Patents Assigned to CRC-Evans Pipeline International, Inc.
  • Patent number: 11767934
    Abstract: A welded pipe assembly includes a first and a second metal pipes, and a welded joint or welded material connecting the first pipe with the second pipe. The first and second metal pipes each have a length of at least 30? and an exterior diameter of less than 24?. The weld material includes a plurality of weld pass layers including a first internal pass layer and a second internal pass layer disposed on top of the first internal pass layer. The second internal pass layer is positioned closer to an interior longitudinal axis of the welded first and second pipes than the first internal pass layer. The welded joint includes a first internal bevel formed in the first metal pipe and a second internal bevel formed in the second metal pipe. The first internal pass layer is disposed in a region defined by the first and the second internal bevels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: CRC-EVANS PIPELINE INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Shankar T. Rajagopalan, Siddharth Mallick, Brian L. Kirk, Jose C. Bouche, Jason W. Curbo, Jonathan B. Kettelkamp
  • Patent number: 11458571
    Abstract: A system for welding two pipes includes a first pipe clamp, a second pipe clamp, a weld torch, an inspection detector, a motor, one or more processors, and a grinder. The weld torch is configured to create a weld joint between the pipes at an interface region between the pipes. The inspection detector is configured to emit an inspection beam of radiation. The motor is operatively associated with the inspection detector to direct the inspection beam of radiation along the weld joint between the pipes. The one or more processors are operatively associated with the inspection detector to determine a profile of the weld joint between the pipes. The grinder is configured to grind at least a portion of the weld joint between the pipes based on the profile of the weld joint between the pipes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: CRC-EVANS PIPELINE INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Shankar Rajagopalan, Siddharth Mallick, Brian L. Kirk
  • Patent number: 11278926
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus for coating a girth weld and a cutback region surrounding said girth weld, said apparatus having lateral travel at least equal to the length of the cutback region and circumferential rotational travel around the pipe. The apparatus can provide a multiple component coating accurately and safely, without the need for solvent flushing of the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: CRC-Evans Pipeline International, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael George, Garrett Barlett, Timothy Bond, Siddharth Mallick
  • Patent number: 11203088
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus for coating a girth weld and a cutback region surrounding said girth weld, said apparatus having lateral travel at least equal to the length of the cutback region and circumferential rotational travel around the pipe. The apparatus can provide a multiple component coating accurately and safely, without the need for solvent flushing of the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: CRC-Evans Pipeline International, Inc.
    Inventors: Travis W. Smith, Jose C. Bouche
  • Patent number: 11175099
    Abstract: The present application relates to a field system and methods that can be deployed in the application of pipe welding. The field system provides many embodiments relating to pipe welding systems and methods, that can be used in combination with one another, or individually. Such welding systems and methods, include, for example, internal welding systems and methods, tie-in welding system and methods, pipe inspection systems and methods, pipe handling systems and methods, internal pipe cooling systems and methods, non-destructive testing systems and methods, as well as remote interface and database systems and methods (uLog), to name a few. The application further relates to welded pipes that result from some or all of such processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: CRC-EVANS PIPELINE INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Shankar T. Rajagopalan, Siddharth Mallick, Brian L. Kirk, Jose C. Bouche, Jason W. Curbo, Jonathan B. Kettelkamp, Lawrence Sniderman, Shailesh Radhakrishnan
  • Patent number: 10828715
    Abstract: A welding system includes a welding station having a weld station computer and a weld system in communication with the weld station computer. The weld system includes a supply of weld material, a welding device, and a weld supply motor assembly that moves the weld material to the welder device. The system further includes a weighting device operatively connected with the weld station computer to measure a weight of the supply of weld material and to communicate the weight of the supply of weld material to the weld station computer; and a sensor operatively connected with the weld supply motor assembly and the weld station computer so as to communicate the speed of the weld supply motor assembly to the weld station computer. The weld station computer is operatively connected to the weld supply motor assembly to control the speed of the motor assembly based on the weight data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: CRC-EVANS PIPELINE INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventor: Shankar Rajagopalan
