Patent Publication Number: US-6708545-B1

Title: Roll grooving apparatus

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to the art of roll grooving apparatus and, more particularly, to improvements in such apparatus relating to the portability thereof and the versatility thereof in use. 
     The present invention finds particular utility in connection with portable roll grooving apparatus of the character removably supported on a separate power drive unit which includes spaced apart and parallel support elements for the roll groover and a drive motor having a drive coupling for driving interconnection with a drive shaft of the roll grooving apparatus. While the invention will be illustrated and described herein in connection with such a portable roll groover, it will be understood and appreciated from the disclosure herein that the invention is applicable to other roll grooving apparatus including apparatus integrally mounted on a support and/or drive mechanism. 
     Generally, roll grooving apparatus includes relatively displaceable first and second support components which respectively rotatably support a driven grooving roll and an idler grooving roll between which a pipe to be grooved is interposed during a grooving operation. The grooving rolls are matingly contoured and, in this respect, the driven roll is provided with a peripheral groove and the idler roll is provided with a peripheral projection such that a pipe therebetween is provided with a peripheral groove upon relative rotation of the grooving rolls and relative radial displacement of the grooving rolls toward one another. In hydraulically operated roll grooving apparatus heretofore available, displacement of the support components toward and away from one another is achieved by a manually operated hydraulic pump having its major dimension extending laterally outwardly from one side of the apparatus and having a pump handle which also extends laterally outwardly of the apparatus and beyond the outer end of the pump. Moreover, the pump handle is not intended to be removable from the pump. Further, such roll grooving apparatus heretofore available often includes a pipe stabilizer arrangement extending laterally outwardly of the apparatus from the side thereof opposite the side on which the pump is mounted. The stabilizer generally includes a support member slidably supporting a carriage which is displaceable laterally inwardly and outwardly of the apparatus by a crank at the outer end of the support and which includes a rotatable wheel for engaging and stabilizing a pipe being roll grooved. 
     In roll grooving apparatus of the foregoing character, either one of the pump or stabilizer alone adds considerable lateral width to the basic roll grooving apparatus making it difficult and sometimes impossible to maneuver the apparatus through a doorway or the like without removing one or both of the pump and stabilizer from the apparatus. It will be appreciated that if the apparatus includes both a pump and stabilizer, the foregoing problem is magnified. Even if the pump and stabilizer are on the same side of the apparatus, removal of either one of the two alone does not assure the desired maneuverability. In addition to being difficult to get through narrow doorways, the apparatus is difficult to physically handle in connection with transporting the apparatus from one location to another. Moreover, it will be appreciated that it is time consuming, if not difficult, to have to remove one or both of the pump and stabilizer in connection with transporting the apparatus and then remounting the pump and/or stabilizer upon reaching a work location. A further problem encountered with roll grooving apparatus heretofore available results from the fact that different sizes of stabilizers are necessary to accommodate a wide range of pipe sizes to be roll grooved. In this respect, the adjustment capability of a given stabilizer is limited, whereby one size of stabilizer is capable of working with one range of pipe sizes such as, for example, two inch to sixteen inch pipe, and a larger stabilizer is necessary for the apparatus to accommodate the roll grooving of pipes from, for example, sixteen to twenty-four inches. Having to provide two different sizes of stabilizers not only increases the cost of the apparatus but requires inventorying extra parts and storing the same. Moreover, time and effort is required on the part of the user when it becomes necessary to remove one stabilizer and replace it with the other. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Improvements are provided in accordance with the present invention by which the foregoing and other disadvantages of roll grooving apparatus heretofore available are minimized or overcome. More particularly in this respect, the manually operated hydraulic pump of roll grooving apparatus in accordance with the invention is mounted for the major dimension of the pump to provide an axis lying in a vertical plane and, preferably, with the axis extending vertically. The pump in a preferred embodiment comprises a housing and a hydraulic fluid reservoir, and the pump handle, during use, extends laterally outwardly from the housing and reservoir and is displaceable relative thereto for pumping fluid from the reservoir to the support member on which the idler grooving roll is mounted for displacement of the latter grooving roll toward the driven grooving roll. Further in accordance with the invention, the pump handle has a non-use position or location in which it does not extend laterally outwardly of the apparatus, and such non-use location or position can be provided by removing the handle from the pump and/or by interconnecting the handle with the pump in a manner which provides for the handle to pivot and/or swivel relative to the pump to a position in which the handle does not extend laterally outwardly of the apparatus to the extent that it does during use. In any event, it will be appreciated that the disposition of the pump axis in accordance with the invention narrows the lateral width of the apparatus relative to such apparatus heretofore available, and that the disposition of the handle in the non-use position or location thereof further promotes minimizing the lateral width of the apparatus. Of further advantage is the fact that the removability of the handle enables the use of different length handles in accordance with parameters of a given roll grooving operation such as, for example, the pipe material, pipe size, wall thickness and the like. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a pipe stabilizer is mounted on the same side of the apparatus as is the pump, thus promoting a reduction of the overall width of the apparatus in comparison with such apparatus heretofore available. Preferably, the stabilizer is selectively mountable in either one of two laterally spaced apart locations on the apparatus. This effectively increases the total stroke of the stabilizer relative to pipes being roll grooved, whereby a larger range of pipe sizes can be roll grooved on the same apparatus simply by shifting the mounting position of the stabilizer. Of further advantage is the fact that a smaller stabilizer heretofore used for roll grooving pipes from two inches to sixteen inches, for example, can be used to increase the roll grooving range to pipes up to twenty-four inches, for example. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that the mounting of the stabilizer on the same side of the apparatus as the pump and enabling the use of a smaller size stabilizer both narrows the overall width of the apparatus in comparison with roll groovers heretofore available while providing for the apparatus to accommodate a larger range of pipe sizes. It will be appreciated, therefore, that roll grooving apparatus in accordance with the present invention provides advantageous improvements in connection with both the portability and versatility of roll grooving apparatus. 
     It is accordingly an outstanding object of the present invention to provide improvements in connection with hydraulically actuated roll grooving apparatus. 
     Another object is the provision of roll grooving apparatus of the foregoing character in which the major dimension of the pump of the hydraulic system is oriented relative to the apparatus in a manner to narrow the lateral width thereof relative to roll grooving apparatus heretofore available. 
     A further object is the provision of roll grooving apparatus of the foregoing character wherein the axis of the hydraulic pump with respect to the major dimension thereof is vertical. 
     Yet another object is the provision of roll grooving apparatus of the foregoing character which includes a pipe stabilizer associated with the apparatus in a manner to promote narrowing of the width thereof in comparison with such apparatus heretofore available. 
     Still a further object is the provision of roll grooving apparatus of the foregoing character in which the stabilizer is adapted to be selectively associated with the apparatus in a manner which provides for the apparatus to accommodate a larger range of pipe sizes with the same size stabilizer than heretofore possible. 
     Yet another object is the provision of roll grooving apparatus of the foregoing character in which the pump handle is adapted to be associated with the pump in a manner which allows displacement of the handle to a non-use position or location so as to promote lateral compactness of the apparatus. 
     Still another object of the invention is the provision of improvements in roll grooving apparatus of the foregoing character which promote portability of the apparatus and versatility in connection with the use thereof. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The foregoing objects, and others, will in part be obvious and in part pointed out more fully hereinafter in conjunction with the written description of a preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevation view showing roll grooving apparatus according to the invention associated with a drive unit for driving the apparatus; 
     FIG. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus and drive unit shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional elevation view of the pump assembly, taken along line  3 — 3  in FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the roll grooving apparatus; 
     FIG. 5 is a front elevation view of the roll grooving apparatus; and, 
     FIG. 6 is a plan view taken along line  6 — 6  in FIG.  5  and showing the stabilizer mounting locations. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now in greater detail to the drawings, wherein the showings are for the purpose of illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention only, and not for the purpose of limiting the invention, FIGS. 1-6 of the drawing illustrate roll grooving apparatus  50  in accordance with the present invention and by which problems regarding the portability and handling of roll grooving apparatus heretofore available are minimized and/or overcome. While roll grooving apparatus  50  could be mounted on a support stand together with a power drive unit, it is preferred for reasons set forth more fully hereinafter to mount the roll grooving apparatus on the support rods R of a drive unit  52  independently mounted on a stand  54 . For this purpose, the roll grooving apparatus is provided with a supporting base  56  having sleeves  58  slidably receiving support rods R of the drive unit and having a pair of legs  60  for engaging underlying surface S beneath the roll grooving apparatus. The latter arrangement together with features of the roll grooving apparatus to be described in detail hereinafter enable the latter to be used for roll grooving a larger range of pipe sizes with just one machine than heretofore possible. 
