Pipe cutting apparatus and method

• US 20070028451A1
• Filed: 08/03/2005
• Published: 02/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: James Kaehr, Lyle Kaehr
• Original Assignee: James Kaehr, Lyle Kaehr
• Inventors: Kaehr, Lyle, Kaehr, James
• Granted Patent: US 7,624,663 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 30/102
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 5/16 for bevelling, chamfering, or deburring the ends of bars or tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B23D 21/006 and sealing, crushing or chamfering the tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B23D 33/02 Arrangements for holding, guiding, and/or feeding work during the operation
• CPC Class Codes: B23D 45/124 the workpieces turning about their longitudinal axis during the cutting operations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/222 With receptacle or support for cut product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/7513 Tool or tool support on movable clamp jaw
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/7647 Adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/889 Tool with either work holder or means to hold work supply
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/9307 With tool contour adjusting means

Abstract

A pipe cutting apparatus having a frame and first and second pipe support arms. The pipe support arms are pivotally attached to the frame. First and second pipe support members on the first and second arms together with a third pipe support member securely grip the pipe at substantially equally circumferentially spaced locations. A camming member is used to place the first and second pipe support arms in predefined locations for holding differently sized pipes. An linkage assembly causes the third pipe support member to biasingly engage the pipe. A two-part tool shield is provided together with a depth adjusting assembly for facilitating the cutting and beveling of the pipe. A power transmission assembly transfers power from a motor on the frame to a tool located on a pivoting arm. The frame may be manufactured using an adhesive filler material for enhancing the rigidity, strength and accuracy of the components.

Claims

1. An apparatus for cutting a substantially cylindrical pipe, said apparatus comprising:

a structural frame including a support arm assembly;

said support arm assembly including first and second support arms, said first support arm pivotally mounted to said frame and thereby defining a first pivot axis, said second support arm pivotally mounted to said frame and thereby defining a second pivot axis, said first and second support arms each including an engagement feature;

a camming assembly including at least one camming member, said at least one camming member engaged with each of said engagement features of said first and second support arms wherein movement of said camming assembly simultaneously repositions said engagement features of said first and second support arms and thereby repositions said first and second support arms;

a pipe clamping member moveably mounted on said frame; and

wherein adjustment of said camming assembly defines a plurality of positions of said first and second support arms, said plurality of positions corresponding to a plurality of different pipe diameters wherein a plurality of pipes having different diameters are supportingly engageable between said support arm assembly and said pipe clamping member.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said support arm assembly and said pipe clamping member are engageable with the plurality of pipes having different diameters at points substantially equally circumferentially spaced about an outer circumference of the plurality of pipes by adjustment of said camming assembly to selectively reposition said first and second support arms.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said engagement features of said first and second support arms are each engaged with a common camming member, said common camming member having a plurality of discrete camming surfaces, wherein said plurality of discrete camming surfaces define a corresponding plurality of discrete support arm assembly positions whereby said first and second pipe support members are positionable in predefined locations to support standard sized pipes.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said engagement features of said first and second support arms are both rotatable and are engageable with the same selected one of said discrete camming surfaces as said camming assembly is adjusted.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first and second support arms define a first pair of support arms and said support arm assembly further comprises a second pair of support arms, said second pair of support arms including two support arms pivotally mounted to said frame and being selectively repositionable in cooperation with said first pair of support arms.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said support arm assembly further comprises a roller assembly for directly supporting the plurality of pipes having different diameters, said roller assembly extending between said first pair of support arms and said second pair of support arms.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said roller assembly includes at least one driven roller and a manually operated drive system for drivingly rotating said driven roller whereby rotation of said driven roller controllably rotates a pipe clamped between said support arm assembly and said pipe clamping member.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said pipe clamping member comprises at least one non-driven roller for engaging a pipe supported on said support arm assembly.

9. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said at least one camming member of said camming assembly includes a first camming member engageable with each support arm of said first pair of support arms;

and

a second camming member engaged with each support arm of said second pair of support arms.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein each of said first and second camming members have a common outer circumference defining a plurality of discrete camming surfaces and said first and second camming members are operably coupled by said camming assembly wherein the first and second camming members are simultaneously rotated by adjustment of the camming assembly.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a lever arm pivotally mounted to said frame, said third pipe support member being disposed on said lever arm wherein pivoting motion of said lever arm moves said third pipe support member between said clamping position and a disengaged position in which said third pipe support member is spaced apart from a pipe on said first and second pipe support assemblies thereby allowing movement of the pipe; and

a biasing member having a first end secured relative to said frame and a second end operably coupled to said lever arm wherein said biasing member biases said third pipe support member toward the pipe when said clamping member is positioned proximate said clamping position and said biasing member biases said third pipe support member away from the pipe when said biasing member is positioned proximate said disengaged position.

12. An apparatus for cutting a substantially cylindrical pipe, said apparatus comprising:

a structural frame for supporting the pipe;

a clamping assembly for clamping the pipe in a secured position on said frame, said clamping assembly including;

a lever arm pivotally mounted to said frame;

a clamping member disposed on said lever arm wherein pivoting motion of said lever arm moves said clamping member between a clamping position in which said clamping member engageably secures the pipe on said frame and a disengaged position in which said clamping member is spaced apart the pipe supported on said frame allowing movement of the pipe;

a biasing member having a first end secured relative to said frame and a second end operably coupled to said lever arm wherein said biasing member biases said clamping member toward the pipe when said clamping member is positioned proximate said clamping position and said biasing member biases said clamping member away from the pipe when said biasing member is positioned proximate said disengaged position.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said clamping assembly defines a toggle point between said clamping position and said disengaged position of said lever arm, said biasing member exerting a biasing force on said lever arm that increases as said clamping assembly approaches said toggle point.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said biasing member includes a compression spring exerting a biasing force urging said first end of said biasing member away from said second end of said biasing member and wherein a distance between said first and second ends of said biasing member decreases as said clamping assembly approaches said toggle point, said toggle point defining a point of maximum compression of said biasing member.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein a linkage assembly operably couples said biasing member to said lever arm.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said lever arm has a first end and an opposite second end, said lever arm being pivotally mounted to said frame in a mediate portion of said lever arm between said first and second ends of said lever arm, said clamping member being disposed proximate a first end of said lever arm and wherein said linkage assembly further comprises:

an actuating linkage having a first end and an opposite second end, said actuating linkage including a manually graspable handle proximate said first end of said actuating linkage, said actuating linkage being pivotally mounted to said frame in a mediate portion of said actuating linkage between said first and second ends of said actuating linkage and having a common pivot axis with said lever arm;

a first linkage member having a first end and an opposite second end, said first end of said first linkage member being pivotally joined to said lever arm proximate said second end of said lever arm, said second end of said first linkage member being pivotally joined to said second end of said biasing member;

a second linkage member having a first end and an opposite second end, said first end of said second linkage member being pivotally joined to said second end of said actuating linkage, said second end of said second linkage member being joined to said first linkage member between said first and second ends of said first linkage member; and

wherein said biasing member includes a compression spring exerting a biasing force urging said first end of said biasing member away from said second end of said biasing member and wherein said clamping assembly defines a toggle point between said clamping position and said disengaged position of said lever arm when said first and second ends of said biasing member are approximately linearly aligned with said common pivot axis of said lever arm and said actuating linkage, said biasing member exerting a biasing force on said lever arm that increases as said clamping assembly approaches said toggle point.

