Tube cutting apparatus and methods
First Claim
Patent Images
1. Apparatus for cutting the wall of a cylindrical tube supported on a mandrel rotatable about an axis, said apparatus comprising support means;
- means mounting said support means for movement transversely of said axis toward and away from said mandrel;
at least one cutter having a cutting edge confronting said mandrel; and
means mounting said cutter on said support means for movement therewith and in such position that as said support means moves transversely of said axis toward said mandrel the confronting edge of said cutter moves along a path that is spaced from said axis an amount corresponding substantially to half the thickness of said mandrel and substantially tangential to said mandrel, thereby effecting cutting of said wall.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A tube supported on a rotating mandrel is cut by a pair of cutter blades spaced apart a distance corresponding substantially to the diameter of the mandrel and which are moved simultaneously in a direction toward the mandrel and transversely of its axis of rotation a distance sufficient to enable the cutters to engage the tube at circumferentially spaced zones and sever the wall of the tube. The cutters move along a path that is tangential, rather than radial, relative to the mandrel.
9 Citations
28 Claims
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1. Apparatus for cutting the wall of a cylindrical tube supported on a mandrel rotatable about an axis, said apparatus comprising support means;
- means mounting said support means for movement transversely of said axis toward and away from said mandrel;
at least one cutter having a cutting edge confronting said mandrel; and
means mounting said cutter on said support means for movement therewith and in such position that as said support means moves transversely of said axis toward said mandrel the confronting edge of said cutter moves along a path that is spaced from said axis an amount corresponding substantially to half the thickness of said mandrel and substantially tangential to said mandrel, thereby effecting cutting of said wall. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
- means mounting said support means for movement transversely of said axis toward and away from said mandrel;
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8. Apparatus for cutting a tube supported on a mandrel rotatable about an axis, said apparatus comprising support means;
- a pair of cutters each of which has a cutting edge;
means mounting said cutters on said support means in fixed spaced apart positions with the respective cutting edges confronting one another and extending beyond said support means a distance to accommodate said mandrel between said confronting cutting edges, the spacing between said cutters being such that the minimum distance between said confronting cutting edges corresponds substantially to the thickness of said mandrel; and
operating means for moving said support means relative to said axis to and from a position in which said cutters straddle said mandrel, thereby enabling said confronting cutting edges to engage and cut said tube. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
- a pair of cutters each of which has a cutting edge;
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15. Apparatus for cutting a tube supported on a mandrel rotatable about an axis, said apparatus comprising a support yoke having a pair of spaced apart arms;
- a pair of cutters each of which has a cutting edge, one of said cutters being mounted on one of said arms and the other of said cutters being mounted on the other of said arms and spaced from said one of said cutters, said cutters having cutting edges extending beyond said support means and confronting one another, the spacing between said cutters being such that the minimum distance between said confronting cutting edges corresponds substantially to the thickness of said mandrel; and
means mounting said yoke for rocking movements about an axis between said arms. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
- a pair of cutters each of which has a cutting edge, one of said cutters being mounted on one of said arms and the other of said cutters being mounted on the other of said arms and spaced from said one of said cutters, said cutters having cutting edges extending beyond said support means and confronting one another, the spacing between said cutters being such that the minimum distance between said confronting cutting edges corresponds substantially to the thickness of said mandrel; and
- 20. A method of cutting the wall of a cylindrical tube on a mandrel rotating about an axis, said method comprising moving a cutter having a cutting edge confronting said mandrel relative to said mandrel and transversely of said axis while said tube and mandrel are rotating and at such a distance from said axis that said confronting cutting edge moves along a path spaced from said axis by substantially half the thickness of said mandrel and substantially tangential to said mandrel, whereby said confronting cutting edge moves into engagement with said tube and cuts said well.
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24. Apparatus for cutting the wall of a cylindrical tube supported on a mandrel rotatable about an axis and having a peripheral surface, said apparatus comprising support means;
- a first cutter having a cutting edge;
a second cutter having a cutting edge;
means mounting said first and second cutters on said support means with the respective cutting edges confronting and spaced from one another a distance corresponding substantially to the thickness of said mandrel; and
means mounting said support means for conjoint movements of said cutters in the same direction transversely of said axis toward and away from a position in which said first and second cutters straddle said mandrel, whereby as said cutters move toward said position said confronting cutting edges cut the wall of said tube. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
- a first cutter having a cutting edge;
- 27. A method of cutting the wall of a rotating, cylindrical tube supported on a mandrel, said method comprising simultaneously moving transversely of said mandrel and into straddling engagement with said tube a pair of cutters having confronting cutting edges spaced apart a distance corresponding substantially to the thickness of said mandrel and along parallel paths that are substantially tangential to opposite sides of said mandrel.
Specification