US2371224A - Pipe coating apparatus and method - Google Patents

Description

. March 13, 1945. D. A. CUMFER PIPE COATING APPARATUS AND METHOD 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 23, 1939 INVENTOR BY pr I. a! ATTORNEYS March 13, 1945. D, A, CUMFER PIPE COATING APPARATUS AND 19 39 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 23

' HJVENTOR flv/zalafA. 6211771 6! 4 SheecsSheet 5 D. A. CUMFER PIPE COATING APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed Dec. 23, 1939 March 13, 1945.

. INVENTOR fiamzld A.;Cum fer ATTORNEYS .March 13, 1945.; D, A. CUMFER PIPE COATING APPARATUS AND METHOD 4 SheetS -Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 23, 1939 Patented Mar. 13, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE 15 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in coating and wrapping apparatus. In particular it relates to apparatus used for applying a.

pipes through the various stages of coating and wrapping. Also, many of these previously proposed machines were satisfactory for only one size of pipe.

It is an important object of the present inven-- tion to provide a coating and wrapping appa-' ratus which dispenses with the many manual operations necessary in the machines heretofore proposed.

Features flowing from the attainment of this objective include the provision of mechanisms in the machine which are capable of taking pipes automatically from a rack one by one and automatically feeding them into the coating and wrapping sections of the machine. Complemental to this, the present invention provides novel and advantageous means for moving such successive lengths of pipe one by one through the machine.

Another important objective is the provision of an apparatus capable of coating and wrapping pipes of various sizes.

Features flowing from the attainment of this objective include the provision of a simple yet highly satisfactory mechanism for locating and centralizing different sizes of pipes relative to the main partsof the apparatus. In its preferred form, this includes a plurality of rollers. adapted to engage the outside of the pipe, which are mounted in a housing that is adapted to rotate in the apparatus.

It is a further objective of the present invention to provide an apparatus for coating and wrapping pipes which may be used to wrap the paper or other material in abutting relation around the pipe or to lay it in edge-overlapping relation thereon. A further complemental objective is the provision of an apparatus capable of applying the wrapping either in a coarse or in a fine helical path around the pipe.

With these and other objectives in view the present invention provides a number of novel features including mechanism which may be easily and quickly adjusted to impart a coarse or fine spiral and axial feed to the pipe.

.It is another important object of the present invention to provide apparatus for automatically coating an end or both ends of the pipes auto matically.

To this end, and in its present preferred form,

the present invention provides a simple powerdriven brush moving in a tank of coating material and into the path of the ends of the pipe to coat the same.

Other features of the invention include: a first and second feeding mechanism concurrently driven so that the first feeding mechanism may advance the pipe or pipes at a slightly faster rate of speed than the second mechanism to compensate for any delay in the selective feed of pipes to the machine; adjustable mechanism for adapting the first feeding mechanism to advance both large and small pipes; mechanism to insure a one-by-one selective feed of pipes from the rack to the main Working parts of the machine; a coating shoe which will insure a flow of coating entirely around the pipe.

Other objects, features and advantages will appear hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of much of the apparatus of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the remainder of the top right-hand side of the apparatus.

Fig. 2A is a top plan view of the unloading section which extends to the left of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a front view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a right-hand end view of the appa-' ratus shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail of the supporting and centralizingmeans.

Fig. 7 is a further showing of the apparatus-- shown in Fig. 6 taken on line 1-1 therein.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged view of the coating shoe.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail of the adjusting means for the feed rollers.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail of a modified form of drive for the pump.

Before describing the present improvements and mode of operation thereof in detail it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the details of construction and arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings, which are merely illustrative of the present preferred embodiments, since the invention is capable of other embodiments, and the phraseology employed is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the present invention, in its now preferred form, includes a main frame I5 which could be made in the form of a large casting. However, in the present form and as shown, the frame is made of a plurality of structural iron element welded, or otherwise suitably secured together, into the general form shown, including the standards l8 secured to and supporting a pair of horizontal bars |1 capable of supporting the first feeding mechanism l8 and a plurality of vertical standards i3 connected to side plates and transversely disposed bars and 2| respectively adapted to support the second feeding mechanism 22.