  • Patent number: 10821560
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a rotational roller apparatus for use with a pipeline unit. The pipeline unit is received in a pipeline for welding and/or inspection. The rotational roller is attached to and is able to support at least a portion of the weight of the pipeline unit. The rotational roller unit also includes an extension member and a reduced friction base. The reduced friction base is attached to an end of the extension member so that the rotational roller has a retracted and an extended configuration. In the extended configuration, the reduced friction base contacts an interior of the pipeline and supports at least a portion of the weight of the pipeline unit and thereby allows the unit to be rotated about a longitudinal axis within the pipeline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: CRC-EVANS PIPELINE INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Gustavo Garza, John Pearson, Allen Noble, Joseph Tullis, David Dietlin, Tony Massey, Donald Kramp, Leslie Atwell, Travis Sapp, Brian Fulton, Paul Matthews, Eric Pameticky, Dennis Kinney, David Robb
  • Patent number: 10695876
    Abstract: A weld system for welding two pipes includes a frame, a plurality of rollers, a drive motor, a brake system, an inspection detector, a weld torch, one or more battery cells and one or more processors. The frame is configured to be placed within the pipes. The plurality of rollers is configured to rotatably support the frame. The drive motor drives the rollers to move the frame within the pipes. The brake system secures the frame from movement at a desired location within the pipes. The weld torch, the inspection detector and the one or more battery cells are carried by the frame. The inspection detector is configured to detect a characteristic of an interface region between the pipes. The one or more battery cells are configured to power the drive motor, the inspection detector and the weld torch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: CRC-EVANS PIPELINE INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Shankar T. Rajagopalan, Siddharth Mallick, Brian L. Kirk, Jose C. Bouche, Jason W. Curbo, Jonathan B. Kettelkamp, Lawrence Sniderman, Shailesh Radhakrishnan
  • Patent number: 10668577
    Abstract: A cooling system which achieves temperature control of a heat affected portion of a pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: CRC-EVANS PIPELINE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Marcus Janes, Jared Proegler, Brian Kirk
  • Patent number: 10589371
    Abstract: A field system for welding two pipes includes a first pipe engagement structure, a second pipe engagement structure, one or more weld torches, a motor and one or more processors. The one or more weld torches are configured to be positioned within the pipes to create an internal weld at an interface region between the pipes. The motor is operatively associated with the one or more weld torches to rotate the one or more weld torch along the interface region between the pipes. The one or more processors control the motor and the one or more weld torches. The one or more processors operate the motor and the one or more weld torches to generate a complete circumferential weld along the interface region by rotating the one or more weld torches along the interface region in a single rotational direction until the complete circumferential weld is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: CRC-EVANS PIPELINE INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Shankar T. Rajagopalan, Siddharth Mallick, Brian L. Kirk, Jose C. Bouche, Jason W. Curbo, Jonathan B. Kettelkamp
  • Patent number: 10480862
    Abstract: The present application relates to a field system and methods that can be deployed in the application of pipe welding. The field system provides many embodiments relating to pipe welding systems and methods, that can be used in combination with one another, or individually. Such welding systems and methods, include, for example, internal welding systems and methods, tie-in welding system and methods, pipe inspection systems and methods, pipe handling systems and methods, internal pipe cooling systems and methods, non-destructive testing systems and methods, as well as remote interface and database systems and methods (uLog), to name a few. The application further relates to welded pipes that result from some or all of such processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: CRC-Evans Pipeline International, Inc.
    Inventors: Shankar T. Rajagopalan, Siddharth Mallick, Brian L. Kirk, Jose C. Bouche, Jason W. Curbo, Jonathan B. Kettelkamp, Lawrence Sniderman, Shailesh Radhakrishnan
  • Patent number: 10040141
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system for welding together segments of a pipeline. The system includes an external alignment mechanism for externally supporting and manipulating the orientation of pipe segments in order to align relative segments. The system also includes an internal welding mechanism for applying a weld to an interior face joint of the two abutted pipe segments. The internal welding mechanism including a torch for applying a weld, a laser for tracking the weld profile and guiding an articulating head of the torch, and a camera for visually inspecting the weld after the weld is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: CRC-Evans Pipeline International, Inc.
