Pipe distributing system

Abstract

A system for distributing large pipe or conduit at a job site includes a containment mounted on a vehicle and configured to contain a quantity of pipe. The containment defines an opening sized for passage of a pipe lengthwise. A pipe dispensing apparatus is disposed within the opening and includes a pair of grabber plates each defining a slot to receive a pipe therein. The grabber plates are simultaneously rotated to acquire a pipe from within the containment and convey the pipe through the opening. The grabber plates continue to rotate until the slots are oriented so that the pipe drops from the grabber plates by gravity. The vehicle is then moved to another location to drop another pipe.

1 . A system for distributing large pipe or conduit at a job site comprising:
 a vehicle;   a containment mounted on the vehicle and configured for containing a plurality of pipes on the vehicle, said containment defining an opening at one side of the vehicle sized to permit passage of a pipe therethrough; and   a pipe dispensing apparatus disposed to block said opening to prevent passage of a pipe therethrough, and movable from a first position to acquire a pipe and passing through said opening to a second position to drop the pipe outside the vehicle.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said containment includes a gravity feed element for feeding successive ones of the plurality of pipes to the pipe dispensing apparatus. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the gravity feed element includes at least one ramp disposed within the containment and inclined toward the pipe dispensing apparatus. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said pipe dispensing apparatus includes:
 a pair of plates offset from each other, each of said plates defining a slot for receiving the pipe therein, said pair of plates mounted for rotation relative to the vehicle; and   a drive system for simultaneously rotating said pair of plates between said first and second positions.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein each of said plates defines a cam edge extending from the opening of said slot. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein said cam edge is defined substantially at a circular radius. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein each of said plates includes an inner arm and an outer arm which define said slot, said outer arm being longer than said inner arm. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein each of said plates defines a cam edge extending from the opening of said slot at said inner arm. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein each of said plates further defines a truncated edge generally aligned with said outer arm, said cam edge terminating at said truncated edge. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein:
 each of said pair of plates is supported for rotation by a short axle; and   said drive system includes;
 a common axle rotatably driven by a power source; and 
 a transmission mechanism coupled between said common axle and the short axle of each of said pair of plates. 
   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein said transmission mechanism is configured to multiply the rotation of said common axle to the short axle of each of said pair of plates. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein said power source includes a hydraulic motor and a linkage from an output shaft of said motor to said common axle. 
     
     
         13 . A method for distributing large pipe or conduit at a job site comprising:
 (a) loading a plurality of pipes into a containment on a vehicle, the containment defining an opening sized for passage of a pipe lengthwise therethrough, the vehicle including a pair of rotating grabber plates disposed in the opening and offset from each other, each grabber plate including a slot for receiving a pipe therein;   (b) simultaneously rotating the grabber plates in a first direction to acquire a pipe within the containment;   (c) simultaneously rotating the grabber plates in an opposite second direction to carry the acquired pipe through the opening;   (d) continuing to simultaneously rotate the grabber plates until the slots are positioned to allow the pipe to fall from the slots by gravity;   (e) moving the vehicle to another location; and   repeating steps (b)-(e) for subsequent pipes to be distributed at the job site.