IMPROVED METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CUTTING AND SPLITTING PIPE

摘要

A cutting apparatus is adapted to cut corrugated metal pipe or thin walledpiperegardless of the pipe's concentricity and structural integrity as allrequired forces areoffset internally within the cutting tool. A series of cutting wheels, steppedin stages, aremounted in an opening of a frame which fits over a portion of the pipe wall.The frame isdrawn through the pipe to allow the cutting wheels to cut a specificlongitudinal portion ofthe pipe without relying on or touching other portions of the pipe, thuseliminating thepipe's size and total structural integrity as prereqisites for using thedevice on the pipe.Slots on the wheels help rotate the wheels as the frame moves along the pipe.A guideprovides the frame with an area of contact with the pipe wall to allow thecutter apparatusto follow the pipe wall regardless of the pipe's shape. A leading edge of theframe ishardened and sharpened to shear any exterior bolts or bonding used on thepipe. Asharpened, hardened ripper behind the cutter wheels ensures any uncut metal issevered.For mobility, the cutter head is attached to a traveling link, connected to apull string,which allows the head to follow along the pipe wall independently of anyirregularities.A chassis attached to the pull string is adjustable for different diameterpipes to allow foralignment of the cutter apparatus with the pipe wall. An expanding headtravels behindthe cutting apparatus to spread the cut pipe and make room for a newreplacement pipe tobe drawn through. The head may have elongate ribs to avoid crinkling of thepipe as it isbeing spread. One or more cutting tools may be employed to provide acorrespondingnumber of longitudinal cuts through the pipe.