Rearwardly extending bars 23 supported at their outer extremities by standards 25 and strengthened with horizontal bars 21, form a rack 28 adapted to support a plurality of lengths of pipe 29, as may be seen best in Figs. 2 through 5. Preferably the rack is slightly inclined downwardly toward stop members 38 at the inner end of each of the bars 23. The first feeding mechanism includes a plurality of U-shaped brackets 3| on each of the bars |1 supporting a plurality of bearing blocks 32 for vertical movement therein. These bearing blocls accommodate shafts 33 and V-shaped rollers 34. As shown best in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 9, a lowering of the rollers 34 is effected concurrently and an equal extent by a shaft 35 suitably supported in bearings 35 when a handwheel 31 afllxed thereto is rotated. As the latter is rotated bevelled driver gears 38 rotate the mating bevelled driven gear 33. underlyingbars 26, and concurrently rotate screws 48 in each of the blocks 32 to effect an equal extent of raising or lowering of the latter and the associated V-shaped rollers 34. As may be seen best in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the shafts 33 of each of' the rollers 34 are at their outer extremities provided with double pulleys 4|, all of which have suitable belt connection 42, 43, 44, and 46 to a main driven' roller 41 on a shaft 48 extending to a speed-reducing mechanism 43 supported underneath the main frame l5, as may be seen best in Figs. 1 and 4.

Loading mechanism In order to successively load pipes, one by one, from a supply rack 28 to the first and second feeding mechanisms l8 and 22 the present invention provides a novel selective loading mechanism 58 including a plurality of I-shaped plates 5|, all of which are connected to a shaft 52 by a conventional set screw spline or the like through collars 53 or the like. The shaft 52 is rotatably supported in bearings 54 connected as by screws 55 to the top edges of the rearwardly extending bars 23.

At its inner end the shaft 52 is provided with a driven pulley 56 having a suitable belt connection 51 with a driver pulley 58 on a speed-reducing unit 59. The latter through pulleys 60 and 5| is connected to the main drive shaft 82 as by a belt connection 63. Preferably the speed-reducing unit 59 is adjustable. The loading speedreducing mechanisms are arranged so that one length of pipe is taken from the supply rack as one length of pipe is fed through the machine.

Thus, lengths of pipe 29 are successively taken from the supply rack 28 and automatically and selectively fed to the main parts of the apparatus for coating and wrapping. Any well-known speed reducer-may be used. The size of the various pulleys and rotation of the speed-reducing unit is arranged so that the plates are given only half a rotation each time a full length pipe is driven through the machine. If, perchance, the driving of these plates 5| is fast the edges 64 or 85 of the plates 5| would engage with the top of the pipe 28 in the rollers 34 to stop rotation of the plates, by causing the belts 51 and/or 63 to slip upon the pulleys until the pipe is fed through the machine beyond the innermost plate 5|, see

I Fig. 1, whereupon the shaft 52 and plates 5| connected thereto would again begin to rotate and rock or roll a pipe onto the feed rollers 34.

Stop plates 30 are provided on the forward or inner ends of the inclined bars 23 in order to limit movement of the pipes from the supply rack 28 toward the rollers 34. Thus, as the concave edges 34 and 65 rotate upwardly into engagement with the pipe on the supply rack only one length of pipe would be engaged by the concave edges 84 or 85 and would be lifted and rolled from the supply rack 28 toward the feed rollers 34, as will be readily appreciated. As the plates 5| on the shaft 52 are rotated in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 5 the one pipe on the edges 85 would roll from the righthand side of the plate, as viewed in Fig. 5, to the left-hand side. Thereafter as the otherside of the plate 5| swings down substantially in the path of the rollers 34 the pipe carried by the plates would be deposited on the rotating feed rollers 34 to be transported thereby.

End-coating apparatus a With the coating and wrapping apparatus 40 Referring to Figs. 1 through 5, inclusive, the

present invention provides a simple and highly satisfactory apparatus for coating the threaded ends of the pipes with a thick solution of lime orthe like which prevents asphaltum or other coating material from getting into the threads and facilitates removel of the wrapping from the threads.

The end-coating apparatus 10 includes a tank 1| suitably supported on standards 12 with a spiral brush 13 on a shaft 14 rotably mounted in bearings 15. A belt connection 16 to the shaft 11, which in turn has a bevel gear connection 13 to the shaft 82 rotates the brush. Runs of divers length of pipes may be end-coated with this apparatus by merely loosening the set screw 18 and shifting a bevel gear along the shaft 62 to the desired new location, and shifting the coating apparatus 10 to the new desired location.

