US2667978A - Two-way pipe roller rest - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 2, 1954 w. B. PRIDY TWO-WAY PIPE ROLLER REST Filed July 31, 1951 a, m m 5 m M 4 w M v lill l Patented Feb. 2, 1954 UNITED STAT r enrorcioe This invention relates to equipment for handl'ing pipe and particularly to supports for pine permitting this to be optionally fed longitudinally or rotated about its own axis.

It is an object of this invention to provide. a two-way pipe roller rest which may be provided in single or multiple units to support a length of pipe and which will support said pipe by rolling contact therewith when said pipe is shifted: longitudinally and which is readily adjustable to support said pipe by rolling contact therewith when said pipe is rotated about its own axis, said adjustment being affecteod' without a substantial change in the level at which said pipe is supported.

It is another object of this invention to prov such a twoway pipe roller rest in which said p e is supported for longitudinal movement on the same rollers on which said pipe is supported for rotational movement.

Another object is to provide such an invention which willrequire a minimum of attention for cleaning and lubrication and will operate for long periods in the presence of considerable amounts of scale and other abrasive matter without attention for maintenance being necessary.

The manner of accomplishing, the foregoing objects as well as further objects and advantages are made mainfest in the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. l isv a diagrammatic elevational view of a pair of two-way pipe roller rest units in which the present invention in embodied.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional View through one of said units and is taken on the line 2'-2 of Fig. l and shows the pipe supporting rollers positioned to support a length of pipe for longitudinal movement.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 and illustrates the roller base of said unit swung to position the pipe supporting rollers to support said pipe for rotational movement.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational View taken in the direction of the arrow ii in Fig. 3.

Referring specifically to the drawings and particularly to Fig. 1 a length of pipe H3 is here shown as being supported on a pair of two-way pipe roller rest units i l and i2 which are identical in construction so that a description of one will suffice for both.

Unit ll includes a standard it which is mounted in the ground or pavement Hi, there being a ditch 15' formed in the latter for a purposeztobe presently described.

6 Claims. (01. 2141) Unit H also includes a cradle base I16. which is fixed on the upper end of the standard [3 and has posts ll welded to its. opposite ends and. extending upward in parallel relation. These posts are provided with aligned bores (8 for receiving pins l9 Whichare held in fixed; positions by set screws 20 provided in said posts-.5 Swmgably sup ported on pins l9 i's a cradle'25 including a lon gitudinalmember 26 which is fabricated to include a piece of channel iron 22'! and a bar 28 which fits between the flanges of channel iron 21 and is welded. thereto. Welded to opposite ends of longitudinatmember 26 and extending upwardly therefrom are arms 28 havingaligned bearingapertures ill-into which thepins t9. extend to swingably support: the cradle 25.

One of the arms'291-is provided withv av control arm 3| the purpose of which. will be made clear hereinafter.

Ptotatably mounted on the longitudinal member 26 by'means of a pair of mandrels 40' is a pair of rollers 4| having hemispherical external surfaces 42'. The mandrels ie-are mounted with their axessubstantially parallel with. the arms 29 and intersecting the axis of the pins l9 at the center points. or the. hemispherical surfaces: 42:01? rollers 4|.

Each mandrel ill is shaped as: shown in Fig. 2 to include a base section 43 from which a boss 4'4 extends downwardly through one of a pair of holes $5, formed in the channel iron 21 ofthe longitudinal member- 25. Capscrews. 46- extend up through suitable apertures in the bar 2.8 and screw into tapped holes inthe boss 44 to. rigidly assemble mandrel: it! on the longitudinal member 26. Each mandrel also includesa main bearing section ll and a stem section 4'8 the. upper end of which is threadedand is. provided with alubrication nipple 59 which connects through a hole 56: with the space surrounding the-"base of the sternv section 48..

Each roller il' has a bore 6'0 vfrom which are formed lower counter-bores BI, 62: and B3. and an upper counter-bore. Resting in the counter-bore 62 against the shoulder formed at the upper end thereof is a mainthrust bearing ill the inner race of which fits over the mandrel section 4 1 against the base section 43. Slidably fitting into the counter-bore- 64 against the shoulder at the lower end thereof and about the mandrel stem section" 48 is a secondary thrustbearing 1'5. Also sl'i'dablyreceiving the mandrel stem portion 48 and rests ing on the. inner race-"of bearing 15- is a sleeve 8i! against whiche nut 8| presses, when it i screwed downwardly onto the threaded upper end of the stem section 48, to compactly unite the roller 4! and bearings 79 and I5 in assembled relation on the mandrel 49 with the center point of the surface 42 of said roller lying at the intersection of the axis of this mandrel and the axis of pinsl9. Fitting tightly in the counter-bore 63 is a peripherally metal-shod packing ring or seal 85 the inner face of which slides upon the periphery of the mandrel base section 43; Fitting tightly into the counter-bore 64 is a peripherally metal-shod packing ring or seal 86 the inner surface of which slidably fits the sleeve 80, the packing rings 85 and 83 excluding abrasive matter from the space 81 between the mandrel 49 and the roller 4] in which the bearings I9 and 15 are disposed.

