Aboveground sliding support assembly for a pipeline

A sliding support for an aboveground pipeline, said pipeline traversing a relatively straight path at the location of said sliding support, comprising in combination:

• a supporting cross member and means for mounting said cross member above the ground and in stationary relationship thereto, said cross member having a generally horizontal upper surface and being positioned under the path of said pipeline,
• a sliding shoe including a base member having a bottom surface, the bottom surface of said base member being oriented in substantially parallel relationship to the upper surface of said cross member and being mounted on the upper surface of said cross member for sliding movement substantially in a direction along the path of the pipeline and in a direction transversely to the path of the pipeline,
• at least one tubular member affixed to and extending upwardly from the base member of said sliding shoe and having an upper end,
• a bar mounted for upward and downward reciprocating movement in said tubular member, the upper end of said bar extending above said tubular member and having means thereon for affixing said bar to said pipeline, a portion of said bar being circumferentially threaded, said bar being so associated with said tubular member to allow said tubular member and said shoe to drop away from said bar when said shoe and said cross member become relatively displaced, and
• a nut threaded onto the threaded portion of said bar, said nut engaging the upper end of said tubular member to prevent downward movement of said bar relative to said tubular member, said bar and said tubular member being freely movable in mutually opposing directions, said nut being rotatable on the threaded lower portion of said bar to adjust the relative height of said bar and said tubular member.

A sliding shoe for use in a sliding support assembly for an aboveground pipeline comprising:

• a base member having a bottom surface, the bottom surface of said base member being orientable relative to the path of a pipeline in a substantially horizontal plane and capable of sliding movement on a support therefor in a direction generally along the path of the pipeline and in a direction transverse thereto,
• at least one tubular member affixed to and extending upwardly from said base member and having an upper end,
• a bar mounted for upward and downward reciprocating movement in said tubular member, the upper end of said bar extending above said tubular member and having means thereon for affixing said bar to a pipeline, the lower portion of said bar being threaded, said bar being so associated with said tubular member to allow said tubular member and said base member to drop away from said bar when said base member is displaced from a support therefor, and
• a nut threaded onto the lower portion of said bar, said nut engaging the upper end of said tubular member to prevent downward movement of said bar relative to said tubular member, said bar and said tubular member being freely movable in mutually opposing directions, said nut being rotatable on the threaded lower portion of said bar to adjust the relative height of the upper ends of said bar and said tubular member.

A sliding support for an aboveground pipeline, said pipeline traversing a relatively straight path at the location of said sliding support, comprising in combination:

• (a) a supporting cross member and means for mounting said cross member above the ground and in stationary relationship thereto, said cross member having a generally horizontal upper surface and being positioned under the path of said pipeline,
• (b) a sliding shoe including a base member having a bottom surface, the bottom surface of said base member being oriented in substantially parallel relationship to the upper surface of said cross member and being mounted on the upper surface of said cross member for sliding movement substantially in a direction along the path of the pipeline and in a direction transverse to the path of the pipeline,
• (c) at least one upright member affixed to said base member and extending upwardly therefrom,
• (d) a bar associated with said upright member for movement in a generally upward and downward direction relative to the bottom surface of said base member, said bar having an upper end extending above the upper end of said upright member,
• (e) clamp means capable of being connected to said pipeline for providing an adjustable location on said pipeline to which said bar can be connected,
• (f) a yoke affixed to one of said clamp means and the upper end of said bar,
• (g) a flange affixed to the other of said clamp means and said bar, one of said flange and said yokes having an aperture therein, said aperture having an axis oriented substantially horizontally and transversely to the path of said pipeline,
• (h) sleeve means composed of a thermal insulating material mounted in said aperture,
• (i) means for connecting the other of said flange and said yoke to said sleeve means, thereby thermally isolating said sliding shoe from said pipeline,
• (j) means associated with said bar and said upright member for preventing lateral movement of said bar relative to said upright member, and
• (k) adjustable stop means associated with said bar and said upright member for fixing the vertical position of said bar relative to said upright member so that said bar cannot move downwardly, to thereby support the weight of said pipeline on said shoe, and so that said bar can move freely upwardly relative to said shoe, to thereby allow said shoe to freely fall from said bar if said shoe and said cross member become relatively displaced.