Air bellow suspended pipe lining machine
AssigneeAmeron International Corporation
InventorMing C. Kuo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A belt assembly for a pipe lining machine used to make concrete lined pipes. A pipe to be rotated is supported on the exterior surface of a belt loop wound around several pulleys, including a drive pulley and a displaceable pulley which moves laterally in response to slack and tension in the belt loop. A damping assembly is connected to the displaceable pulley to damp vibrations in the displaceable pulley. Preferably, the damping assembly includes a pneumatic suspension member, e.g., air bellows, and a hydraulic damping member, e.g., a hydraulic shock-absorbing cylinder, connected in series to the displaceable pulley.
Claims24
A belt assembly for a pipe lining machine comprising:
- a base;
- a drive motor;
- a plurality of connecting arms connected at a bottom end to the base and including at least one arm hingeably connected to the base;
- a plurality of pulleys coupled to the base, including a drive pulley operatively connected to the drive motor and a movable pulley hingeably coupled to the base;
- a belt formed into a belt loop wound around the plurality of pulleys, the belt loop having an interior surface contacting the pulleys and an exterior surface for supporting a pipe to be rotated;
- and
- means for damping movement of the movable pulley for damping bouncing of the pipe when rotated.
A pipe lining machine comprising:
- a belt assembly upon which a pipe to be rotated is supported, the belt assembly comprising:
- a base;
- a plurality of pulleys, each connected to the base by an associated connecting arm;
- a belt loop wrapped around the plurality of pulleys, wherein one of said pulleys is displaceable in response to slack and tension in the belt loop;
- a drive motor operatively connected to at least one of the pulleys;
- a suspension member operatively coupled to the displaceable pulley;
- and
- a damper operatively coupled to the suspension member.
A belt assembly for a pipe lining machine comprising:
- a base;
- a set of pulleys wherein at least one of the pulleys is hingeably coupled to the base, and wherein the at least one hingeably coupled pulley can move relative to the base;
- a drive motor for driving at least one of the pulleys;
- a belt surrounding the pulleys for supporting and rotating a pipe;
- and
- a damper coupled to the at least one hingeably coupled pulley for damping the movement of the at least one hingeably coupled pulley.
A belt assembly for a pipe lining machine comprising:
- a base;
- a set of pulleys wherein at least one of the pulleys is hingeably coupled to the base, and wherein the at least one hingeably coupled pulley can move relative to the base;
- a drive motor for driving at least one of the pulleys;
- a belt surrounding the pulleys for supporting and rotating a pipe;
- and
- means coupled to the at least one hingeably coupled pulley for moving the at least one hingeably coupled pulley position to maintain the belt in continuous contact with the pipe as the pipe is rotating.
A belt assembly for a pipe lining machine comprising:
- a base;
- a drive motor;
- a plurality of connecting arms connected at a bottom end to the base and including at least one arm hingeably connected to the base;
- a plurality of pulleys coupled to the base, including a drive pulley operatively connected to the drive motor and a movable pulley hingeably coupled to the base;
- a belt formed into a belt loop wound around the plurality of pulleys, the belt loop having an interior surface contacting the pulleys and an exterior surface for supporting a pipe to be rotated;
- a suspension member operatively coupled to the movable pulley;
- and
- a hydraulic damping member coupled to the suspension member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.