Pipe extraction assisted by pre-stressed strand
AssigneeThe Charles Machine Works, Inc.
InventorsRobert F. Crane, Mark D. Randa, Steven W. Wentworth
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A machine for extracting a ductile pipe. The machine has a vise which can grip the pipe, and a wire clamp. Each of the wire clamp and vise are supported on a carriage which is movable relative to a frame. This enables the vise to grip and pull the ductile pipe. Additionally, a wire strand may be disposed through the pipe from a far end to the end at which the machine is placed. The wire clamp allows the machine to pre-stress the strand to improve the extraction of the ductile pipe.
Claims18
A pipe extraction apparatus comprising:
- a support structure;
- a carriage comprising:
- a vise assembly having a first jaw and a second jaw in face-to-face orientation;
- a first wire clamp assembly supported on the carriage, the first wire clamp assembly comprising a first plurality of wire jaws disposed about a central passage;
- and
- a second wire clamp assembly comprising a second plurality of wire jaws disposed about a central passage;
- an actuator configured to move the carriage relative to the support structure;
- wherein each of the first wire clamp assembly and the second wire clamp assembly is capable of a selected one of at least two configurations, in which the central passage has a smaller effective diameter when each of the first and second wire clamp assemblies is in a second configuration of the at least two configurations than when that wire clamp assembly is in a first configuration of the at least two configurations;
- and
- wherein at least a portion of the support structure is interposed between the carriage and the second wire clamp assembly.
A pipe extraction machine comprising:
- a frame;
- a carriage movable along the frame comprising:
- a vise comprising a pair of jaws configured to engage a ductile pipe having a strand extending therethrough;
- an actuator connected to the frame and the carriage for moving the vise along the frame between first and second positions;
- a pipe cutter;
- and
- a first wire clamp supported on the carriage and having a plurality of wire jaws disposed around a central opening, the wire jaws configured to selectively engage the strand;
- a second wire clamp spaced apart from the carriage and having a plurality of wire jaws disposed around a central opening, the wire jaws configured to selectively engage the strand;
- in which the second wire clamp is configured to be maintained in position by the frame.
A pipe extraction machine, comprising:
- a frame comprising a face;
- a carriage comprising:
- a pipe vise;
- and
- a first wire clamp;
- wherein the pipe vise and first wire clamp define an axis disposed therethrough;
- and
- an actuator for moving the carriage along the frame such that the distance between the carriage and the face changes;
- a second wire clamp supported on the frame and configured to grip an internally disposed wire when engaged with the face;
- wherein the pipe vise, the first wire clamp, and the second wire clamp are each configured to selectively and individually grip a system defining a pipe with the internally disposed wire.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.