Electric heating – Metal heating – By arc
Patent
1996-05-15
1999-03-23
Paschall, Mark H.
Electric heating
Metal heating
By arc
219 613, 219 615, 21912159, 266 57, B23K 1000
Patent
active
058863141
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to pipe cutting and in particular to a means by which a pipe can be cut to produce a pipe end having a desired contour or shape.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Stock pipe is cut to set lengths for many uses. Welded or otherwise interconnected pipe lengths are used to produce railing around balconies, railing for stairs, building trusses, space frames, and the like. Applications vary across a range of pipe diameters. Joints between pipe lengths require a variety of geometries at the pipe ends, depending on their manner of interconnection to ensure that pieces mate adequately for welding or other connection processes. Machines have been devised by which to establish these pipe end cuts.
In standard machines, a slightly over length piece of pipe, which is to be shaped at an end, is placed in the profiling machine, or end cutting machine, and a first end is cut to its required shape using whatever guidance system and cutting method the machine operates with. Then the pipe is removed, turned around, replaced, and its other end is cut after locking the pipe in the machine with its first cut properly aligned relative to the cut to be made. This can be a labour intensive task with large diameter pipes. If the second cut is different, the profiling guidance system will need to be reset. This last process involves an additional amount of labour, particularly in setting up each second cut.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to generally simplify the cutting of the ends of pipe which is to be given a particular shaped end cut.
Advantageously, the present invention effects pipe cutting apparatus wherein the profile cutting of the respective ends of a desired length of pipe is effected off a length of stock without the need for the usual intermediate handling, aligning and resetting of the profile guidance system as described above.
It is possible to repetitively effect a sequence of cuts along a length of stock pipe to produce a number of segments without much of the usual intermediate handling. This can be done either by moving the cutter along the stock length to cut at points therealong, or alternately, by advancing the stock pipe past the cutting device.
Other objects and various other advantages will hereinafter become apparent.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention achieves its object in the provision of a pipe cutting apparatus for providing profiled end cuts to pipe segments which segments are cut off a length of stock pipe which is fed thereto, said pipe cutting apparatus comprising: cutting apparatus mounting it for rotation about its axis; in the pipe cutting apparatus; pipe; and and the pipe cutting means in tandem so as to effect a sequence of cuts in the length of stock pipe which is fed into the pipe cutting apparatus, to generate the pipe segments with end cuts having desired shapes.
A pipe handling mechanism is provided in a preferred form to enable both axial adjustment and rotation of the stock pipe.
The end cut guidance means can, in one implementation, use an optical tracker following a computer generated plot on paper. Alternately the computer software which otherwise could be used to drive the plotter can be directly connected to servo motors turning the pipe locating means and moving the pipe cutting means. The first implementation can be used to effect the continuous cutting of adjoining ends with resetting of the stock pipe thereafter for the making of additional cuts to create further segments. This minimizes the degree of pipe handling and resetting needed to be done. The alternate implementation can be used the same way. Additionally it can be used in other sequences to suit different cutting regimes with reduced handling and resetting. When a direct computer driven system is used, if the axial movement mechanism is designed to permit the cutter to move along a substantial length of the pipe, then a multiple of cuts can be performed with the cutter working from a far end of the stock pipe back therealong tow
REFERENCES:
patent: 4052039 (1977-10-01), Koyano et al.
patent: 4222795 (1980-09-01), Hoaglin et al.
patent: 4349182 (1982-09-01), Blackburn
patent: 4480821 (1984-11-01), Noll et al.
patent: 4483721 (1984-11-01), Hearn
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