AU2004201903B2

AU2004201903B2 - Conduit Piercing Apparatus

Info

Publication number: AU2004201903B2
Application number: AU2004201903A
Authority: AU
Inventors: George Charles Camilleri
Original assignee: CAMILLERI UNDERSLAB Pty Ltd
Current assignee: CAMILLERI UNDERSLAB Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2004-05-06
Filing date: 2004-05-06
Publication date: 2010-01-07
Anticipated expiration: 2024-05-06
Also published as: AU2004201903A1

Description

1 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT Name of Applicant: George Charles Camilleri Actual Inventor: George Charles Camilleri Address for Service: CULLEN & CO. Patent & Trade Mark Attorneys 239 George Street Brisbane, Qld. 4000 Australia. Invention Title: Conduit Piercing Apparatus The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 2 CONDUIT PIERCING APPARATUS TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to an apparatus for piercing a conduit. In particular, the invention concerns an apparatus having at least one piercing member mounted for rotation relative to a 5 conduit and rotatable into engagement with the conduit, to pierce the conduit whilst the conduit is moving relative to the piercing member. BACKGROUND ART Some conduits, such as those used for irrigation, require the installation of holes for attachment to sprinkler heads as well as other conduits, such as risers and hoses. A conduit 0 attached to a plurality of risers or sprinkler heads will tend to have holes spaced along the length of the conduit. Such holes are usually formed using a handheld puncturing tool or a drill. A disadvantage of using a handheld puncturing tool or a drill to form a hole in a conduit is that the tool or drill needs to be carefully aligned with the conduit and the conduit needs to be stationary at the time the hole is formed. A drill bit can be damaged or broken if the conduit is not 5 stationary. Forming holes by either of these methods can thus be tedious and time consuming. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present inventor has now invented an apparatus for piercing a conduit whilst the conduit is moving, thus overcoming a disadvantage referred to above. According to the present invention there is provided an apparatus for piercing a conduit, !0 said apparatus including a piercing wheel journalled for rotation about a shaft wherein the wheel has a rim having a circumferentially extending groove and at least one piercing member located within the groove, whereby the piercing member is rotatable into engagement with the conduit, to pierce the conduit whilst the conduit is moving within the groove relative to the piercing member. The piercing member may be mounted for rotation relative to the conduit in any suitable 25 way. For instance, the apparatus may include a wheel journalled for rotation about a shaft, and the piercing member may be located at a rim of the wheel. The wheel may be of any suitable diameter, width and construction. The rim may have a circumferentially extending groove and the piercing member may be located within the groove. The groove may be sized and shaped such that it snugly receives the 30 conduit. Preferably, the groove is semicircular when viewed in cross-section and has a radius slightly larger than an outer diameter of the conduit.

