Bi-directional roller assembly

{
  "publication_number": "US9739398B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Bi-directional roller assembly",
  "abstract": "Disclosed is a method of assembling a roller assembly that can include mounting a pedestal on a base of the roller assembly such that the pedestal is movable relative to the base; and fixably positioning a roller relative to the pedestal such that the roller is movable axially relative to the base.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A method of assembling a roller assembly, the method comprising: mounting a shaft on a base of the roller assembly, the shaft defining an axis; mounting a pedestal on the shaft such that the pedestal is movable axially along the axis relative to the shaft and the pedestal is rotationally fixed about the axis; fixably positioning a roller relative to the pedestal; and rotatably positioning the roller on the shaft such that the roller is movable axially along the axis relative to the shaft.",
    "2. The method of claim 1, wherein the roller is a first roller, the method further comprising fixably positioning a second roller relative to the pedestal such that the second roller is movable axially relative to the shaft.",
    "3. The method of claim 1, wherein mounting the pedestal on the shaft of the roller assembly includes mounting the pedestal between a first lug and a second lug of the base, the shaft supported by the first lug and the second lug, the pedestal movably positioned on the shaft between the first lug and the second lug and the roller movable axially relative to the shaft between the first lug and the second lug.",
    "4. The method of claim 1, wherein the pedestal includes a bottom panel, a first arm, and a second arm, the method further comprising: connecting the pedestal to the shaft through the first arm and the second arm; and positioning the roller on the shaft between the first arm and the second arm of the pedestal and above the bottom panel.",
    "5. The method of claim 1, wherein the roller defines a roller surface, the method further comprising positioning a pipe shoe on the roller surface such that the pipe shoe is rollable over the roller surface.",
    "6. The method of claim 1, further comprising attaching a first sliding plate of a slide bearing to the base and attaching a second sliding plate of the slide bearing to a bottom panel of the pedestal.",
    "7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first sliding plate and second sliding plate are constructed from a material including polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and glass fiber.",
    "8. The method of claim 1, wherein the shaft is axially fixed relative to the base.",
    "9. A method of assembling a roller assembly, the method comprising: mounting a shaft on a base of the roller assembly, the shaft defining an axis; connecting a first arm and a second arm of a pedestal to the shaft such that the pedestal is movable axially along the axis relative to the shaft; and rotatably positioning a roller on the shaft between the first arm and the second arm of the pedestal such that the roller is positioned above a bottom panel of the pedestal, the roller movable axially along the axis relative to the shaft.",
    "10. The method of claim 9, further comprising: mounting the pedestal between a first lug and a second lug of the base, the shaft supported by the first lug and the second lug, the pedestal movably positioned on the shaft between the first lug and the second lug.",
    "11. The method of claim 9, further comprising: movably positioning the bottom panel of the pedestal on the base.",
    "12. The method of claim 9, wherein the roller is a first roller, the method further comprising fixably positioning a second roller relative to the pedestal such that the second roller is movable axially relative to the shaft.",
    "13. The method of claim 9, further comprising: attaching a first sliding plate of a slide bearing to the base; and attaching a second sliding plate of the slide bearing to the bottom panel of the pedestal.",
    "14. The method of claim 9, wherein: the pedestal is rotationally fixed about the axis; and the shaft is axially fixed relative to the base.",
    "15. A method of assembling a roller assembly, the method comprising: mounting a shaft on a base of the roller assembly, the shaft defining an axis; mounting a pedestal on the shaft such that the pedestal is movable axially along the axis relative to the shaft; attaching a first sliding plate of a slide bearing to the base; attaching a second sliding plate of the slide bearing to the pedestal; and fixably positioning a roller relative to the pedestal such that the roller is rotatable and movable axially along the axis relative to the shaft.",
    "16. The method of claim 15, wherein: the first sliding plate is attached to the base between a first lug and a second lug of the base; and the second sliding plate is attached to a bottom panel of the pedestal between a first arm and a second arm of the pedestal.",
    "17. The method of claim 15, further comprising: mounting the pedestal between a first lug and a second lug of the base, the shaft supported by the first lug and the second lug, the pedestal movably positioned on the shaft between the first lug and the second lug.",
    "18. The method of claim 15, wherein the first sliding plate and second sliding plate are constructed from a material including polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and glass fiber.",
    "19. The method of claim 15, wherein the roller is a first roller, the method further comprising fixably positioning a second roller relative to the pedestal such that the second roller is movable axially relative to the shaft.",
    "20. The method of claim 15, wherein: the pedestal is rotationally fixed about the axis; and the shaft is axially fixed relative to the base."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "This disclosure relates to roller assemblies. More specifically, this disclosure relates to bi-directional roller assemblies.\n\nPipelines may be mounted aboveground, belowground, or a combination of the two. One way of mounting pipelines aboveground is through the use of a pipe roller assembly. A pipe roller assembly may be mounted to a pipeline and a mounting surface and holds the pipeline in position. The pipe roller assembly allows for some movement of the pipeline longitudinally along the axis of the pipeline due to, for example, expansion and contraction of the pipeline or seismic events. A conventional pipe roller assembly accommodates longitudinal pipe movement relative to the pipe roller assembly while allowing little to no lateral, or side-to-side, movement relative to the pipe roller assembly. However, in various pipeline environments utilizing a pipe roller assembly, movement of various segments of pipe of the pipeline occurs in both the longitudinal and lateral direction relative to the pipe roller assembly. For example, bi-directional movement of a pipeline may occur in any industry that utilizes high temperature pipelines to accommodate thermal expansion of the pipeline or an industry where seismic events may occur. Therefore pipe roller assemblies are occasionally subject to forces in a lateral direction relative to the pipeline, which can potentially damage typical pipe roller assemblies or the pipes on the assemblies or cause the assemblies to fail.",
  "cpc": [
    "F16L 3/18",
    "F16L 3/16",
    "F16L 3/20",
    "F16L 3/202"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "F16L 3/18",
    "F16L 3/16",
    "F16L 3/20"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Anvil International LLC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Carlos Costa"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2016-12-09",
  "publication_date": "2017-08-22",
  "grant_date": "2017-08-22",
  "priority_date": "2015-04-13",
  "application_number": "US-201615373712-A",
  "family_id": "57111716",
  "cited_by_count": 4,
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}