Title of Invention | AUTOMATIC THREADED PIPE CONNECTING SYSTEM. |
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Abstract | Automatic Threaded Pipe Connecting System, mainly for automatically connecting pipes of different diameter by threaded pipe connectors. This system constitutes of pipe storing garages 13), pipe handling & centralizing assembly (1,2,5,6,7,17) and pipe connecting assembly (18,19,21,22). A pipe storing garage keeps storing the pipes of different diameter near the pipe handling assembly system and provides the ready supply of pipes of different diameter and length. The pipe handling assembly transports the pipes from garage (13) to the pipe connecting assembly (18,19,21,22) and also makes the centre of pipe co-linear in vertical direction. Now as the pipe handling assembly centralizes pipes with each other and delivers this connected pipe structure vertically downward. This system consists of an embedded system which controls and synchronizes the motions of the different motors of the system. The embedded system comprises of a microcontroller unit, along with driver circuits. These driver circuits controls the rotation of motor as programmed. |
Full Text | AUTOMATIC THREADED PIPE CONNECTING SYSTEM This invention relates to the development in the automatic systems for threaded pipe connecting and handling, to build desired linear piping structure as per piping plan. The present invention relates to a system specifically used for making threaded pipe connections, with the help of threaded connectors or elements according to given or desired piping plan, mainly for oil and gas drilling, fire prevention systems and domestic water supply systems etc. The present invention Automatic threaded pipe connecting system describes a system which comprises of a pipe garage which actually acts input , Jaw block, rotating spinner plate and two rollers constitutes processing unit which connects the threaded pipes . The connected pipes structure are delivered vertically downwards . The embedded system constitutes feed back mechanism which controls the whole system. As per previous arts of assembling a lengthy string of pipes like that are used in oil drilling wells, a long series of pipe sections that are screwed and usually connected by means of power tonges. In conventional power tonges having jaws with serrated faces That are designed to bite into pipe surfaces and they were cam operated, there closing forces were roughly proportional to tonges torque. But these arrangements were unsuitable for the tubing whose surfaces are specially designed with special materials and which cannot sustain such a high pressure of biting that those are required by these conventional jaws to hold and rotate the pipe. New approaches taken were to provide jaws actuated by hydraulic pressure so that jaw pressure on pipe can be accurately controlled. Hydraulic biased jaws on power tonges as in prior arts as for example in us patent 379648, 3921473,4402293 etc. None of these provided independently controlling the jaw forces thus another improvement came and was explained in us patent 4712284 with an objective of not to bite on surface of the pipe and able to provide the sufficient torque to the pipe. Although this system has proven to be quite successful, it never the less, difficult to use with small tonge . It was not successful in case where multiple size of pipes have to be connected as it suffered from complex hydraulic procedure for tighting and also had large bulky reservoir and pump which mounted on the head may prevent the tonge from getting between the string. So the objective of the present invention is to simplify the process of holding and tighting the pipe with a pressure suitable not to bite but also rotate with certain torque. On the other hand various technique have developed for connecting threaded pipe in form of pipe string those are used in fire prevention systems and domestic water supply system. For many years making or breaking these threaded pipe connection was a laborious job. And it become more tedious were a lengthy pipe structure has to build up, the complexity arises further when pipes of different sizes (diameter and length) have to be connected according to given to piping structure or piping plan. There are number of quick assembly system present in market which reduces time to connect and also labour cost by providing mechanical engagement devices. Although these systems are very simple and quicker but most of them suffer from problem like miss alignment or they are equipped with heavy expensive, specialized tools something which work for specific sizes of pipe and required time to switch each time a different gauge of pipe is encountered. These mechanical engagements have to be fitted on pipes modifies the shape of pipe at connecting joint. They are also not automated most of the time that causes lack in precision in case of forming complex and lengthy piping structure. Thus the objective of present invention is to describe a complete reliable, automated and time saving system which do not suffer from the problems of aforesaid systems, programmable to handle efficiently lengthy piping structures without any mechanical linkages as per desired piping plan. The basic objective of this complete automatic system is to overcome the problems of the above said systems described as prior arts for connecting threaded pipes. Present invention comprises of a circular platform mounted on top by a rack guide and coupled on a motor at bottom. Rack guide, housed and supported by two fixed equidistant supports from centre of platform, at one end is connected to a block containing jaw. Jaw is capable of holding a pipe of any cross section without biting on their surfaces. Platform surrounded by number of pipe garages whose