Pipe welder for simultaneously fusing a plurality of polyethylene pipes

• US 7,926,534 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2005
• Issued: 04/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fast Fusion LLC
• Original Assignee: Fast Fusion LLC
• Inventors: Temple, William James
• Primary Examiner(s): FISCHER, JUSTIN R
• Application Number:
  US11/252,501
• Publication Number:
  US 20060048897A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,009 Days
• Field of Search: 156/517, 156/120, 138/155
• US Class Current: 156/379.8
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2793/0081 before shaping
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/2092 and involving the use of a facer
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/7802 Positioning the parts to be joined, e.g. aligning, indexing or centring
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/7841 Holding or clamping means for handling purposes clamping means for the purpose of applying pressure on the parts to be joined, in the area to be joined B29C66/81; work holders in general B25B; devices for holding or positioning work for welding metal B23K37/04
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/02241 Cutting, e.g. by using waterjets, or sawing using heat B29C66/0246; cutting-off or cutting-out a part of a strip-like or sheet-like material, transferring that part and fixing it to an article B29C69/005
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1142 Single butt to butt joints
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/5221 for forming coaxial connections, i.e. the tubular articles to be joined forming a zero angle relative to each other
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/80 General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8432 Machines for making separate joints at the same time mounted in parallel or in series
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8652 being pushed by hand or being self-propelling
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/06 PE, i.e. polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2023/22 Tubes or pipes, i.e. rigid bent tubes not for use as pipe couplings B29L2023/004
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/12 Surface bonding means and/or assembly means with cutting, punching, piercing, severing or tearing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1317 Means feeding plural workpieces to be joined
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1322 Severing before bonding or assembling of parts

Abstract

Disclosed are a device and method for the simultaneous fusion of multiple plastic pipe sections. A plurality of pipe sections may be rigidly held, faced off, heated, and joined at the same time using a single piece of equipment. The inventive process allows increased throughput of the fusion process without significant additional costs.

Claims

1. A pipe fusion machine for fusing a first plurality of pipe sections to a second plurality of pipe sections, said machine comprising:

a self-propelled frame;

a plurality of clamping mechanisms, each mechanism comprising two sections, wherein each said section comprises one recess for receiving an insert, said clamping mechanism being supported by said self-propelled frame;

a plurality of semi-circular inserts, each insert having a plurality of semi-circular recesses, each insert recess being positioned to form a circular recess with the corresponding recess on another insert when one of said inserts is placed on top of the other insert, and each insert being sized and configured to be received in the recess of a clamping mechanism section;

a facing mechanism; and

a heating mechanism.

2. The pipe fusion machine of claim 1, wherein at least two of the semicircular recesses within each insert have different diameters.

3. The pipe fusion machine of claim 1, further comprising an engagement mechanism adapted to move the clamping mechanisms.

4. The pipe fusion machine of claim 1, wherein the facing mechanism comprises a plurality of cutting heads.

5. The pipe fusion machine of claim 1, wherein at least one circular recess formed when one section of a clamping mechanism and insert is placed on top of the other section and insert, has a diameter smaller than the normal diameter of the pipe section.

6. The pipe fusion machine of claim 1, wherein the insert is removable from the clamping mechanism section.

7. A pipe fusion machine for fusing a first plurality of pipe sections to a second plurality of pipe sections, said machine comprising:

a self-propelled frame;

a plurality of clamping mechanisms, each mechanism comprising two sections, wherein each said section comprises one recess for receiving an insert, with at least one section of each clamping mechanism is supported by said self-propelled frame;

a plurality of semi-circular, removable inserts, wherein at least two inserts have a plurality of semi-circular recesses, and at least two inserts have a single, semi-circular recess,

each insert recess being positioned to form a circular recess with the corresponding recess on a matching insert, when one of said inserts is placed on top of the other insert, and

each insert being sized and configured to be received in the recess of a clamping mechanism section;

a facing mechanism; and

a heating mechanism.