel comprises a pair of spaced rollers for receiving the reel.

3. A dispenser as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the means for resisting radial contraction comprises a roller for engaging the inner face of the reel and extending therethrough.

4. A dispenser as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the means for resisting contraction is adjustable between a loading position and a position in which it engages the inner face of the reel.

5. A dispenser as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the means for resisting contraction include at least one longitudinally adjustable arm.

6. A dispenser as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the translational movement resisting means include a plurality of rollers mounted on the support for engaging the outer face of the reel to resist translational movement whilst allowing the reel to rotate.

7. A dispenser as claimed in Claim 6, wherein at least one of the translational movement rollers is positionally adjustable so that reels of different dimensions can be accommodated.

8. A pipe dispenser comprising support means for a reel of pipe having means for maintaining the position and inner dimensions of the reel whilst allowing rotation of the reel whilst the pipe is withdrawn.

9. A pipe dispenser as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the support or support means is or includes a trailer or the like.

10. A pipe dispenser substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.