Apparatus for manufacturing drainage line units and associated methods

• US 6,173,483 B1
• Filed: 07/30/1999
• Issued: 01/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: EZFlow LP (Infiltrator Water Technologies, LLC)
• Original Assignee: E Z Flow LP
• Inventors: Weaver, Thomas K., Houck, Michael H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bryant, David P.
• Application Number:
  US09/364,314
• Time in Patent Office: 536 Days
• Field of Search: 294/070.1, 294/070.9, 294/17, 294/29, 297/14, 297/28, 297/79, 298/19, 298/20, 406/10, 198/493, 535/76, 534/69, 534/71, 534/75, 535/23, 534/73, 534/36, 534/09, 534/35, 535/27, 534/59, 405/43, 405/45, 405/46, 405/47, 405/48, 405/49, 405/50
• US Class Current: 29/407.09
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 11/005 Drainage conduits
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 55/1656 materials for flexible liners hoses in general F16L11/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49778 with aligning, guiding, or instruction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49798 Dividing sequentially from leading end, e.g., by cutting or breaking
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49828 Progressively advancing of work assembly station or assembled portion of work
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53061 Responsive to work or work-related machine element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53348 Running-length work
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5353 Assembled on core

Abstract

An apparatus and method for manufacturing a drainage line unit. The apparatus includes a mandrel having an inner cavity. Rear, upper and front openings communicate with the mandrel cavity. Preferably, a controller connected to at least one sensor is operably positioned to control the apparatus. A pipe feeder feeds perforated vent pipe through the inner cavity of the mandrel from the rear opening to the front opening and therethrough. The pipe is positioned within the inner tube cavity so as to define a void space between the pipe and the wall of the mandrel. A hopper assembly has an exit port positioned for feeding a plurality of plastic bodies into the cavity. A blower produces a sufficient air flow through the mandrel cavity for moving the plurality of plastic bodies to substantially fill the void space so that the pipe emerges from the front opening of the mandrel surrounded by the plurality of plastic bodies. A sleeve feeder feeds a continuous sleeve of netting over the plurality of plastic bodies and the vent pipe emerging through the front opening of the mandrel to form a drainage line. A separator is positioned downstream from the front opening for fastening the continuous sleeve of netting to the vent pipe as the pipe emerges through the front opening of the mandrel, so as to substantially encase the plurality of plastic bodies around the vent pipe. Following the fastening operation, the separator cuts the drainage line, thereby forming a completed drainage line unit.

Claims

1. An apparatus for manufacturing a drainage line unit, the apparatus comprising:

a) a mandrel having a wall defining an inner cavity, and including rear, upper and front openings communicating with said cavity;

b) a pipe feeder positioned for feeding a predetermined length of perforated vent pipe through the inner cavity in a direction of manufacture from said rear opening to said front opening and therethrough, the pipe being positioned within the inner cavity so as to define a void space between the pipe and the wall;

c) a hopper assembly connected to the mandrel, having an exit port positioned in communication with the inner cavity for therethrough feeding a plurality of plastic bodies into said cavity; and

d) a blower positioned in communication with the inner cavity for producing a sufficient air flow therethrough for moving the plurality of plastic bodies to substantially fill said void space so that the pipe emerges from the front opening of the mandrel surrounded by the plurality of plastic bodies.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising interchangeable mandrels and mandrel sections for allowing the manufacture of drainage line units of various dimensions.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pipe feeder further includes at least one drive roller positioned to adjustably contact the perforated vent pipe to thereby feed said pipe through the rear opening of the mandrel into the inner cavity and therethrough to emerge through the front opening of the mandrel.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mandrel further comprises a vent pipe guide tube positioned within the inner cavity of the mandrel connecting said rear opening to said front opening, for feeding said perforated vent pipe through the vent pipe guide tube so as to thereby allow predetermined positioning of the perforated vent pipe relative to the drainage line unit.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hopper assembly further comprises a container for holding a supply of the plurality of plastic bodies, and a connector having air intake openings for allowing air to mix with the plurality of plastic bodies, the connector positioned in fluid communication between the container and the inner cavity of the mandrel, to thereby allow passage of the plurality of plastic bodies from the container toward the inner cavity of the mandrel.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a controller connected to at least one sensor positioned relative to a direction of manufacture so as to provide sensing information to the controller, the controller being operably connected to control the operation of the apparatus responsively to said sensing information.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the mandrel further includes a gate responsive to said controller and positioned to close said inner cavity relative to the direction of manufacture so as to substantially stop movement of the plurality of plastic bodies therethrough.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the gate is actuated by a fluid compression mechanism responsive to the controller.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the pipe feeder is in communication with and responsive to the controller, to thereby adjust the pipe feeding for a predetermined manufacturing rate.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the hopper assembly further includes a gate responsive to said controller, the gate positioned to close relative to the exit port so as to substantially stop the feeding of the plurality of plastic bodies, to thereby provide a temporary interruption in movement of the plurality of plastic bodies.

11. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the blower is connected in responsive communication with the controller, for the controller to thereby control blower speed for adjusting the air flow to a predetermined manufacturing rate.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a sleeve feeder connected to the mandrel for feeding a continuous sleeve of netting over the plurality of plastic bodies and the vent pipe emerging through the front opening of the mandrel, said continuous sleeve of netting for substantially encasing the plurality of plastic bodies around the vent pipe, to thereby form a drainage line.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a controller connected to at least one sensor positioned relative to the direction of manufacture downstream from the sleeve feeder for sensing when a predetermined length of drainage line has been formed so as to thereby provide sensing information to the controller, the controller being operably connected to control the operation of the apparatus responsive to said sensing information.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a movable sleeve feeder frame for slidably positioning the sleeve feeder along the mandrel, and a sleeve feeder body connected to said frame and having an opening therethrough, the mandrel extending through said opening, the sleeve feeder further including a plurality of sleeve rollers adjustably positioned on said body relative to the opening so that each sleeve roller of the plurality makes contact with the mandrel and exerts a predetermined pressure thereon.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further including a motor driven gear connected to said movable frame for controllably positioning the sleeve feeder at a predetermined position relative to the mandrel.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, further including a length of a continuous sleeve of netting positioned to therein receive the mandrel by said sleeve being positioned between the plurality of rollers and the mandrel and being rolled onto the mandrel by the plurality of rollers, so as to provide a supply of continuous sleeve rolled onto the mandrel for subsequent use in manufacturing the drainage line unit.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein each roller of said plurality is reversibly driven by an electric motor and is adjustably positioned by at least one fluid compression actuator responsive to a controller, for controllably feeding the continuous sleeve.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, further including a separator positioned relative to the direction of manufacture downstream from the sleeve feeder for fastening the continuous-sleeve of netting to the vent pipe as said pipe emerges through the front opening of the mandrel, so as to substantially encase the plurality of plastic bodies around the vent pipe, and for cutting the drainage line after fastening, thereby forming a completed drainage line unit.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the separator further comprises a gatherer for gathering the continuous sleeve of netting into a bundle at a predetermined point along the drainage line, a sleeve fastener for fastening the sleeve closed after gathering, and a cutter for cutting the drainage line unit after sleeve fastening.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the gatherer comprises a jaw actuated by fluid compression for gathering the sleeve of netting into a bundle to thereby facilitate fastening.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the sleeve fastener comprises a clamp applicator for applying at least one clamp to the continuous sleeve, to thereby substantially close the sleeve.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the cutter comprises a heated knife for cutting the drainage line unit.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the separator is actuated by a fluid compression device operably connected to a controller.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the separator simultaneously fastens and cuts a rear end of a first drainage line unit and a front end of a second drainage line unit as said drainage line units move in a direction of manufacture.

