Pipe coating apparatus

Claim 2

In a metal coating line for continuously coating lengths of pipe in a pot containing a bath of molten metal by the lateral movement from a conveying means at a preparation station to the bath and subsequently to conveying means for delivery to a finishing station, the improvement comprising: A. Transfer means at the preparation station for accepting and inclining metal pipe lengths; and B. Sinker means adjacent to the transfer means and extending substantially vertically from above the bath into the bath and having an operable transport means to continuously receive inclined pipe lengths from the transfer means, and convey pipe downwardly into the molten bath and upwardly for removal from the bath.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sinker means comprises at least two spaced, parallel, and aligned chain assemblies operated in synchronization by a drive means such that when a lower end of the inclined pipe is received by a dog of one chain assembly, an upper end of the inclined pipe is simultaneously received by a dog of another chain assembly; the synchronized chain assemblies operating such that the chain transporting the upper end of the pipe is traveling faster than the chain transporting the lower end so that the pipe is still inclined when it enters the bath, the inclination being reduced to zero at a lowermost point of travel and the pipe being resloped during ascent, the pipe being held in place by traveling compartments formed by a chain, adjacent dogs, and a fixed outer confinement strip.

Claim 4

In a metal coating line for continuously coating lengths of pipe in a pot containing a bath of molten metal by the lateral movement from a conveying means at a preparation station to the molten bath and subsequently to a dragout means for delivery to a finishing station, the improvement comprising: A. Transfer means at the preparation station for accepting and inclining metal pipe; B. Sinker means adjacent to the transfer means and extending substantially vertically from above the bath into the bath and having an operable transport means to continuously receive inclined pipe from the transfer means, and convey pipe downwardly into the bath and upwardly for removal from the bath; and C. Screw means positioned adjacent to the lower end of the sinker means and having a first conveying section extending within the bath to receive the coated pipe from the transport means and at least a second conveying section extending from the bath to a dragout means for subsequent delivery to a finishing station.

Claim 5

In a metal coating line for continuously coating lengths of pipe in a pot containing a bath of molten metal by the lateral movement from a conveying means at a preparation station to the molten bath and subsequently to a dragout means for delivery to a finishing station, the improvement comprising: A. Transfer means at the preparation station for accepting and inclining metal pipe; B. Sinker means adjacent to the transfer means and extending substantially vertically from above the bath into the bath and having an operable transport means to continuously receive inclined pipe from the transfer means, and convey pipe downwardly into the bath and upwardly for removal from the bath; and C. Screw means positioned adjacent to the lower end of the sinker means and having a first conveying section extending within the bath to receive the coated pipe from the transport means and at least a second conveying section extending from the bath to a dragout means for subsequent delivery to a finishing station.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein thE sinker means comprises at least two spaced, parallel, and aligned chain assemblies operated in synchronization by a drive means such that when a lower end of the inclined pipe is received by a dog of one chain assembly, an upper end of the inclined pipe is simultaneously received by a dog of another chain assembly; the synchronized chain assemblies operating such that the chain transporting the upper end of the pipe is traveling faster than the chain transporting the lower end so that the pipe is still inclined when it enters the bath, the inclination being reduced to zero at a lowermost point of travel and the pipe being resloped during ascent, the pipe being held in place by traveling compartments formed by a chain, adjacent dogs, and a fixed outer confinement strip.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the screw means comprises at least two spaced and aligned, synchronized screw roll assemblies positioned to receive simultaneously an inclined pipe, each screw roll assembly including at least a first screw roll and a second offset screw roll wherein the first screw roll has at least a first and second flight having a portion of the flights immediately adjacent the sinker means for removing the pipe from the sinker means and the second screw roll has at least a single flight for receiving pipe from at least one flight of the first screw roll.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the screw means is a removal means comprising at least two parallel cradle assemblies, each assembly having two parallel reciprocating cradle arms with cradles extending therefrom, said assemblies operated in synchronization such that corresponding cradles of the parallel assemblies receive the pipe between its ends simultaneously from the sinker means and deliver the workpiece to the dragout means.

