Pipe working carriage

Claim 2

A pipe working carriage for use with a track encircling the exterior of a pipe comprising: a body; means on the body for mounting the carriage on said track for movement therealong, said mounting means comprising grooved idler wheels for engagement with the edges of said track, and; means on the body for driving the carriage along the track including means for frictionally engaging a cylindrical surface parallel to the axis of the pipe, and means for moving said engaging means relative to said surface.

Claim 3

The carriage according to claim 1 including resilient means on said body for retaining said grooves in engagement with said track.

Claim 4

The carriage according to claim 1 wherein means are provided for adjusting the idler wheels arcuately in a plane perpendicular to the axis of said pipe whereby said carriage may be used in connection with different diameter pipes.

Claim 5

A pipe working carriage for use with a track encircling the exterior of a pipe comprising a carriage body; means for engaging said body with said track for movement around the track; means for attaching to the body a tool for doing work on the pipe; drive means on the body for moving the carriage along the track including, a drive body carried by said carriage body, rollers on said drive body, an endless belt disposed about said rollers and adapted to engage the external surface of said pipe, and means for driving one of said rollers to drive said belt.

Claim 6

A pipe working carriage for use with a track encircling the exterior of a pipe comprising a carriage body; means for engaging said body with said track for movement around the track; means for attaching to the body a tool for doing work on the pipe; drive means on the body for moving the carriage along the track including, a drive body carried by said carriage body, rollers on said drive body, an endless belt disposed about said rollers and adapted to engage the external surface of said pipe, and means for driving one of said rollers to drive said belt.

Claim 7

The carriage according to claim 4 wherein resilient tensioning means are provided on said drive body for maintaining tension in said endless belt.

Claim 8

The carriage of claim 4 wherein resilient means are provided on said carriage body for urging said drive body downwardly relative to said carriage body.

Claim 9

A pipe working carriage for use with a track encircling the exterior of a pipe comprising a carriage body formed of two frames pivotally connected; idler wheels on said body adapted to engage said track to support said carriage body for movement around said pipe; means for attaching to the body a tool for doing work on the pipe; drive means on the body for moving the carriage along the track including, a drive body mounted on said carriage body, a drive sprocket on said drive body, idler rollers on said drive body, an endless drive belt disposed about said drive sprocket and idler rollers and adapted to engage the exterior of said pipe, and power means for driving said drive sprocket to drive said drive belt.

Claim 10

A pipe working carriage for use with a track encircling the exterior of a pipe comprising a carriage body formed of two frames pivotally connected; idler wheels on said body adapted to engage said track to support said carriage body for movement around said pipe; means for attaching to the body a tool for doing work on the pipe; drive means on the body for moving the carriage along the track including, a drive body mounted on said carriage body, a drive sprocket on said drive body, idler rollers on said drive body, an endless drive belt disposed about said drive sprocket and idler rollers and adapted to engage the exterior of said pipe, and power means for driving said drive sprocket to drive said drive belt.

Claim 11

The carriage according to claim 7 wherein each of said idler wheels includes a circular groove for engagement with the lateral edges of said track.

Claim 12

The carriage according to claim 8 wherein said body includes resilient means for Urging said circular grooves into engagement with said track.

Claim 13

The carriage according to claim 9 wherein said body includes means for overcoming the effect of said resilient means to facilitate engaging and disengaging said circular grooves on said idler wheels with said track.

Claim 14

The carriage according to claim 7 wherein said idler wheels are arcuately adjustable to accommodate pipes of different diameter.

Claim 15

The carriage according to claim 7 wherein said drive body is slidably mounted on said carriage body for movement in a vertical direction and includes means for resiliently urging said drive body downwardly relative to said carriage body to hold said endless belt in driving engagement with the pipe.