Pipe coating machine

An apparatus for applying a cementatious coating to a pipe on the exterior thereof, comprising:

• means for advancing a pipe to be coated along its axis, said means moving consecutive sections of pipe along a specified path;
• applicator means for applying a cementatious weight material to a pipe moving in a path determined and controlled by said pipe advancing means, said applicator means including a first means for holding and dispensing a supply of cementatious material;
• means for storing a supply of pipe wrapping material in the form of an elongate ribbon;
• means for guiding the elongate ribbon of pipe wrapping material through said applicator means;
• said applicator means further including a second means placing a layer of cementatious material from said first means on an exposed surface of the pipe wrapping material wherein the layer is on the surface thereof facing the pipe prior to application;
• third means for rotating the pipe as cementatious material and the pipe wrapping material are placed on the pipe by said applicator means, said third means continuously presenting to said applicator means an uncoated portion of the pipe;
• a rotatable drum having an outer cylindrical surface approximately parallel to the axis of the pipe and spaced therefrom;
• and
• said applicator means further including a fourth means which guides the pipe wrapping material after the exposed surface thereof has had a layer of the cementatious material coated thereon into the space between the pipe and said drum in a manner such that said drum, presses against the uncoated surface of the coated pipe wrapping material and squeezes the cementatious material into contact with the pipe, said drum controlling the thickness of the cementatious material applied to the pipe by squeezing the excess, if any, away from the pipe.