Pipe cutter

• US 10,046,470 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2016
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Thorson, Troy C., Alberti, Daniel J., Bednar, Thomas R., Scott, John S., Anderson, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Peterson, Kenneth E
• Application Number:
  US15/089,705
• Publication Number:
  US 20160214265A1
• Time in Patent Office: 862 Days
• Field of Search: 30101
• CPC Class Codes: B23D 21/04 Tube-severing machines with rotating tool-carrier
• CPC Class Codes: B23D 21/08 with cutting wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 3/169 Hand held tube cutters
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 82/16541 Resilient means for tool actuation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 82/16918 Spring urged

Abstract

A pipe cutter for cutting a pipe includes a cutting head assembly having a first carriage and a second carriage spaced apart to define a cutting area. The first carriage supports a cutting mechanism, and the second carriage is configured to support a pipe within the cutting area. The carriages have a locked state and an unlocked state such that when the carriages are in the unlocked state, the carriages are movable relative to each other and biased into the cutting area. The pipe cutter also includes a drive assembly configured to rotate the cutting head assembly and a locking mechanism configured for changing the carriages from the unlocked state to the locked state and for holding the carriages in the locked state. The locking mechanism includes an actuation member rotatably coupled to the first carriage.

Claims

1. A pipe cutter for cutting a pipe, the pipe cutter comprising:

a cutting head assembly including a first carriage and a second carriage spaced apart to define a cutting area, the first carriage including a cutting mechanism and a biasing arm having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the biasing arm supporting the cutting mechanism, and the second carriage configured to support the pipe within the cutting area;

a drive assembly configured to rotate the cutting head assembly; and

a locking mechanism configured to position the first and second carriages in an unlocked state and a locked state, the locking mechanism including an actuation member rotatably coupled to the second portion of the biasing arm, a locking member, and a support member coupled to the second carriage, wherein upon rotation of the cutting head assembly the actuation member rotates relative to the first carriage and deflects the biasing arm toward the second carriage to provide a force on the cutting mechanism to cut the pipe, and wherein upon rotation of the actuation member the locking member engages the support member in one of the plurality of positions to position the first and second carriages in the locked state such that the second portion of the biasing arm is inhibited from moving relative to the second carriage;

wherein the support member includes a plurality of notches, the locking member engaging one of the plurality of notches when the first and second carriages are in the locked state, each notch corresponding to each position of the plurality of positions of the first and second carriages in the locked state.

2. The pipe cutter of claim 1, wherein the actuation member comprises a cam member, the cam member including a cam shaft, a lever extending from the cam shaft, and a post positioned at a free end of the lever.

3. The pipe cutter of claim 2, and further comprising a cam actuator fixed relative to the cutting head assembly, wherein the cam actuator engages the cam post to rotate the cam member as the cutting head assembly rotates.

4. The pipe cutter of claim 1, wherein the biasing arm comprises a spring.

5. The pipe cutter of claim 1, and further comprising a battery-powered drive assembly.

6. The pipe cutter of claim 1, and further comprising a housing containing the cutting head assembly, the housing including a window located in a wall of the housing for viewing the cutting area through the housing.

7. The pipe cutter of claim 1, and further comprising a water-tight seal located between a forward portion of the pipe cutter including the cutting head assembly and a handle portion of the pipe cutter.

8. A pipe cutter for cutting a pipe, the pipe cutter comprising;

a housing including an actuator;

a motor coupled to the housing;

a cutting head assembly including a first carriage and a second carriage spaced apart to define a cutting area, the first carriage including a cutting mechanism and having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the spring supporting the cutting mechanism, and the second carriage configured to support the pipe within the cutting area;

a drive assembly powered by the motor and configured to rotate the cutting head assembly; and

a locking mechanism configured to position the first and second carriages in an unlocked state and a locked state, the locking mechanism including an actuation member rotatably coupled to the second portion of the spring, a locking member, and a support member coupled to the second carriage, wherein upon rotation of the cutting head assembly relative to the actuator the actuation member rotates relative to the first carriage and engages the actuator move the locking member into engagement with the support member in one of the plurality of positions such that the first and second carriages are positioned in the locked state and to deflect the spring toward the second carriage such that a force acts on the cutting mechanism to cut the pipe;

wherein the support member includes a plurality of notches, and wherein the locking member engages one of the plurality of notches when the first and second carriages are in the locked state, and wherein each notch corresponds to each position of the plurality of positions of the first and second carriages in the locked state.

9. The pipe cutter of claim 8, wherein the first portion of the spring has a first aperture that supports an axle, and wherein the cutting mechanism is rotatably coupled on the axle.

10. The pipe cutter of claim 9, wherein the second portion of the spring has a second aperture spaced apart from the first aperture of the spring, and wherein the actuation member is received within the second aperture.

11. The pipe cutter of claim 8, wherein the spring is a first biasing arm coupled to the cutting mechanism, and wherein the first carriage further comprises a second spring that is coupled to the cutting mechanism.

12. A cutting head assembly coupled to a pipe cutter for cutting a pipe, the pipe cutter including a drive assembly, the cutting head assembly comprising:

a first carriage configured to be rotated by the drive assembly, the first carriage including a cutting mechanism and a spring having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the spring supporting the cutting mechanism;

a second carriage spaced apart from the first carriage to define a cutting area therebetween, the second carriage configured to be rotated by the drive assembly, the second carriage configured to support the pipe within the cutting area; and

a locking mechanism configured to position the first and second carriages in an unlocked state and a locked state, the locking mechanism including an actuation member coupled to the second portion of the spring, a locking member, and a support member coupled to the second carriage, the locking member engageable with the support member in one of the plurality of positions to the position the first and second carriages in the locked state;

wherein upon rotation of the cutting head assembly to cut the pipe the actuation member rotates relative to the first carriage to position the first and second carriages in the locked state and deflects the spring toward the second carriage such that a force acts on the cutting mechanism to cut the pipe; and

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wherein the support member includes a plurality of notches, and wherein the locking member engages one of the plurality of notches when the first and second carriages are in the locked state, and wherein each notch corresponds to each position of the plurality of positions of the first and second carriages in the locked state.

13. The cutting head assembly of claim 12, wherein the first portion of the spring has a first aperture that supports an axle, and wherein the cutting mechanism is rotatably coupled on the axle.

14. The cutting head assembly of claim 13, wherein the second portion of the spring has a second aperture spaced apart from the first aperture, and wherein the second aperture is configured to receive the actuation member.

15. The cutting head assembly of claim 14, wherein the second aperture is configured to receive a cam of the actuation member.

16. The cutting head assembly of claim 12, wherein the spring is a first spring coupled to the cutting mechanism, and wherein the first carriage further comprises a second spring that is coupled to the cutting mechanism.