JPS6224511Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to a saddle fusion machine for welding a resin pipe joint (eg, polyethylene) called a saddle to a resin pipe (eg, polyethylene pipe or plastic pipe).

In recent years, resin pipes such as polyethylene have been increasingly used as gas pipes in place of conventional metal pipes. When connecting a branch pipe to such a resin pipe from the lateral direction, it is performed by heating and fusing via a resin pipe joint (saddle). That is, a method is used in which the outer wall joint portion of the tube to which the saddle is to be joined and the saddle are pressed against a heater and melted under pressure, and the pressurized and melted surfaces are crimped together at a predetermined pressure. The saddle crimped in this manner is allowed to cool for a certain period of time, and then is completely integrated into the tube.

However, in the conventional welding work, it is very important to control the pressure melting time by the heater and the pressure bonding time between the melted surfaces. Optimum values for these pressurized melting times and crimping times are predetermined according to the pipe diameter, saddle diameter, etc., and especially in the case of pressurized melting times, they may be longer or shorter than the predetermined optimal times. The reliability of the fused portion is impaired, increasing the possibility that the product will be defective. However, the work procedure for saddle fusion is to place a heater between the opposing end surfaces of the pipe and saddle to be fused, bring the pipe and saddle closer together in the axial direction, and press them against the heater until the joint surface of the pipe and saddle melts. After heating for a predetermined time, the pipe and saddle are separated from the heater, and then the heater is quickly removed and the pipe and saddle are moved toward each other again to bring the molten surfaces into pressure contact with each other with a predetermined pressing force for a predetermined time. Since all the work is done manually, it is completely impossible for a single worker to do it. Therefore, traditionally, the operator who manages the pressure melting time and crimping time has to install the heater,
This requires a separate worker from the one who removes or crimps the pipe and saddle, and therefore requires a minimum of two workers. If the crimping time is shorter than the predetermined value, the connection between the pipe and the saddle will be incomplete, and if the heating time is longer than the predetermined time, not only will the melting range expand more than necessary, but the amount of melting will become too large. Furthermore, if the time is shorter than the predetermined time, a sufficient amount of melting cannot be obtained and welding becomes impossible. In practice, the heating time and crimping time are managed by relying on the primitive method of calling with a stopwatch, so that sometimes the stopwatch operator becomes distracted and the heating time exceeds a predetermined value. Furthermore, the need for a separate worker dedicated to time management also poses an undesirable problem in terms of labor saving and automation.

In order to solve this problem, the applicant proposed a saddle fusion machine mechanically incorporating a locking mechanism to automatically control heating and crimping operations in an earlier patent application filed on August 28, 1981. . According to this earlier application, the lock mechanism is automatically turned on and off in conjunction with the pressurized melting operation and the crimping operation, and the subsequent operation cannot be performed until a predetermined time has elapsed or after a predetermined time has elapsed. This prevents work errors due to worker skill or carelessness.

The present invention also aims to provide a saddle fusion machine that mechanically incorporates a locking mechanism that automatically controls the heat-compression bonding operation so that the heat-compression bonding operation cannot be performed after a predetermined period of time has elapsed. .

The purpose of the present invention is to improve product quality and yield by eliminating products that have passed a predetermined period of time after the heater has been removed as defective products and starting the heating process again.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a saddle welding machine equipped with a locking mechanism according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First, the overall structure of the saddle fusion machine used in the present invention will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5.

The saddle fusion machine basically consists of pipe clamp part 1.
0 and a saddle holder part 50. The pipe clamp section 10 has a movable clamp 11 and a fixed clamp 13, which are substantially divided into two by a vertical plane H. The fixing clamp 13 has support legs 15, which together with support legs 57 of a saddle holder section 50 (to be described later) serve to horizontally place the saddle fusion machine, for example, on the bottom surface G of an excavated hole. On the other hand, the movable clamp 11 is also provided with a spare support leg 17, which serves as a support leg when the fusion splicer is used in an upright position.

The fixed and movable clamps 13 and 11 extend in the axial direction of the pipe P, and each grips a half of the outer circumference of the pipe P over the width W. The fixed clamp 13 and the movable clamp 11 are connected at fork members 25 and 27 formed at both upper ends thereof by a tightening member 19 in the shape of, for example, a round bar or a square bar. The tip of the tightening member 19 is formed as a threaded rod 19A, and a clamp knob 21 with a threaded hole is screwed onto this threaded rod 19A. The tip of the square rod 19 is the movable clamp 11
It is rotatably supported by a pivot pin 29 attached to a fork member 27. Thus clamp knob 2
1, the fixed clamp 13 and the movable clamp 11 are moved slightly toward and away from each other.