2a The apparatus may include a drive for moving the conduit and piercing member relative to one another. The drive may move the conduit within the plane of rotation of the piercing member [Text continues on next page.] 3 and rotate the piercing member into engagement with the conduit one or more times. Any suitable drive may be used. Preferably, the drive includes a reel, a motor and a belt drive system. The belt drive system may couple the reel to an output shaft of the motor, and the conduit may be spooled onto the reel when the motor is activated. 5 The apparatus may include a drive stand to which the reel, motor and belt drive system may be mounted. The drive stand may be of any suitable size, shape and construction. Preferably, the drive stand is a frame structure comprising tubular beams and a shaft about which the reel rotates. The piercing member may be of any suitable size, shape and construction. The piercing member may be a pin or a spike. Preferably, the piercing member is a pin extending within the 10 groove from a sidewall of the rim. The apparatus may include a guide assembly for ensuring that the conduit is moved within the plane of rotation of the piercing member and into engagement with the piercing member. The guide assembly may be of any suitable size, shape and construction. The guide assembly may include a pair of guide rollers between which the conduit moves at 15 one side of the piercing member, and a sleeve through which the conduit moves at the other side of the piercing member. The guide assembly may further include a roller assembly having one or more rollers situated below the piercing member for guiding the conduit into engagement with the piercing member. The roller of the roller assembly may be journalled for rotation about a shaft which 20 extends parallel to the shaft of the wheel. The position of the roller shaft relative to the piercing member may be adjustable. The position may be adjustable in any suitable way. Preferably, the roller assembly includes a forked roller frame to which the roller shaft is connected, and an end of the forked roller frame may be pivotable relative to the wheel. The apparatus may include a stand for supporting the piercing member and the guide 25 assembly. The stand may be of any suitable size, shape and construction. Preferably, the stand is a frame structure comprising tubular beams and a forked frame to which the shaft of the wheel is connected. Preferably, a first part of the stand supports the piercing member and the guide assembly, a second part of the stand contacts the ground, the first part is pivotally attached to the second part, 30 and the first part is pivotable sideways relative to the plane of rotation of the reel such that the conduit may be wound evenly onto the reel. The first part may be pivotable relative to the second 4 part in any suitable way, either manually or by way of a drive. The first part of the stand may have a handle by which an operator may manually pivot the first part. The apparatus may include a spool from which a supply of conduit may be discharged. The spool may be of any suitable size, shape and construction. Preferably, the spool rotates about a 5 vertical axis when discharging the conduit. The apparatus may include a spool stand. The spool stand may be of any suitable size, shape and construction. Preferably, the spool stand is a frame structure comprising tubular beams and a vertical shaft about which the spool rotates. The apparatus may have any suitable number of piercing members mounted for rotation 10 relative to the conduit. Preferably, the apparatus has four piercing members located within the groove of the rim and equidistantly spaced from one another. More preferably, adjacently positioned piercing members extend within the groove from alternate sidewalls of the rim. Each piercing member may extend at an angle of about 45 degrees relative to the plane of rotation of the wheel. 15 The spacing between piercings of the conduit may be dependent on the diameter of the wheel as well as the number and spacing of piercing members located on the rim. The apparatus may have an indicator situated adjacent the wheel for indicating when a piercing member is non-functional. The indicator may be of any suitable size, shape and construction. Preferably, the indicator includes a flexible flap, such as a plastic flap, supported 20 adjacent the wheel that emits an audible sound when struck by a piercing member. A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 25 Figure 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus for piercing a conduit according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a side elevation view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 is an end view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1; 30 Figure 5 is a perspective view of part of the apparatus shown in Figure 1; Figure 6 is a perspective view of part of the apparatus shown in Figure 1; Figure 7 is a detailed side elevation view of part of the apparatus shown in Figure 6; 5 Figure 8 is a detailed end view of the part of the apparatus shown in Figure 7; Figure 9 is an enlarged view of detail A of Figure 8; Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view taken through plane B-B of the part of the apparatus shown in Figure 7; 5 Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view taken through plane C-C of the part of the apparatus shown in Figure 7; and Figure 12 is a perspective view of a part of the apparatus shown in Figure 1. BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION In the figures, like reference numerals refer to like features. 