Device for inserting a pipe into an elongated cavity

Abstract

A device for inserting a pipe into an elongated cavity, comprising at least two pipe grippers which can be moved along a curved path and which are arranged and designed in such a way that they grip around the pipe at least in sections and, in the gripped state, they move curved at least for a portion.

Claims

1. Device for inserting a pipe into an elongated cavity, comprising at least two pipe grippers which can be moved along a curved path, each of said at least two pipe grippers arranged and designed to grip the pipe about a circumferential area of the pipe and, wherein, in the gripped state, the at least two pipe grippers grip the pipe along different lateral segments of the pipe, to move it curved at least in sections of the pipe.

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein each said pipe gripper has at least one clamping jaw movable relative to a counter element or a further clamping jaw, and wherein by means of the movement of each said pipe gripper along the curved path it is transferred from an open position, in which the pipe is released, to a closed position, in which the pipe is gripped.

3. Device according to claim 2, wherein the relative movement of the clamping jaw to the counter element or the further clamping jaw between the closed position and the open position is directed essentially transversely to the movement of the pipe gripper on the curved path.

4. Device according to claim 2, wherein the clamping jaw has an indentation which corresponds to the outer circumference of the pipe.

5. Device according claim 2, wherein each said pipe gripper is preloaded in the closed position by means of one or more of a) spring preloading, b) mechanical intervention, c) compressed air, d) hydraulics, and e) magnetic interaction.

6. Device according to claim 2, wherein the open position and the closed position of each of the at least two pipe grippers are selected as a function of the position of the respective pipe gripper on the curved path.

7. Device according to claim 2, further comprising a contact surface against which the at least two pipe grippers run with a roller, and wherein a corresponding one of the at least two pipe grippers is brought from a preloaded closed position to an open position by means of an interaction of the roller with a configuration of the contact surface.

8. Device according claim 7, wherein each pipe gripper is preloaded in the closed position by means of spring preloading.

9. Device according to claim 1, wherein the curved path is closed and at least in sections is elliptical, circular or polygonal.

10. Device according to claim 1, further comprising a drive configured to move the at least two pipe grippers along the curved path.

11. Device according claim 10, wherein the drive comprises a hydraulic drive.

12. Device according to claim 1, further comprising an input guide positioned in front of the at least two pipe grippers in relation to the direction of movement.

13. Device according to claim 12, wherein the input guide is curved.

14. Device according to claim 1, further comprising a cutting element movably arranged between two adjacent pipe grippers to cut the pipe in at least two sections, and a controller configured to at least one of: a) prevent movement of the pipe grippers when the cutting element is moved, orb) prevent movement of the cutting element when the pipe grippers are moved.

15. Device according to claim 14, wherein the controller is operative to monitor that the pipe grippers do not rotate simultaneously with the movement of the cutting element.

16. Device according to claim 1, further comprising an output guide behind the pipe grippers in relation to the direction of movement.

17. Device according to claim 16, wherein the output guide is curved.

18. Device according to claim 1, wherein said at least two pipe grippers are movable along or relative to a wheel-shaped structure which specifies a course of the curved path.

19. Device according to claim 1, wherein each of the at least two pipe grippers are fastened at separate positions on a rotatable wheel-shaped structure which specifies a course of the curved path, and wherein said at least two pipe grippers are automatically placed in a closed position over a first angular range of the curved path, and in an open position over a second angular range of the curved path.

20. Device according to claim 1, wherein the curved path has a ring closure.

21. Device according to claim 1, wherein the curved path is configured to repeatedly guide the at least two pipe grippers along the curved path in one direction.

22. A method comprising inserting a pipe into an elongated cavity using at least two pipe grippers movable along a curved path, and positioning each of the at least two pipe grippers one behind another with respect to movement of the at least two pipe grippers along the curved path, such that each said pipe gripper, when in the gripped state, grips the pipe about a corresponding area of the pipe to move it curved at least in sections of the pipe.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention is explained in more detail below by way of example using one of the exemplary embodiments shown in the figures.

(2) The figures show:

(3) FIG. 1 a side view of a device for inserting a pipe into an elongated cavity;

(4) FIG. 2 a side view of a device for inserting a pipe into an elongated cavity, as it is arranged in an excavation pit, with a pipe;

(5) FIG. 3 a device arranged in a construction pit for inserting a pipe into an elongated cavity in an isometric view with a pipe and other construction pits;

(6) FIG. 4 a plan view of the device of FIG. 2;

(7) FIG. 5 a device for inserting a pipe into an elongated cavity in an isometric view;

(8) FIG. 6 a pipe gripper in an enlarged view;

(9) FIG. 7 an enlarged view of a contact of a pipe gripper with a curved path; and

(10) FIG. 8 a device for inserting a pipe into an elongated cavity in an isometric and enlarged view together with a cutting element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(11) FIG. 1 shows a side view of a device 1 for inserting a pipe 2, which is not shown in FIG. 1. The device 1 can be used to insert the pipe 2 into an elongated cavity 3 (see FIGS. 2 to 4). The device 1 has 21 pipe grippers 4. The 21 pipe grippers 4 are attached to a curved path 5, which has a circular circumference or is designed in the form of a wheel. The pipe grippers 4 are moved about the axis A, which is the center of the circular circumference or the wheel in space, with the curved path 5. The pipe grippers 4 essentially delineate a circle as they move along the curved path 5. The pipe grippers 4 rotate with the curved path 5 as an inserting wheel 16 counterclockwise.

