Excavating and pipe laying machines
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A pipe laying machine comprising:
- a vehicle carrying excavating means for excavating a trench,a pipe laying box behind said excavating means which in use is positioned in the excavated trench,means in said pipe laying box for pressing a length of pipe positioned in use at the bottom of said box into connection with an immediately previously laid pipe length, andmeans in said pipe laying box for holding a supply of lengths of pipe and releasing said lengths one by one into the bottom of sad box for laying,said pipe laying box having a bottom wall adapted to receive a length of pipe from the pipe holding and releasing means, and said pipe holding and releasing means comprising means defining for a lowermost pipe length in said supply of lengths of pipe a ready-to-release position which is spaced upwardly from the position of a pipe length when in the bottom of the pipe laying box and from which the pipe length is released in operation to drop directly into the bottom of the box for laying,the means defining the ready-to-release position including means for holding up the next pipe length in said supply from moving into said ready-to-release position while the pipe length in the ready-to-release position is being released.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A pipe laying machine comprises a vehicle carrying a trench excavator followed by a pipe laying box running in the trench. Pipe lengths are stored in the pipe laying box one above another and the lowermost pipe length is periodically released by movement of bars into the bottom of the pipe laying box and is pressed by a ram into the mouth of the last laid pipe length.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A pipe laying machine comprising:
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a vehicle carrying excavating means for excavating a trench, a pipe laying box behind said excavating means which in use is positioned in the excavated trench, means in said pipe laying box for pressing a length of pipe positioned in use at the bottom of said box into connection with an immediately previously laid pipe length, and means in said pipe laying box for holding a supply of lengths of pipe and releasing said lengths one by one into the bottom of sad box for laying, said pipe laying box having a bottom wall adapted to receive a length of pipe from the pipe holding and releasing means, and said pipe holding and releasing means comprising means defining for a lowermost pipe length in said supply of lengths of pipe a ready-to-release position which is spaced upwardly from the position of a pipe length when in the bottom of the pipe laying box and from which the pipe length is released in operation to drop directly into the bottom of the box for laying, the means defining the ready-to-release position including means for holding up the next pipe length in said supply from moving into said ready-to-release position while the pipe length in the ready-to-release position is being released. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A pipe laying machine comprising:
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a vehicle carrying excavating means for excavating a trench, a pipe laying box behind said excavating means which in use is positioned in the excavated trench, means in said pipe laying box for pressing a length of pipe positioned in use at the bottom of said box into connection with an immediately previously laid pipe length, and means in said pipe laying box for holding a supply of lengths of pipe and releasing said lengths one by one into the bottom of sad box for laying; wherein said pipe holding and releasing means comprises position defining means defining a ready-to-release position for a lowermost pipe length in said supply of lengths of pipe, said position defining means being moveable between a first position in which the lowermost pipe length is receivable into said ready-to-release position and a second position in which the pipe length in said ready-to-release position is released to be laid and the next pipe length in said supply is held up from moving into said ready-to-release position.
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6. A pipe laying machine comprising:
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a vehicle carrying excavating means for excavating a trench, a pipe laying box behind said excavating means which in use is positioned in the excavated trench, means in said pipe laying box for pressing a length of pipe positioned in use at the bottom of said box into connection with an immediately previously laid pipe length, and means in said pipe laying box for holding a supply of lengths of pipe and releasing said lengths one by one into the bottom of sad box for laying; wherein the pipe holding and releasing means comprises on at least one side of a path of passage for said pipe lengths a pair of pipe support members, a lower one of said pipe support members in said pair being movable between a first position in which it protrudes into said path of passage to catch a lowermost pipe length in a ready-to-release position and a second position in which it is retracted from said path of passage, and an upper one of said pair of pipe support members in said pair being moveable in synchrony with said first one between a first position in which it is retracted from said path of passage and a second position in which it protrudes into said path of passage above said ready-to-release position to catch a next pipe length in said supply. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. A pipe laying box for a pipe laying machine, said pipe laying box comprising:
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means in said pipe laying box for holding a supply of lengths of pipe and releasing said lengths one by one into the bottom of said box for laying, said pipe laying box having a bottom wall adapted to receive a length of pipe from the pipe holding and releasing means, and said pipe holding and releasing means comprising means defining for a lowermost pipe length in said supply of lengths of pipe a ready-to-release position which is spaced upwardly from the position of a pipe length when in the bottom of the pipe laying box and from which the pipe length is released in operation to drop directly into the bottom of the box for laying, the means defining the ready-to-release position including means for holding up the next pipe length in said supply from moving into said ready-to-release position while the pipe length in the ready-to-release position is being released. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A magazine for use with a pipe laying machine, said magazine being adapted to hold a supply of lengths of pipe and comprising:
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means for holding a supply of lengths of pipe and releasing said lengths one by one for laying, said magazine being adapted for lowering into a pipe laying box positioned in a trench behind excavating means for excavating the trench, said magazine having an open bottom through which lengths of pipe are released one by one so as to release pipes within the pipe laying box directly into the bottom of the box for laying, said pipe holding and releasing means comprising means defining for a lowermost pipe length in said supply of lengths of pipe a ready-to-release position from which the pipe length is released in operation to drop directly into the bottom of the box for laying, the means defining the ready-to-release position including means for holding up the next pipe length in said supply from moving into said ready-to-release position while the pipe length in the ready-to-release position is being released. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification