Tdw Delaware, Inc.

Paul Michael Hatch

Bill Dean Andrew

Richard L Goswick

William Joseph Tefet

William Joseph Tefft

An assembly is provided for butt fusing lengths of plastic pipe in axial relationship. The assembly includes a cart having a chassis and wheels, the chassis having a longitudinal axis defined by the direction of movement of the cart in a straight line. A butt fusion machine having a frame, a first clamp and a second clamp thereon, is removably positioned on the cart. Each clamp is adapted to releasably secure the end portion of a length of thermoplastic pipe so that thereby the frame has a plane of orientation along which lengths of pipe extend when secured by the clamps. An actuator is manually used to move the moveable clamp towards and away from the fixed clamp, the fusion machine being selectably mountable upon the cart chassis so that in one operating position the machine butt fuses lengths of pipe held in axial relationship, the axii of the pipe being substantially coincident with the axis of the cart and, in another position, the butt fusion machine is positioned so that the axii of the lengths of pipe being joined are perpendicular to the cart axis permitting the butt fusion machine to be mounted on the cart in the mode that most readily accommodates the working conditions wherein thermoplastic pipe is being butt welded.

Plastic pipe butt fusion machine and cart assembly

A machine for use in butt fusing in axial alignment plastic pipe having a selected maximum diameter is adaptable by the use of specially designed inserts secured in the lower portions of fixed and moveable clamps, the inserts serving to elevationally raise segments of pipes to be joined when the machine is used to manufacture a segmented pipe turn. In addition to the employment of inserts providing increased height of support for pipe segments, the pivotal upper portions for the fixed and moveable clamps are replaced by specially designed upper clamp portions that have contacting surfaces configured to accept inclined and elevationally upwardly supported pipe segments. By the use of such specially designed inserts and replacement upper clamp portions a butt fusion machine can be employed to manufacture segmented pipe turns of the maximum pipe diameter for which the machine is designed.

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Tulsa, OK, United States of America

Paul Michael Hatch