As pipes roll down the bars 23 the rotating spiral brush 14 transfers lime from the tank 1| onto the threaded end of the pipe 29. Such coating apparatus is preferably provided at both ends of the pipe (see Figs. 1 and 2).

centralizing and supporting mechanism The present invention provides novel centralizing and supporting mechanism 8| which includes circular housings 82, preferably supported on shouldered rollers 83, see Figs, 6 and 7, which in turn are mounted upon shafts 84 extending through cross bars 85 welded or otherwise secured to the side plates 20. The shouldered or flanged rollers 83 confine the circular housings 82 against longitudinal movement in the machine. As may be seen best in Figs. .6 and '1, the

circular housings 82 support a plurality of, preferably grooved, rollers 06 therein '(e. g., three in number) which are adapted to engage the periphery of the pipe to centralize and support the pipe in the machine. These rollers are ad- Justably and sturdily supported relative to each circular housing upon swivel or toggle plates 81 and 88 pivotally connected on studs 89 and 90 extending through brackets 9| and 92 secured to or forming part of annular threaded rings 93 and 90. These annular rings 93 and 90 have threaded connections 95 and 96 with threads 91 and 98 on the inside of the circular housing 82.

As the annular rings 93 and 94 are rotated inwardly or the circular housing 82 the threaded connections 95 and 96 cause the upper ends of the toggle plates 81 and 80 to come together and in this action the associated rollers 86 at the lower or inner ends of the toggle plate are caused to move toward the axis of the circular housing for small pipes. Similarly as the rings 93 and 94 Endless belts I I3 of canvas, leather or any suitable material are mounted upon each of the pulleys 9B and IN. As each of these'belts is extended from the pulley 99 to the pulley IOI one run is straight from pulley to pulley, while the other run is enveloped about the pipe, as may be seen best in Fig. 1. As the belts are rotated they carry the associated pipe in both an axial and spiral direction.

By moving the transverse slide I06 toward the pipe a slack may be provided in the belt in order to easily place the wound section of the belt around the pipe. As the slide I06 and pulley I 0| are retracted from the machine they tighten the .belt II3 upon the pipe sufllciently to grip and mechanism to divers sizes of pipes; viz., the slide I06 is close to the plate when a large size pipe aremoved outwardly within the housing 82 the rollers 86 are spread relative to each other to accommodate a large pipe. This structure is very advantageous in that it is very simple and serves satisfactorily to centralizeand to support divers sizes of pipes through a wide range (e. g., A" to 6" or larger pipe). Further, it should be noted that the circular housing 82 may rotate upon the rollers 83 and thereby lessen the possibility of the centralizing and supporting structure frictionally dragging upon the pipe many way. Also, an even and satisfactory spiral and axial feed of the pipe through the machine and an even winding of the wrapping on the pipe is thus assured.

Preferably, a third centralizing and suDDOrting mechanism BI, like those just described. is provided at the left side of the machine shown in Figs. 1 and 4 to support the coated and wrapped pipe, as the latter feeds out of the machine.

Second feeding mechanism A second feeding mechanism 22 is provided by the present invention to effect a spiral and axial or longitudinal feed of successive lengths of pipes 29 through the machine for coating and wrapping. This second feeding mechanism may be seen best in Figs. 1 and 4. and in its present preferred form includes driver pulleys 96 suitably secured to shafts 91 which in turn extend through suitable bearings in brackets 99 secured to the side plate or bar 20. At the lower end the shafts 91 are each provided with bevelled gears 99 having a suitable driving connection with bevelled gears I00 secured to the drive shaft 62.

At the front or adjacent side of the machine upon the side plate 20 cooperating adjustable pulleys I0| are provided. These pulleys llll are each mounted upon a shaft I02 carried in compound slide mechanisms I03. The latter each includes a base I04 suitably secured to the front plate 20 within a dovetail channel I05 adapted to accommodate a transversely movable slide member I06 therein which may be moved toward and from the front of the machine as by a screw I01 and handwheel I00.

The transversely movable slides I06 are each in turn provided with a dovetail channel I09 adapted to accommodate a longtudinally movable slide member IIO upon which the shaft I02 for the pulley IN is mounted. These longitudinally adjustable slides are controlled and set by screws III and associated handwheels II2.

is being driven through the machine and is away from the side plate 20 when small-diameter pipes are driven through the machine.

