Pipeline padding apparatus with rotary feeder

• US 5,430,962 A
• Filed: 05/12/1993
• Issued: 07/11/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ozzie's Pipeline Padder, Inc (Royal Energy Resources, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ozzie's Pipeline Padder, Inc (Royal Energy Resources, Inc.)
• Inventors: Osadchuk, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Reese, Randolph A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BATSON, VICTOR D
• Application Number:
  US08/068,766
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• Field of Search: 37/304, 37/305, 37/306, 37/390, 37/392, 37/237, 37/142.5, 37/189, 37/190, 37/462, 37/908, 37/219, 37/220, 37/241, 405/179
• US Class Current: 37/142.5
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 1/005 Transportable screening plants
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 13/16 Feed or discharge arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 5/10 with arrangements for reinforcing trenches or ditches; with arrangements for making or assembling conduits or for laying conduits or cables laying pipes per se F16L1/00, making pipes in situ F16L1/038; laying electric cables per se H02G1/06; drainage device- laying apparatus E02B11/02
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 5/226 with means for processing the soil, e.g. screening belts, separators; Padding machines

Abstract

An improved pipeline padding apparatus includes a separator for separating fine material out of spoil which is piled along side an excavation, an elevator for transporting spoil to the separator, and a pair of spaced-apart guide projections for guiding spoil into the elevator. The spaced-apart guide projections form a substantially open bottom extending the width of the elevator between the guide projections. A conveyor is provided to transport the separated fine portion of the spoil back into the excavation, thereby padding the pipeline. The separator, the elevator, the guide projections, and the vehicle are all mounted on a support vehicle. According to one aspect of the invention, one or more rotary feeder assemblies is mounted to the guide projections for assisting in moving spoil through toward the elevator. The rotary feeder assemblies have a low profile so that spoil material and rocks do not become stuck as they move toward the elevator. In another aspect of the invention, the motor of the tracked support vehicle is mounted above and forward of the elevator, which helps reduce the mount of dust that the motor is exposed to during operation. According to another aspect of the invention, the guide projections may be configured to allow excess spoil to flow underneath in such a manner as to smooth out a path for the tracks of the support vehicle.

Claims

1. An apparatus for padding pipe laying in an excavated ditch where the spoil from the excavated ditch is piled along one side of the ditch, the apparatus comprising:

(a) vehicle adapted for movement relative to the ditch and the spoil;

(b) elevator assembly having side walls;

(c) spaced-apart guide projections extending forward from said elevator assembly whereby said projections define an open area in front of the elevator assembly, at least one of said spaced-apart guide projections having at least one rotary feeder assembly mounted thereon, said rotary feeder assembly having a rotor element with a base portion and a plurality of radially oriented raised structures for engaging and moving the spoil, whereby as said vehicle moves forward along the pile of spoil, said spaced-apart guide projections and said rotary feeder assembly assist in loading said elevator assembly while said elevator assembly transports the spoil to an elevated position;

(d) a separator for separating the spoil that is transported to the elevated position into fine material and rough material; and

(e) a conveyor located at a position lower than the elevated position for conveying the fine material over the ditch whereby the fine material may be used for padding pipe laying in the ditch.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said elevator assembly is pivotally mounted to said vehicle and pivotally adjustable to control the amount of spoil loaded on said elevator assembly and transported to the elevated position.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said elevator assembly is pivotally mounted about at least two pivot points whereby the elevating assembly may be vertically adjusted relative to the piled spoil with a minimum of angular displacement.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said elevator assembly includes a closed, endless path of a plurality of spaced conveyor members.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said conveyor members are flat and adapted to be drawn across an elevator floor in order to transport spoil in the elevating direction.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said spaced-apart guide projections at the forward end of said elevator assembly are unitarily formed with said side walls of said elevator assembly.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein each of said guide projections have a lower ground engaging surface that is formed to be substantially parallel to the surface upon which said vehicle rests, although the actual position of said ground engaging surface varies in accordance with the pivotal position of said elevator assembly.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein each of said spaced-apart guide projections extend outwardly from said elevator assembly and have inner guide surfaces that is angled inwardly toward said elevator assembly.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said elevator assembly additionally comprises a cutting blade positioned at the front lower end thereof and extending between said spaced-apart guide projections to help separate a portion of the piled spoil from an underlying surface.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said spaced-apart guide projections are rigidly connected by an overhead structural support.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said overhead structural support additionally supports a hydraulic power supply, the weight of the power supply providing a downward force to the guide projections for assisting in maintaining the cutting blade at a predetermined depth in the spoil.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said separator comprises a plurality of spaced elements defining openings between said elements and wherein said elements are selectively spaced to allow fine material to pass between said spaced elements while preventing rough material from passing therebetween.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 additionally comprising a redepositing means for guiding the rough material from the elevated position back into the spoil pile at a location out of the forward path of the tracks of said vehicle.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said rotary feeder assembly is mounted to an inner guide surface of one of said spaced-apart guide projections.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said rotary feeder assembly is mounted to a lower portion of one of said spaced-apart guide projections whereby a rotor element is oriented substantially in a horizontal plane.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said radially oriented raised structures of said rotor element are formed of paddles.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said radially oriented paddles are removable whereby they can be replaced when they become worn.

16. A method of padding pipe laying in an excavated ditch where the spoil from the excavated ditch is piled along one side of the ditch, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) continuously moving a vehicle along the side of the ditch having the spoil piled thereon;

(b) pivotally adjusting the position of an elevator assembly mounted to the vehicle, the elevator assembly having guide projections at the forward end thereof that extend forward of the vehicle so that as the vehicle moves forward along the pile, the guide projections assist in loading the elevator assembly and the elevator assembly transports spoil to an elevated position, the elevator assembly being pivotally adjusted to control the mount of spoil transported from the pile to the elevated position;

(c) mounting at least one rotary feeder assembly to said guide projections whereby said rotary feeder assembly assists in moving spoil material toward said elevator, said rotary feeder assembly having a rotor element with a base portion and a plurality of radially oriented raised structures for engaging and moving the spoil and mounting a motor to said guide projections for driving the rotor element;

(d) separating the elevated spoil into fine material and rough material;

(e) conveying the fine material into the excavated ditch; and

(f) redepositing the rough material beside the ditch and behind the elevator assembly out of the forward path of the vehicle.