10 Figures 1-4 show an apparatus I for forming holes in a plastic conduit, such as a flexible polyethylene pipe 2 commonly used for irrigation (only shown in part). The apparatus 1 includes a piercing wheel 3, a guide assembly 4-6, a stand 7 for supporting the wheel 3 and guide assembly 4 6, a drive 11, a drive stand 8, a spool 9, a spool stand 10, and a pin indicator 12. The piercing wheel 3 is best viewed in Figures 5-12. The piercing wheel 3 is made of 15 metal. A rim 30 of the wheel 3 has a circumferentially extending groove 31 that, when viewed in cross-section, is semicircular. The groove 31 is defined by two curved sidewalls 33, 34 of the rim 30 (shown in Figure 9). The groove 31 has a radius slightly larger than an outer diameter of the pipe 2. A shaft 32 extends through a central bearing (not shown) of the wheel 3. As seen in Figures 7-11, four steel pins 35, 36, 37, 38 for piercing the pipe 2 are located 20 within groove 31 and are equidistantly spaced from one another. The pins 35-38 extend within sidewalls 33 and 34 into the groove 31 at an angle of 45 degrees relative to the plane of rotation of the wheel 3. As best seen in Figure 9, a screw 39 holds each pin 35-38 in place. Each pin 35-38 and screw 39 extends through a respective passage (not labelled) of the wheel 3. The guide assembly 4, 5, 6 ensures that the pipe 2 moves within the plane of rotation of the 25 wheel 3 and into engagement with the pins 35-38. As seen in Figures 5 and 12, the part of the guide assembly designated numeral 4 includes a pair of guide rollers 41, 42 situated at one side of the wheel 3. A steel rectangular guide sleeve 6 is located at the other side of the wheel 3. The pipe 2 moves in the plane of rotation of the wheel 3 between the guide rollers 41, 42 and through the sleeve 6. 30 The part of the guide assembly designated numeral 5 is a roller assembly having dual rollers 45 situated below the wheel 3. Rollers 45 rotate about a shaft 46 and the shaft 46 extends 6 parallel to shaft 32 of the wheel 3. The position of shaft 46 is adjustable so that the pipe 2 firmly engages the rim 30. Stand 7 is a two-part steel frame structure wherein a first part of the frame structure is pivotally attached to a second part of the frame structure. Referring to Figures 1-5 and 12, the first 5 part of the stand 7 includes two tubular beams 71, 72 in the shape of a cross, three tubular uprights 73, 74, 75 extending therefrom, guide sleeve 6 which extends across the top of upright 74, a pair of spaced arms 76 which support wheel shaft 32, a bearing block 77 (shown in Figures 5 and 12) attached to sleeve 6, and a plate 78 extending across the top of upright 75. Guide rollers 41 and 42 are bolted to plate 78, as best seen in Figures 5 and 12. As seen in Figure 12, a plate 79 has an end 10 attached to bearing block 77 and an opposing end attached to a bar 80. As seen in Figures 5 and 12, a bolt 81 has an end extending through plate 79 and an end anchored within bearing block 77. A nut 82 is attached to the end of bolt 81. Referring now to Figures 1-4, the second part of the stand 7 includes a rectangular configuration of tubular beams 85, 86, 87, 88, a pair of skid plates 89, 90 extending across beams 15 85 and 87, two shafts 91, 92 extending from beam 88 (see Figure 1), a shaft 93 extending from beam 87 (see Figure 3), a crosspiece 94 extending between and bolted to shafts 91 and 93, and a shaft 95 extending from beam 86 (see Figure 2). A bolt extends through shaft 95 and enables the first part of the stand 7, including beams 71 and 72, to be pivoted in a side to side motion across the top of skid plates 89 and 90. The shafts 91 20 and 92 define end points of an are through which the first part of the stand 7 may pivot. Crosspiece 94 extends over beam 72 and prevents the first part of the stand 7 from lifting by accident. A knob 96 at the end of upright 73 (see Figure 1) is gripped by an operator when pivoting the first part relative to the second part. Referring now to Figures 5 and 12, roller assembly 5 includes a forked roller frame 25 comprising a pair of spaced arms 48, shaft 46 extending through one end of each arm 48 and another shaft 47 extending through the other end of each arm 48. Shaft 47 extends through bearing block 77 and enables the arms 48 to be pivoted relative to the bearing block 77. The position of the rollers 45 relative to the rim 30 is varied by changing the position of nut 82 on bolt 81. When nut 82 is tightened, bar 80 moves the arms 48 and rollers 45 closer to the rim 30 30. Referring now to Figure 5, the pin indicator 12 includes a metal upright 13 extending from one of the arms 76 and a pair of metal clamping members 14 extending from the upright 13. A 7 flexible plastic flap 15 is clamped between members 14. As the wheel 3 rotates, each pin 35-38 strikes the flap 15 and produces an audible noise. If a pin 35-38 is missing or defective, then the change in beat will be heard by an operator of the apparatus 1. The drive 11 moves the pipe 2 within the plane of rotation of the wheel 3 and rotates the 5 pins 35-38 into engagement with the pipe 2 one or more times. Referring now to Figures 1-4, the drive 11 includes a plastic reel 111, an electric motor 112 and a belt drive system 113. Reel 111 includes a hub 117 and a pair of circular sidewalls 118, 119 either side of the hub 117. Sidewall 119 is in the form of a pulley. A pulley 115 is attached to an output shaft of motor 112. A drive belt 114 extends around pulley 115 and sidewall 119 of the reel 111. 10 Drive stand 8 is a steel frame structure including four tubular beams 120-123 in a rectangular configuration, three tubular uprights 125-127 in a triangular configuration extending from beams 120-122, and a shaft 128 extending from uprights 125-127 through the sidewalls 18, 119 and hub 117 ofthe reel 111. The spool 9 includes a hub 20 and a circular wall 21 extending along a base of the hub 20. 15 A spherical bearing 22 is mounted to wall 21 (see Figures 2 and 4). The spool stand 10 is a steel frame structure including four tubular beams 23, 24, 25, 26 in a rectangular configuration (see Figure 1), three tubular uprights 19, 28, 29 in a triangular configuration extending from the beams 23-26, and a vertical shaft 27 supported by uprights 19, 28 and 29 about which spherical bearing 22 rotates (see Figure 3). 20 In use, a supply of pipe 2 is coiled around hub 20 of spool 9. One end of the pipe 2 is fed by hand between guide rollers 41 and 42, between the rim 30 and guide rollers 45, through guide sleeve 6 and secured to the hub 117 of reel 111. The position of guide rollers 45 is adjusted such that the pipe 2 firmly engages the groove 31 of rim 30. Motor 112 is switched on, at which time the pipe 2 moves through the groove 31 and rotates the wheel 3, and the pins 35-38 rotate into 25 engagement with the pipe 2 and puncture the pipe 2 at regular intervals along the pipe 2. In order to ensure that the pipe 2 is evenly wound onto the reel 111, the operator of the apparatus I pivots the first part of the frame from side to side using knob 96. An advantage of the present invention is that a conduit need not be stationary whilst one or more holes are being formed in the conduit. Another advantage is that the punching of holes 30 appears to increase the fluid pressure within the conduit, which in turn delivers fluid further within the conduit.