     Roll grooving apparatus  50  includes a first support member or housing  62  which is bolted or otherwise secured to base  56  and which supports a driven first or back-up grooving roll  64  for rotation about a corresponding grooving roll axis  66 . Further, as is well known, support member  62  has a drive shaft including an input end  67  coupled with a chuck on drive unit  52 , whereby grooving roll  64  is driven about axis  66  in response to operation of the drive unit. Roll grooving apparatus  50  further includes a second support member  68  on which a second or idler grooving roll  70  is mounted for rotation about a corresponding grooving roll axis  72 , and support member  68  is mounted on support member  62  for sliding displacement relative thereto so as to move grooving roll  70  toward and away from grooving roll  64 . Displacement of support member  68  and thus grooving roll  70  toward grooving roll  64  is achieved through a manually operable hydraulic pump assembly  74  which delivers hydraulic fluid under pressure to a fluid actuator  76  on support member  62  and which actuator has a piston rod, not shown, attached to support member  68  for displacing the latter and thus roll  70  toward roll  64 . A spring, not shown, biases support member  68  relative to support member  62  in the direction to move grooving roll  70  away from grooving roll  64 . 
     In accordance with one aspect of the invention, and as best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, hydraulic pump assembly  74  comprises a hydraulic fluid reservoir  78  and housing  79  having a pump axis  80  with respect to the major dimension of the pump as defined by the reservoir and housing. Axis  80  lies in a vertical plane parallel to a plane through grooving roll axes  66  and  72  and in which plane axis  80  is preferably vertical. The reservoir and housing assembly is mounted on support member  62 , such as by bolts, not designated numerically. Hydraulic fluid under pressure is adapted to be delivered between pump reservoir  78  and actuator  76  through a pressure gauge and hose coupling  81  on housing  79  and a line or hose  82  between coupling  81  and actuator  76 . The delivery of hydraulic fluid under pressure to actuator  76  is achieved in a well-known manner by manually pivoting a pump operating lever mechanism  84  to displace a ram  86  in opposite directions relative to a piston chamber in housing  79 , not designated numerically. More particularly in this respect, the lever operating mechanism includes an L-shaped lever member  88  having an inner leg  90  pivotally interconnected with housing  79  by a pivot pin  92  and pivotally interconnected with the outer end of ram  86  by a pivot pin  93 . Pivotal displacement of the lever about pin  92  operates in a well-known manner to displace ram  86  through suction and discharge strokes for hydraulic fluid in reservoir  78  to be delivered to actuator  76 . Lever  88  further includes an operating handle  94  which is interconnected with leg  90  by an internally threaded ell  96  therebetween. The threaded connection between leg  90 , handle  94  and ell  96  advantageously provides for the handle to be removed from ell  96  during transportation of the apparatus and/or to be pivoted with ell  96  horizontally about the axis of leg  90  to a position generally parallel to the lever pivot axis. Such removal or pivoting of the handle provides for locating the handle in a non-use position. In FIG. 5, handle  94  is shown in the use position thereof in which it extends laterally outwardly from one side of the roll grooving apparatus. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that either removal of the handle or pivoting thereof to a position parallel to pivot axis  92  narrows the overall width of the apparatus and thus accommodates portability thereof. Moreover, removability of the handle advantageously enables the selective use of handles of different lengths. 
     In operation of the pump mechanism, the latter includes a release lever  98  having a closed position in which displacement of lever  88  upwardly and downwardly about the lever axis provides for the delivery of hydraulic fluid under pressure through line  82  to actuator  76  to displace support member  68  and thus grooving roll  70  downwardly toward grooving roll  64 . As is well known, such downward displacement of grooving roll  70  with a pipe interposed between the grooving rolls results in producing a groove in the pipe in response to operation of the drive unit to rotate grooving roll  64  and thus the pipe being roll grooved. When a roll grooving operation is completed, the drive unit is turned off and release lever  98  is displaced to its open position which provides for fluid under pressure in actuator  76  to be delivered back to reservoir  78  through line  82 , such displacement of the fluid resulting from displacement of support member  68  and thus grooving roll  70  away from grooving roll  64  by the biasing spring between support members and  62 . 