The same feeding mechanisms are also advantageous in effecting a change in the extent of spiral feed of pipes through the machine. In other words, it is possible with this feeding mechanism to slowly move the pipes through the machine with a slight helix or to move the pipe through the machine more quickly or with an acute helix. For example, as the pulleys 9B and IM are in a nearly straight line transversely of the machine only a slight twist is imposed upon the curved run of the belt H3 so that the pipe is fed thereby with only a slight helical turn through the machine, whereas when the pulley IN is far to the right longitudinally of the machine and relative to the pulley 96 a considerable twist is imparted to the curved run of the belt which causes the pipe to be fed in a sharp helical path through the machine.

By having two of these feeding mechanisms 22 in the apparatus of the present invention a positive helical feed of the successive pipes 29 is achieved throughout their full lengths while they are being coated and wrapped; viz., the drive unit 22 at the right-hand side in Fig. 1 drives the uncoated and unwrapped pipe to the coating and wrapping apparatus about to be described and the other feeding mechanism on the lefthand side of the machine causes the coated and wrapped pipe to be fed completely through the apparatus. Further, the spiral arrangement of the curved section of the belts and the double feeding mechanism 22 is such that the forward or incoming-end section of a pipe 29 is gripped and rotated by the belt concurrently with the" end-turning of the preceding length of pipe. Thereby it is not necessary to use wedge blocks between successive lengths of pipes to insure a continuous interconnected travel of a plurality of pipes through the machine. portant advantage.

Coating apparatus axial bore I I9 and with an inlet or top opening I20 (see Figs. 1, 4 and 8). A suitable storage. tank I2I is provided underneath the machine, with a pumping unit I22 adapted to draw coating material, such as asphaltum, from the storage This is an imtank and force it upwardly through the pipe I23 into the inlet opening I20, as may be seen best in Figs. 1 and 4.

This pumping unit may-be driven by a separate electric motor I24 or by a suitable connection to the main drive shaft 62. The latter is accomplished (see Fig. by merely extending shaft I25 of the pump I22 through a bearing I26 in a side wall I2'I of the tank I2I and providing a bevel gear connection I28 to the main drive shaft. An abundant supply of coating material is forced into the coating shoe where it is somewhat confined in order to insure a flowing passage thereof completely to and around the pipe.

Surplusage of coating material flows out of the axial bore I I9 and drops back into the underlying supply tank. Screws I29 centralize and support the pipe 29 in the shoe as shown in Fig. 8.

Various other coating mechanisms may be used with the remaining apparatus of the present invention. For example, a plurality of rollers, en-

pivotally shaft 62 and speed reducer 69 causes the latter through the belt 51 to operate the loading mechanism 50, while the bevel gears 80 meshing with gears 13 operate the end-coating apparatus. Thus, one prime mover can conveniently operate the loading, first feeding and second feeding mechanisms. Also, it concurrently operates the coating apparatus (Fig. 10) and the wrapping apparatus I46 once the end of the tape is connected to the pipe.

Successive length of coated and wrapped pipe may be fed out of the machine in any of the well-known ways, for example, they ,may be dropped onto a suitable platform near the outlet side of the machine.

However, the present invention as shown in Fig. 2A provides a very satisfactory mechanism for unloading the pipes successively from the machine and for automatically stacking the same,

which includes lengthening the main drive shaft -and merely a duplication of all the loading mechanism 50, first feeding mechanism I8 and the --coo'perating driving mechanism parts shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 (excepting the end-coating ap ratus), the only change being that either ;the 'beit ea or belt 51 of speed reducer 59 in this "section connected to the drive shaft '62 would be reversed in rotation so that the plates 5| in this mounted on a bracket I32 on the front plate 20. x

This support is provided with a cross-shaft I33 supporting a supply roll I34 of wrapping paper or tape I30 or the like. Preferablythe supply roll has snug fit upon the shaft I33 and a pivotally mounted spring finger I35 is provided to 'rotate in a clockwise rather than a counterclockwise direction as viewed from the right- '1 hand fside 0f the machine, in order to lift the coated and wrapped pipes successively from the rollers 34 to the rack 28. The speed reducer 59 is'so adjusted or arranged a to lift the section 101 pipe-at the time when a full length of pipe ;.hasl beeni fed from the wrapping station and is in engage a disc I36 secured to the shaft I33 both'to hold the shaft in the support and to frictionally retard rotation thereof whereby the paper strip is drawn taut upon the pipe.

