GB2256252A

GB2256252A - Manhandling pipes

Info

Publication number: GB2256252A
Application number: GB9111777A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gordon Harrison; George Albert Lees; Nigel Wayne Stenner
Original assignee: UPONOR BV; EI Du Pont de Nemours and Co
Current assignee: UPONOR BV; EIDP Inc
Priority date: 1991-05-31
Filing date: 1991-05-31
Publication date: 1992-12-02
Also published as: GB9126624D0; GB2256691A; HK99494A; GB2256691B; GB9111777D0

Abstract

A pipe (1) has secured thereto or integrally moulded therewith at least one member (2, 4), at least a portion of the member extending outwards from the outer surface of the pipe, said member being shaped so that it can be gripped or held by the hand so as to be able to lift or move the pipe. The pipe may be of iron, copper, steel, polyethylene, polypropylene, PVC, polystyrene or acrylic. The pipe may comprise a sleeve, fitting or connector for use in fusion welding. <IMAGE>

Description

PIPING SYSTEMS This invention concerns pipes, and in particular thermoplastic pipes.

This invention is particularly concerned with thermoplastic heat-fusion pipe fittings which are used for electrowelding and/or butt fused welding of thermoplastic pipes. Thermoplastic heat-fusion pipe fittings have long been used to join thermoplastic pipe members. There are many designs for such fittings, which tend to fall into three basic types. First, those having an electrical heating element which is embedded within the body of the fitting and located in close proximity to the surface of the fitting that is to be joined to the pipe member by heat fusion. Second, a metal core embedded in the body of the fitting in which eddy currents can be induced by the action of an induction coil thereby producing a heating effect in the core. Third, those which are meant to be heated by the application of an external heat source.

Each design of heat-fusion pipe fitting requires a special amount of heat to be delivered to it to effect fusion of the fitting to a pipe member. Most of these pipe fittings are installed in a trench and this often necessitates using labour having a greater degree of skill than is normally required for installing thermoplastic pipe lines and pipe line replacement sections.

Clearly, the longer the pipe and/or the larger its diameter, the greater the problems in manhandling such pipes. Recently even short pipes, e.g. connecting pieces or sleeves, have become larger in diameter, e.g. up to and including 400 mm, and the handling problems are therefore greater than when the maximum diameter of such pipes was about 180 mm.

We have now devised a means of overcoming such problems and which also leads to some unexpected further advantages.

According to this invention, a pipe provided with means to facilitate manhandling is one having secured thereto or integrally moulded therewith at least one member, at least a portion of the member extending outwards from the outer surface of the pipe, said member being shaped so that it can be gripped or held by the hand so as to be able to lift or move the pipe, and said member not being associated with electrical connections, not being adapted to be connected to another member and not being adapted to pass a fluid into or out of said pipe.

Also according to this invention is the manhandling, e.g. the lifting or moving, of a pipe wherein the pipe has secured thereto or integrally moulded therewith at least one member, at least a portion of the member extending outwards from the outer surface of the pipe, said member being shaped so that it can be gripped or held by the hand so as to be able to lift or move the pipe.

Although the pipe can be made of metal, for example iron, copper or steel, it is preferably made of a plastics material, for example a polyolefin, for instance polyethylene or polypropylene. Other suitable plastics materials are vinyl resins, e.g. polyvinylchloride; polystyrene; or acrylic resins. Preferably the plastics material is a thermoplastic material.

This invention is primarily applicable to relatively short pipes, e.g. sleeves or fittings for sliding over or butting against other pipes, or connecting pieces. However, the invention is applicable to any length of pipe and the longer the pipe, the greater the number of members (hereinafter referred to as handles) which is desirable.

