System and method for pipeline padding

• US 8,555,530 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2010
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Billy W. Cronk, Thomas J. Cronk Jr
• Original Assignee: Thomas J. Cronk Jr
• Inventors: Cronk, Billy W., Cronk, Thomas J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): MCGOWAN, JAMIE LOUISE
• Application Number:
  US12/781,197
• Publication Number:
  US 20110277356A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,247 Days
• Field of Search: 371/425, 37/93, 37/95, 373/05, 373/06, 373/37, 373/92, 171/14, 171/15, 171/92, 171/98, 171/101, 171/112, 171/123, 171/128, 171/138, 209/270, 209/12.1, 210/394
• US Class Current: 37/142.5
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 5/12 with equipment for back-filling trenches or ditches
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 5/226 with means for processing the soil, e.g. screening belts, separators; Padding machines

Abstract

An apparatus for padding a pipeline lying in a ditch separates fine particles from coarse particles in the material excavated from the ditch and windrowed along the side of the ditch. The apparatus includes a frame having an open ended hollow separating drum having a plurality of scoop members adapted to lift and drop excavated material through a screen located beneath the scoop members. The scoop members are spaced above the screen a distance such that the efficiency of the separating drum is increased.

Claims

1. A pipe padding apparatus comprising a box-like frame adapted to be moved through at least a portion of a row of material along a side of a ditch in which a pipeline has been laid, the box-like frame comprising:

(a) side walls with openings therein;

(b) an open front adapted to receive at least a portion of the material as the box-like frame moves along the side of the ditch;

(c) an open ended, hollow drum rotatably mounted between the side walls comprising;

a plurality of scoop members adapted to lift at least a portion of the material received through the open front as the frame is moved through the row of material and the drum is rotated;

a screen having an outer surface upon which the lifted material passes from the scoop members as the drum is rotated, the screen for screening course particles from fines within the lifted material wherein the scoop members are positioned radially outwardly from the screen outer surface a predetermined distance sufficient to allow at least a portion of the lifted material to pass between the scoop members and the screen outer surface whereby that portion of the lifted material moves relative to the screen outer surface as the drum is further rotated;

(d) a mechanism adapted to support the drum between the side walls of the box-like frame and to rotate the drum about an axis transverse to the row of material; and

(e) a conveyor mechanism mounted within the drum and extending in a direction generally parallel to the axis of rotation of the drum, the conveyor mechanism extending through an open end of the drum, thereby receiving the fines as the fines pass through the screen and conveying the fines into the ditch about the pipeline.

2. A pipe padding apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the predetermined distance between the scoop members and the screen outer surface is in a range of 2 to 8 inches.

3. A pipe padding apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the screen has openings therein, the openings being in a range of ¼

to 2 inches square.

4. An apparatus to be connected to a vehicle such as a tractor, for separating padding material from material excavated from a ditch and depositing the padding material, as the vehicle moves through the excavated material, about a pipeline that has been laid in the ditch, the apparatus comprising:

a frame to be attached to the vehicle and adapted to be moved through at least a portion of the excavated material;

a separating drum rotatably mounted to the frame, the drum comprising;

first outside ring member and second outside ring member;

a circular screen having an outer surface and being attached between the first outside ring member and the second outside ring member;

a plurality of scoop members attached between the first and second outside rings and spaced radially outwardly a predetermined distance from the outer surface of the circular screen, the scoops adapted to elevate at least a portion of the excavated material as the drum is rotated and moved longitudinally through the excavated material, the predetermined distance being sufficient to allow a portion of the elevated material to pass between the circular screen outer surface and the scoop member whereby that portion of the elevated material moves relative to the screen outer surface as the drum rotates thereby increasing the length of the screening arc; and

a conveyor mechanism mounted to the frame extending within the drum and in a direction generally parallel to the axis of rotation of the drum, the conveyor mechanism extending through an end of the drum, whereby the conveyor receives the fines as the fines pass through the screen and conveys the fines into the ditch about the pipeline.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein the predetermined distance is in a range of 2 to 8 inches.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein the screen has openings therein, the openings being in a range of ¼

to 2 inches square.

7. A method for separating padding material from material excavated from the earth and positioning the padding material around a portion of a pipeline, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a pipe padding apparatus adapted to be moved through the material excavated from the earth and deposited along a side of a ditch in which a pipeline has been laid, the apparatus comprising an open ended, rotatable drum comprising;

a plurality of scoop members adapted to lift a portion of the material excavated from the earth as the drum is rotated while the padding apparatus is moved through the material; and

a screen having an outer surface, the screen for screening coarse particles from fines within the material excavated from the earth, the lifted excavated material passing onto the outer surface of the screen from the scoop members as the screen and scoop members are further rotated, wherein the scoop members are positioned radially outwardly from the outer surface of the screen a predetermined distance so as to enable a portion of the lifted material to pass between the scoop member and the outer surface of the screen;

(b) scooping a portion of the material excavated from the earth into the scoop members as the padding apparatus moves through the excavated material while rotating the drum;

(c) continuing to rotate the drum so that each scoop member, in turn, is elevated sufficiently to cause the scooped material to pass onto the outer surface of the screen with a portion of the scooped material passing between the scoop member and the outer surface of the screen;

(d) screening the scooped material through the screen to separate the course particles from the fines;

(e) receiving the fines as the fines pass through the screen; and

(f) conveying the fines from the drum and depositing the fines about a portion of the pipeline.

8. A method as defined in claim 7, wherein the predetermined distance of step (a) is a distance in a range of 2 to 8 inches.

9. A method as defined in claim 7, wherein step (a) further comprises the step of providing openings in the screen, the openings being in a range of ¼

to 2 inches square.

10. A pipe padding apparatus adapted to be moved through a row of excavated material containing coarse particles and fines located along a side of a ditch, the apparatus comprising:

a rotatable, open-ended hollow drum comprising;

a plurality of scoop members adapted to lift at least a portion of the material as the drum is rotated and moved through the row of material; and

a screen having an outer surface, the screen for separating coarse particles from fines within the lifted material as the drum is rotated, the scoop members being positioned radially outwardly from the screen at a distance sufficient to allow at least a portion of the lifted material to pass between the scoop member and the screen outer surface, thus resulting in an expanded screening arc.

11. A pipe padding apparatus adapted to be moved through a windrow of excavated material containing coarse particles and fines located along a side of a ditch, the apparatus comprising:

a rotatable, open-ended hollow drum comprising;

first and second outside ring members;

a plurality of scoop members connected to first and second ring members, said scoop members adapted to lift at least a portion of the material as the drum is rotated and moved through the row of material; and

a plurality of spaced, parallel rods connected to first and second ring members, each rod having an outer surface, the rods for separating course particles from fines within the lifted material as the drum is rotated, the lifted material passing onto the outer surfaces of the parallel rods as the drum continues to rotate, the scoop members being positioned radially outwardly from the outer surface of the rods at a distance sufficient to allow at least a portion of the lifted material to pass between the scoop member and the outer surface of the parallel rods as the drum continues to rotate.