Tube milling head
First Claim
1. A rotary milling head for a rotary milling tool, comprising:
- a cylindrical body having an annular recess extending into the body along a rotational axis of the milling head for accepting an end portion of an annular metal tube, said body adapted to be connected to a rotary milling tool; and
at least one cutting blade connected to a cutting blade support located at an axial end of said body by a securing element, said at least one cutting blade disposed circumferentially around the rotational axis of the milling head, said at least one cutting blade having a cutting edge defining an annular cutting sweep having an inner radius and an outer radius at least equal to an outer diameter of the tube, the cutting sweep adapted to remove an outer radial thickness from the annular tube in an amount of from about 2% up to about 25% of said annular tube radial thickness, wherein a portion of the at least one cutting blade axially extends a distance past the axial end of the cutting blade support, and wherein the at least one cutting blade cutting edge is rounded or comprises at least ⅛
of a circumferential segment of a circle.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Tube ends such as those of boiler tube banks, are prepared utilizing any of various combinations of processes which include a step of micro-diameter tube film removal from a portion of a tube end, including an area below a beveled segment, or segment to be beveled. The micro-diameter film removal step provides the tube with an exposed, clean metal surface which is conducive to a subsequent welding or bonding operation performed on the tube. In yet a further embodiment, tube film removal blades are provided having a curved or rounded edge which can be utilized in milling operations having close quarters. In a further embodiment, milling head cutting blades are provided which are adjustable. In a preferred embodiment, the milling head cutting blades and/or bevel blades are provided with elongated, slotted bores.
67 Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A rotary milling head for a rotary milling tool, comprising:
-
a cylindrical body having an annular recess extending into the body along a rotational axis of the milling head for accepting an end portion of an annular metal tube, said body adapted to be connected to a rotary milling tool; and at least one cutting blade connected to a cutting blade support located at an axial end of said body by a securing element, said at least one cutting blade disposed circumferentially around the rotational axis of the milling head, said at least one cutting blade having a cutting edge defining an annular cutting sweep having an inner radius and an outer radius at least equal to an outer diameter of the tube, the cutting sweep adapted to remove an outer radial thickness from the annular tube in an amount of from about 2% up to about 25% of said annular tube radial thickness, wherein a portion of the at least one cutting blade axially extends a distance past the axial end of the cutting blade support, and wherein the at least one cutting blade cutting edge is rounded or comprises at least ⅛
of a circumferential segment of a circle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A milling head for a rotary milling tool, comprising:
-
a substantially cylindrical body having an annular recess extending into the body along a rotational axis of the milling head for accepting an end portion of a metal tube, said body adapted to be connected to a rotary milling tool, a first milling portion, adapted to remove a portion of an outer diameter of a metal tube, located substantially at one axial end of the body opposite an end of the body adapted to be connected to the rotary milling tool and having at least one cutting blade with a cutting edge connected a predetermined radial distance from the rotational axis to a cutting blade support axially extending from said body opposite the end of the body adapted to be connected to a rotary milling tool by a securing element which extends out from a face surface of said at least one cutting blade a first distance which is less than or equal to a second distance measured from a lower edge of the securing element head to a lower cutting edge of the at least one cutting blade, wherein the lower edge of the at least one cutting blade axially extends a distance past a lower end of the cutting blade support; and a second milling portion axially spaced from said first milling portion on the body and having at least one bevel cutting blade connected to the body and having an active cutting edge extending into the recess and adapted for forming a bevel on the tube, and wherein the cutting edge of the at least one cutting blade of the first milling portion is rounded or comprises at least ⅛
of a circumferential segment of a circle. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A milling head for a rotary milling tool, comprising:
-
a substantially cylindrical body having an annular recess extending into the body along a rotational axis of the milling head for accepting an end portion of an annual metal tube, said body adapted to be connected to a rotary milling tool; at least one tube film cutting blade connected to a milling element support axially extending from said body opposite an end of the body adapted to be connected to the milling tool by a securing element, said at least one tube film cutting blade disposed circumferentially around the rotational axis of the milling head, said at least one tube film cutting blade having a cutting edge defining an annular cutting sweep having an inner radius and an outer radius at least equal to said tube outer diameter, the cutting sweep adapted to remove an outer radial thickness from the annular tube in an amount from about 2% to about 25% of said annular tube radial thickness; and a second milling portion axially spaced from said first milling portion on the body and having at least one bevel cutting blade connected to the body and having an active cutting edge extending into the recess and adapted for forming a bevel on the tube end, wherein the at least one tube film cutting blade has a face and a back in contact with the milling element support, with a slotted bore extending between the face and the back and the securing element extending through the slotted bore, wherein the slotted bore has a length substantially perpendicular to the an axial length of the securing element that is greater than a diameter of the securing element, wherein the slotted bore allows the at least one tube film cutting blade to be adjusted and secured at a plurality of different positions with respect to the milling element support, and wherein a portion of the cutting surface of the at least one tube film cutting blade extends past the end of the milling element support. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A rotary milling tool, comprising:
-
a milling head comprising a cylindrical body having a plurality of cutting blade supports at an axial end of the body and a tool mounting portion for connecting the milling head to a rotary milling device at another axial end, the body having an annular recess extending along a rotational axis of the milling head for accepting an end portion of a metal tube; and a cutting blade detachably secured to each of the cutting blade supports, wherein the cutting blades have a face surface with a flat face and a cutting edge that axially extends a distance past the axial ends of the plurality of cutting blade supports, said cutting blade cutting edges defining an annular cutting sweep having an inner radius and an outer radius at least equal to said tube outer diameter, the cutting sweep adapted to remove an outer radial thickness from an annular tube in an amount of from about 2% up to about 25% of said annular tube radial thickness and any weld overlay and membrane present on said tube within the annular cutting sweep, wherein the cutting edges of the cutting blades are ovoid or comprise at least 1/2 of a circumferential segment of a circle. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 25)
-
-
24. A method for preparing a metal tube end, comprising the steps of:
-
providing a rotary milling tool comprising a rotary milling device with a milling head, the milling head comprising a cylindrical body having a plurality of cutting blade supports at an axial end of the body and a tool mounting portion connecting the milling head to the rotary milling device at another axial end, the body having an annular recess extending into the body along a rotational axis of the milling head for accepting an end portion of an annular metal tube, and a cutting blade, detachably secured to each of the cutting blade supports, wherein the cutting blades have a face surface with a flat face and a cutting edge that axially extends a distance past the axial end of the plurality of cutting blade supports, said cutting blade cutting edges defining an annular cutting sweep having an inner radius and an outer radius at least equal to said tube outer diameter, wherein the cutting edges of the cutting blades are ovoid or comprises at least 1/2 of a circumferential segment of a circle, wherein the milling head is operatively connected to rotary gearing of the rotary milling device and capable of rotating around the rotational axis when activated by the device, wherein the rotary milling tool further comprises an arbor extending through the annular recess in the milling head and connected to the rotary milling device, wherein the arbor includes a securing device; securing the arbor of the milling tool to the tube with the securing device, the securing device being located within the tube after being secured; and milling the outer diameter surface of the tube with the cutting blades of the milling head and removing an outer radial thickness from the tube in an amount from about 2% up to about 25% of said annular tube radial thickness and any weld overlay and membrane present on the tube within the annular cutting sweep while the arbor remains stationary in the tube while the milling head rotates around the arbor and providing the tube with a rounded shoulder located below an end of the tube around the circumference of the tube.
-
Specification