The handle can take various forms, but it must be shaped so that it can be gripped or held by the hand so as to be able to lift or move the pipe. Thus, one form of handle primarily designed for lifting the pipe from one place to another place is a T-shaped member integrally moulded with or attached to the pipe so that the top of the T is spaced from the pipe and runs substantially parallel to the pipe. Clearly, the "vertical" portion of the T will have to be long enough for the fingers of the hand to be able to be inserted between the "horizontal" portion of the T and the pipe. Other suitable forms of handle would be a loop into which the fingers can be inserted, or a ball, disc or other suitable means to gain purchase.

Other forms of handle and which are primarily intended to facilitate the manoeuvring of the pipe as opposed to facilitating the lifting of the pipe are simple rods extending outwards from the surface of the pipe, i.e.

extending radially outwards if the pipe is of circular cross-section. These rods which may be slightly tapered may if desired have indentations for the fingers, but they are not necessary. In most, if not all cases, it will be essential to have two directly opposed rods and if the pipe is circular, they can be diametrically opposed.

Preferably the pipe has a circular cross-section and has one T-shaped handle and two diametrically opposed tapered handles.

The handle can be firmly secured to the pipe, e.g. by welding or fusion, or may be integrally moulded with the pipe. The integral moulding is especially suitable when the pipe is made of plastics material and is relatively short.

In all cases, the member, i.e. the handle, must not be associated with electrical connections, must not be adapted to be connected to another member and must not be adapted to pass a fluid into or out of the pipe. Thus, for example the member cannot have an electrical cable inserted therein and cannot be a sleeve or chimney surrounding an electrical connection. Also for example, it cannot be adapted to be connected to other pipes or electric cables, e.g. a flange, and it cannot be a branch pipe whereby fluid would be able to leave or enter the pipe of the invention.

As previously mentioned, the pipe of the invention is particularly designed for use as a thermoplastic heat-fusion pipe fitting system. In this system the pipe fitting has a body portion adapted to accommodate plastic pipes at both ends. The pipe fitting has an electrical heating element which is embedded therein and which is connected to terminals outside the body portion to which terminals electric power is supplied. When power is supplied the pipe fitting softens in the locality of the heating element and fuses the fitting to the two pipes located in the ends of the body portion.

In addition to the handle or handles easing the carrying or transporting of the pipe around a site, there are other advantages. It has been found that operators can handle the pipe fitting without gripping the inside (fused area) of the fitting, thereby eliminating a potential source of contamination. Particularly for polyethylene pipes, the surface of which is glossy and slippery, it has been found that the presence of one or more handles improves the ability of the operator to locate the fitting in the correct position by rotating, swivelling and/or sliding the coupling (fitting) into place. Additionally it has been found that when the pipes are installed underground, the protrusions provide additional anchorage against pipe displacement due to expansions and contractions of the system.

An embodiment of the invention is now described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a pipe fitting of this invention; and Fig. 2 shows in perspective the handling of the pipe fitting.

Referring to the Figures, pipe fitting 1 is provided with two diametrically located, tapered handles 2 and 3.

Also provided is a T-shaped handle 4.

From Fig. 2 the manoeuvring of the fitting over two pipes 5 and 6 is shown.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A pipe having secured thereto or integrally moulded therewith at least one member, at least a portion thereof extending outwards from the outer surface of the pipe, said member being shaped so that it can be gripped or held by the hand so as to be able to lift or move the pipe, and said member not being associated with electrical connections, not being adapted to be connected to another member and not being adapted to pass a fluid into or out of said pipe.

2. A pipe according to claim 1 which is made of thermoplastic material, preferably polyethylene.

3. A pipe according to either of claims 1 and 2 wherein the pipe is a sleeve, fitting or connecting piece.

4. A pipe according to any one of the preceding claims which has a circular cross-section and has one T-shaped handle and two diametrically opposed tapered handles.

5. A pipe according to claim 1 substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.

6. The manhandling of a pipe wherein the pipe has secured thereto or integrally moulded therewith at least one member, at least a portion of the member extending outwards from the outer surface of the pipe, said member being shaped so that it can be gripped or held by the hand so as to be able to lift or move the pipe.

7. The lifting or moving of a pipe according to claim 6 wherein the pipe is as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 5.