POSITION ADJUSTABLE GRAPPLE ATTACHMENT

• US 20120213937A1
• Filed: 02/17/2012
• Published: 08/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LaValley Industries, LLC
• Original Assignee: LaValley Industries, LLC
• Inventors: LaValley, Jason, Burgess, Michael, Kilpo, Lawrence D., Larson, Daniel, Kilde, Jesse
• Granted Patent: US 8,328,071 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/401
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2101/06 Tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 31/027 Making tubes with soldering or welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 37/0533 external pipe alignment clamps
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 11/00 Connecting or disconnecting metal parts or objects by metal-working techniques not otherwise provided for connecting sheet metal or metal tubes, rods or profiles B21D39/00; riveting B21J; soldering, unsoldering, welding B23K; hand tools for connecting wire or strip B25B25/00; connecting metal parts by adhesives F16B11/00
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 3/16 Cutting rods or tubes transversely cutting tubes longitudinally B26D3/001
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 7/02 with clamping means B26D7/018 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 1/10 by mechanical means
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 1/427 by hydraulic or pneumatic motors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49885 with coating before or during assembling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49902 by manipulating aligning means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49998 Work holding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53983 Work-supported apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53991 Work gripper, anvil, or element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/0596 Cutting wall of hollow work
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/7487 Means to clamp work

Abstract

An attachment that is configured for attachment to an arm of a piece of construction equipment. The attachment includes a pair of grapple mechanisms mounted on a main beam. Each grapple mechanism includes opposing grab arms mounted to a grab arm housing. The grab arm housings of the grapple mechanisms are each individually adjustable separate from one another relative to the main beam in one or more directions generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the main beam. The attachment can fine adjust the positions of the pipe ends relative to one another until the ends align with each other, at which point the pipe ends can be welded or otherwise secured to each other while being held in position by the grapple mechanisms.

Claims

1. A mechanism comprising a pair of grapple mechanisms mounted on a main beam, each grapple mechanism includes opposing grab arms mounted to a grab housing;

the grab arms of at least one of the grapple mechanisms are adjustable together relative to the main beam in one or more directions generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the main beam to adjust the position of the grab aims of the at least one grapple mechanism relative to the main beam.

2. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein the grab arms of the at least one of the grapple mechanism are adjustable by adjusting the position of the grab arm housing of the at least one grapple mechanism relative to the main beam in one or more directions generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the main beam.

3. The mechanism of claim 2, wherein each of the grab arm housings of the grapple mechanisms are individually adjustable separate from one another relative to the main beam in one or more directions generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the main beam to adjust the positions of the grab arm housings relative to the main beam.

4. The mechanism of claim 2, wherein each of the grab arm housings of the grapple mechanisms are individually adjustable separate from one another relative to the main beam in two directions generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the main beam to adjust the positions of the grab arm housings relative to the main beam

5. The mechanism of claim 4, wherein each grab arm housing is further adjustable relative to the main beam in a direction parallel to the main beam.

6. The mechanism of claim 4, wherein the main beam is generally rectangular in end plan view with a first area in end plan view;

each grab arm housing includes a rectangular opening through which the main beam is received, each opening having a second area in end plan view; and

the first area is less than the second area, with the difference between the first area and the second area being sufficient to permit relative movements between the grab arm housings and the main beam in the two directions generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the main beam

7. An attachment that is attachable to an arm of construction equipment for use in positioning one or more pipes, comprising:

a mount bracket that is configured to be connectable to the arm of the construction equipment;

a lower head assembly rotatably mounted to the mount bracket to permit the lower head assembly to rotate relative to the mount bracket about a first axis;

a main beam pivotally mounted to the lower head assembly so that the main beam can pivot relative to the lower head assembly about a second axis that is substantially perpendicular to the first axis;

a pair of grapple mechanisms mounted on the main beam, each grapple mechanism includes opposing grab arms mounted to a grab arm housing, each of the grab arm housings of the grapple mechanisms and the main beam are adjustable relative to each other in two directions generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the main beam to adjust the relative positions of the grab arm housings and the main beam, the longitudinal axis of the main beam is substantially perpendicular to the first axis and to the second axis, and the grab arms are actuatable between a closed position gripping the one or more pipes and an open position;

each grab arm housing and the main beam are adjustable relative to each other in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the main beam; and

first and second tilt actuators, each tilt actuator having a first end attached to the lower head assembly and a second end attached to the main beam.

8. The attachment of claim 7, further comprising shift cylinders disposed within the main beam, and the shift cylinders are connected to the grapple mechanisms to adjust the positions of the grab arm housings relative to the main beam in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the main beam.

9. The attachment of claim 7, further comprising a pipe processing tool mounted to the attachment, the pipe processing tool is disposed between the grapple mechanisms.

10. The attachment of claim 9, wherein the pipe processing tool is configured to perform welding, coating, cutting, sealing, beveling or sand blasting.

11. The attachment of claim 7, wherein the main beam is generally rectangular in end plan view with a first area in end plan view;

each grab arm housing includes a rectangular opening through which the main beam is received, each opening having a second area in end plan view; and

the first area is less than the second area, with the difference between the first area and the second area being sufficient to permit relative movements between the grab atm housings and the main beam in the two directions generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the main beam.

12. A pipe tie-in method comprising:

grabbing the end of a first pipe using a first grapple mechanism mounted on a main beam;

grabbing the end of a second pipe using a second grapple mechanism mounted on the main beam; and

aligning the end of the first pipe with the end of the second pipe by adjusting the relative positions of the beam and at least one of the first and second grapple mechanisms in one or more directions generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the main beam.

13. The pipe tie-in method of claim 12, further comprising bringing the end of the first pipe closer to the end of the second pipe by adjusting the relative positions of the beam and at least one of the first and second grapple mechanisms in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the main beam.

14. The pipe tie-in method of claim 13, wherein aligning includes adjusting the relative positions of the beam and each of the first and second grapple mechanisms in one or more directions generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the main beam.

15. The pipe tie-in method of claim 14, comprising adjusting the relative positions of the beam and each of the first and second grapple mechanisms in two directions generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the main beam.

16. The pipe tie-in method of claim 13, further comprising welding the end of the first pipe to the end of the second pipe while the first grapple mechanism and the second grapple mechanism are grabbing the ends of the first pipe and the second pipe.

17. The pipe tie-in method of claim 16, wherein welding is performed by a pipe processing tool mounted to the main beam or mounted to the first or second grapple mechanism.

18. The pipe tie-in method of claim 13, further comprising performing a pipe processing operation on at least one of the first pipe and the second pipe using a pipe mechanism mounted to the main beam or mounted to the first or second grapple mechanism while the first grapple mechanism and the second grapple mechanism are grabbing the ends of the first pipe and the second pipe.

19. The pipe tie-in method of claim 18, wherein the pipe processing operation comprises welding, coating, cutting, sealing, beveling or sand blasting.