GB2341217A

GB2341217A - Anchoring device for tubular bodies

Info

Publication number: GB2341217A
Application number: GB9818802A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Grahame Martin
Original assignee: LGH GROUP PLC
Current assignee: LGH GROUP PLC
Priority date: 1998-08-29
Filing date: 1998-08-29
Publication date: 2000-03-08
Anticipated expiration: 2018-08-29
Also published as: GB9818802D0; GB2341217B

Abstract

An anchoring device for releasable attachment to a tubular body is disclosed which is applicable particularly in moving pipes, culverts and the like into position. The device comprises first and second feet (20, 22) for engaging the internal surface of a tubular body (24, Figure 2) at spaced-apart locations around the body's circumference. Extending between the feet is a support member which may take the form of a strut (10, 12, 14). At least one of the feet (20) comprises an inclined portion (28) on which the adjacent end 30 of the support member is movably mounted, such that when the feet are engaged with the inner surface of the tubular body and a force is applied to the support member such as to displace it up the inclined portion of the foot, the foot is urged into tighter engagement with the tubular body.

Description

2341217

-1DESCRIPTION ANCHORING DEVICE FOR TUBULAR BODIES

The present invention relates to anchoring devices for releasable attachment to tubular bodies and in particular, but not exclusively, to such anchoring devices for use in moving pipes, culverts and the like into position.

Large concrete pipes and culverts are typically cast in separate sections which are subsequently manoeuvred into position together on-site to form a continuous passageway.

Typically, a crane is used to manoeuvre a section of pipe or culvert generally into the correct position, whereafter the section is manoeuvred accurately 4 into its final position by means of winches, hoists and the like.

Culverts are typically joined together through male/female mating portions between which a seal is formed by a strip of sealing material, eg. mastic which can be heated to form the seal following assembly of the mating parts. A considerable force is required to draw a culvert into engagement with its neighbour, not only because the culvert must be dragged along the ground but also to overcome the resistance created by the sealing strip. The traditional method of drawing culverts together involves initial rough placement of a pair of culverts with their mating portions adjacent and aligned, followed by use of a hoist to draw the culverts together and the mating parts into engagement. The line from the hoist is connected between a pair of beams placed across the respective outer ends of the two culverts. To subsequently add a third culvert, an extension wire is incorporated in the line from the hoist, one of the beams is moved to the outer, 2- open end of the third culvert and the process is repeated. Thus by use of successively lonaer hoist lines incorporating successive extension wires, a chain of culverts can be built up.

The method is inconvenient because each time a culvert is added the line must be slackened (a time consuming process using the hoist) then extended by introduction of a longer or additional extension wire and retensioned. The method also becomes impractical for long chains of culverts, where a correspondingly long line would be required to extend between the open culvert mouths at the remote ends of the chain.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome the above problems and in particular to provide a device which can be releasably anchored on a tubular body such as a pipe or culvert to enable the tubular body to be manoeuvred accurately into position.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention an anchoring device for releasable attachment to a tubular body comprises first and second feet for engaging the internal surface of a tubular body at spacedapart locations around the circumference of the body and a support member extending between the feet, at least one of the feet comprising an inclined portion on which the adjacent end of the support member is movably mounted, whereby when the feet are engaged 7= with the inner surface of the tubular body and a force is applied to the support member such as to displace it up the inclined portion of the foot, the foot is urged into tighter engagement with the tubular body.

Preferably, the device comprises two feet, for engaging opposed portions of the inner surface of a pipe or culvert section and an elongate strut extending between the two feet. One end of the strut may be slidably mounted on an inclined track or guide on one of the feet whereby when the two feet are engaged with opposed portions of an inner surface of a pipe or culvert and a pulling force is applied to the device in a direction perpendicular to the axis joining the feet, the feet are urged more tightly into engagement with the pipe or culvert section.

Preferably, the length of the elongate strut is adjustable. For example, the strut may be telescopic, comprising an outer elongate tubular socket and an inner elongate member, slidably disposed within the socket, each of the members being provided with a series of pre-drilled holes for receipt of a locking bolt to secure the two sections in one of a plurality of predetermined relative positions.

One or both feet may also be pivotable with respect to the support member. For example, the portion movable with respect to one of the feet may be pivotally mounted with respect to the associated end of the support member. In one embodiment, that portion is pivotally mounted to one end of a bar, the opposite end of the bar also being pivotally mounted with respect to the support member.

Preferably, the device comprises additional means for adjusting its length. For example, in one embodiment, the device further comprises means for adjusting C the separation of a shoe from the associated end of the support member. The additional adjusting means may comprise a bolt which is screw-threadedly ZD mounted with respect to the support member and which abuts the mounting member which is movably disposed on the foot.

The device may further comprise attachment means such as shackles for attachment of a wire rope or chain sling in order to apply a pulling force.

0 1 It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for displacing or manoeuvring a tubular body such as a pipe or culvert section accurately into position.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for displacing or manoeuvring a tubular body comprises an anchoring device in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention, and further comprises attachment means for engaging the tubular body to be displaced or manoeuvred C C and tension means connected to the anchorine device and the attachment means to draw the anchoring device and the attachment means towards each other.

