US2017393A

US2017393A - Pipe testing machine

Info

Publication number: US2017393A
Application number: US720868A
Authority: US
Inventors: John J Boax; John A Miller
Original assignee: National Tube Co
Current assignee: National Tube Co
Priority date: 1934-04-16
Filing date: 1934-04-16
Publication date: 1935-10-15
Anticipated expiration: 1952-10-15

Description

Oct. 15, 1935. J. J BOAX- ET AL 2,017,393

PIPE TESTING MACHINE Filed April 16, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 JOHN J 5042? and JOHN '4. .M/LLEE.

oct. 15, 1935. J; J BQAX r AL 2,017,393

PIPE TESTING MACHINE Filed April 16, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 H bwenfo'rs: JOHN .f 50 436 and JOHN H- MILLER.

Oct; 15, 1935. J BQAX ETALV 2,017,393

PIPE TESTING MACHINE Filed April 16, 1934 GSheets-Sheet 3 lawenlors: JOHN J 504x and JOHN ,4. M/LLEE.

Oct. 15, 1935. J. J. BOAX ET AL PIPE TESTING MACHINE Filed April 16, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 JOHN J 504.36 40d JOHN fi. M/LLE/Q Oct. 15, 1935, BQAX ETAL PIPE TESTING MACHINE Filed April 16, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 D M- &

5 we x5 4 e% m5 114 J W Patented Oct. 15, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PIPE TE STING MACHINE Application April 16, 1934, Serial No. 720,868

3 Claims.

This invention is an improved pipe testing machine, one of the objects being to automatically test pipes with hydraulic pressures. Other objects may be inferred.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top view of a pipe testing machine embodying the features of the invention.

Figure 2 is' a side view.

Figures 3 and 4 are sectional views showing details of the opposite ends of this machine.

Figures 5 and 6 are views taken from Figure 2 at the lines V-V and VI-VI.

Figure 7 is an enlargement from Figure 3.

A hollow horizontal shaft I revolves in bearings mounted by pedestals 2 and has keyed to it two or more rotary carriers 3 peripherally provided with pockets 4 arranged in lateral alinement for thehorizontal carriage of the pipes to be tested.

Clamps 5 are pivoted on these carriers adjacent 20 the pockets 4 and are swung into engagement with pipes therein by levers 6. Segmental cams 1 are fixed in the paths of these levers 6 to swing the clamps into pipe-engaging positions. Springs 8 swing the clamps away from the pipes when 35 the levers 6 are free from the cams I.

The pipes to be tested are fed to the rotary the clamps 5 into engagement with the pipes until declining skids I2, on the other side of the machine, are reached, when the levers become free In from these cams so that the springs 8 can effect release of the pipes which then roll down these last skids.

Rotary mounts I3 and I3 are fixed to the extreme ends of the shaft I. It may now be ap- 425' preciated that the machine includes spaced rotary mounts arranged in axial alinement and rotary carriers arranged between these mounts in axial alinement therewith and constructed for the horizontal carriage of the pipes to be tested. Now an important feature of the invention is that one of these mounts carries means for sealing the ends of pipes carried by these carriers while the other mount carries means for injecting fiuid under pressure into the opposite ends of 55 the pipes while also sealing the same. A further feature is that various means are provided for controlling the just described means whereby the latters operations are automatically effected during the time the pipes are traveling from the skids 9 to the skids I2.

Continuing, the rotary mount I3includes bored bosses I4 arrangedin alinement with the pipe carrying pockets 4 of the carriers 3. These bosses mount reciprocable heads I5 which are moved in one direction by springs I6 and in the other by a 10 cam I'I fixed adjacent thereto. These heads may be positively moved by the cams alone if so desired.

An annular chamber I8 is fixed to the shaft I and communicates with the latters interior by way of a pipe I9.

The reciprocable heads I5 are hollow and removably mount parts or caps in which are recesses 2|. Gaskets 22 are arranged in these recesses and pipe-receiving elements 23 are re- 20 movably retained in these recesses and serve to clamp the gaskets 22 to the parts 20. The elements 23 may be screwed into the recesses 2| for this purpose. The recesses 2| communicate with the interior of the heads I5 by way of bores 24 25 and the gaskets 22 are centrally open so as not to close these bores. The elements 23 have outwardly flared bores whose smaller diameters just fit the pipes being tested, while the gaskets 22 and the bores 24 are of diameters substantially the same as the inside diameters of these pipes.