It is merely necessary to manually start the paper strip upon the pipe as the latter leaves the coating shoe. Thereafter the paper or like wrapping I30 is automatically drawn from the supply roll I34 by the pipe 29 as it is spirally rotated and axially or longitudinally moved through the machine. When it is desired to have only a slight spiral effect the support is rotated in the bracket I32 toward the dot-.and-dash position shown in Fig. 1, where it is held in the desired position with the set screw I31.

If preferred an auxiliary supply I38 of wrapping may be carried at the outer end of the support as shown in Fig. 1. Thus it is merely necessary to replace the shaft I39 and supply roll I30 at the outer end of the support I3I for the one shown at the inner end of the support when the previously used roll I34 is exhausted.

Driving mechanism The driving mechanism has hereinbefore been described inlarge part. It includes an electric motor I40 (see Fig. 1) having a belt connection I to a speed reducer I42 which in turn has a belt (or chain) connection I43 to the main drive shaft 62. Bevel gears I00 on the main drive shaft meshing with gears 99 cause rotation of the pulleys 96 of the second feeding mechanism 22. A bevel gear I44 meshing with a gear I45 on the speed reducer 49 causes a belt connection 46 from the latter to operate the first feeding mechanism I8.

A belt connection '63 between the main drive ';position to be moved. Preferably, too, the feeding mechanism at the left side would be inclined downwardly so that the pipes would extend downwardly slightly as they are fed to the unloading mechanism to slightly or fully break the wrapping at the end of the pipes and thereby facilitate the plates 5| lifting the pipes from the feed rollers. Also, the top and rearwardly extending bars 23 on the rack at the left-hand side of the machine would be preferably inclined downwardly away from the rollers or stops in order to cause the successive lengths of pipe to roll downwardly on the supply racks toward the back of the machine.

Other variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. In a pipe coating and wrapping apparatus the combination of a main frame; a rack for supporting a plurality of pipes; straight axial feeding means parallel to the rack; drive means therefor; selective loading means driven from said driving means and controlled by the pipe being fed thereby for moving the length of the pipe one by one from the rack to the straight feeding means; spiral feeding means driven from the driving means; means for applying a coating and wrapping to the pipe as it is advanced by" the spiral feeding means; and means for centralizing the successive lengths of pipe relative to each other and relative to the spiral feeding means.

2. In a pipe coating and wrapping machine the combination of a main frame; a pair of fixed pulleys on one side of the main frame; a pair of shiftable pulleys on the oppositeside of the frame; mechanism for moving the shiftable pulleys longitudinally and transversely of the main frame; an endless belt extending from each of said stationary pulleys to each of said shiftable Pul eys, and having a twist therein adapted to envelop a length of pipe; and means for centralizing and supporting a length of pipe relative to said pulleys.

3. In a pipe wrapping machine the combination of a main frame; a housing; means for supporting said housing on said main frame; a plurality of" rollers disposed within said housing for supporting and centralizing lengths of pipe; and lazy-tong mechanism for concurrently moving said rollers an equal extent toward and from the center of the housing;

4. In a pipe wrapping machine the combination of a main frame; a housing; means for rotatably supporting said housing on said main frame; a plurality of rollers disposed within said housing for supporting and centralizing lengths of pipe; and means for concurrently moving said rollers an equal extent toward. and from the center of the housing.

5. In a pipe wrapping machine the combination of a main frame; feeding means adapted to spirally and axially transport a pipe through the machine; means adapted to centralize and support the pipe relative to the feeding means, including circular housings each adlustably supporting a plurality of rollers; and means supporting said circular housings for rotary movements on said main frame.

6. In a pipe coating and wrapping apparatus the combination of a main frame; a supply rack; a storage rack; coating mechanism; wrapping mechanism; feeding mechanism for advancing' pipe relative to said coating and wrapping mechanism; driving means for said mechanisms; loading mechanism having pipe-engaging arm members driven by driving means and controlled by the pipe being fed for selectively taking lengths of pipes from a supply rack and transferring them individually to the feeding mechanism; and unloading mechanism having pipe-engaging members driven by said driving means to automatically and selectively take coated and wrapped pipe from the apparatus and transfer them successively to a storage rack.

