Pipe handling apparatus for pipe laying barges
AssigneeMidcon Pipeline Equipment Co.
InventorJ. C. Birdwell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Pipe handling apparatus for pipe laying barges, sometime called lay barges, wherein pipe is lifted from an incoming pipe conveyor to a transverse rack, from one rack position to another, and from the rack to the pipe line-up conveyors, by a series of pivotal lifting means which lift, move, and deposit the pipe without impact or shock, whereby the pipe and any concrete or other coating on the pipe is not damaged. In addition to the novel pipe transferring means, the invention presents a novel universally adjustable line-up conveyor apparatus.
Claims8
Pipe rack apparatus, comprising, in combination, a pipe rack having plural upwardly facing pipe seat means therealong;
- pipe lifter conveyor means comprising a pipe lift beam disposed adjacent said pipe rack and parallel thereto having plural upwardly facing pipe seat means therealong and having pivotal connection means adjacent each end thereof, plural downwardly disposed first drive cylinder means pivotally connected to said pivotal connection means of said lift beam at their upper ends and each pivotally supported at a fixed location at its lower end for moving said lift beam vertically with respect to said pipe rack, and a generally horizontally disposed second drive cylinder means pivotally connected generally parallely to said pipe lift beam at one of its ends and pivotally supported at a fixed location at its other end for moving said lift beam horizontally with respect to said pipe rack, and lift beam being movable vertically by said first drive cylinder means and horizontally by said second drive cylinder means with respect to said pipe rack whereby said lift beam may move a pipe from one pipe seat means of said pipe rack to any of plural adjacent pipe seat means of said pipe rack in either direction from said one pipe seat means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.