Features of this particular construction are that the gaskets are firmly clamped in place so as not to be easily deformed, and the parts 20 may be removed and substituted by others constructed to fit other sizes of pipes.

The parts 20 may be screw-threaded into the heads I5 and the latter may be constructed to provide annular spaces 25 therebetween into which metallic packings 26 may be placed,

Equal-lengthed pipes 21 open into the annular chamber I8 and individually extend horizontally into the hollow heads I5. It is for the purpose of slidably sealing the space between these heads and pipes that the metallic packing 26 is provided. Valves 28 are individually interposed in the pipes 21. When fluid under testing pressure is admitted to the hollow shaft I by way of a connection 29, it will flow into the chamber I8 and through the pipes 21, these valves 28 controlling this flow.

A circular cam 3|] is fixed adjacent the rotative path of the valves 2-8, the latter being providedwith three-armed levers 3| arranged to open and close them. The cam 30 includes de- ,pressions 30"- which permit the ends of these three-armed levers 3| to swing when operating the valves, this cam otherwise positively holding the valves in either open or closed positions. A cam segment 32 can be swung into the path of another one of the arms of these levers 3| by a lever 33 which is moved by the pipes being moved by the carriers 3. A spring 34 normally holds this cam 32 in an inoperative position. When the cam 32 is swung by the lever 33, it cooperates with one of the arms of the levers 3| and the cam 30 to throwthe valves to open positions, the cam 30 holding the valves in this position until another arm of the levers 3| is engaged by a second fixed cam 35 which cooperates therewith and with the cam 30 to close the valves. The remaining surface of the cam 30 then cooperates with the levers 3| to hold the valves in closed positions.

Horizontal cylinders 36 are carried by .the mount l3 in alinement with the pipes being moved by the carriers 3. Double acting pistons 31 are arranged in these cylinders and are connected by piston rods 38 to outwardly flared pipe guides 39. Gaskets 40 are arranged in the centers of these guides in a manner similar to those previously described, excepting that these are not open. This arrangement provides rams which function to push the pipes being moved by the carriers 3 against the heads l5 while at the remote ends of the cylinders 36, this chamber 4| communicating with the hollow shaft by way of a pipe 44 and an adjustable pressure reducing valve 45. The valves 28' are associated with a fixed cam 30, are provided with three-armed operating levers 3|, and are generally similarly arranged as are those previously described. Therefore, these parts are given the same numbers as were the others, excepting that they are primed for identification purposes.

Any means may be provided for turning the shaft the drawings showing a motor 46 driving through a gear box 41.

The operation of the machine will now be described. I

Assume that fluid, under a testing pressure considered proper for the size and character of the pipes being tested, has been admitted to the hollow shaft by way of the connection 29. There will be no fluid discharging through the heads l5 as yet because all of the valves 28 will be closed. As pipes are fed down the skids 3 and singly laid into the pockets 4 of the carriers 3 by the wheels Ill, operation proper of the machine will commence.

As the first of the pipes being moved by the carriers 3 strikes the lever 33', one of the valves 28 will be opened so that fluid is admitted from the chamber 4| to the proper one of the cylinders 36. This drives the guide 39 forwardly so that it engages this pipe and pushes it longitudinally against the proper one of the heads l5, the latter being now reciprocated and held forwardly by the cam I1. This cam is constructed so that this latter operation is effected prior to opening of the valve 28'.

The adjustable valve 45 is regulated so that the 5 pressure in the chamber 39 is just sufilcient to effect proper sealing of the pipe without causing it to buckle. This regulation is, of course, affected according to the relative sizes and characters of the pipes being tested. 10

The first pipe is now firmly clamped, the gasket 40 in the guide 39 effectively sealing one of its ends while its other end is firmly sealed against the gasket 22 where it has been centered by the member 23. The lever 33 is so positioned 15 that about this time it is tripped by the pipe, this throwing the cam 32 against that one of the three-armed levers 3| which is associated with the valve effecting communication to the head now engaged by the pipe end. This causes the 20 valve to open so that the testing fluid is admitted to the pipe.

