Pipe for conveying abrasive materials such as concrete, apparatus and method for producing said pipe

• US 10,689,211 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2015
• Issued: 06/23/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unico Socio, Valme SRL
• Original Assignee: Valme Srl-Unico Socio
• Inventors: Ferre', Fabio, Mottarella, Domenico, Cipolla, Davide
• Primary Examiner(s): Bochna, David
• Application Number:
  US15/559,920
• Publication Number:
  US 20180072513A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,798 Days
• Field of Search: 285 16, 285182, 285179
• CPC Class Codes: B21C 37/154 Making multi-wall tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B21C 37/28 Making tube fittings for connecting pipes, e.g. U-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 22/022 by heating the blank or stamping associated with heat treatment C21D takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 22/025 for tubular articles
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 39/04 of tubes with tubes; of tubes with rods crimped pipe joints as such F16L13/14
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 11/025 by using heat or cold
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 53/32 Conveying concrete, e.g. for distributing same at building sites mixing concrete on or by conveyors B28C5/34
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 53/523 Wear protection
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 13/02 Welded joints
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 23/00 Flanged joints F16L13/00, F16L17/00, F16L19/00 take precedence; adjustable joints F16L27/00; for hoses F16L33/00; couplings of the quick-acting type F16L37/00; for double-walled or multi-channel pipes or assemblies F16L39/00; connecting arrangements or other fittings specially adapted to be made of plastics or to be used with pipes made of plastics F16L47/00; specially adapted for pipes of brittle material pipe F16L49/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 43/001 made of metal
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 57/06 against wear F16L57/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 58/1036 the coating being a preformed pipe F16L58/1027 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 9/18 Double-walled pipes; Multi-channel pipes or pipe assemblies

Abstract

A method and apparatus for producing a curved tubular segment includes obtaining a curved external tubular element and a curved internal tubular element. The curved internal tubular element is made of a material having a resistance to wear greater than that of the curved external tubular element and has a cross section such as to cover at least part of the internal surface of the curved external tubular element. The curved internal tubular element is inserted inside the curved external tubular element after heating the latter by a heating unit. To form the curved external tubular element on the exact geometry of the curved internal tubular element, a molding unit and a cooling unit are used to obtain a curved tubular segment without spaces between the curved external tubular element and the curved internal tubular element.

Claims

1. Method for producing a tube or curved segment of tube for transferring abrasive materials, comprising a curved external tubular element and a curved internal tubular element made of a material having a resistance to wear greater than that of the curved external tubular element and having a cross section such as to cover at least part of the internal surface of the curved external tubular element, wherein the method provides to make said curved external tubular element and said curved internal tubular element separately,

the method comprising:

heating said curved external tubular element at least to around its temperature of deformation,

inserting said curved internal tubular element inside said curved external tubular element after said curved external tubular element is heated,

closing a mold, and applying a pressure to an external surface of the curved external tubular element against an external surface of the curved internal tubular element, making use of the heated condition of the curved external tubular element to form the curved external tubular element on the exact geometry of the curved internal tubular element, and

opening the mold and cooling with consequent shrinkage of the curved external tubular element on the curved internal tubular element.

2. Method as in claim 1, wherein the forming of said curved external tubular element on said curved internal tubular element takes place via at least two parts of said mold that progressively close, causing said internal surface of the curved external tubular element to adhere exactly to the external surface of the curved internal tubular element.

3. Method as in claim 1, wherein said curved internal tubular element has a cross section such as to cover the entire internal surface of said curved external tubular element.

4. Method as in claim 1, wherein said curved internal tubular element has a cross section such as to cover only part of the internal surface of said curved external tubular element.

5. Method as in claim 4, wherein said curved internal tubular element is disposed in correspondence with the extrados of said curved external tubular element.

6. Method as in claim 5, wherein said curved internal tubular element, together with a lower part of said curved external tubular element, defines a passage cavity with a circular shape.

7. Method as in claim 1, wherein said curved internal tubular element extends for the same curved extension as said curved external tubular element.

8. Method as in claim 1, wherein said curved internal tubular element has a circumferentially variable thickness, with a maximum value in proximity to the extrados, and which diminishes moving toward the intrados of said curved external tubular element.

9. Method as in claim 1, wherein flanges are associated at ends of the curved tubular segment.

10. Method as in claim 9, wherein inside said flanges at least one covering ring is disposed, made of wear resistant material, in continuity with the curved internal tubular element.