Hook arms 35 are pivotally attached to both lower ends of the movable clamp 11 via pivot pins 33. On the other hand, pins 37 are fixedly provided at both ends of the corresponding lower portion of the fixed clamp 13, with which the tip hooks 35A of the hook arms 35 engage. An operating lever 43 is attached to the other end of the hook arm 35. The operating lever 43 is the movable clamp 11
It is vertically movably supported within a support portion 12 that is integrally formed with.

A clamp 30 for straightening the bend of the pipe P, which can be tightened by a feed screw type knob 48, is provided between the tightening members 19 of the fixed clamp 13, but since it is not directly related to the present invention, a description thereof will be omitted.

A protrusion 42 for attaching a heater 100, which will be described later, is installed on a support 44 installed in the movable clamp 11.

A pair of parallel guide rods 51 extending perpendicularly to the pipe axis are fixed to the fixed clamp 13 of the clamp section 10, and the saddle holder section 50 has a slide block (main body) 53 slidably attached to the guide rods 51.
This allows the user to approach and move away from the clamp portion 10. The slide block 53 has a V-shaped arm 55 extending obliquely upward.
A projection 59 for the heater 100 is implanted at the tip of the heater 100 . The protrusions 59 are horizontally aligned with the corresponding protrusions 42 of the clamp portion 10, and these protrusions allow the heater 100 to be suspended and held in a predetermined position during pressurized melting. Further, the end of the guide rod 51 is connected to a support leg 57.
Supported by The support leg 57 is used together with the support leg 15 of the pipe clamp section 10 when the fusion splicer is placed horizontally (first
(Fig.) This is the machine for doing this. Slide block 53
A hollow housing part 61 is formed integrally with the hollow housing part 61, and a horizontal hole 6 is formed in the hollow housing part 61.
A pair of sliders 71 are slidably inserted into the hollow cylinder 65 fitted into the hollow cylinder 3 . The slider 71 is a positioning pin 6 that can freely protrude and retract from the hollow cylinder 65.
7, this pin 67 can engage a corresponding positioning hole 60 formed in the guide rod 51, as shown at position 67'. Both sliders 71 are in a contact position where they are constantly pressed against each other by a spring 73, and the pin 6
7 is sunk inside the hollow cylinder 65.

Both sliders 71 have an inclined surface 71A, and an eccentric cam 75 is arranged between these inclined surfaces. cam 75
is fixed to a camshaft 79 that is rotatably supported by the hollow housing portion 61, and is rotatable together with the camshaft 79. Both ends of the camshaft 79 are connected to the hollow housing portion 6.
1, and a U-shaped operating lever 81 is fixed to both ends of the projection. A handle 83 is attached to the operating lever 81. Holding the handle 83, the first
As shown in the figure, when the operating lever 81 is rotated 90 degrees from the horizontal position to the upright position shown at 83', the cam 7
5 is rotated 90 degrees to the 75' position shown in FIG.
When the cam 75 comes to the 75' position, the slider 71
spring 73 due to the wedge action of the inclined surface 71A.
The pin 67 is pushed outward against the guide rod 51.
into the hole 60 of. Both sliders 71 are shown in their expanded positions 71' (FIG. 4). As a result, the saddle holder portion 50 is positioned in the axial direction of the guide rod 51.

The slider block 53 has a boss portion 182 having a shaft hole 181 extending parallel to both guide rods 51.
and a metal sleeve 183 in the shaft hole 181.
A pressing rod 85 is slidably attached via the . A plate 89 is fixed to one end of the pressing rod 85 by a bolt 87, and is pressed against both sliders 71 via this plate 89. A slider tube 91 is slidably attached to the boss portion 182. The slider tube 91 has a saddle holder clamp 195 fixed thereto by a bolt 93, and a saddle S of a predetermined shape to be fused to a pipe P attached to a saddle holder 198 is fitted into the saddle holder clamp 195 and held therein. Ru.
The saddle S and saddle holder clamp are secured within the holder by knobbed fixing screws 199 and 197, respectively. In addition, in Fig. 4, the fixing screw 19
7,199 is the first, second,
It is shown rotated by 90 degrees with respect to Figure 3.

