US 4,397,585 A · Apparatus for inserting foldable conduit below ground

Abstract

A plow arrangement is disclosed for inserting continuous lengths of foldable conduit in the ground. A plow forms a cavity in the ground for receiving the conduit. Folded conduit is conveyed from a reel to an inlet end of a feeder or boot. As the conduit passes through the feeder, it is unfolded. The feeder discharges the unfolded conduit horizontally behind the plow. Soil lifted by the plow falls around the unfolded conduit constraining it to its unfolded configuration. A vehicle advances the plow and feeder through the ground. The feeder includes a surface for engaging the base of the conduit and guides for engaging the top. The surface and guides converge adjacent the outlet of the feeder to unfold the conduit passing inbetween. Further the surface and guides have arcuate portions that bend the conduit about its apex to urge it to its unfolded configuration.

Claims29

Dependent claims

An apparatus for inserting below the surface of the soil foldable conduit which is foldable between a generally flattened configuration in which two conduit wall portions are disposed generally side-by-side and adjacent and a hollow configuration in which the two conduit wall portions are at least partially displaced to defined a hollow passage therebetween, the appartaus comprising:

a feeder having an inlet end adapted to be disposed above the soil surface and an outlet end adapted to be disposed below the soil surface, the inlet end defining an inner cross section which is shaped similar to the exterior cross section of the foldable conduit in its flattened configuration, unfolding means for at least partially separating the two conduit wall portions to urge the conduit toward the hollow configuration, the outlet end defining an interior cross section which is shaped similar to the exterior cross section of the foldable conduit in its hollow configuration, whereby the conduit is folded as it is fed from the inlet end through the feeder to the outlet end and is discharged from the outlet end in its hollow configuration.

An apparatus for inserting in the ground foldable arched conduit which has a pair of corrugated side walls connected along an apex edge by a hinge and a flexible base connected to the side walls along base edges, the conduit having a flattened, folded configuration in which the base edges are substantially adjacent to each other with the flexible base folded between the side walls and having a hollow, unfolded configuration in which the side walls have an arched cross section with the base edges spread apart and the flexible base disposed taut and substantially flat, the apparatus comprising:

means for conveying folded conduit from a reel;
and,
a feeder including:
roller means disposed adjacent an inlet end for engaging the conduit side walls for receiving the conduit generally in the flattened, folded configuration;
means disposed to receive the conduit from the inlet end rollers for urging the conduit base edges to spread apart such that the conduit is urged toward the unfolded configuration;
and,
means disposed adjacent an outlet end for continuing to urge the conduit toward the unfolded configuration such that unfolded conduit is discharged in the ground.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus for inserting foldable conduit below ground

Life of this patent

Apparatus for inserting foldable conduit below ground

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims29