Irrigation pipe laying and pick up vehicle

• US 4,093,082 A
• Filed: 07/30/1976
• Issued: 06/06/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Melton Archie Goodsell
• Original Assignee: Melton Archie Goodsell
• Inventors: Goodsell, Melton Archie
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoffman, Drayton E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Abraham, George F.
• Application Number:
  US05/710,191
• Time in Patent Office: 676 Days
• Field of Search: 214/1 PA, 214/83.1, 214/83.36, 61/105, 296/3, 296/26, 180/45, 180/44 F
• US Class Current: 414/745.5
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/09 Watering arrangements making use of movable installations on wheels or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 1/0243 above ground F16L1/026 takes precedence

Abstract

A self-propelled vehicle having a centrally mounted inclined guide trough for guiding pipe sections as the vehicle is driven along a row of attached pipe sections. The sections are guided upwardly to the level of a working platform. An angulation trough contacts the end of a pipe section and angulate a first pipe section relative to the next section so that the first section can be disconnected. Disconnected sections are placed in racks on either side of the platform. The two ends of the guide trough have different inclinations to aid in the assembly of the pipe sections when laying pipe.

Claims

1. A vehicle for picking up and laying irrigation pipe of the type consisting of a plurality of rigid sections and couplings between the sections forming a line of pipe, said vehicle comprising:

a vehicular frame having a raised platform,

inclined guide means mounted on said frame at a first end of said vehicle for guiding the end of a section of irrigation pipe being picked up from the ground level to above the level of said platform as said vehicle is operated toward said line of pipe and for guiding the pipe section down said guide means as said vehicle is operated away from said line of pipe,

rack means adjacent said platform for supporting a plurality of said sections of irrigation pipe in stacked relationship,

uncoupling means for uncoupling a section of said pipe being picked up from the subsequent pipe section,

said uncoupling means comprising angulation guide means for guiding the free end of the leading pipe section and elevating said end relative to the longitudinal axis of the adjacent section.

2. A vehicle according to claim 1 wherein:

said incline guide means is centrally located on said vehicle.

3. A vehicle according to claim 2 wherein:

said incline guide means extends beyond said first end of said vehicle.

4. The vehicle according to claim 2 wherein:

two racks are mounted on said vehicle, each being adjacent to but on opposite sides of the centrally mounted inclined guide means.

5. The vehicle according to claim 4 wherein:

said racks are mounted for movement between a first position closely adjacent said inclined guide means and a second horizontally and outwardly displaced position.

6. The vehicle according to claim 5 wherein:

said racks comprise a plurality of horizontal support members carried on said vehicle by a parallel bar linkage.

7. The vehicle according to claim 6 including:

actuator means for powering said racks from said first to said second positions and,

said second positions being horizontally outwardly displaced from said vehicle and being lower than said first position.

8. The vehicle according to claim 7 wherein:

at least one of said horizontal support members incorporates a horizontal support flange for cooperating with a ground engaging flange of said pipe sections and holding said pipe sections aligned and with the sprinkler risers upright.

9. The vehicle according to claim 1 wherein:

said angulation guide means comprises a conveyor means for drawing said pipe sections onto said vehicle.

10. The vehicle according to claim 1 wherein:

said angulation means is inclined at a steeper angle than said inclined guide means.

11. The vehicle according to claim 10 wherein:

said angulation guide means and said inclined guide means are trough shaped.

12. The vehicle according to claim 1 wherein:

said pipe sections incorporate a ground engaging flange and an upright sprinkler riser,

said inclined guide means provides substantially continuous support for said end of pipe section between ground level and the level of said platform.

13. The vehicle according to claim 1 wherein:

said racks are mounted on said vehicle above the level of the said platform.

14. The vehicle according to claim 1 wherein:

said vehicle has forward and rearward pairs of wheels,

said pairs of wheels being mounted for selective coordinated angulation to at least approximately 45°

from the longitudinal axis of said vehicle.

18. A vehicle for picking up and laying irrigation pipe of the type set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said inclined guide means comprises a continuous concave trough extending longitudinally of said vehicle and having a first end in proximity of ground level and a second end elevated to at least the level of said platform.

19. The vehicle according to claim 18 wherein:

the entry to said trough shaped guide means is flared.

15. A vehicle for picking up and laying irrigation pipe of the type consisting of a plurality of rigid sections and couplings between the section forming a line of pipe, said vehicle comprising:

a vehicular frame having a raised platform,

inclined guide means mounted on said frame at a first end of said vehicle for guiding the end of a section of irrigation pipe being picked up from the ground level to above the level of said platform as said vehicle is operated toward said line of pipe and for guiding the pipe section down said guide means as said vehicle is operated away from said line of pipe,

rack means adjacent said platform for supporting a plurality of said sections of irrigation pipe in stacked relationship,

uncoupling means for uncoupling a section of said pipe being picked up from the subsequent pipe sections,

said inclined guide means having a first length and a second length, said first length having less inclination then said second length.

16. A vehicle for picking up and laying irrigation pipe of the type consisting of a plurality of rigid sections and couplings between the section forming a line of pipe, said vehicle comprising:

a vehicular frame having a raised platform,

inclined guide means mounted on said frame at a first end of said vehicle for guiding the end of a section of irrigation pipe being picked up from the ground level to above the level of said platform as said vehicle is operated toward said line of pipe and for guiding the pipe section down said guide means as said vehicle is operated away from said line of pipe,

rack means adjacent said platform for supporting a plurality of said sections of irrigation pipe in stacked relationship,

uncoupling means for uncoupling a section of said pipe being picked up from the subsequent pipe section,

conveyor means mounted on said inclined guide means for drawing said sections toward said vehicle.

17. A vehicle for picking up and laying irrigation pipe of the type consisting of a plurality of rigid sections and couplings between the section forming a line of pipe, said vehicle comprising:

a vehicular frame having a raised platform,

inclined guide means mounted on said frame at a first end of said vehicle for guiding the end of a section of irrigation pipe being picked up from the ground level to above the level of said platform as said vehicle is operated toward said line of pipe and for guiding the pipe section down said guide means as said vehicle is operated away from said line of pipe,

rack means adjacent said platform for supporting a plurality of said sections of irrigation pipe in stacked relationship,

uncoupling means for uncoupling a section of said pipe being picked up from the subsequent pipe section,

said inclined guide means is centrally located on said vehicle,

two racks are mounted on said vehicle, each being adjacent to, but on opposite sides of, the centrally mounted inclined guide means,

said racks are mounted for movement between a first position closely adjacent said inclined guide means and a second horizontally and outwardly displaced position,

said racks comprising a plurality of horizontal support members carried on said vehicle by a parallel bar linkage,

actuator means for powering said racks from said first to said second positions,

said second positions being horizontally, outwardly displaced from said vehicle and being lower than said first position,

a plurality of uprights on said horizontal support members,

said uprights being selectively movable between a first upright position and a second position whereby said pipe may be withdrawn horizontally from said rack.