The pipe is now maintained under pressure for a definite time which is regulated by the speed with which the shaft is rotating. 25

The next operation to occur is the closing of the valve 28 by cooperation of the cam 35 and the levers 3|. This releases the pressure in the pipe so that it is now safe to remove it from the machine. Therefore, the cam 30' is arranged to now 30 contact the lever system 3| of the valve 28'. This releases the pressure behind the piston 31 so that the pressure existing in the chamber 4| can return it to its starting position. The piston is originally able to advance upon opening of 35 the valve 42 for the reason that the piston rod 38 is sufficiently large to effect a pressure differential. It is to be noted that the

valves

28 and 28 are three-way valves having discharge open,-

ings 48 and 48', whereby the pressure reliefs 0 mentioned may be accommodated.

Also, the cam I1 is constructed so that it effects rearward reciprocation of the head at about this time, and the cams 1 are constructed to now relieve the levers 6 so that the pipe is unclamped 45 and is entirely free to roll down the declined skids l2 and away from the machine.

With the foregoing operation of the machine understood as regards its operation on one pipe. its complete operation is also understood. The lo various valves are successively opened and closed; in the manner described, and the various clamps; are successively clamped and unclamped to perform their intended function. Everything is automatic, and the machine requires the attention as of only one man to watch for leakers. v

One feature not particularly noted before is the advantages resulting from the use of a plurality of heads arranged radially about a central cham-. her and connected thereto by equal-lengthed 5o pipes. This results in the application of absolutely equal pressures to all the pipes. One of; the dr awbacks of most gang pipe testing machines has been the inability to apply equal pressures to all the pipes in a gang. 35

A further feature to be noted is the fact that none of the levers 3| will be operated by the lever 33 if no pipes are carried by the carriers 3, and that only that one of these levers will be operated which controls the valve of a head actually 70 registering witha pipe.

Although a specific example of the invention is disclosed in accordance with the patent statutes,

his not intended that the scope of the invention be limited thereto, except as defined by the following claims.

We claim:

1. A- pipe testing machine including the combination of spaced rotary mounts arranged in axial alinement, rotary carriers arranged between said mounts in axial alinement therewith and constructed for the horizontal carriage of the pipes to be tested, bored reciprocable heads arranged on one of said mounts for registration with pipes carried by said carriers, means including individual valves for said heads for supplying the .latter with fluid under testing pressure, reciprocable rams arranged on the other of said mounts for registration with said pipes, fluid motors individually .operatively associated with said rams, means including individual valves for said motors for supplying the latter with operating fluid, means for successively opening the second named valves as said pipes are moved past a predetermined position by said carriers, means for thereafter successively opening the first named valves, means for successively reciprocating said heads towards said pipes prior to the opening of the first named valves, means for successively closing the first named valves as said pipes are moved past a second'predetermined point by said carriers, means for thereafter successively closing the second named valves, and means for successiveiy reciprocating said heads away from said pipes after the first named valves are closed.

- 2. A pipe testing machine including the combination of a hollow horizontal shaft, circular carriers arranged on said shaft and constructed to, peripherally carry the pipes to be tested in horizontal positions, a circular mount arranged on-said shaft so as to be adjacent the ends of pipes carried by said carriers, an annular chamber fixed on said shaft and communicating with its interior, hollow heads reciprocably carried by said mount for registration with said pipes to be the space between said heads and said pipes, a 5

fixed circular cam arranged adjacent said heads, means for reciprocatively associating said heads with said cam, valves individually interposed in said pipes, a second circular fixed cam, means for operatively associating said valves with said second cam and means for closing the other ends of said pipes to be tested during the periods said heads are reciprocated toward the first named ends of said pipes to be tested.

3. A pipe testing machine including the combination of a hollow horizontal shaft, circular carriers arranged on said shaft and constructed to peripherally carry the pipes to be tested in horizontal positions, a circular mount arranged on said shaft so as to be adjacent thev ends of pipes carried by said carriers, an annularbhamber fixed on said shaft, cylinders carried by said mount in alinement with said pipes, double-acting pistons in said cylinders, rams operated by said pistons, pipes individually connecting said chamber with the ends of said cylinders adjacent said pipes to be tested, other pipes individually connecting said chamber with the opposite ends of said cyl finders, valves individually interposed in said other pipes, a fixed circular cam, means for operatively associating said valves with said cam, means including a pressure reducing valve for connecting said chamber with the interior of said shaft and means which cooperate with the other ends of said pipes to be tested when the i latter are thrust theretowards by action of said rams for introducing testing fluid to said pipes to be tested, said rams functioning to close the first named ends of said pipes to be tested.

JOHN J. BOAX. JOHN A. MILLER.