17. An apparatus for cutting a substantially cylindrical pipe, said apparatus comprising:

a structural frame for supporting the pipe;

a tool arm pivotally mounted to said frame at a tool arm pivot location;

a tool for working the pipe disposed on said tool arm wherein pivotal movement of said tool arm moves said tool between a working position wherein said tool is engageable with the pipe located on said frame and a disengaged position spaced apart from the pipe located on said frame;

a tool guard assembly, said tool guard assembly including;

at least two shielding members, said shielding members pivotally mounted to said tool arm and wherein said shielding members have a closed position substantially enclosing said tool and an open position permitting said tool to engage the pipe; and

a linkage assembly operably coupled to said shield members and pivotally engaged to said frame at a guard assembly pivot location spaced from said tool arm pivot location, said linkage assembly biasing said shielding members into said open position when said tool is disposed in said working position and biasing said shielding members into said closed position when said tool is disposed in said disengaged position.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said tool includes a circular cutting blade and said shielding members define a substantially cylindrical and transparent enclosure.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said linkage assembly includes a first linkage member pivotally mounted to said frame, a first one of said shielding members rigidly secured to a second linkage member, said second linkage member pivotally engaged with said first linkage member, the other one of said shielding members being pivotally coupled to a third linkage member, said third linkage member pivotally engaged with said second linkage member.

20. An apparatus for cutting a substantially cylindrical pipe, said apparatus comprising:

a structural frame for supporting the pipe;

a tool arm pivotally mounted to said frame;

a cutting assembly mounted on said tool arm, said cutting assembly including a shaft having adjacently mounted thereon at least one beveling blade and a cutting blade;

said shaft being rotatably supported on said tool arm; and

a depth adjusting assembly disposed on said tool arm including a camming member and at least one positioning member, said positioning member adapted to engage the pipe and thereby define a distance between the pipe and said cutting assembly shaft, said camming member engaged with said positioning member wherein adjustment of said camming member selectively adjusts said positioning member relative to said cutting assembly shaft and thereby adjusts the distance between the pipe and said cutting assembly shaft.

21. The apparatus of claim of claim 20 wherein said camming member is generally cylindrical in shape and rotatable about an off-center axis, said off-center axis being positioned parallel to said shaft.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said depth adjusting assembly further comprises a manually operated worm gear, said worm gear drivingly coupled to said camming member.

23. An apparatus for cutting a substantially cylindrical pipe, said apparatus comprising:

a structural frame for supporting the pipe;

a tool arm mounted to said frame and pivotal between a first position and a second position, said tool arm defining a pivot axis;

a rotatably driven tool disposed on said tool arm;

a motor fixed to said frame, said motor including a driveshaft driven by operation of said motor;

a flexible member forming a loop and having a substantially fixed length;

first and second idler pulleys rotatably disposed on said frame, each of said idler pulleys defining a pulley axis having a fixed location on said frame; and

wherein said flexible member rotatably engages each of said first and second idler pulleys and is operably coupled to said driveshaft and said rotatably driven tool wherein operation of said motor drives said rotatably drive tool through said flexible member and wherein said driveshaft, said first and second idler pulleys and said rotatably driven tool define a loop having a substantially constant length as said tool arm is pivoted between said first and second positions.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said rotatably driven tool includes a shaft having a driven pulley mounted thereon, said drive shaft having a driveshaft pulley mounted thereon, said flexible member being engaged with said driven pulley and said driveshaft pulley, and wherein said flexible member has a configuration defined substantially solely by said driveshaft pulley, said first and second idler pulleys and said driven pulley.

25. A method of manufacturing an apparatus for cutting a substantially cylindrical pipe, said method comprising:

providing a plurality of structural members, at least one of the structural members having an at least partially hollow interior;

joining the plurality of structural members together to form a frame;

positioning the joined structural members in alignment;

filling the hollow interior of the at least one structural member with a settable material in a flowable condition while holding the joined structural members in alignment;

curing the settable material to form a unified rigid mass with the plurality of structural members positioned in alignment; and

attaching a tool for working the pipe to the apparatus.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the at least one structural member is metallic and the settable material is a hydraulic cement.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein a plurality of the structural members have an at least partially hollow interior and said unified rigid mass extends within a plurality of the at least partially hollow interiors of the plurality of structural members.

28. The method of claim 25 wherein the frame includes a horizontally elongate section defining a pipe support section, the unified rigid mass being disposed within the pipe support section of the frame and further comprising the step of attaching a wheeled axle to the frame whereby the apparatus is a mobile apparatus.