Using such an apparatus. the anchoring device may be secured in a section of pipe or culvert which is already fixed in position and the attachment means can then be engaged with a further section to be moved, whereby the further section can then be moved into position using the tension means.

The tension means may, for example, comprise a hoist which is connected to chains attached to the anchoring device and the attachment means respectively. The attachment means which are engageable with the separate section of pipe or culvert may comprise a beam which spans an open end of the section and to which a wire rope, chain sling or other pulling device can be attached. Alternatively, a further device as described above may be secured in the other pipe or culvert section.

In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, a method of displacing or manoeuvring a tubular body using a device in accordance with the -5second aspect of the present invention comprises securing the anchoring device in a tubular body whose position is fixed, engaging the attachment means to a separate tubular body to be displaced or manoeuvred and operating the tension means to draw the separate tubular body towards the fixed tubular body.

By way of example only, a specific embodiment of the present invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Fig. I is a perspective view of a first embodiment of device for displacing a tubular body, in accordance with the present invention; and Fig. '22 is a perspective view, partly cut away, illustrating the use of the device of Fig. I to move a culvert section into position.

Referring firstly to Fig. 1, the device D in accordance with the invention comprises an elongate rectangular-sectioned tubular support 10 formed from a lower, rectangular-sectioned steel tube 12 and an upper rectangular-sectioned steel =1 tp tube 14 which is slidably and telescopically received in the lower section 12. The two sections 12, 14 are provided with a plurality of equally-spaced pre-drilled holes 16 in their faces for receipt of one or more securing bolts 18 in order to secure the lower and upper sections 12, 14 of the support in position with respect to one another.

The upper and lower ends of the support are each provided with a respective foot 20, 22 for engagement with the inner surface of a section 24 of a pipe or culvert.

The upper foot 20 comprises a metal base 26 having an inclined lower plate 28, the opposed edges of which form a guide or track on which a carriage mounted. The carriage -30 provided with a clevis 32 on is sli c 15 -1 its undersurface, by means of which the carriage is mounted by a pivot pin 34 to a connecting arm 36 which is in turn mounted at a further pivot pin 38 between the lugs of a clevis 40 which is secured to an upper mounting lug 41 projecting from C:> the upper end of the upper section 14 of the support 10.

An elongate adjustment bolt 42 having a trilobal collar 44 welded thereto is screw-threadedly mounted in the upper end of the upper section 14 and its protruding end engages the undersurface of the end of the connecting rod 34 within the clevis 33) The foot 22 at the lower end of the elongate support similarly comprises an inclined plate 46, similar to the plate 28 of the upper foot 20, and a carriage 48 is slidablv mounted on a guide or track formed by the inclined edges of the plate. The upper surface of the carriage 48 is provided with a clevis 50, by means of which the lower end of the support member and the carriage 48 are pivotally connected at pivot pin 52.

In an alternative embodiment the lower foot 22 is simply pivotally attached to the elongate support via a clevis rigidly attached to the foot so that slid', ing motion of the lower foot is not possible.

Shackles 56, 58 are pivotally mounted on the upper mounting lug 41 at the upper end of the support 10 and a lower mounting lug 60 at the lower end of the support 10 respectively. Also provided on the lugs 41, 60 are handles 64, 66 to assist in adjusting the position of the device manually.

Fig. 2- illustrates the operation of pulling a culvert section 24' into en-aaement with an adjacent culvert section 24 which has already been secured in position.

As a first step, the device D is located within the culvert 24 which is already secured in position and the lower and upper sections 12, 14 of the elongate support are adjusted such that the length of the support is approximately equal to the spacing between opposed faces of the culvert. The securing bolts 18 are then secured in place in the aligned holes 16. In this position, the lower foot 22 is in engagement with the lower internal wall of the culvert and the upper foot 20 is c spaced slightly from the adjacent upper internal wall surface.

The adjusting bolt 42 is then rotated by means of the collar 40 to displace the upper 20 into tight engagement with the inner surface of the culvert.

A rigid elongate beam 70 is Placed across the open mouth of the culvert 24' to he positioned. Slidably mounted on the beam 70 are two runners 71 whose positions are fixable by means of bolts or pins 73 receivable in holes in the beam. The runners are to be positioned as far apart as conveniently possible within the culvert. A wire rope or chain 72 is then hooked onto the runners on the inner face of the beam 70. Similarly, a wire rope or chain 76 is hooked onto the shackles 56, 58 of the device 10.

The shackles 72, 76 are then secured to a respective end of a manuallyoperated hoist 80 such as a TIRFOR (trade mark) or PUL-LIFT (trade mark) pulling unit. The pulling unit is then actuated which draws the culvert section 24 towards, and into position with respect to, the culvert section 24 already in position.

