Coil whipline dispensing and recovery trailer

Abstract

In one example, an apparatus is provided that includes a trailer, one or more rotatable reels mounted to the trailer and configured to hold a length of flexible pipe, a motor configured and arranged to rotate any of the reels, an assembly/disassembly station arranged to slide along the trailer to selectively align with one of the reels, and a line regulator configured to move in unison with the assembly/disassembly station so as to be selectively alignable with any of the reels.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a trailer;   one or more rotatable reels mounted at least indirectly to the trailer and configured to hold a length of flexible pipe;   a motor operable and arranged to rotate any of the reels;   an assembly/disassembly station arranged to move along the trailer to selectively align with any of the reels; and   a line regulator operable to move in unison with the assembly/disassembly station so as to be selectively alignable with any of the reels.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the line regulator comprises:
 a level wind mechanism with a self-reversing screw; and   a shuttle engaged with the self-reversing screw and movable along the self-reversing screw in response to rotation of the self-reversing screw.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a track mounted to the trailer, and the line regulator is movable along the track. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the line regulator comprises a pair of rollers, and one of the rollers is movable relative to the other of the rollers so that the size of a gap between the rollers is variable. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a hydraulic motor coupled to the line regulator; and   a hydraulic control panel connected to the hydraulic motor, and the hydraulic motor and hydraulic panel are movable along the trailer in unison with the line regulator.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising one or more speedloader plates, each of which is configured to selectively engage a respective reel so that the respective reel can be switched between an idle state where input from the motor does not cause the reel to rotate, and an engaged state where input from the motor causes the reel to rotate. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 6 , further comprising a shaft connected to the motor and extending through the center of each reel, and the speedloader plates are mounted to the shaft. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 7 , wherein each speedloader plate is movable axially along the shaft independent of the other speedloader plates. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 6 , wherein one of the speedloader plates includes a plurality of pins configured and arranged so that, in the engaged state of the speedloader plate, each pin is interposed between two spokes of the engaged reel. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 6 , wherein in the disengaged state of the speedloader plate, the shaft is free to rotate relative to the reel associated with that speedloader plate. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a wheeled trailer connectible to a motor vehicle;   a track disposed lengthwise along the trailer;   a shaft disposed lengthwise with respect to the trailer;   one or more reels mounted to the shaft;   a motor connected to the shaft and operable to rotate the shaft;   a speedloader plate mounted to the shaft and configured for selective engagement with one of the reels;   an assembly/disassembly station arranged to move along the track to selectively align with any of the reels; and   a line regulator operable to move along the track so as to be selectively alignable with any of the reels.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the line regulator comprises:
 a level wind mechanism with a self-reversing screw; and   a shuttle engaged with the self-reversing screw and movable along the self-reversing screw in response to rotation of the self-reversing screw.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a hydraulic motor coupled to the line regulator and operable to rotate the self-reversing screw; and   a hydraulic control panel connected to the hydraulic motor, and the hydraulic motor and hydraulic panel are movable along the trailer in unison with the line regulator.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the speedloader plate is configured and arranged for axial movement along the shaft. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the apparatus comprises a respective pair of speedloader plates selectively engageable with each reel. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the line regulator comprises a pair of rollers and a hydraulic ram configured and arranged to act on one or both of the rollers to vary the size of a gap between the rollers. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the speedloader plate is configured to selectively engage a reel so that the reel can be switched between an idle state where input from the motor does not cause the reel to rotate, and an engaged state where input from the motor causes the reel to rotate. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the speedloader plate includes a plurality of pins configured and arranged so that, in the engaged state of the speedloader plate, each pin is interposed between two spokes of the engaged reel. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 17 , wherein in the disengaged state of the speedloader plate, the shaft is free to rotate relative to the reel associated with that speedloader plate. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the speedloader plate is configured to be selectively locked to the shaft so as to rotate in unison with the shaft.