openings are at constant distance from the centre of the platform. These garages are nothing but store place pf pipes and pipe connector of different diameter, length and always provide a ready supply of pipes and connectors. Pipes in garages are stored vertically at kept a safe distance inside from the opening. Jaw moves in and out through the provided passages in the garage and grab the pipe. This in and out movement of jaw is achieved by guide and pinion arrangement. Jaw can move from one garage to another by controlled angular rotation of the platform. In present invention pipe assembling is done at fixed reference point, so that whenever jaw grabs the pipe from any garage, platform takes certain angular rotation to make the vertical central axis of pipe co-axial with the vertical axis passing through the fixed reference point. A pair of roller are fitted a relatively lower level capable to hold and slide any diameter of pipe as per piping plan. The central axis of the roller is pre-aligned with fixed reference axis. Rotating friction plate is provided at relatively higher level contains number of groves designed according to the cross section of the pipes used in the piping plan. These friction plate can be rotated by a motor and can move up and down co-axially with fixed reference axis by guide and pinion mechanism. The synchronous motion of roller and rotating friction plate is used for assembling pipes. This system is controlled by an embedded system which comprises of a microcontroller unit, along with driver circuits which controls the motion of different parts and brings in the desired synchronization. The precise rotation of motors is achieved by this embedded system. Brief description of the drawing: Fig 1 Elevation view of the complete system consisting of rotating platform, rack guide, jaw block, pipe garage, spinner friction plate and roller assembly embodying the invention. Fig 2 Top view of the rotating platform along with rack guide with its pinion arrangement, jaw block and pipe garage all around the periphery. Fig3 Top view of the roller assembly showing spring loaded specially designed material coated rollers. Fig 4 View of the surface of the spinner friction plate showing concentric grooves. Detailed description of the preferred embodiments: The present invention Automatic threaded pipe connecting system describes a system which comprises of a pipe garage which actually acts input , Jaw block, rotating spinner plate and two rollers constitutes processing unit which connects the threaded pipes . The connected pipes structure are delivered vertically downwards . The embedded system constitutes feed back mechanism which controls the whole system. With reference to detailed description of the described drawings, the overall system which is indicated in its entry figure 1, by reference character 1 which includes rotating platform 1 which is fitted on top by a rack guide 2 which is again supported by two housings 3 at either side of the centre of platform 1 along its horizontal axis. There is a rack guide pinion 11, connected with rack guide motor 10, provided to slide the rack guide 2 in housing 3. Rack guide 2 is fixed at its end with jaw block 4 which consists a fixed and movable jaw 7, 6. Movable jaw 6 moves towards and away direction w.r.t. fixed jaw 7 by a small jaw pinion 8 coupled with jaw motor 9. As shown is fig 2 rack guide motor rotates the guide pinion 11 so that rack guide 2 along with complete jaw block 4 slides in and out through the passages 14 provided on pipe garage 13. No ofpipes P are stored in this pipe garage 13 in vertical condition. These pipes P are constantly being pushed by a spring 16 fixed at the back portion of the garage 13 and these pipes P are always kept ready at a fixed point inside the passage 14 which is provided with no of stoppers 15 fitted on the side walls of garage 13. Jaw block 4 moves in passage 14 and reaches at the point where pipes P are stopped by stopper 15. Then the jaw motor 9 rotates the jaw pinion 8 so that the movable jaw 6 from its open position starts getting closed and grabs the pipe P from the point of supply. Then the jaw block 4 grabbing pipe P slides out by guide rack 2 , its pinion and motor 11, 10 so that it just clears of the opening of the garage wall 13. Now platform motor 5 starts rotating the platform 1 along with rack guide 2, jaw block 4 and pipe P through an angle which brings the central axis pipe P to get aligned to reference axis 17. As the pipe P gets aligned with reference axis 17 the movable jaw 6 open a little with help of controlled rotation of programmable jaw motor 9. At this point pipe P slides slowly vertically down because of its own weight and sits in the curvature of specially designed rollers 22 which are rotating by roller motors 21 separately as shown in figure 3. As the pipe P starts sliding in between the rollers it is gripped effectively with the help of roller curvature, adjusting material 24 and spring 23. Now jaw block 4 removes from pipe P and goes back to the another garage 13 and brings pipe connecting element, with the same process as described above back to the reference axis 17. Rollers 22 starts sliding the pipe P in upward direction so that the top end of pipe P make contact with the bottom end of connecting element. As shown in figure 1 the Spinner friction plate 18 starts coming down from guide and pinion mechanism (not actually shown in figure) and sits on top end of connecting element. As shown in figure 4 the appropriate groove size 20 fits on the top end of connecting element. At this movement the spinner motor 19 starts rotating and at the same time the jaw motor 9 losses the grip little bit and roller motor 21 starts sliding the pipe P vertically upward. Pipe connecting element gripped perfectly inside