A butt fusion machine for joining of polyethylene pipe comprises a carriage assembly and a carriage controller disposed in the fusion machine. Programmed instructions stored in a non-volatile memory of the carriage controller control the carriage assembly for selectively operating in at least manual, automatic, and semi-automatic modes of the butt fusion process. The butt fusion process, after a setup sequence includes (1) selecting a sequence of operating steps of an automatic mode, a semi-automatic mode, and a manual mode; and (2) executing the selected operating mode. The semi-automatic mode includes at least one step requiring intervention by an operator to confirm proceeding to a next step.

A butt fusion machine for joining of polyethylene pipe comprises a carriage assembly and a carriage controller disposed in the fusion machine. Programmed instructions stored in a non-volatile memory of the carriage controller control the carriage assembly for selectively operating in at least one of a manual, automatic, and semi-automatic mode of the butt fusion process.

A butt fusion process, after a setup sequence includes (1) selecting a sequence of operating steps of a manual mode, an automatic mode, and a semi-automatic mode; and (2) executing the selected operating mode. The semi-automatic mode includes at least one step requiring intervention by an operator to confirm proceeding to a next step.

A method of joining together liner sections within a polymer-lined pipe energises an induction coil inside the pipe to spot-heat part of a circumferential interface between the liner sections. This melts and fuses the polymer material locally. The induction coil is then moved along the interface to heat other parts of the interface successively above the melting temperature. An apparatus for performing the method has a power supply for energising the induction coil and a drive system for moving the energised induction coil relative to a body of the apparatus. The apparatus may be configured as a carriage that is movable along the pipe.

A moveable seam welding machine, system, and method of use is provided. The seam welding machine includes at least one sensor that generates at least one data point having geolocation coordinates incorporated or integrally formed therewith. The data point typically relates to the integrity or quality of the welded seam created by the machine. The sensor generates data points which may be evaluated in alarm logic for abnormalities or anomalies. The geolocation coordinates inherent or integral to the data point may be plotted or registered overtop satellite imagery. The coordinates of the anomalies or the registered image, or both, can be provided to the workman or operator so he/she may manually inspect the geolocation at where the abnormal or anomaly data point was generated by the sensor to spot check the welded seam by hand.

A moveable seam welding machine, system, and method of use is provided. The seam welding machine includes at least one sensor that generates at least one data point having geolocation coordinates incorporated or integrally formed therewith. The data point typically relates to the integrity or quality of the welded seam created by the machine. The sensor generates data points which may be evaluated in alarm logic for abnormalities or anomalies. The geolocation coordinates inherent or integral to the data point may be plotted or registered overtop satellite imagery. The coordinates of the anomalies or the registered image, or both, can be provided to the workman or operator so he/she may manually inspect the geolocation at where the abnormal or anomaly data point was generated by the sensor to spot check the welded seam by hand.

A turf joining system including a first piece and second piece of a synthetic turf and a bridge support. The first and second pieces have side edges which are closely adjacent each other. The bridge support heat welds to the overlying first and second pieces to form an elongated first heat weld and elongated second heat weld each proximate and spaced from the respective side edge to define a water channel therebetween. A method of sealing a plurality of synthetic turf pieces together is disclosed.

A butt fusion machine for joining of polyethylene pipe comprises a carriage assembly and a carriage controller disposed in the fusion machine. Programmed instructions stored in a non-volatile memory of the carriage controller control the carriage assembly for selectively operating in at least manual, automatic, and semi-automatic modes of the butt fusion process.

The butt fusion process, after a setup sequence includes (1) selecting a sequence of operating steps of an automatic mode, a semi-automatic mode, and a manual mode; and (2) executing the selected operating mode. The semi-automatic mode includes at least one step requiring intervention by an operator to confirm proceeding to a next step.

A fusion machine which can be top-loaded on very large polyolefin pipes and pipelines has jaws which consist of an upper half jaw and lower left and right complemental jaws which pivot on the half jaw. Left and right actuators connected between the complemental jaws and the half jaw operate in one direction to cause the complemental jaws to rotate to an opened condition in which the upper half jaw can be lowered onto and lifted from the pipes to be fused and in the other direction to cause the complemental jaws to rotate to a closed condition in which the pipes to be fused are gripped so substantially around their circumferences as to resist their deformation from round during manipulation by the machine. The top-loading machine minimizes the need for heavy equipment to load and unload pipe to and from the fusion machine.

A thermal welding marking system for attachment to a thermal welding machine including: a hammer arm rotatably connected to a mounting bracket attached to the thermal welding machine, wherein a distal end of the hammer arm is shaped to receive a marker or pen therein; a cable or spring connected to the distal end of the hammer arm; a cable connecting the hammer arm to a hand lever mounted adjacent to hand controls on the thermal welding machine, wherein movement of the hand lever raises or lowers the distal end of the hammer arm and thereby raises or lowers the marker or pen therein. In operation, the thermal welding machine is advanced across the edges of overlapping building roofing material and the marker or pen is intermittently lowered/raised to mark locations along a seam of the edges of overlapping building roofing material where the seam is either open or closed.

A method is shown for fusing sections of thermoplastic pipe together to construct continuous pipelines. A pipe loader arm is provided which can be attached to the mobile sub-frame of any number of commercially available fusion machines. The pipe loader arm scoops up and loads a new section of thermoplastic pipe to be fused into the fusion machine by feeding the pipe in an axial direction, rather than lifting the new section of pipe with a crane and vertically feeding it into the fusion machine. An exit-end support can be used to gradually lower the growing pipeline to the ground after the fusion step. The method described herein greatly reduces the time and increases the ease in which sections of pipe are fused to grow pipelines, while additionally making the process safer and protecting newly-made pipe joints from rough handling.