Year: 1899

page_text: I, ALEXIS EUGÈNE ALFRED WaThier, Engineer, of Homecourt, (Meurthe-&-
Moselle), in the Republic of France, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:
-
The present invention relates to a tool for cutting tubes, and is particularly
adapted for cutting boiler tubes.
The tool, in cutting, acts like a lathe cutting tool and not like a milling tool.
The apparatus consists of a sleeve or fixed part which serves as the support
or rest for the movable part.
By means of this part the instrument is fixed in the interior of the tube by
means of radial clutch or clamp bars arranged on its circumference, the inner
ends of which are bevelled and bear against a conical plunger connected with a
rod which passes axially through the instrument.
The movable part of the apparatus, which contains the tool and receives a
rotatory movement bears against this sleeve by means of a shoulder. This
movable portion consists of three principal parts; a central tubular body in
which are radially arranged several tool holders, radially movable in grooves.
In these grooves the tubular body by its front part, supports the tool holders
along the whole of their length, whilst part of it is set back so as to clear the
tool holders on the side on which they gear or engage, with a sleeve surrounding
the tubular body. By means of this sleeve the tool holders can be radially dis-
placed in their grooves until they meet the sides of the tube, such displacement
being continued in proportion as the depth of the cutting increases.
For this purpose the sleeve is provided on its end surface which is in contact
with the tool holders with a spiral thread of constant pitch, while the adjacent
tool holders are provided with a series of portions of a spiral thread correspond-
ing exactly to the thread of the complete spiral on the sleeve, these threaded
portions of the holders thus gearing with the sleeve. This sleeve can be connected
rigidly with the inner tubular body by means of a ratchet and pawl device, con-
sisting of a ratchet wheel on the inner body and a pawl mounted on a lever
secured to the outer sleeve, the pawl being held against the ratchet wheel by a
spring. This ratchet and pawl device may be replaced by a suitable handle grip
or connection.
The inner tubular body and the fixed end portion are connected together by
a ring fixed by two screws to one part engaging in a corresponding groove in
the other, or any other suitable means may be employed to effect a rotatable
connection between the two parts.
The inner tubular body is also provided at its outer end with a squared part
on which a key or ratchet wrench can be applied. A nut fitting on the screw-
threaded end of the central rod serves for withdrawing the cone, and, with it,
) the clamps, when the apparatus is to be withdrawn.
WORKING OF THE APPARATUS.
ha

page_text: tapping on it with a hammer, which will cause the cone to press the clamps
outwards firmly against the sides of the tubes, whereby the instrument becomes
securely fixed in the tube. A key, ratchet wrench or the like is then applied to
the suitably shaped part of the inner tubular body, by means of which this
tubular body, the tool holders and the outer sleeve will be rotated, the tools
engaging with and cutting the tube.
In order to effect the forward rádial movement of the tools in proportion as the
cut is made the outer sleeve is turned relatively to the inner tubular body in the
required direction. Then owing to the spiral screw-threads, the tool holders will
move radially outwards according to the angle of rotation through which the
outer sleeve is turned, the angle being limited by the number of teeth of the
ratchet wheel.
It should be observed here that a tube cutter of this description of certain
dimensions will serve for cutting tubes of a large number of different diameters.
For this purpose it will suffice to provide sets of clamps and tool holders of
different lengths.
Dated this Ith day of Doaamban 1000
BOULT, WADE & KILBURN,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Tube Cutters.
I, ALEXIS EUGÈNE ALFRED WATHIER, Engineer, of Homecourt, (Meurthe-&-
Moselle), in the Republic of France, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The present invention relates to a tool for cutting tubes, and is particularly
adapted for cutting boiler tubes.
The tool, in cutting, acts like a lathe cutting tool and not like a milling tool.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section;
Figure 2 is a transverse section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;
Figure 4 is an end view showing the pawl and ratchet device; and
Figure 5 is a detail view showing the mounting of the tool.
The apparatus consists of a sleeve or fixed part A which serves as the support
or rest for the movable part.
By means of this sleeve A the instrument is fixed in the interior of the tube
by means of radial clutch or clamp bars a, arranged on its circumference, the
inner ends a¹ of which are bevelled and bear against a conical plunger B connected
with a rod C which passes axially through the instrument.
The movable part of the apparatus, which contains the tool and receives a
rotatory movement bears against a shoulder a² of this sleeve A. This movable
portion consists of three principal parts: a central tubular body D in which are
radially arranged several tool holders E E, movable in grooves e e. In these
grooves the tubular body D by its part supports the tool-holders along the
whole of their length whilst its part is set back so as to clear the tool holders
on the side on which they gear or engage with a sleeve F surrounding the tubular
body 1. By means of this sleeve F the tool holders can be radially displaced in
their grooves until they meet the sides of the tube to be cut, such displacement
being continued in proportion as the depth of the cutting increases.
For this purpose the sleeve is provided on its end surface, which is in contact
with the tool holders E, with a spiral thread of constant pitch, while the adjacent