The bearings 19 and '55 are supplied with lubricant injected into the space 91 through the hole 59 by a grease gun applied to the nipple 49.

In referring to parts of unit l2, use will be made of reference numerals applied to similar parts of unit H with prime attached. For controlling the units H and i2 links 99 and 99' are pivotally connected at their upper ends to arms 3| and 3i and at their lower ends to the upper arms of bell cranks 9! and 9! which are pivotally mounted on the standards I 3 and I 3, the lower arms of said bell cranks extending downward into the ditch i5 and being pivotally connected with opposite ends of a link 92. The bell crank 9! has a handle 93 equipped with a spring mechanism 9 which yieldably urges a dog 95 into one or the other of two notches 93 provided in a quadrant 9! which is fixed to the standard l3 to set the units H and I 2 with the axes of the rollers 4| and '4! thereof either in vertical position as shown in Figs. '1 and 2 or horizontally disposed as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The mechanism 94 is adapted to be actuated to Withdraw the dog 95 from the notch 96 in which it is resting by simultaneously clasping the handle 93 and a bell crank 98 of said mechanism.

When the rollers M and 4 I are positioned with their axes vertically as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, pipe [9 may be caused to roll longitudinally on these rollers with the application of relatively small efiort. At any time while the pipe I!) is resting on units I I and I2 that it may be desired to rotate said pipe, as to facilitate a slotting operation thereon, the dog 95 is withdrawn from the notch 96 in which it rests, as shown in Fig. 1, the handle 93 is swung to the point at which the dog 95 is propelled by the mechanism 9 3 into the other notch 99 in quadrant 91, thereby swinging the cradles 25 of units H- and l2 90 degrees about the axes of the pins l9|9 and then setting said cradles in their new positions as shown in Figs. 3 and i.

The rollers 4i and 4! are now disposed with their axes parallel with the axis of the pipe l0 so as to give rolling support to said pipe whereby the latter may with relatively small effort be rotated about its own axis.

After the desired rotation of pipe I!) has been accomplished, the setting of units H and I2 may remain unchanged to facilitate further rotation of pipe H! at a later stage in whatever operations are being performed thereon in connection with its being supported on units H and I2 or, if no further rotation is anticipated as desirable prior to it again being necesasry to shift pipe [0 longitudinally, the units II and I2 may again be reset with the roller axes vertical, by a reverse action of the lever 93 to that described hereinabove in which said axes were changed from vertical to horizontal.

The present invention is especially adapted for use in connection with pipe slotting machines in which gang mills are employed. In such an operation a pipe length 40 ft. long might be slotted by a gang mill capable of forming slots in only 10 ft. of pipe at one time. To bring the pipe 19 into this machine and locate it for starting the slotting operations on the initial 10 ft. of said pipe, the rollers 4I9l are positioned with their axes vertical. To slot the first ten foot section of this pipe length the milling machine makes a. series of single file rows of slots in said section, the pipe I0 being rotated by uniform stages between successive slotting operations so that lines of slots are formed in said section of pipe entirely around the same at uniform spaced intervals. To facilitate rotating the pipe Ill during this series of operations, the rollers ll-4| would be disposed with their axes horizontally. As soon as this series of operations are completed, however, and it is desired to perform a similar series of operations on the next ten foot section of the pipe length ill, the rollers lll4l are returned to their position shown in Fig. 1 which facilitates shifting the pipe length It] longitudinally ten feet further into the milling machine. As soon as the pipe I9 is properly repositioned lengthwise for this new series of operations the lever 93 is swung ninety degrees to position rollers 4 l--4 I as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

A particular advantage of this invention may be seen in the fact that support of the pipe length It on the rollers 41-4! is maintained without lifting or lowering said pipe when said rollers are swung between one of their two positions above described and the other of said positions. This is because in being shifted from one of said positions to the other, said rollers are swung about the center points of the hemispherical surfaces 42 of said rollers upon which said pipe is resting and because the axes of said rollers are parallel and are swung in vertical planes to effect P each of said shifts in position.

One of the results of this is to make it relatively easy to swing the lever 93 in shifting the rollers of units II and [2 between their two operating positions. Another result is to reduce the strain and consequent wear on the mechanism for controlling the positions of said rollers.

In my co-pending application Serial No. 127,125 filed on November 14, 1949, I have disclosed a method and apparatus for slotting screen pipe. Included in said apparatus is a machine having an elevator on longitudinally spaced rests on which a pipe is supported while said elevator lifts said pipe against a series of cutting saws by which the pipe is slotted. In other forms of slotting machines for effecting the same purpose the pipe is supported upon similar rests while cutter saws are carried on a vertically reciprocating power head which lowers said saws against the pipe, while the latter remains stationary, so as to cut slots therein.

