Large diameter travelling pipe cutter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10220456-B2
Application number	US-201615232348-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 9, 2016
Priority date	Aug 10, 2015
Publication date	Mar 5, 2019
Grant date	Mar 5, 2019

Abstract

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a low profile travelling pipe cutter is provided which is adapted to perform at least one of cutting and beveling a hollow vessel while traveling around the vessel using a cutting tool mounted thereon. The pipe cutter includes inner and outer carriages, a capstan assembly attached to the outer carriage to which a feed cable is attached, and rollers attached to the outer carriage to which a tension cable is attached. The force adjustment assembly changes the vertical position of the outer carriage relative to the inner carriage to compensate for the pipe cutter going inwardly and outwardly as it travels around a hollow vessel in order to maintain constant pressure caused by the lever tension interface. A guard assembly is provided for covering and uncovering the cutting tool during cutting.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A travelling pipe cutter adapted to perform at least one of cutting and beveling a hollow vessel while traveling around the hollow vessel, comprising:
an inner carriage;
a plurality of wheels mounted on the inner carriage configured to provide translation of the travelling pipe cutter around the hollow vessel;
an outer carriage;
a force adjustment assembly attaching the inner carriage to the outer carriage and configured to allow for the vertical movement of the outer carriage relative to the inner carriage, the force adjustment assembly comprising:
a guide wheel adjuster rigidly attached to the inner carriage and pivotally attached to the outer carriage, the guide wheel adjuster being adjustable to vary a vertical position of the outer carriage relative to the inner carriage, and
a guide wheel spring pivotally attached to the inner carriage and pivotally attached to the outer carriage, the guide wheel spring comprising an inner housing, an outer housing and a spring mounted therein, the outer housing configured to telescope relative to the inner housing, the spring limiting the amount of travel of the outer housing relative to the inner housing; and

a cutting tool mounted on the inner carriage and adapted for rotation relative to the inner carriage to cut the hollow vessel as the travelling pipe cutter travels around the hollow vessel.

2. The travelling pipe cutter of claim 1 , wherein the guide wheel adjuster is in a forward position relative to a direction of travel of the travelling pipe cutter around the hollow vessel.

3. The travelling pipe cutter of claim 2 , wherein the guide wheel spring is in a rearward position relative to the direction of travel of the travelling pipe cutter around the hollow vessel.

4. The travelling pipe cutter of claim 1 , wherein the guide wheel spring has indicia thereon which provides an operator of a visual indication of an amount of force being applied to the travelling pipe cutter.

5. The travelling pipe cutter of claim 4 , wherein the spring mounted in the outer housing comprises a plurality of Belleville washers.

6. The travelling pipe cutter of claim 4 , wherein the guide wheel adjuster comprises a guide wheel housing rigidly attached to the inner carriage, a sleeve mounted within the guide wheel housing and pivotally connected to the outer carriage, a shank threadedly engaged with the sleeve and which is linearly fixed relative to the guide wheel housing, wherein upon rotation of the shank causes rotation of the sleeve and causes a vertical displacement of the outer carriage relative to the inner carriage.

7. The travelling pipe cutter of claim 6 , wherein the guide wheel adjuster has indicia thereon which provides an operator of a visual indication of the vertical position of the outer carriage relative to the inner carriage.

8. The travelling pipe cutter of claim 6 , wherein the indicia is on the sleeve and the guide wheel housing includes a window through which the indicia on the sleeve is visible.

9. The travelling pipe cutter of claim 4 , wherein the indicia on the guide wheel spring is provided on the outer housing and the inner housing has a window therein through which the indicia can be viewed when the outer housing telescopes relative to the inner housing.

10. The travelling pipe cutter of claim 1 , wherein the guide wheel adjuster comprises a housing rigidly attached to the inner carriage, a sleeve mounted within the housing and pivotally connected to the outer carriage, a shank threadedly engaged with the sleeve and which is linearly fixed relative to the housing, wherein upon rotation of the shank causes rotation of the sleeve and causes a vertical displacement of the outer carriage relative to the inner carriage.

11. The travelling pipe cutter of claim 1 , wherein the outer carriage further comprises a plurality of wheels adapted to be connected to a feed cable and a plurality of wheels adapted to be connected to a tension cable.

12. The travelling pipe cutter of claim 1 , further comprising a guard assembly on the inner carriage, the guard assembly comprising a guard housing, the cutting tool mounted within the guard housing, and first and second guards pivotably attached to the guard housing to expose more of the cutting tool when the outer carriage moves vertically toward the inner carriage or to cover more of the cutting tool when the outer carriage moves vertically away from the inner carriage.

13. The travelling pipe cutter as defined in claim 12 , wherein the guard housing is formed from first and second parts which define a cavity therebetween in which the cutting tool is positioned, the first part being rigidly attached to the inner carriage, and the second part being pivotable relative to the first part, the first and second guards being mounted on the second part and being pivotable relative to the second part.

14. The travelling pipe cutter as defined in claim 13 , wherein one of the second part and the first guard has a first pin mounted thereon and the other of second part and the first guard has a first slot therethrough, wherein the first pin slides along the first slot when the first guard is pivoted in either direction, and wherein one of the second part and the second guard has a second pin mounted thereon and the other of second part and the second guard has a second slot therethrough, wherein the second pin rides in the second slot, wherein the second pin slides along the second slot when the second guard is pivoted in either direction.

15. The travelling pipe cutter as defined in claim 13 , wherein the guard housing conforms to the shape of the cutting tool.

16. The travelling pipe cutter as defined in claim 1 , further comprising:
a worm gear housing mounted on the outer carriage;
a driven worm gear mounted in the worm gear housing;
a bearing attached to the worm gear and to the worm gear housing, the bearing configured to provide relative rotation between the worm gear housing and the worm gear;
a capstan attached to the worm gear, the capstan being rotationally fixed to the worm gear, the capstan comprising a base wall having a skirt depending therefrom, the skirt defining a generally concave recess in a side of the which faces the worm gear housing;
wherein the bearing, a portion of the worm gear and a portion of the worm gear housing seat within the capstan recess; and
at least one roller mounted on the outer carriage which receives a cable, the cable also interacting with the capstan.

17. The travelling pipe cutter as defined in claim 16 , wherein an outer surface of the skirt of the capstan is cylindrical.

18. The travelling pipe cutter as defined in claim 17 , further comprising a pair of spaced apart flanges extending outwardly from the skirt.

19. The travelling pipe cutter as defined in claim 16 , wherein an outer surface of the skirt of the capstan is formed from a pair of angled walls.

20. The travelling pipe cutter as defined in claim 19 , wherein the angled walls form a V-shape.

21. The travelling pipe cutter as defined in claim 19 , wherein the angled walls have an included angle of 170 degrees.

22. The travelling pipe cutter as defined in claim 16 , wherein the worm gear is driven by a motor connected to, and driving, a worm gear shaft by a gearbox.

23. The travelling pipe cutter as defined in claim 16 , wherein the cutting tool is mounted on a gearbox assembly attached to the inner carriage, and a vertical position of the gearbox a

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Pierce Kenneth R
• Gearhart Michael W
• Giberman Alexander S

Classifications

• B24B27/0616

  using a tool turning around the workpiece · CPC title

• B23Q9/0021

  the tool being guided in a circular path · CPC title

• B23Q9/0007

  Portable machines comprising means for their guidance or support directly on the workpiece · CPC title

• B23C3/122

  of pipes or cylinders · CPC title

• B23D45/126 Primary

  with the tool turning around the workpieces · CPC title