WO2013186732A1

WO2013186732A1 - Pipe cutting equipment

Info

Publication number: WO2013186732A1
Application number: PCT/IB2013/054843
Authority: WO
Inventors: Harry Dean KASSEL; Rory Crockford NOONAN
Original assignee: Kassel Harry Dean
Priority date: 2012-06-13
Filing date: 2013-06-13
Publication date: 2013-12-19
Also published as: AP2015008244A0; ZA201409317B

Abstract

The invention includes a pipe cutting equipment comprising a bed supporting at least one rail. (2) and a carriage (4) movable along the rail. (2), the carriage (4) being adapted to support cutting means (1.4, 15) and the rail (2) providing means to locate pipe lengths (12) thereon along a path of the carriage (4). The equipment is useful to cut pipes along their lengths.

Description

PIPE CUTTING EQUIPMENT FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the cutting of pipes to be used in the recycling thereof and to the equipment for cutting pipes. BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

There is a large volume of metal pipes which have outlived their usefulness. The material of the pipes can be recovered to serve alternative purposes or can be recycled. Alternatively, damaged pipes can be cut to lengths which remove the damaged sections. Further alternatives make it is possible to split the pipes along the length and unroll the lengths of pipe into sheets.

Accurate pipe positioning and cutting based on pipe size and thickness are required in these cutting operations.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide pipe cutting equipment which will facilitate the cutting operations required for the above operations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to this invention there is provided pipe cutting equipment comprising a bed supporting at least one rail and a carriage movable along the rail, the carriage adapted to support cutting means and the rail providing means to locate pipe lengths thereon along a path of the carriage.

A further feature of the invention provides for the carriage to provide a gantry over the rail.

The invention further provide for the carriage to be supported for movement along a first side of the rail by a drive wheel, preferably being power driven by drive means including an electrical drive having a gearbox and power supply.

The invention further provides for the carriage to be supported for movement along a second side of the rail by a follower wheel, and further preferably for the follower wheel to comprise set of follower wheels, a first of which comprises a support wheel for supporting the carriage along the second side of the rail and a second of which comprises a braced wheel for bracing the carriage against the second side of the rail.

A further feature of the invention provides for the cutting means to be securable at a plurality of positions or angles along the carriage; and for the cutting means to be provided as a pair of cutting means, preferably on opposing sides of the carriage.

The invention further provide for the cutting means to be flame cutting equipment, preferably a torch.

The invention further provides for a support to be provided for bottled gas for a cutting torch mixture of oxygen and liquefied petroleum gas.

According to a further feature of the invention there is provided for the equipment to include control means for the drive means. Further features of the invention provide for the means to locate pipe lengths to include supports on the rail; and preferably for the supports to be adapted to be operable to rotate the pipe lengths.

The invention further provide for the supports to be rollers, preferably castor wheels. There is further provided for the equipment to include pipe rotation means for a pipe operatively located on the rail, the rotation means preferably comprising at least one driven roller at least partly supporting the pipe on the rail and having an axis of rotation substantially co-axial with the longitudinal axis of the pipe, alternatively comprising at least one, and preferably a set of two, tension adjustable driven belts removably securable over an end of the pipe, preferably one belt over each end of the pipe, with the belts being rotatable by drive means to rotate the pipe on the rail. A further aspect of the invention provides for pipe loading means, preferably suitable lifting tackle to be provided in association with the equipment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING These and other features of this invention will become apparent from the following embodiment described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pipe cutter; and Figure 2 is an end view of the pipe cutter..

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As illustrated pipe cutting equipment is provided as a pipe cutter (1 ) including a bed formed by a pair of longitudinally extending beams (2) supported at intervals along their length on a series of I-beams (3).

The beams (2) support a carriage (4) forming a gantry (5) over the beams (2) and is mounted to be movable along a pair of rails (6, 7) on the sides of the beams (2). A suitable electric motor with a gear box (8) is provided on rail (6) to drive the carriage (4) at the required operational speed. The motor (8) drives a driven wheel (9) supported on the carriage (4). The wheel (9) is movable along the one rail (6) to facilitate movement of the carriage (4) between the ends of the beams (2). A follower wheel comprising a support wheel (10A)and a brace wheel (10B) are provided on the other rail (7) to provide further support for stable movement of the carriage (4). The support wheel (10A) may also be guided as shown to facilitate controlled movement along the rail (7).

The motor (8) has control means (not shown) to operate the motor and permit control of the motor and regulate variable operational speeds. The motor (8) may also be disengaged in operations where manual movement of the carriage (4) is required.

The control means will be operable from a safe distance from the equipment. The beams (2) are fitted with supports (1 1 ) on which pipe lengths (12) to be cut can be loaded and positioned during a cutting operation.

The supports (1 1 ) also carry rollers, preferably castor wheels (13), to allow rotation of the pipe lengths (12) during cutting operations where a cross cut of the pipe length (12) is required. The rollers may also be used to rotate the pipe length (12) into the required position before cutting operations. For example, it is preferable for a pipe length to be cut along a seam of the pipe. In this instance, the pipe length is rotated into position to locate the seam proximate one of the cutting torches. Suitable drive means may also be provided for the rollers if required.