page_text: tool holders are provided with a series of portions of a spiral thread corresponding
exactly to the thread f of the complete spiral on the sleeve, these threaded por-
tions of the holders thus gearing with the sleeve. This sleeve F can be connected
rigidly with the inner tubular body D by means of a ratchet and pawl device,
consisting of a ratchet wheel G on the body D and a pawl h mounted on a lever H
secured to the sleeve F, the pawl h being held against the ratchet wheel G by a
spring h. This ratchet and pawl device may be replaced by a suitable handle
grip or connection.
The tubular body 1) and the fixed portion A are connected together by a ring I
fixed by two screws i to one part and engaging in a corresponding groove in the
other, or any other suitable means may be employed to effect a rotatable con-
nection between the two parts.
The tubular body D is also provided at its outer end with a squared part d² on
which a key or ratchet wrench can be applied. A nut c fitting on the screw-
threaded end of the central rod C serves for withdrawing the cone and, with it,
the clamps, when the apparatus is to be withdrawn.
WORKING OF THE APPARATUS.
The end of the apparatus provided with the clamps a a is introduced into the
tube. The end of the rod C is then pushed forward by hand, and if necessary,
by slightly tapping on it with a hammer, which will cause the cone B to press
the clamps outwards firmly against the sides of the tubes, whereby the instrument
becomes securely fixed in the tube. A key, ratchet wrench or the like is then
applied to the suitably shaped part 2 of the tubular body D, by means of which
this tubular body 1 the tool holders and the outer sleeve F will be rotated, the
tools engaging with and cutting the tube.
In order to effect the forward radial movement of the tools in proportion as the
cut is made the outer sleeve F is turned relatively to the tubular body D in the
required direction. Then owing to the spiral screw-threads, the tool holders will
move radially outwards according to the angle of rotation through which the outer
sleeve is turned, the angle being limited by the number of teeth of the ratchet
wheel.
It should be observed here that a tube cutter of this description of certain
dimensions will serve for cutting tubes of a large number of different diameters.
For this purpose it will suffice to provide sets of clamps a and tool holders of
different lengths.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. A tool for cutting pipes, characterised by a fixed body (A) provided with a
shoulder (a2), a movable sleeve (D), several tool holders (E) provided with
segments of a spiral thread, and a sleeve (F) having a spiral thread at one end, and
a lever (H) on the other, a pawl (h) mounted on the said lever engaging with the
teeth of a ratchet wheel (G) mounted on the movable sleeve (D), all combined and
operating substantially as described.
2. A tool for cutting pipes, characterised by a fixed body (A) having a suitable
number of grippers, the inner ends of which are conically shaped so as to engage
a conical head (B) rigidly connected with a central rod (C), one end of which
is screw-threaded in order to regulate the position of the conical head (B), sub-
stantially as described.
3. The complete tube cutter substantially as described or as illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 21st day of August 1900.
BOULT, WADE & KILBURN,
Agents for the Applicant.