Rack type pipe feeder for a pipe fusion machine

For use in feeding sticks of pipe to a machine for fusion in serial alignment, a pipe rack comprising:

• a beam for supporting at least one stick of pipe disposed transversely thereon;
• front and rear legs for supporting said beam above ground;
• a jack for varying a height of one of said legs to set a slope of said beam at which said at least one stick of pipe tends to roll toward said front leg;
• and
• a roller assembly on said front leg, a roller of said roller assembly being aligned for rotation about an axis parallel to said beam and positioned to receive a stick of pipe rolling off said beam.

For use in feeding sticks of pipe to a machine for fusion in serial alignment, a pipe rack comprising:

• a modular beam for supporting at least one stick of pipe disposed transversely thereon;
• modular legs, each said leg having means thereon co-operable with means on said beam for engaging its respective said leg, one on a front and one on a rear portion, to said beam to support said beam above ground, each said leg having a jack for varying its height to set a slope of said beam at which said at least one stick of pipe tends to roll toward said front leg;
• and
• a modular roller assembly having means thereon co-operable with said means on said front leg for engaging said roller assembly to said front leg with a roller of said roller assembly being aligned for rotation about an axis parallel to said beam and positioned to receive a stick of pipe rolling off said beam.

For use in feeding sticks of pipe to a machine for fusion in serial alignment, a pipe rack comprising:

• a modular beam for supporting at least one stick of pipe disposed transversely thereon;
• modular legs, each said leg having means thereon co-operable with means on said beam for engaging its respective said leg, one on a front and one on a rear portion, to said beam to support said beam above ground, each said leg having a jack for varying its height to set a slope of said beam at which said at least one stick of pipe tends to roll toward said front leg;
• and
• a modular roller assembly having means thereon co-operable with said means on said front leg for engaging said roller assembly to said front leg with a roller of said roller assembly being aligned for rotation about an axis parallel to said beam and positioned to receive a stick of pipe rolling off said beam,
• said means on each said leg comprising an integral pair of J-hooks aligned back-to-back on a vertical axis of symmetry, each said hook having an upper aperture therethrough;
• and
• said means on said beam and said means on said roller assembly each comprising:
• a lower pin extending therefrom and seatable in a bottom of a respective one of said J-hooks;
• an upper aperture oriented therein for alignment with said aperture of said respective on of said J-hooks when said lower pin is seated in said respective J-hook;
• and
• a pin, said pin manually insertable into and withdrawable from aligned ones of said apertures.

For use in feeding sticks of pipe to a machine for fusion in serial alignment, a pipe rack comprising:

• a modular beam for supporting at least one stick of pipe disposed transversely thereon;
• modular legs, each said leg having means thereon co-operable with means on said beam for engaging its respective said leg, one on a front and one on a rear portion, to said beam to support said beam above ground, each said leg having a jack for varying its height to set a slope of said beam at which said at least one stick of pipe tends to roll toward said front leg;
• and
• a modular roller assembly having means thereon co-operable with said means on said front leg for engaging said roller assembly to said front leg with a roller of said roller assembly being aligned for rotation about an axis parallel to said beam and positioned to receive a stick of pipe rolling off said beam,
• said means on each said leg comprising a pair of plates spaced apart to receive a portion of said beam and a portion of said roller assembly therebetween, each said plate comprising an integral pair of J-hooks aligned back-to-back on a vertical axis of symmetry, each said hook having an upper aperture therethrough;
• and
• said means on said beam and said means on said roller assembly each comprising:
• a pair of lower pins extending outwardly from opposite sides thereof, each said pin being seatable in a bottom of a respective one of said spaced-apart J-hooks;
• a pair of upper apertures in opposite sides thereof, each said upper aperture oriented therein for alignment with said aperture of said respective one of said J-hooks when said lower pin is seated in said respective J-hook;
• and
• a pair of pins, each said pin being manually insertable into and withdrawable from aligned ones of said apertures.

For use in feeding sticks of pipe to a machine for fusion in serial alignment, a pipe rack comprising:

• a modular beam for supporting at least one stick of pipe disposed transversely thereon;
• modular legs, each said leg having means thereon co-operable with means on said beam for engaging its respective said leg, one on a front and one on a rear portion, to said beam to support said beam above ground, each said leg having a jack for varying its height to set a slope of said beam at which said at least one stick of pipe tends to roll toward said front legs;
• a modular roller assembly having means thereon co-operable with said means on said front leg for engaging of said roller assembly to said front leg with a roller of said roller assembly being aligned for rotation about an axis parallel to said beam and positioned to receive a stick of pipe rolling off said beam;
• and
• a visible level fixed to said beam for assisting in setting said slope of said beam.

For use in feeding sticks of pipe to a machine for fusion in serial alignment, a pipe rack comprising:

• a modular beam for supporting at least one stick of pipe disposed transversely thereon;
• modular legs, each said leg having means thereon co-operable with means on said beam for engaging its respective said leg, one on a front and one on a rear portion, to said beam to support said beams above ground, each said leg having a jack for varying its height to set a slope of said beam at which said at least one stick of pipe tends to roll toward said front leg;
• a modular roller assembly having means thereon co-operable with said means on said front leg for engaging said roller assembly to said front leg with a roller of said roller assembly being aligned for rotation about an axis parallel to said beam and positioned to receive a stick of pipe rolling off said beam;
• and
• a lever pivotally engagable on said roller assembly for raising said roller and a stick of pipe resting thereon.