Claim 9

In a metal coating line for continuously coating lengths of pipe in a pot containing a bath of molten metal, wherein pipe lengths to be coated are laterally moved from a preheat and drying furnace to the pot and coated pipe lengths from the pot are conveyed to finishing stations, apparatus comprising: A. An inclined chain conveyor table having spaced separating dogs for accepting pipe lengths and for conveying the inclined pipe lengths to three sinker chain assemblies; B. Three spaced vertically disposed parallel and aligned commonly driven sinker chain assemblies for receiving and conveying the inclined pipe lengths; each assembly being separately supported and being adjacent the chain conveyor table and extending from above the bath into the bath and comprised of two sprockets located at opposite ends of the assembly with the upper sprocket operated by a drive means, a continuous chain extending about the sprockets, a plurality of spaced separating dogs extending from the continuous chain, and a fixed outer confinement strip mounted to the pot and extending from substantially the top of the pot to a predetermined removal point; the three sinker chain assemblies being synchronized by differences in chain pitches such that when the dogs receive the inclined pipe, the chains move to allow a reduction in the inclination of the pipe during its descent into the bath to an inclination of zero at a bottommost point of travel in the bath and a resloping of the pipe during ascent from the bath, said pipe retained in each chain assembly by traveling compartments comprising the chain, any two adjacent dogs and the outer confinement stripe; C. Two parallel and aligned screw roll assemblies spaced adjacent the lower end of two chain assemblies; each screw roll assembly having two adjacent offset screw rolls wherein one screw roll has a conical root and variable double pitch flights having the lowest portion of the flights immediately adjacent the two chain assemblies for removing the pipe from the chain assembly and which will upon removing the pipe length on a longer flight, convey it vertically and laterally and which will upon removing the pipe length on a shorter flight convey iT to a spiral contoured end of the flight for transfer to the adjacent screw roll having a conical root and a variable single pitch flight for receiving the pipe length and for also conveying it vertically and laterally in a plane parallel that of the longer flight; the screw roll assemblies being synchronized to receive simultaneously the resloped pipe length between its ends and having different pitches for corresponding flights so that the upper end of the pipe length will ascend faster than the lower end resulting in an increased inclination of the pipe length during its ascent; and D. A double row of parallel multiple continuous rotating inclined magnetic dragout rolls having the first row of rolls aligned with and above the alternate planes of travel of the pipe lengths on the screw rolls, for endwise removal of the pipe lengths from the screw rolls and the bath for delivery to the finishing stations.

Claim 10

In a metal coating line for continuously coating lengths of pipe in a pot containing a bath of molten metal, wherein pipe lengths to be coated are laterally moved from a preheat and drying furnace to the pot and coated pipe lengths from the pot are conveyed to finishing stations, apparatus comprising: A. An inclined chain conveyor table having spaced separating dogs for accepting pipe lengths and for conveying the inclined pipe lengths to three sinker chain assemblies; B. Three spaced vertically disposed parallel and aligned commonly driven sinker chain assemblies for receiving and conveying the inclined pipe lengths; each assembly being separately supported and being adjacent the chain conveyor table and extending from above the bath into the bath and comprised of two sprockets located at opposite ends of the assembly with the upper sprocket operated by a drive means, a continuous chain extending about the sprockets, a plurality of spaced separating dogs extending from the continuous chain, and a fixed outer confinement strip mounted to the pot and extending from substantially the top of the pot to a predetermined removal point; the three sinker chain assemblies being synchronized by differences in chain pitches such that when the dogs receive the inclined pipe, the chains move to allow a reduction in the inclination of the pipe during its descent into the bath to an inclination of zero at a bottommost point of travel in the bath and a resloping of the pipe during ascent from the bath, said pipe retained in each chain assembly by traveling compartments comprising the chain, any two adjacent dogs and the outer confinement stripe; C. Two parallel and aligned screw roll assemblies spaced adjacent the lower end of two chain assemblies; each screw roll assembly having two adjacent offset screw rolls wherein one screw roll has a conical root and variable double pitch flights having the lowest portion of the flights immediately adjacent the two chain assemblies for removing the pipe from the chain assembly and which will upon removing the pipe length on a longer flight, convey it vertically and laterally and which will upon removing the pipe length on a shorter flight convey iT to a spiral contoured end of the flight for transfer to the adjacent screw roll having a conical root and a variable single pitch flight for receiving the pipe length and for also conveying it vertically and laterally in a plane parallel that of the longer flight; the screw roll assemblies being synchronized to receive simultaneously the resloped pipe length between its ends and having different pitches for corresponding flights so that the upper end of the pipe length will ascend faster than the lower end resulting in an increased inclination of the pipe length during its ascent; and D. A double row of parallel multiple continuous rotating inclined magnetic dragout rolls having the first row of rolls aligned with and above the alternate planes of travel of the pipe lengths on the screw rolls, for endwise removal of the pipe lengths from the screw rolls and the bath for delivery to the finishing stations.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the process area is a metal coating area comprised of a pot containing a bath of liquid metal.