The holder clamp 195 has a central hollow boss 74 in which a spring 78 and its retainer 74 are mounted.
6 is placed. The other end of the spring 78 is the pressing rod 8
It is pressed against 5. The initial load of the spring 78 is finely adjusted by an adjustment screw 112 attached to the boss 74. An inner cylinder 68 is slidably fitted into the slider cylinder 91, and its protrusion 68A is engaged with a protrusion 85A of the press rod 85, so that the press rod 85 is prevented from slipping out of the inner cylinder 68. The inner cylinder 68 has an actuation lever 66 screwed therein, and the actuation lever 66 projects to the outside through a substantially L-shaped elongated hole 64 (FIG. 2) formed in the slider cylinder 91. The elongated hole 64 has a portion 64A that defines the lock position of the lever 66 and an elongated hole portion 64B that allows the lever 66 to be operated. part 64
B extends in the axial direction of the pressing rod 85 and
6 allows the inner cylinder 68 to move within the slider cylinder 91 in the axial direction of the pressing rod 85. To operate the inner cylinder 68, replace the spring 78 (the strength of the spring 76, that is, the force with which the saddle S presses against the pipe P varies depending on the pipe P, so if it exceeds the fine adjustment range by the adjustment screw 112, Although this is necessary when the spring 76 needs to be replaced, its explanation will be omitted since it is not directly related to the present invention.

As described above, when the cam 75 is rotated, the slider 71 is gradually pushed outward and the positioning pin 67 is fitted into the corresponding positioning hole 60 of the guide rod 51. After that, the cam 75 is further rotated. Continuing, the cam 75 moves the plate 89 to the fourth position.
In Figure 5, it begins to move to the left. As a result, the pressing rod 85 is pushed to the left, compressing the spring 78 and increasing the compressive load (at this time, the holder clamp 1
95 does not move because it is pressed against the pipe P or the heater 100 via the saddle S).

The saddle is fused to the pipe as follows.

After attaching the pipe P to the pipe clamp part 10 (the attachment work is not directly related to the present invention and will not be described), before welding the saddle S to the pipe P, it is necessary to melt the welding surfaces of both. Therefore, the concave groove 101 corresponding to the outer circumference of the pipe P and the concave surface of the saddle S
Heater block 10 having a convex surface 102 corresponding to S' (having a shape corresponding to the outer circumference of pipe P)
0 is applied so as to bridge the protrusion 42 of the pipe clamp part 10 and the protrusion 59 of the saddle holder part 50 (the heater block 100 is formed with a long groove 103 into which the protrusions 42 and 59 fit). At this time, the saddle holder part 50 is kept close to the pipe clamp part 10 to the extent that the heater block 100 can fit between the saddle holder part 50 and the heater clamp part 10. Moreover, the saddle S is already attached to the saddle holder 95. Next, the slider block 53 is slid toward the pipe clamp section 10 to bring the heater block 100 into contact with the pipe P and saddle S. Next, when the lever 81 is pulled up using the handle 83, the positioning pin 67 is aligned with the corresponding positioning hole 6 of the guide rod 51.
0, and the slide block 53 of the saddle holder part 50 is locked in place. Further, when lever 81 (handle 83) is pulled up to positions 81' and 83' in FIG. 1, a predetermined pressing force is doubled on saddle holder 95 via spring 78 as described above. As a result, the heater block 100 is strongly pressed against the pipe P and the saddle S, so that the joint surfaces of the pipe P and the saddle S can be melted under pressure by the heater block 100. After heating for a predetermined time, in order to remove the heater block 100, the lever 81 of the saddle holder section 50 is returned to the horizontal position (initial position) to release the lock by the positioning pin 67, and the slider block 53 of the saddle holder section 50 is moved to the pipe clamp section 10. Just move it in the direction away from.

This heater removal work needs to be done quickly.
This is because the welded surfaces of the pipe and saddle, which have been melted under pressure, cool rapidly.

