System to align and install large pipe fittings
OwnerJohn C. Kolbinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system to suspend, move, place, align and clamp upper and lower pipe fitting portions of a pipe fitting to each other around an existing pipe. The system includes an upper lift assembly configured to attach to an upper pipe fitting portion and a lower lift assembly configured to attach to a lower pipe fitting portion. The upper lift assembly is connectable to the lower lift assembly by a suspension arrangement such that when the suspension is attached to both the lower lift assembly and the upper lift assembly the upper and lower pipe fitting sections of a pipe fitting become aligned and pressed together.
Claims14
A system for moving, aligning and clamping upper and lower pipe fitting portions of a pipe fitting around an exterior surface of an existing pipe of a type used for transporting fluid such as water, oil and gas, the existing pipe having a central longitudinal axis, and the upper and lower pipe fitting portions each include an interior surface having a semicircular cross section and two parallel longitudinal edges spaced apart by a distance corresponding to an outside diameter of the existing pipe around which they are to be installed, wherein the upper pipe fitting portion has a planar top surface, the tool comprising:
- an upper lift assembly comprising:
- a first sub-assembly constructed to be releasably fixed to the planar top surface of the upper pipe fitting portion;
- and
- a second sub-assembly arranged to be releasably slidable in a direction perpendicular to the planar top surface of the upper pipe fitting portion and having a connector to connect the second sub-assembly to an external lifting device for moving and placing the upper lift assembly together with the upper pipe fitting portion above the existing pipe;
- and
- a lower lift assembly configured to form a cradle system to receive and releasably hold a bottom region of the lower pipe fitting portion and including a suspension arrangement to suspend the cradle system from the second sub-assembly of the upper lift assembly;
- wherein when the second sub-assembly is released to slide relative to the first sub-assembly in the upper lift assembly, an upward force applied to the second sub-assembly causes an upward movement of the second sub-assembly relative to the first sub-assembly and the upper pipe fitting portion which, because of the suspension arrangement moves the lower lift assembly with the lower pipe fitting portion upwards to bring the horizontal edges of the lower pipe fitting portion into contact with the horizontal edges of the upper fitting portion.
The system of claim 5, wherein the suspension arrangement comprises four non-extendable linkages or bands, each linkage being releasably connected between one of the corner regions of the generally square cradle and one of the four end regions of the of the shoulder located vertically directly above corner region to which the linkage is releasably connected.
The tool according to claim 5, further including a controllable power source including a jack for being arranged, in use, between the upper surface of the upper pipe fitting and an under surface of the lift frame for applying the upward force to the lift frame, wherein with removal of the first and second quick release pin and activation of the power source the jack pushes against the lift frame resulting in an upward movement of the lift frame in the U-shaped slot of the vertical section, further resulting in an upward movement of the lower assembly suspended from the upper assembly until the edges of the upper and lower pipe fittings meet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.