7. The process of treating pipes which includes the steps of forming a moving series of pipes having their unconnected ends in abutting relation; advancing the pipes one by one through a loop of a first belt adapted to impart a helical movement to each pipe; coating and wrapping the pipes one by one; advancing the Pipes one by one through a loop of a second belt adapted to maintain a helical movement of each pipe and adapted to firmly press together the wrapping, coating and pipe; and removing the-pipe one by one from said moving series of pipes.

8. The process of ,manufacturing coated'and wrapped pipe which includes the steps of racking uncoated pipes upon a supply rack; automatically transferring the pipes one by one from the supply rack to form a moving series of pipes having their unconnected ends in abutting relation; advancing the pipes one by one through a. loop in a first belt adapted to impart a hell-- cal movement to each pipe; coating the pipes one by one; wrapping the pipes one by one; automatically advancing the pipes one by one through a loop in a second belt adapted to maintain a helical movement of each pipe and adapted to press together firmly thewrapping. coating and P pe; and removing the pipe one by one from said moving series of pipes.

9. The process of manufacturing coated and.-

pped pipe which consists of the sequential steps of racking pipe upon a supply rack; automatically giving a removable coating to the end portions of each pipe; automatically transferring the pipes one by one and with only axial movement from the supply rack to a support, thereby forming a moving series of pipes having their unconnected ends in abutting relation; automatically advancing the pipes one by one through a loop in a first belt adapted to impart a helical movement to each pipe; automatically advancing the coated pipes one by one through a coating shoe adapted to form a predetermined and uniform thickness of protective material about each pipe; automatically advancing the pipes one by one through a wrapping mechanism adapted to form at least one wrapping over each coated pipe; automatically advancing the pipes one by one through a loop in a second belt adapted to maintain a helical movement of each pipe and adapted to press together firmly the wrapping, coating and pipe; automatically removing the pipes one by one from said moving series of pipes; and removing the removable coating, protective coating and wrapping from the end portion of each pipe.

10. In a pipe coating and wrapping machine, the combination of a main frame having pipe feeding means, pipe coating and wrapping means and driving means therefor; and means driven by the driving means and controlled by the pipe advanced by the feeding means for selectively moving a. pipe from a pipe supply to the feeding means to be advanced thereby.

11. In a pipe coating and wrapping machine,

a the combination of a main frame having pipe feeding means, pipe coating and wrapping means and driving means therefor; and means including a pair of rotatable arms driven by the driving means and controlled by the pipe advanced by the feeding mean for-engaging and selectively moving a pipe from a pipe supply to the feeding means to be advanced thereby.

12. In a pipe coating and wrapping machine, the combination of a main frame having pipe feeding means, pipe coating and wrapping means and driving means therefor; a supply of lengths of pipe disposed parallel to the feeding means; and means including pipe-engaging elements driven by the driving means and controlled by the pipe advanced by the feeding means for selectively moving a pipe from a pipe supply to the feeding means to be advanced thereby.

13. In a pipe coating and wrapping machine, the combination of a main frame having pipe feeding means, pipe coating and wrapping means and driving means therefor; a supply of lengths of pipe disposed parallel to the feeding means; coating means disposed adjacent one end of the pipe supply and driven from said driving means for coating the end only of the pipe prior to the movement thereof from the supply to the feeding means; and means including pipe-engaging elements driven by the driving means and controlled by the pipe advanced by the feeding means for selectively moving a pipe from a pipe supply to the feeding means to be advanced thereby.

14. In a pipe coating and wrapping apparatus, the combination of a main frame, a fixed pulley and a shiftable pulley mounted thereon; means 78 for centralizing and supporting a length of pipe with the axis of the pulleys vertically disposed; means for centralizing and supporting a length of pipe relative to said pulleys; an endless belt extending between the fixed and shiitable pulleys and engaging the pipe to impart helical movement thereto; means for independently moving the shiitable pulley transversely and longitudinally of the frame and relative to the fixed pulley .ior changing the angle 01' the belt with respect to the pipe and varying the helical advance thereof; and driving mechanism for operating said pulleys.

DONALD A. Cm.

Images