25. A method for manufacturing a drainage line unit, the method including the steps of:

a) providing a mandrel having a wall defining an inner cavity, and including rear, upper and front openings communicating with said cavity;

b) feeding a perforated vent pipe from a pipe feeder positioned for feeding the pipe through the inner cavity of the mandrel in a direction of manufacture from said rear opening to said front opening and therethrough, to thereby position the pipe so as to define a void space within said inner cavity between the pipe and the wall of the mandrel;

c) feeding a plurality of plastic bodies into the inner cavity of the mandrel from a hopper assembly connected to the mandrel, said hopper containing the plurality of plastic bodies and having an exit port positioned in communication with said cavity for therethrough feeding the plurality of plastic bodies; and

d) operating a blower positioned in communication with the inner cavity of the mandrel thereby producing a sufficient air flow through said cavity for moving the plurality of plastic bodies to substantially fill said void space so that the pipe emerges from the front opening of the mandrel surrounded by the plurality of plastic bodies.

26. The method of claim 25, further including the step of providing interchangeable mandrels and mandrel sections for the apparatus, thereby allowing the manufacture of drainage line units of various dimensions.

27. The method of claim 25, further including the step of providing the pipe feeder with at least one drive roller positioned to adjustably contact the perforated vent pipe to thereby feed said pipe through the rear opening of the mandrel into the inner cavity and therethrough to emerge through the front opening of the mandrel.

28. The method of claim 25, further including the steps of connecting a controller to at least one sensor positioned relative to the direction of manufacture downstream from the sleeve feeder for sensing when a predetermined length of drainage line has been formed so as to thereby provide sensing information to the controller, and controlling the operation of the apparatus responsively to said sensing information by operably connecting the controller therefor.

29. The method of claim 25, further comprising the steps of positioning a vent pipe guide tube within the inner cavity of the mandrel connecting said rear opening to said front opening, and feeding said perforated vent pipe through the vent pipe guide tube so as to thereby allow predetermined positioning of the perforated vent pipe relative to the drainage line unit.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein said hopper assembly is connected in fluid communication with a container for holding a supply of the plurality of plastic bodies, and includes a connector having air intake openings for allowing air to mix with the plurality of plastic bodies, the connector positioned in fluid communication relative to the container and the inner cavity of the mandrel, thereby allowing passage for the plurality of plastic bodies from the container toward the inner cavity of the mandrel.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of forming a drainage line unit further comprises gathering the continuous sleeve of netting into a bundle at a predetermined point along the drainage line, subsequently fastening the sleeve closed, and cutting the drainage line unit after sleeve fastening.

32. The method of claim 31, further including the step of applying at least one clamp to the continuous sleeve, to thereby substantially close the sleeve.

33. The method of claim 31, further including the step of cutting the drainage line unit with a heated blade.

34. The method of claim 31, further including the step of actuating the separator by a fluid compression device operably connected to a controller.

35. The method of claim 31, further including the step of sequentially fastening and cutting a rear end of a first drainage line unit and a front end of a second drainage line unit as said drainage line units move in a direction of manufacture.

36. The method of claim 25, further including the step of connecting a controller to at least one sensor positioned relative to a direction of manufacture for the sensor to provide sensing information to the controller, and operably connecting the controller for controlling the apparatus responsively to said sensing information.

37. The method of claim 36, further including the step of operating a gate responsively to said controller and positioned to close said cavity relative to the direction of manufacture so as to substantially stop movement of the plurality of plastic bodies therein.

38. The method of claim 37, further including the step of actuating the gate by a fluid compression mechanism responsive to the controller.

39. The method of claim 36, further including the step of connecting the pipe feeder to communicate with and be responsive to the controller, for the controller to thereby adjust the pipe feeding for a predetermined manufacturing rate.

40. The method of claim 36, further including the step of positioning a gate responsive to said controller to close relative to the exit port of said hopper assembly so as to substantially stop the feeding of the plurality of plastic bodies, to thereby provide a temporary interruption in movement of the plurality of plastic bodies.

41. The method of claim 36, further including the step of connecting the blower in responsive communication with the controller, for the controller to thereby control blower speed for adjusting the air flow to a predetermined manufacturing rate.

42. The method of claim 25, further including the step of feeding a continuous sleeve of netting from a sleeve feeder connected to the mandrel so as to encase within the sleeve the plurality of plastic bodies and the vent pipe emerging through the front opening of the mandrel, thereby forming a drainage line.

