Clamp system, gripping device therefore and method of using the clamp system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9670036-B2
Application number	US-201414767684-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 13, 2014
Priority date	Feb 14, 2013
Publication date	Jun 6, 2017
Grant date	Jun 6, 2017

Abstract

In a clamp system for a slender object ( 16 ), such as a pile or pipe and the like, a clamp ( 1 ) and the object are to be applied around one another. The clamp has a frame ( 4 ) defining an axial direction. Furthermore, gripping devices ( 3 ) are provided which are spaced in circumferential direction of the frame ( 4 ). A stop ( 25 ) defines an end position of the gripping device ( 3 ), the gripping device ( 3 ) in gripping state and positioned in the end position prevents the object ( 16 ) from displacing with respect to the frame ( 4 ) in a first axial direction of the passage ( 9 ), in which first axial direction the gripping device ( 3 ) is held pressed against the stop ( 25 ), and the gripping device ( 3 ) allowing the object ( 16 ) to displace with respect to the frame in the second axial direction opposite the first axial direction.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A camp system for a slender object, such as a pile or pipe and the like, said clamp system comprising a frame defining a longitudinal axis, wherein the object and the frame are to be arranged around one another in such a way that the longitudinal axis of the frame is generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the object, as well as clamping means for clamping the object with respect to the frame, wherein the clamping means comprise: at least one gripping device which is rotatably connected to the frame according to an axis of rotation which is oriented transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the frame, said gripping device having a gripping state for clamping said object with respect to the frame and an idle state, and at least one stop which defines an end position of the gripping device ( 3 ), said gripping device in gripping state and positioned in said end position preventing the object from displacing with respect to the frame in a first axial direction along the longitudinal axis of the frame, in which first axial direction the gripping device is held pressed against the stop, and said gripping device allowing the object to displace with respect to the frame in a second axial direction opposite the first axial direction,
and further comprising a wedge type clamp comprising wedge assemblies associated with the frame for providing frictional engagement with said object as a result of a relative displacement of the wedge type clamp with respect to the object according to the longitudinal axis, wherein the gripping device is arranged with respect to the wedge assemblies in such a way that during said relative displacement of the object and the wedge type clamp of said gripping device is transferred from the gripping state, in which the object is held with respect to the frame by the gripping devices, into the idle state so as to establish said frictional engagement between the wedge assemblies and the object.

2. Clamp system according to claim 1 , wherein a gripping device is mounted to the frame by means of a respective pivot and which gripping device is displaceable between an active position which is radially oriented with respect to the longitudinal axis of the frame and an inactive position slanted with respect to the radially oriented active position.

3. The clamp system according to claim 2 , wherein the stop is provided on the frame and/or a base or mounting.

4. The clamp system according to claim 3 , wherein a gripping device is biased toward the stop, such as by an elastic pretension.

5. The clamp system according to claim 1 , for introduction in a hollow object, wherein the gripping device is carried out for gripping the internal surface of the hollow object.

6. The clamp system according to claim 1 , wherein the frame delimits a passage for accommodating the object and the gripping device is carried out for gripping the external surface of the object.

7. The clamp system according to claim 6 , wherein the frame comprises frame halves which are connected to each other through a hinge the hinge axis of which is generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the frame, said frame halves being transferrable between an active position closed onto each other around the object, and an open position in which the frame can be positioned on the object.

8. The clamp system according to claim 7 , wherein closure means are provided on the frame halves for holding said frame halves pressed onto each other respectively for giving said frame halves free.

9. The clamp system according to claim 1 , wherein the gripping device is carried out for gripping the internal surface of the hollow object, and the wedge assemblies and gripping device are oriented outwardly with respect to the frame for engagement with the internal surface of the hollow object.

10. A method for lifting a hollow slender object by means of the clamp system according to claim 9 , comprising the steps of: introducing the frame in the lying object, activating the wedge assemblies so as to engage the internal surface of the lying object, activating one or more gripping devices so as to grip the internal surface of the lying object, lifting the object gripped by the gripping device(s) and transferring said object towards an upright position, during the process of transferring the object to the upright position, displacing the object with respect to the frame so as to provide or increase frictional engagement between the wedge assemblies thereof and the object, and during the process of transferring the object to the upright position, transferring the gripping device(s) from the gripping state into the idle state.

11. The method according to claim 10 , comprising the step of: during the process of transferring the object to the upright position, transferring one or more gripping devices from the gripping state into the idle state by making the gripping device(s) rotate about the respective tangentially oriented axis of rotation thereof.

12. The method according to claim 10 , comprising the steps of: displacing the object with respect to the clamp under the influence of gravity as a result of transferring the object towards the upright position, during the step of displacing the object with respect to the wedge type clamp, pivoting the gripping device(s) out of the gripping position into the idle position.

13. The clamp system according to claim 1 , wherein the frame delimits a passage for accommodating the object, the gripping device is carried out for gripping the external surface of the object, and the wedge assemblies and gripping device are oriented inwardly with respect to the frame for engagement with the external surface of the object.

14. The method for lifting a slender object by means of the clamp system according to claim 13 , comprising the steps of: fitting the frame around a lying object, activating the wedge assemblies so as to engage the external surface of the lying object, activating one or more gripping devices so as to grip the external surface of the lying object, lifting the object gripped by the gripping device(s) and transferring said object towards an upright position, during the process of transferring the object to the upright position, displacing the object with respect to the frame so as to provide or increase frictional engagement between the wedge assemblies thereof and the object, and during the process of transferring the object to the upright position, transferring the gripping device(s) from the gripping state into the idle state.

15. The clamp system according to claim 1 , wherein a gripping device ( 3 ) is positioned at a distance in axial direction from the wedge assemblies ( 11 ).

16. The clamp system according to claim 1 , wherein a gripping device is pivotable out of the radial position in accordance with the direction of relative displacement of the object with respect to the frame which causes frictional engagement between the wedge assemblies and the frame.

17. The clamp system according to claim 1 , wherein the frame has opposite axial ends and a gripping device is positioned on the end which faces in the clamping direction of the wedge assemblies.

18. Clamp system according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of gripping devices is provided, said gripping devices being spaced around, and being oriented transversally with respect to, the longitudinal axis of the frame.

Assignees

• Ihc Holland Ie Bv

Inventors

• Belder Cornelis
• Mulderij Klaas-Jan

Classifications

• E02B17/0854

  with clamping wedges, eccentric clamping devices and so on (catch devices for elevators B66B5/20, B66B5/24, B66B5/26) · CPC title

• B66C1/56

  for handling tubes · CPC title

• E02B17/06

  for immobilising, e.g. using wedges or clamping rings {(as elements of the raising or lowering means E02B17/08)} · CPC title

• B66C1/447 Primary

  by hydraulic or pneumatic motors · CPC title

• B66C1/44 Primary

  and applying frictional forces · CPC title