# US 8,464,410 B1 · Rack type pipe feeder for a pipe fusion machine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,464,410 B1 - Document ID: US8464410B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 11/518,052 - Filed: 2006-09-08 - Granted: 2013-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2006-09-08 - Assignees: McElroy Manufacturing, Inc. - Applicants: Timothy A. Lyon; Thomas D. Cravens; Bobby L. Murray - Inventors: Timothy A. Lyon; Thomas D. Cravens; Bobby L. Murray - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8464410B1 ## CPC - B65G 1/08: the articles being fed by gravity {(braking arrangements for roller-ways B65G13/075; separating or stopping elements B65G47/88)} - B29C 31/002: {Handling tubes, e.g. transferring between shaping stations, loading on mandrels} - B29C 65/78: Means for handling the parts to be joined, e.g. for making containers or hollow articles {, e.g. means for handling sheets, plates, web-like materials, tubular articles, hollow articles or elements to be joined therewith; Means for discharging the joined articles from the joining apparatus} - B29C 66/5221: {for forming coaxial connections, i.e. the tubular articles to be joined forming a zero angle relative to each other} - B29C 66/71: {characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined (welding bar compositions B29C65/125)} - B65G 2201/0217: Elongated - B65G 2201/0276: Tubes and pipes - Y10T 29/53687: by rotation of work part - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A rack feeds sticks of pipe to a machine for serial fusion to the trailing end of a pipeline. Multiple independent spaced apart feeders support transverse bundles of sticks of pipe on beams. Legs which support the beams above the ground have jacks to vary the height and slope of the beams. The slope is set so that sticks tend to roll toward the lower front end of the beam where roller assemblies receive the sticks of pipe as they are manually rolled, one at a time, off the beams. All of the rack components are modular and interchangeably connectable so that the feeder can be quickly adapted for a variety of conditions and applications. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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; 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 along said beam; and a roller assembly at one end of said beam, 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. ### Claim 2 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. ### Claim 3 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. ### Claim 4 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. ### Claim 5 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. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) A pipe rack according to claim 3, said modular beam comprising a truss. ### Claim 7 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. ### Claim 8 (depends on 3) A pipe rack according to claim 3 further comprising a vertical post extending upwardly from a rear portion of said beam for limiting rearward roll of said sticks of pipe. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) A pipe rack according to claim 3 further comprising a post and means proximate each end of said beam for receiving and securing said post in upward orientation relative to said beam to limit rearward roll of said sticks of pipe. ### Claim 10 (depends on 3) A pipe rack according to claim 3, said roller assembly further comprising means fixed to said assembly forward of said roller for blocking forward discharge of a stick of pipe from said roller. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A pipe rack according to claim 10, said blocking means comprising a forwardly upwardly angled member. ### Claim 12 (depends on 3) A pipe rack according to claim 3 further comprising means disposed on said roller assembly for raising said roller and a stick of pipe resting thereon. ### Claim 13 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. ### Claim 14 (depends on 3) A pipe rack according top claim 3, said roller being V-tapered. ### Claim 15 A method for feeding sticks of pipe to a machine for fusion in serial alignment comprising the steps of: aligning a plurality of independent pipe supporting beams to support a traversing plurality of sticks of pipe, each beam having a roller at an end thereof for receiving an individual stick of pipe as the stick rolls off of the beams; adjusting the heights of the beams to position their rollers to support a received stick of pipe at a level coordinated to the operation of the fusion machine. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A method according to claim 15 further comprising the step of loading at least one stick of pipe transversely on the beams. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A method according to claim 16, said step of loading comprising the sub-steps of: resting a strapped bundle of sticks of pipe on the beams; and cutting the straps. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) A method according to claim 16 further comprising the step of manually urging a loaded stick of pipe to roll along the beams onto the rollers. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) A method according to claim 18 further comprising the step of raising an end of the loaded stick of pipe closest to the fusion machine slightly and manually rolling the stick on the rollers into the fusion machine. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) A method according to claim 19 further comprising the steps of: fusing a leading end of the manually rolled stick of pipe to the trailing end of pipeline; pulling the pipeline until the trailing end of the rolled stick of pipe is positioned for fusion by the fusion machine; and repeating the method beginning with the step of manually urging a loaded stick of pipe to roll along the beams onto the rollers.