It will be appreciated that as the pulling unit 80 is operated, tension will be applied to the shackles 58, 56. There will thus be a tendency for the support device 10 to be displaced in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the support member 12, indicated by arrow A in Fig. 1. In view of the inclined mounting of the carriages 30, 48 (to which the opposite ends of the support member 12 are attached) with respect to the upper and lower feet 20, 22, any tension applied to the unit in the direction of arrow A increases the force with which the upper and lower feet 20, 22 are pressed into engagement with the opposed inner surface portions of the culvert sections and thus secures the unit 10 more firmly in position.

The pulling unit 80 is actuated until the culvert section 24 is located in position with respect to the already installed culvert sections. Once the culvert section 24' has been secured in position, the procedure can be repeated for further culvert sections.

In practice, it is likely that two devices D, two beams 70 and two pulling units 80 would be used simultaneously, each assembly being located adjacent to one side of the culvert. This would allow the alignment of the culvert 24' to be accurately controlled during the installation procedure. It would also assist in reducine, the stresses on the culvert sections.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment.

For example, only one end of the device 10 need be provided with a foot on which the support 10 is slidably mounted. In particular, the lower end of the support 10 may simply be pivotally attached to a lower foot.

Moreover, the beam 70 may be replaced with a second device D within the culvert 24' to be positioned, if circumstances dictate. The feet 20,22 may also be shaped to correspond with the shape of the surface with which they are to engage. For example, with a culvert as described above, having flat opposed faces, the outer faces of the feet will be flat. However, if the invention is to be used to move sections of pipe of circular cross-section the outer faces of the feet will preferably be convex to match the curvature of the inner surface of the pipe.

The range of diameters of culvert which the device can accommodate may if necessary be extended by provision of an extension piece which can be inserted between the lower and upper sections 12, 14. A suitable extension piece comprises a box section lower extension portion receivable in the lower section 12 of the support and, received and welded in the lower extension portion, a box section upper extension portion for receipt of the upper section 14 of the support.

Claims

-10CLAIMS

1. An anchoring device for releasable attachment to a tubular body comprises first and second feet for engaging the internal surface of a tubular body at spacedapart locations around the circumference of the body and a support member extending between the feet, at least one of the feet comprising an inclined portion on which the adjacent end of the support member is movably mounted, whereby when the feet are engaged with the inner surface of the tubular body and a force is applied to the support member such as to displace it up the inclined portion of the foot, the foot is urged into tighter engagement with the tubular body.

2. An anchoring device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support member comprises an elongate strut extending between the two feet which are thereby arranged for engaging opposed portions of the inner surface of a pipe or culvert section.

3. An anchoring device as claimed in claim 2, wherein one end of the strut is slidably mounted on an inclined track or guide on one of the feet whereby when the two feet are engaged with opposed portions of an inner surface of a pipe or culvert and a pulling force is applied to the device in a direction perpendicular to the axis joining the feet, the feet are urged more tightly into engagement with the pipe or culvert section.

4. An anchoring device as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the length of the elongate strut is adjustable.

5. An anchoring device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the strut is telescopic, comprising an outer elongate tubular socket and an inner elongate member, slidably disposed within the socket, each of the members being provided with a series of predrilled holes for receipt of a locking bolt to secure the two sections in one of a plurality of predetermined relative positions.

6. An anchoring device as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5 comprising additional means for adjusting its length.

7. An anchoring device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the device further comprises means for ad usting the separation of a shoe from the associated end of the j support member.

8. An anchoring device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the means for adjusting the separation comprises a bolt which is screw-threadedly mounted with respect to the support member and which abuts the mounting member which is movably disposed on the foot.

9. An anchoring device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein at least one of the feet is pivotable with respect to the support member.

10. An anchoring device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the end portion of the support member which is movably mounted on one of the feet is pivotally coupled to another part of the support member.

11. An anchoring device as claimed in any preceding claim further comprising means such as a shackle for attachment of a wire rope or chain sling in order to apply a pulling force.

12. An apparatus for displacing or manoeuvring a tubular body comprising -12an anchoring device as claimed in any preceding claim, attachment means for engaging the tubular body to be displaced or manoeuvred and tension means connected to the anchoring device and the attachment means to draw the anchoring device and the attachment means towards each other.

13. An apparatus for displacing or manoeuvring a tubular body as claimed in claim 12, wherein the tension means comprise a hoist which is connected to chains attached to the anchoring device and the attachment means respectively.

14. An apparatus for displacing or manoeuvring a tubular body as claimed in claim 12 or claim 13, wherein the attachment means comprise a beam for spanning an open end of the section and to which a wire rope, chain sling or other pulling device can be attached.

15. An apparatus for displacing or manoeuvring a tubular body as claimed in claim 12 or claim 13, wherein the attachment means comprises a further anchoring device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 11.

16. A method of displacing or manoeuvring a tubular body using an apparatus in accordance with any of claims 12 to 15, comprising securing the anchoring device m a tubular body whose position is fixed, engaging the attachment means to a separate tubular body to be displaced or manoeuvred and operating the tension means to draw the separate tubular body towards the fixed tubular body.

17. An anchoring device for releasable attachment to a tubular body substantially as herein described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.

18. An apparatus for displacing or manoeuvring a tubular body substantially as herein described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.

19. A method of displacing or manoeuvring a tubular body substantially as herein described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.