Pipe loading means in the form of suitable lifting tackle (not shown) may be provided separately or supported on the beams (2) or carriage (4) which facilitates loading of the pipe lengths (12) onto the pipe cutter (1 ). Alternatively, a pipe that is to be cut may be loaded onto the rails (6, 7) by means of a forklift (not shown). The carriage (4) supports cutting means in the form of suitable flame cutting equipment such as torches (14, 15) provided on both sides of the gantry (5). The gas conduits for the second torch (15) will be passed through hollow posts of the gantry (6) as shown at (16) for safety purposes.

The torches (14) and (15) will be disposed at substantially the same horizontal plane to accurately split the pipe length (12) into substantially equal halves. The torches may however be secured at any required position and angle along the gantry (5) to accommodate different sizes of pipe lengths and to provide different angles and positions of cuts as required. The torches (14, 15) may be used simultaneously or individually according to specific cutting requirements. The equipment for the cutting operation will provide supports (not shown) for bottled gas for a cutting torch mixture of oxygen and liquefied petroleum gas. Conveniently, the pipe cutter (1 ) may be six meters long with a series of eight castor wheels (13) equidistantly spaced apart along the length of the beams (2).

A canopy (not shown) may also be provided on the equipment (1 ) to provide protection for the components during operation and storage.

The equipment above described is thus able to accurately split a pipe along its length as well as cut it into shorter lengths. The split pipe halves may then be flattened and straightened into plates by conventional rolling operations. The equipment is furthermore able to provide a cut along the length of a pipe in order for the pipe to be unrolled and straighten into plates.

In operation, the length of pipe is loaded onto the beams (2). The carriage (4) is moved to one end of the beams (2), such that the torches (14, 15) are aimed at the open space beyond the end of the pipe. The pipe is rotated manually on the castor wheels (13) to align the seam in the pipe (which is a remnant of the pipe manufacturing process) with one of the torches (14 or 15). This is to ensure that the seam of the pipe is either cut out in the pipe cutting process or left at an edge of the pipe section. This is required since the seam has different characteristics compared to the rest of the pipe, and for the sake of uniformity it is desirable to locate the seam at the edge of the cut section.

The torches (14, 15) are aligned with respect to the pipe to cut it through its diameter, thereby producing two halves of equal size. The torches (14, 15) are lit in conventional manner, and the carriage drive activated. The motor (8) drives the driven wheel (9) to rotate on its rail (6), moving the carriage (4) along the rail (6), with the support wheel (10A) running on its rail (7) and the carriage braced against the side of the beam through the brace wheel (10B) adjacent the second rail (7). The carriage (4) moves at constant speed along the rails (6, 7) which allows the torches (14, 15) to simultaneously cut the pipe on both sides. When the carriage (4) reaches the other end of the pipe the gas supply to the torches (14, 15) is shut off and the carriage (4) brought to a halt. This leaves two halves of the pipe on the bed, which may be removed for further processing.

Suitable alternative cutting means may also be provided without departing from the scope of the invention.

Alternative framework may also be used to provide the bed that supports a pipe length as well as the other components of the pipe cutting equipment.

Claims

Pipe cutting equipment comprising a bed supporting at least one rail and a carriage movable along the rail, the carriage adapted to support cutting means and the rail providing means to locate pipe lengths thereon along a path of the carriage.

Pipe cutting equipment as claimed in claim 1 in which the carriage provides a gantry over the rail.

Pipe cutting equipment as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which the carriage is supported for movement along a first side of the rail by a drive wheel.

Pipe cutting equipment as claimed in claim 3 in which the wheel is power driven by drive means.

Pipe cutting equipment as claimed in claim 4 in which drive means comprises an electrical drive having a gearbox and power supply.

Pipe cutting equipment as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 5 in which the carriage is supported for movement along a second side of the rail by a follower wheel.

Pipe cutting equipment as claimed in claim 6 in which the follower wheel comprises a set of follower wheels, a first of which comprises a support wheel for supporting the carriage along the second side of the rail and a second of which comprises a braced wheel for bracing the carriage against the second side of the rail.

Pipe cutting equipment as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 in which the cutting means are securable at a plurality of positions or angles along the carriage.

Pipe cutting equipment as claimed in claim 8 in which the cutting means are provided as a pair of cutting means.

10. Pipe cutting equipment as claimed in claim 9 in which the pair of cutting means are provided on opposing sides of the carriage. 1 1 . Pipe cutting equipment as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10 in which the cutting means is flame cutting equipment.

12. Pipe cutting equipment as claimed in claim 1 1 in which the flame cutting equipment is a torch.

13. Pipe cutting equipment as claimed in claim 12 including supports for bottled gas for a cutting torch mixture of oxygen and liquefied petroleum gas.

14. Pipe cutting equipment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims including control means for the drive means.

15. Pipe cutting equipment as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14 in which the means to locate pipe lengths includes supports on the rail. 16. Pipe cutting equipment as claimed in claim 15 in which the supports are adapted to operatively rotate the pipe lengths.

17. Pipe cutting equipment as claimed in claim 16 in which the supports are provided as rollers.

18. Pipe cutting equipment as claimed in claim 17 in which the rollers are power driven.

19. Pipe cutting equipment as claimed in claims 17 or 18 in which the rollers comprise castor wheels.

20. Pipe cutting equipment as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 19 including pipe loading means associated with the equipment.

21 . Pipe cutting equipment as claimed in claim 20 in which the pipe loading means are suitable lifting tackle.

22. Pipe cutting equipment as substantially described herein with reference to the accompanying representations.