     In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a stabilizer  100  is mounted on the same side of the apparatus as pump assembly  74 . Stabilizer  100  extends laterally outwardly of the one side and includes a support member  102  having an inner end  104  attached to base  56  of the roll grooving apparatus, such as by bolts  106 . The stabilizer further includes a carriage  108  supported on member  102  for displacement laterally inwardly and outwardly of the apparatus by a screw component  110  which is adapted to be rotated in opposite directions by a crank  112  interconnected with the outer end thereof. The inner end of carriage  108  is provided with a stabilizer wheel  114  which is rotatably mounted thereon and which, as is well known, is adapted to engage the outer surface of a pipe being roll grooved so as to stabilize the pipe. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the same stabilizer  100  is adapted to be mounted on base  56  of the apparatus at either one of two laterally spaced apart locations thereon. In this respect, for example, as shown in FIG. 6 of the drawing, base  56  is provided with a pair of mounting holes  116  laterally outwardly of the mounting holes receiving bolts  106 . This arrangement advantageously allows the same, small size stabilizer which is used for roll grooving pipe from two inches to sixteen inches, for example, to be used in roll grooving pipe ranging from sixteen inches to twenty-four inches in diameter on the same machine simply by relocating the stabilizer at the laterally outer mounting location to accommodate the larger sized pipes. Moreover, by locating the stabilizer on the same side of the as the pump, the overall width of the apparatus is advantageously reduced to promote ease with respect to the portability thereof. While stabilizer  100  is mounted on supporting base  56  in the preferred embodiment, it will be appreciated that the stabilizer could be mounted on support member  62  of the apparatus such as through the use of an appropriate mounting bracket. In the disclosed embodiment, as will be appreciated from FIGS. 5 and 6 of the drawing, the laterally outer and inner portions of base  56  respectively having openings  116  and the openings for bolts  106 , are horizontal, vertically offset and interconnected by an inclined ramp portion  117  therebetween. As an alternative to this configuration, the portion of base  56  supporting the stabilizer could be a planar surface between the inner and outer ends thereof with a pair of laterally extending slots having inner and outer ends of the locations of the openings for bolts  106  and openings  116 . Then, it would only be necessary to loosen bolts  106  and slide the stabilizer between the inner and out positions thereof. In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, supporting base  56  of the roll grooving apparatus is provided with handles  118  on the laterally opposite sides thereof which facilitate the mounting and removal of the apparatus from the support rails R of the power drive unit and the transporting of the apparatus from one location to another. Further in this respect, supporting base  56  is provided with tubular sockets  120  for receiving the upper end of the corresponding one of the legs  60 , and the legs are removably retained in sockets  120  by pins  122  which extend through aligned openings therefor in sockets  120  and the upper ends of the legs. Pins  122  are provided with knobs or handles  124  on one end thereof to facilitate introducing the pins through the openings in the sockets and legs, and the opposite ends of the pins project outwardly from the corresponding socket and receive a clevis pin  126  to preclude unintentional removal of the pins  122 . Each of the legs  60  includes an upper leg portion  60   a  and a lower leg portion  60   b.  The lower end of each upper leg portion  60   a  terminates in an internally threaded sleeve  128 , and the upper end of each lower leg portion  60   b  is externally threaded for threaded interengagement with the corresponding one of the sleeves  128 . The threaded interengagement advantageously provides for each of the legs  60  to be adjusted in length to enable leveling of the apparatus in conjunction with the mounting thereof on the drive unit prior to use. The removability of the legs provides two advantages in connection with transporting the apparatus, namely minimizing the lateral width of the apparatus and eliminating the potential interference thereof with persons carrying the apparatus. 
     While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the structures and structural interrelationships between the component parts of the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be appreciated that other embodiments can be made and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiment without departing from the principals of the invention. In this respect in particular, cylinder axis  80  could be oriented other than vertically in the vertical plane in which it lies, and the pump handle could be collapsible as opposed to or in addition to being removable from the pump during non-use of the apparatus. Further a spring clip or the like could be provided on the supporting base  56  and/or support member  62  of the apparatus to provide for storage of the pump handle when removed. Still further, pivotal displacement of the handle relative to leg  90  of the lever as well as removability of the handle from the latter can be achieved through a connection other than the internally threaded ell illustrated and described herein. These and other modifications of the preferred embodiment as well as other embodiments of the invention will be suggested or obvious from the disclosure herein, whereby it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the invention and not as a limitation.