Method and apparatus for arranging cast-iron pipes in odd number stacks
AssigneePont-A-Mousson S.A.
InventorsRoger Malivoir, Gilbert Mayer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Between an upstream transporter A which moves discontinuously and intermittently and a downstream transporter B which moves continuously, an elevator C is serially disposed which lifts the last pipe T6 from an even group T1 through T6 astride both transporters, then rests it ahead of the following even group T7 through T10 during a halt of transporter A. On the downstream transporter B, two odd groups T1 through T5 and T6 through T10 and thus obtained. The pipes each have an enlarged female bell or mouth M at one end, and are alternatingly arranged in horizontal groups or beds L of five. Each bed is reversed relative to its adjacent beds in a banded vertical pile. The pipes are supplied to the transporter A two at a time.
Claims8
A method for arranging elongate pipes in horizontal, odd numbered beds, each pipe having a uniform male end and an enlarged female mouth end, and the pipes being delivered from a supply source in reversed pairs with a male end of one pipe adjacent a female end of the other pipe, comprising the steps of:
- (a) forming a double group of pipes on a first transporter (A), the number of pipes being twice that desired for each bed,
- (b) conveying an initially even number of said double group of pipes onto a second, serially disposed transporter (B), said even number being one greater than the desired odd number of pipes in each bed,
- (c) withdrawing the last pipe from said even number as it passes between the first and second transporters, and simultaneously halting the first transporter to allow the remaining odd number in the initially even number to be conveyed away a separation distance on the second transporter, and
- (d) introducing the withdrawn last pipe as the first pipe in the even number of pipes remaining on the first transporter.
An apparatus for arranging elongate pipes in horizontal, odd numbered beds, each pipe having a uniform male end and an enlarged female mouth end, and the pipes being delivered from a supply source in reversed pairs with a male end of one pipe adjacent a female end of the other pipe, comprising:
- (a) a first, horizontally oriented upstream transporter (A) including spaced, parallel endless chains (2) and a plurality of V-shaped pipe supports (3) mounted on said chains at regular intervals,
- (b) drive means (4) for intermittently advancing said first transporter in steps equal to twice the distance between adjacent pipe supports,
- (c) a second, horizontally oriented downstream transporter (B) including spaced, parallel endless chains (6), said second transporter being disposed in series with the first transporter and such that an input end of the second transporter overlaps an output end of the first transporter,
- (d) drive means (8) for continuously advancing said second transporter,
- (e) a single pipe elevator (C) disposed between overlapping ends of the chains of the first and second transporters, and
- (f) means (15) for selectively raising and lowering said elevator between a first position above the level of the chains and a second position below the level thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.