Jointed pipe splitter with pneumatic hammer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9476536-B2
Application number	US-201514794225-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 8, 2015
Priority date	Oct 5, 2009
Publication date	Oct 25, 2016
Grant date	Oct 25, 2016

Abstract

A pipe splitting assembly includes an articulating hammer nose assembly having a pipe splitting cutter and a rotatable joint coupled with the pipe splitting cutter. A pneumatic hammer is distal to the articulating hammer nose assembly. The pneumatic hammer is configured to drive the articulating hammer nose assembly proximally away from the pneumatic hammer. The rotatable joint is coupled between the pipe splitting cutter and the pneumatic hammer, and the articulating hammer nose assembly is rotatable into one or more angles relative to the pneumatic hammer through the rotatable joint. A cable coupling is interposed between the pneumatic hammer and the articulated hammer nose assembly. The cable coupling is configured to attach a cable to the pipe splitting assembly. The cable coupling and the rotatable joint are configured to transmit to the pipe splitting cutter a compression force from the cable coupling and dynamic percussive forces from the pneumatic hammer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pipe splitting assembly comprising:
a pipe splitting cutter;
an expander defining a generally cylindrical cable gripping recess;
a pipe pulling assembly;
a rotatable joint interposed between the pipe splitting cutter and pipe pulling assembly and being articulable to rotate the pipe splitting cutter into one or more angles relative to the pipe pulling assembly;
the rotatable joint being configured to transmit axial forces from the pipe splitting cutter to the pipe pulling assembly in two or more angular configurations including:
a first aligned configuration with the pipe pulling assembly and pipe splitting cutter substantially aligned along a single longitudinal axis, and
a second non-linear configuration with the pipe splitting cutter an angle relative to the pipe pulling assembly; and

a cable coupling configured to receive a cable pulled in at least a first axial direction to move the cable coupling in the at least first axial direction against an inner expander surface of a cable gripping housing received within the cable gripping recess, wherein a joint nut is coupled to the expander to retain the cable gripping housing and the cable coupling within the cable gripping recess;
wherein the inner expander surface being angled to radially compress the cable coupling around the cable as the cable coupling moves in the first axial direction such that continued pulling of the cable maintains cooperative engagement between the inner expander surface and the cable coupling locks the cable in place relative to the cable coupling.

2. The pipe splitting assembly of claim 1 , wherein the rotatable joint includes at least one ball and socket joint.

3. The pipe splitting assembly of claim 1 , wherein the rotatable joint includes an articulated linkage having a joint bar interposed between a first joint and a second joint, and the joint bar is rotatable relative to the pipe splitting cutter and the pipe pulling assembly.

4. The pipe splitting assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cable coupling includes:
an expander having a frusto-conical shape tapering from the pipe pulling assembly toward the rotatable joint.

5. The pipe splitting assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pipe pulling assembly includes:
a pipe pulling shoulder configured to couple with a replacement pipe, and
a pipe pulling expander interposed between the pipe pulling shoulder and the pipe pulling assembly, the pipe pulling expander having a frusto-conical shape tapering from the pipe pulling shoulder toward the pipe pulling assembly.

6. The pipe splitting assembly of claim 4 , wherein an anchor jack is slidably received within the expander, and the anchor jack is moveable to push the cable coupling in a second axial direction opposite the first axial direction to disengage a cable gripping anchor from around a cable.

7. The pipe splitting assembly of claim 1 , wherein the joint nut defines a nut joint surface of the rotatable joint.

8. A pipe splitting assembly comprising:
A pipe pulling assembly;
An articulating hammer nose assembly including:
A pipe splitting cutter,
An expander defining a generally cylindrical cable gripping recess; and
A rotatable joint coupling the pipe splitting cutter to the pipe pulling assembly and being articulable to rotate the pipe splitting cutter into one or more angles relative to the pipe pulling assembly; and

A cable coupling interposed between the pipe pulling assembly and the pipe splitting cutter, the cable coupling is configured to attach a cable extending from a first end of the articulating hammer nose assembly, the cable configured to be pulled in at least a first axial direction to move the cable coupling in the at least first axial direction against an inner expander surface of a cable gripping housing received within the cable gripping recess, wherein a joint nut is coupled to the expander to retain the cable gripping housing and the cable coupling within the cable gripping recess, the inner expander surface being angled to radially compress the cable coupling around the cable as the cable coupling moves in the first axial direction, wherein continued pulling of the cable maintains cooperative engagement between the inner expander surface and the cable coupling locks the cable in place relative to the cable coupling; and
The cable coupling and the rotatable joint are configured to transmit:
A compression force to the pipe splitting cutter from the cable coupling, the compression force corresponding to the pulling force from the cable.

9. The pipe splitting assembly of claim 8 , wherein the rotatable joint includes a first ball and socket joint.

10. The pipe splitting assembly of claim 9 , wherein the rotatable joint includes a second ball and socket joint.

11. The pipe splitting assembly of claim 10 , wherein the first ball and socket joint includes a first fitting on one of the pipe splitting cutter and a joint bar and a first socket on the other of the joint bar and the pipe splitting cutter, the first socket is sized and shaped to receive the first fitting,
the second ball and socket joint includes a second fitting on one of the joint bar and the coupler and a second socket on the other of the coupler and the joint bar, the second socket is sized and shaped to receive the second fitting, and
the first and second fittings rotate within the respective first and second sockets.

12. The pipe splitting assembly of claim 10 , wherein the rotatable joint includes an articulated linkage coupled between the cable coupling and the pipe splitting cutter, the articulated linkage includes a joint bar and the first and second ball and socket joints are at opposed ends of the joint bar.

13. The pipe splitting assembly of claim 8 , wherein a cable extends through the pipe splitting cutter, rotatable joint and cable coupling.

14. The pipe splitting assembly of claim 8 , wherein a portion of a load bearing joint surface of the pipe splitting cutter is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the inner expander surface throughout angular movement of the pipe splitting cutter relative to the pipe pulling assembly.

15. The pipe splitting assembly of claim 8 , wherein the joint nut defines a nut joint surface of the rotatable joint.

Assignees

• Tt Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Tjader Michael

Classifications

• F16L55/18

  Appliances for use in repairing pipes (F16L55/10 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16L55/1658 Primary

  the old pipe being ruptured prior to insertion of a new pipe · CPC title