the groove 20 starts rotating about the axis 17 and with these relative movement of element and pipe P connects the threads provided on the element and the pipe and that is how a threaded joint is achieved. Now this element and pipe will be considered as the single pipe section. Jaw block 4 will again be rotated by platform 5 back to garage 13 storing a different diameter section of pipes p'(not shown in figure) and bring back the pipe to the reference axis 17 by above described process as in case of pipe P. Again mis pipe P' will be held on its top end by Spinner friction plate 18 and will be rotated as in the case of connecting element, now the former pipe section P will be moved up by rollers 22 and again relative motion between the rotating pipe section P' and pipe P will result in achieving of threaded connection. Now this whole assembly will be slided down and in the same manner other section of pipe will be connected. We claim, 1. Automatic Threaded Pipe Connecting System comprising - a circular horizontal platform coupled at the centre with motor at the bottom and mounted by a rack guide placed along the horizontal central axis; at least two bearings housing and supporting the said rack guide fixed at either side of the said centre of the said platform along the said horizontal axis; a jaw piece fixed at the back with said rack guide at its one end; a number of pipe storing garages storing different diameter of pipes and respective required connectors, where in used said pipe garages are placed such that the opening of each remains equidistant from the said centre of the said horizontal platform all around its periphery; two rollers coupled with separate motors placed at relatively lower than the plane level of said horizontal circular platform, both the said rollers being tensioned by springs; and a spinner friction plate rotates in horizontal plane at relatively higher level than the said the circular platform level, a spinner motor connected on top at centre rotates the said spinner friction plate in horizontal plane, guide rod connected at the said spinner motor on top runs vertically up down with the help of pinion and motor arrangement. 2. Automatic Threaded Pipe Connecting System as claimed in claim 1 comprising each said pipe garages with a passage sufficient to accommodate said jaw for its free in and out movement and support. 3. Automatic Threaded Pipe Connecting System as claimed in claim 1 & 2 comprising a fixed supply point in each said garage, a spring, fixed at the last end of said pipe garage, keep pushing the pipes. No of stoppers fixed on said pipe garage passage as in claim 2.near the said supply point. 4. Automatic Threaded Pipe Connecting System as claimed in claim 1 comprising jaw where in the fixed and movable jaw covered with soft gripping and adjustable material and the said movable jaw coupled with a jaw motor by guide pinion mechanism and moves in perpendicular axis to the said rack guide. 5. Automatic Threaded Pipe Connecting System as claimed in claim 1 comprising rollers which are coupled with motor where in said rollers are given specially designed curvatures around the periphery and lined with soft adjustable and gripping material. 6. Automatic Threaded Pipe Connecting System as claimed in claim 1 comprising a spinner friction plate where in the said plate have number of different diameter and concentric groves on its bottom surface and these said groves are of appropriate width to accommodate any diameter of pipe or pipe connecting element and also these said groves are lined with good frictional material. 7. An automatic threaded pipe connecting system, as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings . Automatic Threaded Pipe Connecting System, mainly for automatically connecting pipes of different diameter by threaded pipe connectors. This system constitutes of pipe storing garages 13), pipe handling & centralizing assembly (1,2,5,6,7,17) and pipe connecting assembly (18,19,21,22). A pipe storing garage keeps storing the pipes of different diameter near the pipe handling assembly system and provides the ready supply of pipes of different diameter and length. The pipe handling assembly transports the pipes from garage (13) to the pipe connecting assembly (18,19,21,22) and also makes the centre of pipe co-linear in vertical direction. Now as the pipe handling assembly centralizes pipes with each other and delivers this connected pipe structure vertically downward. This system consists of an embedded system which controls and synchronizes the motions of the different motors of the system. The embedded system comprises of a microcontroller unit, along with driver circuits. These driver circuits controls the rotation of motor as programmed. |
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00710-kol-2007-description complete.pdf
710-kol-2007-cancelled pages.pdf
710-KOL-2007-CORRESPONDENCE 1.1.pdf
710-KOL-2007-CORRESPONDENCE.pdf
710-KOL-2007-DESCRIPTION (COMPLETE) 1.1.pdf
abstract-00710-kol-2007 fig 1.jpg
abstract-00710-kol-2007 fig 2.jpg
Patent Number | 245269 | |||||||||
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Indian Patent Application Number | 710/KOL/2007 | |||||||||
PG Journal Number | 02/2011 | |||||||||
Publication Date | 14-Jan-2011 | |||||||||
Grant Date | 11-Jan-2011 | |||||||||
Date of Filing | 07-May-2007 | |||||||||
Name of Patentee | PUSKAR KUMAR VERMA | |||||||||
Applicant Address | 137-HARDER SAHAY GHAGABAD-201001 (U.P) | |||||||||
Inventors:
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PCT International Classification Number | E21B17/042; F16L57/00 | |||||||||
PCT International Application Number | N/A | |||||||||
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PCT Conventions:
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