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US 2026/0227004 A1Published application
Pipe replacement drum device and method
AssigneeTT Technologies, Inc.
InventorJohn A. Olander
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pipe replacement device, components of a pipe replacement device and associated methods are disclosed. Examples are shown that include multiple optional pulling orientations. Examples are shown that include a splitter that loads laterally over a cable. Examples are shown that include an arced reaction plate to provide boom adjustability. Examples are shown that include a retaining plate for optional pipe bursting. Examples are shown that include a removable portion of a winch drum for ease of disposal of pulled pipe.
Claims39
A pipe replacement device, comprising:
- a device frame;
- a winch drum coupled to a driving motor, the winch drum rotatably mounted to the device frame;
- a first reaction plate coupled to the device frame, defining a first in-line pipe pulling orientation;
- a boom coupled to the device frame, the boom defining a second, optional pulling orientation, different from the first in-line pipe pulling orientation.
1 more element
A method of pulling pipe, comprising:
- in a first replacement operation;
- placing a bottom surface of a device frame on a bottom of a first pit, the first pit exposing a first pipe to be replaced;
- extending a cable through the first pipe to be replaced and engaging the cable with the first pipe to be replaced at a first distal end;
- coupling a first new pipe to the first distal end;
- attaching a first proximal end of the cable to a winch drum and rotating the winch drum to remove the first pipe to be replaced, while pulling in the first new pipe;
- in a second replacement operation;
- extending a boom from the bottom surface of the device frame into a second pit exposing a second pipe to be replaced;
- extending the cable through the second pipe to be replaced and engaging the cable with the second pipe to be replaced at a second distal end;
- coupling a second new pipe to the second distal end;
- attaching a second proximal end of the cable to the winch drum and rotating the winch drum to remove the second pipe to be replaced, while pulling in the second new pipe.
7 more elements
A pipe splitting fixture, comprising:
- a first plate, including an entry slot;
- a second plate, including an exit slot;
- a splitting plate mounted between the first plate and the second plate;
- and
- a splitter mounted in the splitting plate, wherein the splitter includes a slot for lateral insertion of a cable.
2 more elements
A method of splitting a pipe, comprising;
- running a cable through a pipe to be replaced and attaching the cable to the pipe to be replaced;
- placing one or more slots of a pipe splitting fixture laterally over the cable at a proximal end;
- placing a splitter laterally onto the cable adjacent to the one or more slots in the pipe splitting fixture;
- engaging the splitter with the pipe splitting fixture;
- engaging a cable puller to the proximal end of the cable with the pipe splitting fixture between the cable puller and an exposed ground surface adjacent to the pipe to be replaced;
- pulling the cable through the pipe splitting fixture, wherein the cable pulls the pipe to be replaced out of the ground;
- and
- splitting the pipe to be replaced on the splitter as the pipe to be replaced is removed from the ground.
5 more elements
A pipe splitting fixture, comprising:
- a reaction plate, including a vertical slot;
- a splitting fixture to optionally install in the vertical slot, the splitting fixture including;
- a first plate, including an entry slot;
- a second plate, including an exit slot;
- a splitting plate mounted between the first plate and the second plate;
- and
- a splitter mounted in the splitting plate, wherein the splitter includes a slot for lateral insertion of a cable, and;
- a retaining plate to optionally install in the vertical slot, the retaining plate including a retaining slot that is dimensioned to allow a cable to pass through the retaining slot, but not a pipe to be replaced.
5 more elements
A pipe replacement device, comprising:
- a device frame;
- a winch drum coupled to a driving motor, the winch drum rotatably mounted to the device frame, wherein the winch drum includes;
- a drive side flange that is driven by the driving motor;
- a removable flange opposite the drive side flange to allow removal of a pipe to be replaced after removing the pipe to be replaced from the ground and winding around the winch drum;
- and
- a hinged axle support adjacent to the removable flange, wherein the hinged axle support is movable to permit removal of the removable flange.
3 more elements
A method of pulling pipe, comprising:
- extending a cable through a pipe to be replaced and engaging the cable with the pipe to be replaced at a distal end;
- coupling a new pipe to the distal end;
- attaching a proximal end of the cable to a winch drum and rotating the winch drum to remove the pipe to be replaced and wrap the pipe to be replaced around the winch drum while pulling in the new pipe;
- rotating a hinged axle support away from a side of the winch drum;
- removing a removable flange from the side of the winch drum, and removing the pipe to be replaced from the winch drum.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.