PIPE CUTTING DEVICES AND METHODS OF MAKING AND USING THE SAME

• US 3,656,734 A
• Filed: 10/08/1969
• Issued: 04/18/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: William F. Davis
• Original Assignee: William F. Davis
• Inventors: Davis, William F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vlachos, Leonidas
• Application Number:
  US04/864,635
• Time in Patent Office: 923 Days
• Field of Search: 266/23N,23NN,23B 219/124,125PL,68,69M 269/289.1
• US Class Current: 266/55
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 7/006 for tubes

Abstract

The present invention relates to devices for cutting pipes and similar articles which automatically maintain a uniform longitudinal position between the cutting torch and the article to be cut comprising means for detecting longitudinal shift between said torch and the transverse plane of cut of a pipe while it is being cut peripherally and means for minimizing any error or shift.

Claims

1. A pipe cutting device comprising, base means, carriage means movably mounted on said base means, support means operably mounted on said carriage means, said support means adapted to support and rotate large diameter metal pipe about its longitudinal axis, adjustable torch holding means operably mounted on said base means, position sensing means operably mounted on said base means, said position sensing means adapted to detect any longitudinal movement of said pipe while said pipe is rotated on said carriage means and to provide a signal indicative thereof, drive means operably Mounted on said carriage means, said drive means adapted to reposition said carriage means in response to signals from said position sensing means.

2. Position sensing means for sensing longitudinal motion of a hollow cylindrical pipe while said pipe is rotate, comprising, a plurality of elongated support members, said support members disposed radially within said pipe and essentially in a plane transverse to the axis of said pipe, one end of said elongated support members in operable contact with the wall of said pipe, hub means operably attached to the ends of said elongated support members nearest the axis of said pipe, shaft means operably attached to said hub means, said shaft means disposed to lie along the longitudinal axis of said hollow cylindrical pipe, linear transducer means operably coupled to said shaft means, said linear transducer means adapted to provide a signal indicative of longitudinal motion of said shaft means and thus longitudinal motion of said pipe. roller means rotatably mounted on said roller support member and disposed such that said roller means is in rollable contact with the exterior surface of said pipe, said torch holding means being mounted on said base means to allow free movement parallel to the axis of said pipe so that longitudinal motion of said pipe causes longitudinal movement of said roller means which causes longitudinal movement of said torch holding means.

3. A pipe cutting device comprising, base means, support means operably mounted on said base means means said support means adapted to support and rotate large diameter metal pipe about its longitudinal axis, carriage means movably mounted on said base means, torch means operably mounted on said carriage means, position sensing means operably mounted on said carriage means and in movable contact with the exterior surface of said pipe, said position sensing means comprising, bracket means, first and second switch means operably mounted upon said bracket means, a roller support member pivotally mounted on said bracket means and disposed between said first and second switch means, roller means rotatably mounted on said roller support member and disposed such that it is in rollable contact with the exterior surface of said pipe and such that longitudinal motion of said pipe may cause pivoting of said roller support member causing engagement between said roller support member and one of said switch means, drive means operably mounted on said carriage means, said drive means adapted to reposition said torch means in response to signals from said position sensing means.

4. A pipe cutting device comprising, base means, support means operably mounted on said base means, said support means adapted to support and rotate large diameter metal pipe about its longitudinal axis, torch holding means operably mounted on said base means, position sensing means operably attached to said torch holding means and in movable contact with the exterior surface of said pipe, said position sensing means adapted to sense longitudinal motion of said pipe and cause repositioning of said torch holding means, said position sensing means comprising, a roller support member rigidly mounted on said torch holding means, roller means rotatably mounted on said roller support member and disposed such that said roller means is in rollable contact with the exterior surface of said pipe, said torch holding means being mounted on said base means to allow free movement parallel to the axis of said pipe so that longitudinal motion of said pipe causes longitudinal movement of said roller means which causes longitudinal movement of said torch holding means.