It is to be understood that the two-way pipe roller rest units II and 12 of my invention may be applied to the pipe supporting rests in either of said types of machines to support said pipe while it is being slotted therein. The support thus afforded said pipe will facilitate either the longitudinal movement of said pipe in said machine or the rotation of said pipe between successive slotting operation in slotting a given section of said pipe as well as the longitudinal movement of said pipe when moving the pipe into or out of the machine, or when, following the completion of the slotting of one section of pipe, it is desired to move the latter longitudinally to present a fresh uncut section to the saws.

Another distinct advantage of this invention is its ruggedness in operation freedom from impairment by abrasive matter such as scale and dirt which is generally present in the environment in which the invention is employed.

The claims are:

1. In a two-way pipe roller rest, the combination of: a cradle base including posts extencin upwardly therefrom; a cradle including a lo" tudinal member and arms vriding upwait from opposite ends thereof, said arms having aligned apertures; aligned mounted on posts for extending into said apertures to pivotally mount said cradle on said base; a pair of bearing mandrels mounted on said longitudinal cradle member in parallelism ii said arms so that the ar s of said inandrels intersect the of said pins; a pair of hemispherical rollers rotatably mounted on said mandrels, the center points of the hemispherical faces of said rollers lying substantially at the points of intersection of the axes of said mandrels with the axis of said pins; and means to optionally set said cradle with. said mandrels disposed either vertically or horizontally.

2. In a two-way pipe roller rest, the combination of: a cradle base including posts extending upwardly therefrom; a cradle including a longitudinal member and arms extending upwardly from opposite ends thereof, said arms having aligned apertures; aligned pins mounted on said posts for extending into said apertures to pivotally mount said cradle on said base; a pair of bearing mandrels mounted on said longitudinal cradle member in parallelism with said arms so that the axes of said mandrels intersect the axis of said pins, each mandrel having a base section, and a relatively small diameter upper stem section; a pair of rollers having hemispherical outer faces, each roller having a central bore and. upper and lower counter-bores into which said mandrels extend; opposed thrust bearings for each of said rollers the lower of said bearings fitting against a mandrel base section and within the lower counter-bore of said roller, the upper of said thrust bearings fitting about the stem section or said mandrel and within the upper counter-bore of said roller, said rollers thus being rotatably mounted on said mandrels; nuts on said mandrel stem sections to compactly assemble said rollers and bearings on said mandrels with the center points of the hemispherical outer surfaces of said rollers lying approximately at the points of intersection between the axes of said mandrels and the axis of said pins; and. control 6 means for optionally setting said cradle with said mandrels disposed vertically or horizontally.

3. In a two-way pipe roller rest, the combination of: a cradle base; a cradle swingably rnoiuited on a horizontal axis on said base; a pair of hemispherical rollers rotatably mounted on parallel axes on said cardle, said axes intersecting the axis on which said cradle is swingable on said base at right angles therewith and at approximately the centers of the hemispherical outer races of said rollers; and means for optionally setting said cradle in a position in which said roller axes are vertical or in a, position in which said roller axes are horizontal.

i. A tiple pipe rest comprising a plurality of aligned units each including a cradle base, a cradle swingably mounted on a transverse horizontal on said base, a pair of hemispherical rollers rotatably mounted on parallel axes on said cradle, said axes intersecting the cradle axis at right angles therewith and at approximately the centers of the hemispherical outer faces of said rollers; and means for optionally and simultaneously setting said cradles of said units with the roller axes thereof vertical or with said axes horizontal.

5. In a two-way pipe roller rest, the combination of: a cradle base; a cradle swingably mounted on a given axis on said base; a pair of rollers rotatab-ly mounted on said cradle on axes which intersect said cradle axis; and means for select vely shifting said cradle to either of two one with reference to a pipe supported on said rollers, the first of said positions being with said roller axes in a plane substantially at right angles said pipe and the second of said positions -eing with said roller axes in a plane substantially parallel with said pipe.

8. In a two-way pipe roller rest, the combination or": a cradle base; a cradle swingably mounted on a given axis on said base; a pair of rollers rotatably mounted on said cradle on axes which are non-parallel with said cradle axis; and. means for selectively shifting said cradle about its axis to either of two positions, the first of said positions being with said roller axes in a plane substantially at right angles to said pipe and the second of said positions being with said roller axes in a plane substantially parallel with said pipe.

WHETSTINE BUCK PRIDY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,184,614 Brightman May 23, 1916 1,460,236 Stenhouse June 26, 1923 1,911,485 Axlund May 30, 1933 2,103,811 Davis Dec. 28, 1937

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