US2641103A - Detachable link for pipecutting tools - Google Patents

Description

June 9, 1953 J. B. GILL 2,641,103

DETACHABLE LINK FOR PIPECUTTING TOOLS Filed Jan. 24, 1950 INVENTOR. John B. 61']! Patented June 9, 1 953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DETACHABLE LINK FOR PIPECUTTING.

TOOLS John B. Gill, San Francisco, Calif assignor to- Pilot Manufacturing Company, San Francisco, Calif., acorporation of California Application January 24, 1950, Serial No. 140,293

2 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to improvements in a pipe cutting tool and contemplates certain further developments in the pipe cutting tools described in United States Patents Number 2,381,156 of August 7, 1945, and Number 2,433,606 of December 30, 1947'.

In the latter patent it was proposed to provide a pipe cutting tool employing a plurality of arcuate links joined to form a chain adapted to wrap around a pipe to be cut, to provide means cooperating with any suitable pair of adjacent links for drawing the intervening joints away from; the pipe and for drawin the two outer joints together, whereby the two links were made to form an are over the pipe, and whereby the overall length of the chain was reduced. In the present invention a similar principle is used, but a number of desirable features have been incorporated which make the pipe cutting tool more convenient to manipulate, more adaptable for adjustment to a wide range of different pipes and which allow changes in the operative length of the tool to be effected with ease and without any danger of losing any parts which have to be worked for effecting the changes.

More particularly it is proposed to organize the tool into a different number of independent units which may be readily taken out of the length of the chain and may be readily reinserted.

It is further proposed to provide for a basic 7 unit which has a number of individual units permanently fastened together and which is intended for cutting operations on the smallest sized pipes within the range for which the tool is adaptable.

It is further proposed to provide an additional number of individual units adapted for insertion into the chain to make the tool adaptable for larger sized pipes and to provide special coupling means which render the insertion and removal of the individual units easy and avoid all danger of losing any of the parts used in the operation.

And finally, it is proposed to provide a new mounting means for the cutter which involves a radially projecting handle adapted for advancing and retracting the cutter and at the same time adapted to be used as one of the handles by means of which the chain is turned about the pipe in cutting operations.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear as the specification proceeds, and the novel features of my invention will be fully defined in the claims attached hereto.

The preferred form of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 shows my pipe cutting tool in end view as applied to a pipe,

Figure 2, a longitudinal section through the cutter mounting used in my tool,

Figure 3, adetail view as seen from line 33 of Figure 1,

Figure 4, an end view of the mounting means, and

Figure 5, a side view of the detail portion shown in Figure 3, with parts in different positions to explain the operation of the coupling.

While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention, Iwish tohave it understood that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims attached hereto without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, my pipe cutting tool is shown in Figure I as being arranged about the pipe I for cutting operations. The tool comprises a plurality of units 2 each of which consists of a pair of links 3 pivoted together as at 4", and a pair of auxiliary links 5' pivoted at one end to the links 3 intermediate their lengths as shown: at; B. and pivotally connected at their other ends as at. l. The pivots 4E and l are made in the form of nuts: adapted. to receive the handle 8, one end of which is revolvable in the nut at the pivot 4 while an intermediate section of the handle 8 is threaded. into the nut on the pivot i so that a turning, movement. of the handle 8 causes the pivots 4 and l to move. toward one another or; away from one another whereby the outer ends of the links 3 are moved toward one another or away from one another for adjusting the overall active length of the two links about the pipe I. These individual units'are substantially the same as those shown in the Patent No. 2,433,606- and therefore. need not be described with greater detail. It should be observed that the links are arranged in spaced pairs which are held in spaced relation by suitable spacing members indicated at 9. The handle 8 extends radially with respect to the pipe and terminates, at its outer end, in a spherical knob ID by means of which it may be turned about its own axis or about the axis of the pipe to be cut.

In carrying out the present invention I provide a base unit comprising a number of individual units heretofore described, and these units are permanently pivoted together at their ends as shown at H, each of the pivots carrying a guide roller or tracer 12 having a central tapered ridge l3 adapted to initially mark the pipe and to subsequently follow the groove cut into the pipe by the cutter blade so as to cause the tool to follow a true path around the pipe.

