Method and apparatus for joining pipe

Abstract

A method of joining segments of non-metallic pipe and an apparatus that may be used to form the joint. The pipes may be joined using by melting the ends to form a butt joint, then the joint may be wrapped with one or more sheets of reinforcement material (e.g., pre-impregnated fiberglass, carbon fiber, or aramid fiber). The reinforcement material may be heated using a heating apparatus which allows the material to bond to the pipes to strengthen the joint.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: 
     
         1 . A pipe joint comprising:
 a first pipe and a second pipe, wherein said first and second pipes are joined together at a seam, said seam comprising melted material from said first and second pipes; and   at least one layer of reinforcement material wrapped around said first and second pipes such that said seam is covered by said reinforcement material.   
     
     
         2 . The pipe joint of  claim 1 , wherein said layer of reinforcement material has been heated after said wrapping around said first and second pipes. 
     
     
         3 . The pipe joint of  claim 2 , wherein said reinforcement material includes a heat activated resin. 
     
     
         4 . The pipe joint of  claim 3 , wherein at least one of said first and second pipes is a composite pipe. 
     
     
         5 . The pipe joint of  claim 4 , further comprising a groove formed in at least one of said first and second pipes. 
     
     
         6 . The pipe joint of  claim 5 , further comprising a temperature probe located underneath said layer of reinforcement material. 
     
     
         7 . The pipe joint of  claim 6 , wherein said seam is generally flush with the exteriors walls of said first and second pipes. 
     
     
         8 . The pipe joint of  claim 7 , further comprising a protective film on top of said layer of reinforcement material. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus for heating pipes comprising:
 a cylindrical shell having a plurality of segments;   a heater positionable within said cylindrical shell; and   a controller adapted to control heat produced by said heater.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein said heater is flexible. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein said heater is adapted to wrap at least partially around a pipe. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said controller is electrically connected to said heater by at least one wire. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein said controller is adapted to monitor a temperature probe attached to a pipe. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein said controller is electrically connected to said temperature probe by at least one wire. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein at least one of said segments of said shell is attached to another of said segments of said shell using a hinge. 
     
     
         16 . A method of joining pipes comprising:
 heating an end of a first pipe and an end of a second pipe and pressing the heated ends together thereby fusing the ends;   wrapping the fused ends with a reinforcement material;   placing the wrapped fused ends in a pipe heating apparatus;   heating the wrapped fused ends in the pipe heating apparatus, wherein the heating causes the reinforcement material to bond to the first and second pipes; and   allowing the wrapped fused ends to cool.   
     
     
         17 . The method of joining pipes of  claim 16 , wherein the reinforcement material includes a heat activated resin. 
     
     
         18 . The method of joining pipes of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of the first and second pipes is a composite pipe. 
     
     
         19 . The method of joining pipes of  claim 18 , further comprising forming a groove in the first or second pipes prior to wrapping the fused ends with the reinforcement material. 
     
     
         20 . The method of joining pipes of  claim 19 , further comprising applying a protective film on top of the reinforcement material.