After removing the heater block 100, the slider block 53 of the saddle holder section 50 is brought close to the pipe clamp section 10 along the guide rod 51 again, and the saddle S is brought into contact with the pipe P. Then, when the lever 81 is pulled up again to the upright position, the saddle S is pressed against the pipe P with the required force. It is desirable that the time t from when the heater is removed to when the saddle starts to be crimped onto the pipe P be within 3 to 5 seconds at the latest. After crimping for a predetermined time, the lever 81 is returned to the initial position and the pressing force is released. Eventually, the saddle S is completely fused to the pipe P as the joint surfaces are cooled (cooled down).

Conventionally, in the above-mentioned saddle fusion machine (the above structure itself has already been applied for by the applicant), for example, it takes more than t seconds to unavoidably remove the heater, and the saddle cannot be removed after t seconds have elapsed. I had a problem with it getting fused to the pipe.
This deteriorates the quality of the product and essentially necessitates redoing the fusing operation.

In order to solve this problem, the present invention is characterized by providing a lock mechanism to prevent the next operation from being performed after a predetermined period of time has elapsed. To achieve this objective, according to the present invention, a locking mechanism is provided to disable the movement of the slide block 53 if necessary.

The lock mechanism 130 is, for example, a slide block 5.
3 and a solenoid switch 132 attached to a main body 133 fixed to the rear end of a hollow housing 61 integral with the main body 133. A lock pin 139 is fixed to the plunger 131 of the solenoid switch 132 and is slidable up and down within the main body 133. Lock pin 139 is solenoid switch 13
During the excitation operation of step 2, it protrudes downward from the main body 133 and locks onto the bridge portion 57a of the support leg 57 (FIGS. 5 and 6). When the solenoid switch 132 is in the OFF state, the lock pin 139 is in a retracted position within the main body 133 and does not interfere with the support leg 57. Thus, when the solenoid switch 132 is operated, the slide block 53 integrated with the hollow housing 61
is the bridge portion 5 of the lock pin 139 and the support leg 57.
7a, it cannot move forward, that is, to the left in FIG.

A control signal S for turning on and off the solenoid switch 132 is given by a microswitch 140 provided at the bottom of the hollow housing 61, for example. The micro switch 140 is linked to the movement of the cam 75 and is turned on when the cam 75 is moved to the 75' position shown in FIG. Micro switch 1
The off signal from 40 is sent via lead 141 to control box 150, thereby energizing the solenoid switch. The micro switch 140 is not limited to the position shown in the illustrated embodiment as long as it can detect the position of the cam 75. Furthermore, instead of detecting the movement of cam 75, microswitch 140
For example, the movement of parts such as the lever 81 and the slide block 53 that are always operated during heating and crimping operations may be detected.

The control box 150 is provided with a timer, and the solenoid switch 132 is energized t seconds after the micro switch 140 is turned off.

That is, if it takes time to remove the heater block after returning the lever 81 to the horizontal position after pressure melting is completed, and more than t time elapses before the saddle is pressed against the heater melting surface, the signal is sent to the solenoid switch. The lock mechanism is automatically activated. The slide block 53 can therefore no longer be advanced and the saddle cannot be pressed onto the heater. In this way, if more than t time has elapsed, the product can be rejected as a defective product or the product can be heated and melted again. In that case (when time t has elapsed), it is preferable to notify the operator by displaying a buzzer or a lamp.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a front view showing the overall configuration of the saddle fusion machine according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the - line in Fig. 5 is a right side view showing the main parts of the locking mechanism according to the present invention. FIG. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10... Pipe clamp part, 11... Movable clamp part, 13... Fixed clamp part, 75... Cam, 81... Operation lever, 130... Lock mechanism, 132... Solenoid switch, 139...
Lock pin, 140...micro switch.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A pipe clamp section for clamping a pipe and a holder section equipped with a saddle holder for holding a saddle to be fused to the side wall of the pipe are arranged oppositely on a pair of parallel guide rods extending between them, and the saddle holder is guided in parallel. The holder was attached to a slide block that was slidably fitted onto a rod, allowing the holder to move toward and away from the pipe clamp along the parallel guide rod, and the welded surface of the pipe and saddle was melted under pressure using a heater. In a saddle welding machine that welds a saddle to a pipe by subsequently removing the heater within a predetermined time t and crimping the melting surfaces of the pipe and the saddle, the holder part is pressurized in response to the end signal of the melting operation. A saddle fusion machine characterized by being provided with a locking mechanism that prevents movement of the slide block after the predetermined time has elapsed.