Suspended pipe assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9683680-B1
Application number	US-201615287112-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Oct 6, 2016
Priority date	Oct 6, 2016
Publication date	Jun 20, 2017
Grant date	Jun 20, 2017

Abstract

A suspended pipe assembly comprising a first suspended pipe, a second suspended pipe, a third suspended pipe, and a number of suspenders for suspending the pipes from an elevated pipe or pipes of a mobile irrigation system or other fluid distribution system. The first suspended pipe and second suspended pipe are connected together via a fixed joint. The second suspended pipe and third suspended pipe are connected together via a live joint such that the second suspended pipe and third suspended pipe can expand longitudinally relative to each other. Additional suspended pipes can be connected to each other via alternating fixed and live joints. The suspenders allow the suspended pipes to expand longitudinally relative to the elevated pipe and prevents the suspended pipes from warping side-to-side.

First claim

Having thus described various embodiments of the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent includes the following:

1. A suspended pipe assembly comprising:
a first pipe section configured to be suspended from a first section of an elevated pipe, the first suspended pipe section having opposed first and second ends;
a second pipe section configured to be suspended from a second section of the elevated pipe, the second suspended pipe section having opposed first and second ends;
a fixed joint connecting the second end of the first suspended pipe section to the first end of the second suspended pipe section;
a third pipe section configured to be suspended from a third section of the elevated pipe, the third suspended pipe section having opposed first and second ends;
a live joint connecting the second end of the second suspended pipe section to the first end of the third suspended pipe section such that the second end of the second suspended pipe section and the first end of the third suspended pipe section are free to translate longitudinally relative to each other as at least one of the second suspended pipe section and third suspended pipe section expands and contracts; and
a plurality of suspenders configured to support the first suspended pipe section, second suspended pipe section, and third suspended pipe section below the elevated pipe.

2. The suspended pipe assembly of claim 1 , wherein the suspenders each comprise:
an upper bracket configured to be connected to the elevated pipe;
a lower bracket configured to be connected to one of the first suspended pipe section, second suspended pipe section, and third suspended pipe section; and
a link connected between the upper bracket and lower bracket, the link being configured to pivot relative to the upper bracket and lower bracket along a vertically extending plane extending parallel to the elevated pipe such that the lower bracket is configured to translate along the vertically extending plane as the first suspended pipe section, second suspended pipe section, or third suspended pipe section expands and contracts.

3. The suspended pipe assembly of claim 2 , wherein the link is rigid and configured to only pivot near a first end and a second end of the rigid link.

4. The suspended pipe assembly of claim 2 , wherein the links of the suspenders have equal lengths such that the suspended pipes sections are offset from the elevated pipe at equal distances near the suspenders.

5. The suspended pipe assembly of claim 2 , wherein the suspenders each further comprise a first fastener connecting the link to the upper bracket and a second fastener connecting the link to the lower bracket, the first fastener and second fastener extending perpendicularly to the vertically extending plane and being configured to prevent the link from pivoting out of the vertically extending plane.

6. The suspended pipe assembly of claim 1 , further comprising additional pipe sections configured to be arranged end to end and suspended from the elevated pipe and additional joints connecting the suspended pipe sections together, the additional joints alternating between fixed joints and longitudinally expandable and contractible live joints.

7. The suspended pipe assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second end of the first suspended pipe section and the first end of the second suspended pipe section are heat fused together.

8. The suspended pipe assembly of claim 1 , wherein the live joint is a telescoping joint.

9. The suspended pipe assembly of claim 1 , wherein the live joint is an expanding bellows joint.

10. The suspended pipe assembly of claim 1 , wherein the live joint is a flexible joint.

11. A suspended pipe assembly for use with an irrigation system having a plurality towers and a plurality of spans each extending between adjacent towers, each span including a span pipe, the suspended pipe assembly comprising:
a first pipe section configured to be suspended from a first span pipe of a first span, the first suspended pipe section having opposed first and second ends;
a second pipe section configured to be suspended from a second span pipe of a second span, the second suspended pipe section having opposed first and second ends;
a fixed joint connecting the second end of the first suspended pipe section to the first end of the second suspended pipe section;
a third pipe section configured to be suspended from a third span pipe of a third span, the third suspended pipe section having a first end and a second end opposite the first end of the third suspended pipe section;
a live joint connecting the second end of the second suspended pipe section to the first end of the third suspended pipe section such that the second end of the second suspended pipe section and the first end of the third suspended pipe section are free to translate longitudinally relative to each other as at least one of the second suspended pipe section and third suspended pipe section expands and contracts; and
a plurality of suspenders configured to support the first suspended pipe section, second suspended pipe section, and third suspended pipe section below the first span pipe, second span pipe, and third span pipe.

12. The suspended pipe assembly of claim 11 , the suspenders each comprising:
a upper bracket configured to be connected to one of the first span pipe, second span pipe, and third span pipe;
a lower bracket configured to be connected to one of the first suspended pipe section, second suspended pipe section, and third suspended pipe section; and
a link connected between the upper bracket and lower bracket, the link being configured to pivot relative to the upper bracket and lower bracket along a vertically extending plane extending parallel to the span pipes such that the lower bracket is configured to translate along the vertically extending plane as the first suspended pipe section, second suspended pipe section, or third suspended pipe section expands and contracts.

13. The suspended pipe assembly of claim 12 , wherein the link is rigid and configured to only pivot near a first end and a second end of the rigid link.

14. The suspended pipe assembly of claim 12 , wherein the links of the suspenders have equal lengths such that the suspended pipe section are offset from the span pipes at equal distances near the suspenders.

15. The suspended pipe assembly of claim 12 , wherein the link is connected to the upper bracket via a first fastener and connected to the lower bracket via a second fastener, the first fastener and second fastener extending perpendicularly to the vertically extending plane and being configured to prevent the link from pivoting out of the vertically extending plane.

16. The suspended pipe assembly of claim 11 , further comprising additional pipe sections configured to be arranged end-to-end and suspended from the span pipes and additional joints connecting the suspended pipe sections together, the additional joints alternating between fixed joints and longitudinally expandable and contractible live joints.

17. The suspended pipe assembly of claim 11 , wherein the second end of the first suspended pipe section and the first end of the second suspended pipe section are heat fused together.

18. The suspended pipe assembly of claim 11 , wherein the live joint is a telescoping joint.

19. The suspended pipe assembly of claim 11 , wherein the live joint is an expanding bellows joint.

20. A suspended pipe assembly for use with an irrigation system hav

Assignees

• Lindsay Corp

Inventors

• Korus Thomas J

Classifications

• F16L51/02

  making use of a bellows or an expansible folded or corrugated tube · CPC title

• F16L3/18 Primary

  allowing movement in axial direction · CPC title

• A01G25/092 Primary

  movable around a pivot centre · CPC title

• F16L3/12 Primary

  comprising a member substantially surrounding the pipe, cable or protective tubing · CPC title

• F16L27/12

  allowing substantial longitudinal adjustment or movement (by use of screw-thread F16L15/02) · CPC title