Pipe distributing system
OwnerDavid C. Lykinsinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for distributing large pipe or conduit at a job site includes a containment mounted on a vehicle and configured to contain a quantity of pipe. The containment defines an opening sized for passage of a pipe lengthwise. A pipe dispensing apparatus is disposed within the opening and includes a pair of grabber plates each defining a slot to receive a pipe therein. The grabber plates are simultaneously rotated to acquire a pipe from within the containment and convey the pipe through the opening. The grabber plates continue to rotate until the slots are oriented so that the pipe drops from the grabber plates by gravity. The vehicle is then moved to another location to drop another pipe.
Claims13
A system for distributing large pipe or conduit at a job site comprising:
- a vehicle;
- a containment mounted on the vehicle and configured for containing a plurality of pipes on the vehicle, said containment defining an opening at one side of the vehicle sized to permit passage of a pipe therethrough;
- and
- a pipe dispensing apparatus disposed to block said opening to prevent passage of a pipe therethrough, and movable from a first position to acquire a pipe and passing through said opening to a second position to drop the pipe outside the vehicle.
A method for distributing large pipe or conduit at a job site comprising:
- (a) loading a plurality of pipes into a containment on a vehicle, the containment defining an opening sized for passage of a pipe lengthwise therethrough, the vehicle including a pair of rotating grabber plates disposed in the opening and offset from each other, each grabber plate including a slot for receiving a pipe therein;
- (b) simultaneously rotating the grabber plates in a first direction to acquire a pipe within the containment;
- (c) simultaneously rotating the grabber plates in an opposite second direction to carry the acquired pipe through the opening;
- (d) continuing to simultaneously rotate the grabber plates until the slots are positioned to allow the pipe to fall from the slots by gravity;
- (e) moving the vehicle to another location;
- and
- repeating steps (b)-(e) for subsequent pipes to be distributed at the job site.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.