8 Whilst the above has been given by way of illustrative example of the invention, many modifications and variations may be made thereto by persons skilled in the art without departing from the broad scope and ambit of the invention as herein set forth.

Claims

1. An apparatus for piercing a conduit, said apparatus including a piercing wheel journalled for rotation about a shaft wherein the wheel has a rim having a circumferentially 5 extending groove and at least one piercing member located within the groove, whereby the piercing member is rotatable into engagement with the conduit, to pierce the conduit whilst the conduit is moving within the groove relative to the piercing member.

2. The apparatus of claim I further including a drive for moving the conduit within a plane of rotation of the piercing member and for rotating the piercing member into engagement 0 with the conduit one or more times.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the drive includes a reel, a motor and a belt drive system, the belt drive system couples the reel to an output shaft of the motor, and the conduit spools onto the reel when the motor is activated.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 further including a drive stand to which the reel, motor and 5 belt drive system are mounted.

5. The apparatus of any one of claims I to 4, wherein the piercing member is a pin extending within the groove from a first sidewall of the rim.

6. The apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 5 further including a guide assembly for ensuring that the conduit is moved within a plane of rotation of the piercing member and into !0 engagement with the piercing member, said guide assembly including a pair of guide rollers between which the conduit moves at one side of the piercing member, and a sleeve through which the conduit moves at the other side of the piercing member.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the guide assembly further includes a roller assembly having a roller situated below the piercing member for guiding the conduit into 25 engagement with the piercing member.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, further including a stand for supporting the piercing member and the guide assembly, wherein a first part of the stand supports the piercing member and the guide assembly, a second part of the stand contacts the ground, the first part is pivotally attached to the second part, and the first part is pivotable sideways relative to a plane of rotation of the reel 30 such that the conduit is wound evenly onto the reel.

9. The apparatus of any one of claims I to 8 further including a spool from which a supply of the conduit is discharged. 10

10. The apparatus of claim 9 further including a spool stand for supporting the spool.

11. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the apparatus has four piercing members located within the groove of the rim and equidistantly spaced from one another.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the rim has a second sidewall and adjacently 5 positioned said piercing members extend within the groove from alternate said sidewalls of the rim.

13. An apparatus as defined in claim I and substantially as hereinbefore shown in one or more of the accompanying Figures. Dated: 9 December 2009