    Inventors: Shankar Rajagopalan, Siddharth Mallick, Jose C. Bouche
  • Patent number: 9821415
    Abstract: An internal heat exchanger (IHEX) for pipeline welding includes a drive system configured to move the IHEX into a position within at least one pipe section near a weld joint location with another pipe section. The IHEX further includes a cooling section including cooling structure configured to selectively cool one or more interior surface portions of the at least one pipe section, and a controller in communication with the cooling structure and configured to activate the cooling section when the IHEX is at the position within the at least one pipe section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: CRC-EVANS PIPELINE INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Shankar T. Rajagopalan, Jose C. Bouche, Jason W. Curbo, Jonathon B. Kettelkamp, Brian L. Kirk, Siddharth Mallick
  • Publication number: 20130333438
    Abstract: A pipe bending machine has a stiff-back which is driven by a pivoting wedge. A linkage applies force from the actuator to the wedge in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the stiff-back. The stiff-back pivots on a first fulcrum and the wedge slides on a bed which pivots on a second fulcrum. The actuator drives the wedge between the stiff-back and the bed to rotate the stiff-back at the first fulcrum and bend the pipe seated in the stiff-back against the pipe bending face of a die. The conversion of the longitudinal force applied to the wedge into a transverse force applied to the stiff-back provides a significant mechanical advantage which varies directionally as the stiff-back rotates about its fulcrum to maintain a constant force on the stiff-back.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2013
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Applicant: CRC-Evans Pipeline International, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey C. Scoville, Timothy R. Gwartney, Stephen Sears
  • Publication number: 20130333434
    Abstract: A pipe bending machine has a stiff-back which is driven by a pivoting wedge. A linkage applies force from the actuator to the wedge in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the stiff-back. The stiff-back pivots on a first fulcrum and the wedge slides on a bed which pivots on a second fulcrum. The actuator drives the wedge between the stiff-back and the bed to rotate the stiff-back at the first fulcrum and bend the pipe seated in the stiff-back against the pipe bending face of a die. The conversion of the longitudinal force applied to the wedge into a transverse force applied to the stiff-back provides a significant mechanical advantage which varies directionally as the stiff-back rotates about its fulcrum to maintain a constant force on the stiff-back.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2013
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Applicant: CRC-Evans Pipeline International, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey C. Scoville, Timothy R. Gwartney, Stephen Sears
  • Patent number: 8511123
    Abstract: A pipe bending machine has a stiff-back which is driven by a pivoting wedge. A linkage applies force from the actuator to the wedge in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the stiff-back. The stiff-back pivots on a first fulcrum and the wedge slides on a bed which pivots on a second fulcrum. The actuator drives the wedge between the stiff-back and the bed to rotate the stiff-back at the first fulcrum and bend the pipe seated in the stiff-back against the pipe bending face of a die. The conversion of the longitudinal force applied to the wedge into a transverse force applied to the stiff-back provides a significant mechanical advantage which varies directionally as the stiff-back rotates about its fulcrum to maintain a constant force on the stiff-back.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: CRC-Evans Pipeline International, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey C. Scoville, Timothy R. Gwartney, Stephen Sears
  • Patent number: 7302823
    Abstract: A pipe bending system employing a sensing and indicating system that provides feedback to an operator regarding the position of components of the pipe bending system, such as the pin-up shoe and the stiffback. Apparatus for retrofitting a sensing and indicating system to existing pipe bending apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: CRC-Evans Pipeline International, Inc.
    Inventors: Jimmie D. Jackson, Donald E. Lewis
  • Patent number: 6915943
    Abstract: A line-up clamp unit is powered by a diesel engine which drives a hydraulic pump for operating hydraulic equipment in the unit. The unit includes a line-up clamp which has front shoes, rear shoes and expanding copper back-up tiles. Drive wheels are deployed by a hydraulic cylinder and operated by a hydraulic drive motor. A group of aligning assemblies are electrically operated and fiction to extend L-shaped members to beyond the diameter of the pipe being welded so that the unit can be automatically positioned at the end of a pipe section. A control box includes a radio receiver for receiving control signals and producing corresponding electric control commands for operating the line-tip unit. A remote control radio transmitter has operating, mechanisms, including push buttons and toggle switches, for operating the line-up unit, including the engine, drive motor, brakes, line-up clamp and aligners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignee: CRC-Evans Pipeline International, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian Scott Laing
  • Publication number: 20040099713
    Abstract: A line-up clamp unit is powered by a diesel engine which drives a hydraulic pump for operating hydraulic equipment in the unit. The unit includes a line-up clamp which has front shoes, rear shoes and expanding copper back-up tiles. Drive wheels are deployed by a hydraulic cylinder and operated by a hydraulic drive motor. Brakes are also operated hydraulically. A group of aligning assemblies are electrically operated and function to extend L-shaped members to beyond the diameter of the pipe being welded so that the unit can be retracted and automatically positioned at the end of a pipe section. A control box is mounted to the line-up unit and includes a radio receiver for receiving control signals and producing corresponding electric control commands for operating the hydraulic and electric components of the line-up unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Publication date: May 27, 2004
    Applicant: CRC-Evans Pipeline International, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian Scott Laing
  • Patent number: 6389872
    Abstract: A mandrel for insertion into a pipe prevents distortion and buckling while bending the pipe. The mandrel comprises three or more radial support members distributed along a longitudinal extent of the mandrel. A first radial support member is located at a first end of the mandrel. A second radial support member is located at a second end of the mandrel. At least one intermediate radial support member is located between the first and second radial support members. A channel is formed in the at least one intermediate radial support member. A leaf spring extends along the longitudinal extent of the mandrel, and the leaf spring is located within the radial support member channel. The leaf spring has a first and second spring end. A first end bolt attaches the first spring end to the first radial support member. A second end bolt attaches the second spring end to the second radial support member. A compliant member attaches to the leaf spring by a compliant member bolt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: CRC-Evans Pipeline International, Inc.
    Inventor: Beverley F. Hanson