43. The method of claim 42, further including the step of forming a drainage line unit by activating a separator responsively in communication with a controller, the separator positioned relative to the direction of manufacture downstream from the sleeve feeder for fastening the continuous sleeve of netting to the vent pipe as said pipe emerges through the front opening of the mandrel so as to substantially encase the plurality of plastic bodies around the vent pipe, and to cut the drainage line after fastening.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein the step of feeding the continuous sleeve of netting further includes positioning the sleeve feeder on a movable frame for slidably positioning the sleeve feeder along the mandrel, providing the sleeve feeder with body connected to said frame and having an opening therethrough, the mandrel extending through said opening, and adjustably positioning a plurality of sleeve rollers on said body relative to the opening so that each sleeve roller of the plurality makes contact with the mandrel and exerts a predetermined pressure thereon.

45. The method of claim 44, further including the step of connecting the movable frame to a motor driven gear, thereby controllably positioning the sleeve feeder at a predetermined position relative to the mandrel.

46. The method of claim 44, further including the step of positioning a length of a continuous sleeve of netting to therein receive the mandrel by positioning said sleeve between the plurality of rollers and the mandrel and having the plurality of rollers roll the sleeve onto the mandrel so as to provide a supply of continuous sleeve rolled onto the mandrel for subsequent use in manufacturing the drainage line unit.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the step of positioning a length of continuous sleeve of netting over the mandrel further includes connecting each roller of said plurality so as to be reversibly driven by an electric motor and adjustably positioned by at least one fluid compression actuator responsive to a controller, for controllably feeding the continuous sleeve.

48. A machine for manufacturing a drainage line unit, comprising:

a) a controller connected to the machine and having at least a plurality of sensors positioned relative to a direction of manufacture so as to provide sensing information to the controller, the controller being operably connected to control the operation of the machine responsively to said sensing information;

b) a mandrel having a wall defining a mandrel cavity, said mandrel including rear, upper and front openings communicating with said cavity, said mandrel further including a gate actuated by fluid compression and responsive to said controller, the gate for substantially closing passage through the cavity;

c) a pipe feeder responsively connected to the controller and having a plurality of drive rollers adjustably positioned for feeding a predetermined length of perforated vent pipe through the cavity in a direction of manufacture from said rear opening to said front opening and therethrough, the pipe being positioned within the inner cavity so as to define a void space between the pipe and the wall;

d) a vent pipe guide tube positioned within the inner cavity of the mandrel connecting said rear opening to said front opening, for feeding said perforated vent pipe through the vent pipe guide tube so as to thereby allow predetermined positioning of the perforated vent pipe relative to the drainage line unit;

e) a hopper assembly connected to the mandrel, having an exit port positioned in communication with the inner cavity for therethrough feeding a plurality of plastic bodies into said cavity;

f) a blower responsively connected to the controller and positioned in communication with the inner cavity for producing a sufficient air flow therethrough for moving the plurality of plastic bodies to substantially fill said void space so that the pipe emerges from the front opening of the mandrel surrounded by the plurality of plastic bodies;

g) a sleeve feeder responsively connected to the controller and having a movable frame for slidably positioning the sleeve feeder at a predetermined position along the mandrel, and a sleeve feeder body connected to said frame and having an opening therethrough, the mandrel extending through said opening such that the sleeve feeder is thereby slidably mounted on the mandrel, the sleeve feeder further including a plurality of reversibly driven sleeve rollers adjustably positioned on said body relative to the opening so that each sleeve roller of the plurality makes contact with the mandrel and exerts a predetermined pressure thereon, for feeding a continuous sleeve of netting over the plurality of plastic bodies and the vent pipe emerging through the front opening of the mandrel, said continuous sleeve of netting for substantially encasing the plurality of plastic bodies around the vent pipe, to thereby form a drainage line;

h) a separator responsively connected to the controller, positioned relative to the direction of manufacture downstream from the sleeve feeder, having a jaw actuated by fluid compression for gathering the sleeve of netting, a clamp applicator for applying at least one clamp to the gathered sleeve, and a hot knife for cutting the clamped sleeve, thereby forming a drainage line unit.