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US 4,024,721 AGranted
Method and apparatus for laying pipes in the ground
AssigneeKabushiki Kaisha Komatsu Seisakusho
InventorsHiroshi Takada, Kenzo Hoashi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
There is disclosed a method and apparatus for laying small-diameter gas, water pipes or the like precisely in the ground. Small-diameter pilot pipes are first laid in while at the same time, a pilot head is measured and controlled to make its straight advance. Pipes of a larger diameter are then laid in successively, the pipes being led by the pilot pipes. Concurrent with this, excavated earth is discharged through the laid-in pilot pipes.
Claims11
A method of laying pipes in the ground comprising:
- (a) digging a departure pit and an arrival pit which is spaced apart from the departure pit;
- (b) providing a propulsion jack in said departure pit, said propulsion jack being adapted to propel the pipes to be laid in;
- (c) pressing a pilot head into the ground by the pressure from said propulsion jack;
- (d) pressing pilot pipes successively into the ground by said propulsion jack, said pilot pipes being laid in following relation to said pilot head;
- (e) measuring the position and posture of said pilot head laid in the ground from within said departure pit, while the pilot head is being laid in;
- (f) controlling said pilot head to make a straight advance based on said measurement, thereby laying the pipes in the ground between the departure pit and the arrival pit;
- (g) providing hauling means in said pilot pipes for conveying earth to the arrival pit, said earth being scraped;
- (h) connecting an excavator to said hauling means, said excavator being adapted to excavate earth in following relation to said pilot pipes;
- (i) pressing said pilot pipes said hauling means and said excavator by said propulsion jack disposed in the departure pit while said hauling means and the scraping means of said excavator are driven to rotate;
- (j) scraping off the earth located forward of the excavator by the scraping means of the latter;
- (k) pressing laid-in pipes by said propulsion jack in following relation to said excavator as the latter scrapes off the earth;
- (l) discharging the scraped earth into said arrival pit through said pilot pipes by said hauling means;
- and
- (m) collecting successively at said arrival pit said laid-in pilot pipes and said hauling means disposed in the laid-in pilot pipes.
11 more elements
A method of laying pipes in the ground comprising:
- (a) digging a departure pit and an arrival pit which is spaced apart from the departure pit;
- (b) providing a propulsion jack in said departure pit, said propulsion jack being adapted to propel the pipes to be laid in;
- (c) pressing a pilot head into the ground by the pressure from said propulsion jack;
- (d) pressing pilot pipes successively into the ground by said propulsion jack, said pilot pipes being laid in following relation to said pilot head;
- (e) measuring the position and posture of said pilot head laid in the ground from within said departure pit, while the pilot head is being laid in;
- (f) controlling said pilot head to make a straight advance based on said measurement, thereby laying the pipes in the ground between the departure pit and the arrival pit;
- and
- (g) wherein a pilot jack is provided on the front portion of said pilot head and wherein said pilot head is laid in through multi-step propulsion in which said pilot head is advanced by the alternate advance of said propulsion jack and said pilot jack.
5 more elements
An apparatus for laying in pipes comprising:
- (a) a base disposed within a departure pit and having a pair of parallel rails extending in a direction in which the pipes are laid in;
- (b) a pipe support on said rails on the base and supporting the pipes to be laid in;
- (c) a propulsion jack on said rails on the base and adapted to press the pipes into the ground, said propulsion jack being movable in said direction on the rails;
- (d) engaging means for engaging said propulsion jack with said rails on the base;
- (e) a pilot head adapted to be propelled by said propulsion jack and press earth in said direction;
- (f) pipes adapted to be laid into the ground and propelled by said propulsion jack, said pipes being connected with said pilot head which has been laid in;
- (g) coupling means for coupling said pilot head with said laid-in pipes;
- (h) a target disposed within said pilot head and serving as a standard indicative of a degree the straight advance of the pilot head;
- (i) measuring means disposed within the departure pit for measuring said target in order to determine a degree of the straight advance of the pilot head;
- and
- (j) controlling means for controlling the straight advance of the pilot head based on measured values obtained by said measuring means.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.