Improvements in Tools for Cutting or Trimming Boiler Tubes.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 27th July, 1898
Complete Specification Left, 27th Apr., 1899-Accepted, 10th June, 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tools for Cutting or Trimming Boiler Tubes.
I, JOSEPH COLLIN MORRISON, of 555, West Exchange Street, Akron, Ohio, U.S.A.,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object the provision of improvements in tools for
neatly and expeditiously cutting or trimming boiler tubes to the same length.
A tool, constructed in accordance with this my invention, comprises a screw-
threaded rod of suitable length, and having a head which can be readily grasped
for rotation of the screw.
An internally screw-threaded sleeve is fitted on the screw and has an annular
flange on its outer end; the inner surface of the flange being grooved to form a
seat for steel balls which make substantially frictionless contact with the flange
of a loose collar placed over the sleeve. The collar is externally screw-threaded
to permit of its attachment to a forwardly extending tubular casing, near the
outer end of which, blocks are fitted in apertures radially arranged therein. The
lower surfaces of the blocks are bevelled to engage slanting grooves in a block
centrally arranged in the casing and adapted to be thrust forward by the screw
which is in alignment therewith at its rear end. The blocks carry circular cutters
and are capable of being thrust outwards with the blocks when the grooved block
is pressed forwardly.
Another collar is arranged upon the sleeve first-mentioned, behind the loose
collar aforedescribed to keep the latter in place, and it has a radial arm from
which a gauge projects parallel with arms projecting forwardly from the collar.
In operation, the tubular casing is inserted into the tube to be trimmed; the
gauge and arms coming into contact with the tube plate, regulating the distance.
A rod, passed through a perforation in the radial arm afore mentioned, on the
collar, and extending into an adjacent tube, prevents the tool from turning when
pressure is applied to the screw to force the cutters outwards against the inner
surface of the tube.
Date thin 27th dor of T.... 1900
R. RAINSFORD,
Agent for Applicant.
Improvements in Tools for Cutting or Trimming Boiler Tubes.
I, JOSEPH COLLIN MORRISON, of 555, West Exchange Street, Akron, Ohio, U.S.A.,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
[Price 8d.]

page_text: same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
This invention relates to new and useful improvements in tools for cutting or
trimming boiler tubes; the object of the invention being to provide an apparatus
or tool of improved construction designed to cut off a tube quickly and smoothly
where it projects beyond the tube sheets preparatory to being headed over in
the usual manner. This tool is also designed to cut off the tubes inside the tube
sheet when it may become necessary to remove them. To accomplish this end, it
is necessary that the tool be quickly and accurately adjusted and quickly and
casily operated.
I now proceed to describe the invention, reference being had to the drawings
hereunto annexed in which:-
Fig. 1 is a part elevation and a part longitudinal section of my improved
apparatus, and illustrating the manner of using the same; and Fig. 2, is an end
view thereof.
Fig. 3, illustrates parts in detail and in half section; and Fig. 4, is an end
view of the cutter tube shewn in Fig. 3.
Fig. 5, is a longitudinal elevation of the wedge and manipulating screw; and
Fig. 6 is an end view of the wedge.
Fig. 7 is an elevation of the gauge; and Fig. 8 is an end view thereof.
Fig. 9 illustrates detail views of the cutters and blocks therefor.
I provide a hollow cylindrical casing 1 constructed of a suitable size for inser-
tion within the tubes to be cut or trimmed, and said casing is provided with slots
or openings 2 through which project and easily slide the blocks 3, carrying the
wheel cutters 4. The forward end of the casing is bored out to form a bearing 5,
in which the core or wedge 33 can easily slide. Its opposite end 6 is threaded,
and into this end is screwed the flanged collar 7, having a central guide opening 8,
and containing the hardened steel ring 9 having an annular face groove 10 to
retain a series of steel balls 11, in conjunction with a similar ring 12, held in
place by the flange 13 of a threaded cylindrical feed nut or sleeve 14. Said sleeve
is fitted into the opening 8, so as to allow free rotation of the collar 7 around it
as an axis and against the ball bearing, which can be adjusted by the collar 15
fitted with the set-screw 16. A driving screw 17 is threaded through the feed
nut 14; its rear or outer end having a convenient form for rotating the same.
The forward end is screwed into or otherwise rigidly secured to the sliding piece
or core 33. The core 33 is constructed to slide freely in the opening 5 in the
casing 1, and is provided with inclined slots 18 made longitudinally through it
to come even with the openings 2 in the casing. The bottoms of these slots are
inclined to the axis of the tool, as shewn, so that they may act as wedges to force
out or withdraw the cutters 4. In order that the cutters may be surely withdrawn,
the bottoms of the cutter blocks are provided with flanges, as shewn at 19,-
Figs. 2 and 9, and which fit into and slide freely in grooves in the sides of
slots 18, or they may be held on the incline by a spring, or by any other suitable
device.
The cutter blocks fit between the sides of the slots 18 and within the openings 2
in the casing. Their bases are bevelled to accommodate them to the inclination
of the planes: They are, furthermore, provided with a transverse slot for the
reception of wheel cutters and a hole for a pin upon which the wheel cutters are
intended to revolve. Upon the feed nut 14, and secured to it by a set-screw, is
the collar 20 with arms 21 projecting therefrom and bent forward in a direction
parallel with the casing: the ends of which are intended to rest against the tube
sheet around the tube to be cut, forming a gauge, by which proper adjustment
may be secured within the tube. The collar 20 has also a projecting lug 22.
All the parts of this tool, when at work, revolve together except the gauge and
the nut 14 to which it is secured, and the collar 15.
If the tube cutter be inserted in a boiler tube 23; the gauge adjusted and

page_text: secured on the feed nut 14 and pressed against the tube sheet 24; a tube or
bar 25 inserted within an adjacent tube so that the projecting lug 22 rests against
it whilst the screw 17 is being rotated, the wheel cutters will be forced outward
by the progress of the wedge 33 between the cutter blocks, and they will be
simultaneously revolved around the inside of the tube. By continuing the opera-
tion the tube will be thereby necessarily cut off. By turning the screw in the
reverse direction the cutters will be sufficiently withdrawn to permit of the removal
of the severéd piece from the tool and the insertion thereof into the next tube.
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. In a tool for trimming or cutting boiler tubes, a hollow cylindrical casing
having openings for cutters, a wedge or core arranged to slide longitudinally in
said casing, cutter blocks supported by and adapted to be extended outwards or
be withdrawn by said wedge or core, a screw to operate the wedge or core, the
screw-threaded sleeve in which said screw operates, steel rings operatively retain-
ing a series of balls between a flange on the screw-threaded sleeve aforesaid and
a Hanged collar screw-threaded into the hollow cylindrical casing aforesaid, a
collar fitted over said casing and provided with a set-screw whereby the ball
bearing can be adjusted, the gauge adjustably fitted over the aforesaid sleeve
and having a lug for engagement with a projection extending from an adjacent
tube during manipulation of the tool, all arranged in combination and adapted to
operate substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth and illustrated
in the drawings hereunto annexed.
Dated 10741
1800