Patent ID: 9631337
Date: 2017-04-25
CPC Classifications: B23D,E02D,Y10T

Claim:
1. An internal caisson/jacket leg cutter for cutting a caisson/jacket leg having a leg diameter and a leg upper end comprising: a) a frame having upper and lower end portions, a plurality of rigid vertical supports and a central, generally vertical frame axis; b) the frame upper end portion having rigging that enables the frame to be lifted c) extensible arms movably supported upon the frame and that extend and retract along generally radial lines, extension of the arms enabling the arms to center the frame inside a caisson/jacket leg, said arms including at least one plurality of said arms that are mounted to a plurality of vertical supports and the at least plurality of said arms being adjustable in elevation relative to the plurality of vertical supports; d) a plurality of extensible cylinders on the frame that simultaneously extend the arms during centralization of the frame within a caisson/jacket leg; and e) a cutting mechanism that is attached to said vertical supports at a position below said extensible arms, wherein said cutting mechanism includes circumferentially spaced apart cutters that cut the caisson/jacket leg wall as each cutter travels along an arc shaped path traversing the caisson/jacket leg wall; and f) wherein each cutter is a rotary bit having a free outer end and an inner end coupled to and powered by a bit motor drive, each bit being movable between a retracted position that pulls the bit free end toward said central frame axis and an extended position that engages the bit free end with the leg to be cut, wherein the bit rotates about a longitudinal axis that intersects the frame central, generally vertical frame axis.