A cutter unit I4 is permanently pivoted to one of the end units by one of the pivots I I and comprises a pair of spaced straps I5 having a block I6 secured centrally therebetween, the block having a tube I1 projecting radially therefrom. A nut I8 is threaded upon the outer end of the tube, and a handle shank I9 is threaded into the nut as at 20, the two threads being made to have the same pitch or number of threads per inch. An elongated cutter blade 2I is slidable in the tube I1 and the block I6, this blade being fiat and being held against rotation by engaging in two diametrically opposed slots 22 extending from the opening 23 accommodating the blade.

The blade 2I is formed. near its outer end, with a circular hole 24 and a slot 25 extending from the hole to the rear edge. The handle shank I9 is formed with a reduced extension 26 fitting in the slot 25 and a ball 2'1 at the end of the extension fitting into the hole 24 so that the blade 2| may be advanced and retracted in the tube I! by a turning movement of the shank I9. When the blade is retracted completely, with its rear end projecting beyond the rear end of the tube H, the shank I9 may be freed of the blade by a simple sidewise movement. 4

The free end of the last link of the chain is secured upon the free end of the blade-carrying link in the manner shown at 28 and in the detail illustrations of Figure 3 and Figure 5.

The two straps I5 carry the pivot pin H on which the roller I2 is revolvably supported. The two straps forming the end links 3 to be coupled to the straps I5 are cut transversely of the pivot pin I I as shown at 30 so as to provide semi-circular notches 3| adapted to fit over the pivot pin I I when pushed up against the latter from the side.

The nearest adjacent spacing member 9 is made to project beyond the sides of the link straps as at 32 to receive the latch members 33 which are revolvable thereon and which may be clamped upon the outer faces of the link straps by means of wing nuts 34 threaded upon the ends of the spacing member 9. The latch members have corresponding holes 35 in the ends thereof, and these holes are spaced with respect to the spacing member 9 so as to fit over the pivot pin II when swung in the proper direction. The opposite ends of the latch members 33 are bent away from the link straps as at 36 to facilitate disengagement from the pivot pin II at the hole 35.

It will be noted that in this manner the end link of the last unit may be quickly secured upon the end pivot pin of the straps l5 by merely pushing the straps of the end links 3 up againstthe pivot pin and then throwing the free end of the latch member 33 over the pivot pin, securing the same in place by tightening the wing nuts 34. Disengagement may be readily effected by loosening the wing nuts 34 and freeing the latch member by a slight tap on the bent rear end 36 or in any other manner. Since it is unnecessary to remove th wing nuts for either purpose they may be permanently held to the assembly by slightly enlarging the ends of the spacing member 9.

In my invention I preferably provide a basic unit comprising a number of individual units permanently secured upon one another and a number of individual units which may be inserted between the last unit and the cutter-carrying link, each of the latter units being provided with the specific coupling means illustrated in Figures 3 and 5.

I claim:

1. In combination, in a chain, a link having a pivot pin projecting therethrough, a second link having a pair of rigidly connected straps adapted for straddling the first link, the straps having notches in the ends thereof adapted to seat against the pivot pin when the straps are moved endwise toward the pivot pin for initial engagement, a second pin extending through the straps, latch members anchored to the second pin on opposite sides of the straps with normal freedom of tilting movement away from the straps and having holes in their front portions engageable over the first pin from the ends thereof, and releasable means on the second pin for tightening the latch members upon the straps, the latter means comprising wing nuts threaded upon the second pin and means preventing removal of the nuts from the pin.

2. A combination as defined in claim 1 in which the latch members have rear portions bent out of the plane of the front portions and away from the straps to effect release of the front portions when the rear portions are forced toward the strap, with the tightening means released.

. JOHN B. GILL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 600,595 Pond Mar. 5, 1898 843,353 McKenna Feb. 5, 1907 1,193,098 Wheeler Aug. 1, 1916 1,373,300 Cafirey Mar. 29, 1921 1,990,310 Rosenberg et al Feb. 5, 1935 2,288,670 Babiary July 7, 1942 2,381,156 Gill et a1 Aug. 7, 1945 2,433,606 Gill et al. Dec. 30, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 442,823 Germany Apr. 7, 1927

Images