(12) The pipe grippers 4 are arranged and configured with respect to the curved path 5 in such a way that they grip around the pipe 2 at least in sections over an angular range along the curved path and move them along a path in the gripped state.

(13) FIG. 2 shows a side view of the device 1 for inserting a pipe 2 with a pipe 2 as it is gripped by the device 1 by means of the pipe gripper 4 and inserted into the elongated cavity 3. The insertion takes place in the selected representation in a counterclockwise direction.

(14) Looking at FIG. 2, the pipe 2 first enters the area of the device 1 from the top right.

(15) The pipe 2 is gripped by the pipe grippers 4 from around 11 o'clock and the pipe grippers 4 in the angular range up to around 6 o'clock grip the pipe 2, so that approximately 10 pipe grippers 4 constantly grip and move the pipe 2 when inserted into the cavity 3.

(16) For the pipe 2 to enter the pipe gripper 4, the pipe gripper 4 is in the open position at the top at approximately 12 o'clock to 11 o'clock, so that the pipe 2 can enter the open pipe gripper 4 from above.

(17) From the 6 o'clock position, the pipe grippers 4 are also in the open position, so that the pipe grippers 4 can move upwards again along the curved path 5 from the pipe 2. All pipe grippers 4 can thus be in the open position in the angular range from approximately 6 o'clock to approximately 11 o'clock.

(18) FIG. 4 shows how the construction pit, in which the insertion device 1 is arranged, essentially originated. The keyhole technique was used in that three essentially circular, overlapping holes were drilled vertically into the ground. Each individual circular hole has an approximate diameter of 0.6 m. The result is an excavation pit that is essentially approximately 1.6 m long.

(19) FIG. 5 shows in simplified form the insertion device 1 with the curved path 5, which rotates together with the tubular grippers 4 in space as an insertion wheel. The different position of the pipe grippers 4 between the open and closed positions can be seen from the end section of the pipe grippers 4 which faces the curved path 5.

(20) It can be seen from FIG. 6 that the pipe gripper 4 is spring-loaded in its closed position. In the embodiment shown here, the pipe gripper 4 has two clamping jaws 6, 7 which are guided symmetrically and are acted upon by a spring F such that the clamping jaws 6, 7 are moved towards one another. In this position, a pipe 2 located between the clamping jaws 6, 7 can be clamped or moved when the pipe gripper 4 moves. The clamping jaws 6, 7 each have an indentation 8, 9 which corresponds to the circumference and the cross-sectional shape of the pipe 2. In addition, measures are provided to increase the friction between the pipe 2 and the clamping jaw 6, 7 and are applied to the regions of the clamping jaw 6, 7 that contact the pipe 2.

(21) If the pipe grippers 4 are loaded in the end area facing the curved path (foot-side area) so that the clamping jaws 6, 7 can move away from each other against the spring force of the spring F, the pipe gripper 4 is moved from its closed position shown in FIG. 6 to an open position. In the open position, the two clamping jaws 6, 7, which are located in the area on the head side (facing away from the curved path 5), are moved away from one another.

(22) The open position is achieved in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 5 in that the two clamping jaws 6, 7 each have a roller 10, 11 with which they move along a switching surface 12 or contact surface which is arranged fixed in space and relative to which the pipe grippers 4 move. If the clamping jaws 6, 7 are pressed together at their end facing the curved path 5, this movement acts against the spring preloading and the clamping jaws 6, 7 are moved into an open position so that the pipe 2 can enter the pipe gripper 4 or the pipe gripper 4 releases the pipe 2.

(23) In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 to 8, the elements are coupled purely mechanically in such a way that the pipe gripper 4 is in a closed or an open position depending on its angular position along the curved path 5. The switching surface 12 is designed accordingly.

(24) FIG. 1 also shows that the insertion device 1 has an input guide 13 and an output guide 14. The input guide 13 and the output guide 14 support the pipe 2. The input guide 13 is designed as a sleeve. The output guide 14 is designed in the form of a support for the pipe 2.

(25) For the exemplary embodiment shown, FIG. 8 shows that a cutting element 15 is present in the lower region of the device 1 (approximately at 6 o'clock). The cutting element 15 can be moved in the circumferential direction of the pipe 2 along and/or radially to the curved path 5 and can be brought up to the pipe 2 in such a way that the cutting element 15 cuts the pipe 2 in the circumferential direction or radially to the curved path 5 or transversely to the longitudinal axis of the pipe 2. For this purpose, the cutting element 15 carries out a circular movement along the circumference transverse to the direction of insertion or a purely translational movement. For this purpose, the cutting element 15 is designed as a pointed, triangular-shaped blade which pierces into the pipe 2 and can cut or sever it in one movement.

(26) A hydraulic drive 17 is provided as a drive for the pipe grippers 4 in order to move with the curved path 5, to which the curved path 5 is connected. The curved path 5 or the inserting wheel 16 is rotated about the axis A transversely to the inserting direction and guides the pipe grippers 4 along this curved path.

(27) A controller 18 is also schematically shown in FIG. 1, which controls the drive 17 for the curved path 5 or the insertion wheel 16. The controller 18 is also designed to control a movement of the cutting element 15, the controller 18 monitoring that the pipe grippers 4 do not rotate simultaneously with the movement of the cutting element 15.