Improvements in Inside Pipe Cutters.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 13th May, 1897-Accepted, 19th June, 1897
Improvements in Inside Pipe Cutters.
We, HENRY STONEBRAKER, Merchant, EDWARD HENRY DURBIN, Stock Merchant,
and RUDOLPH HERBERS, Blacksmith, all of Beardsley, County of Bigstone, Minnesota,
U.S.A., do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
The pipe cutting device of this invention, mainly designed for cutting the pipes
or flues of boilers from the inside outwards, is shewn in the accompanying drawing,
Fig. 1 being a plan view thereof with one cutter lever removed and shewn in
perspective, Fig. 2 a front view shewing the use of the triangular support, one cutter
lever being removed and the top plate shewn in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a detail view
of two forms of support.
S is a tubular shaft having a disc D at its front end, and H is a handle
extending across this shaft and connected therewith by a set screw h. From the
disc D a number of pins P project outwardly parallel with its axis and are connected
at their outer ends by a plate p. Although only two of such pins are shewn any
other suitable number may be used. On each pin is pivotted a curved lever L
forked at its opposite end F, and journalled in said fork is the cutter or cutting
wheel W. The curvature of these levers is sufficient to permit the entrance of all
the levers, their cutting wheels, and the disc itself within the ends of the flues of
a boiler, so that such flues can be cut off at points which will make them of proper
length to connect with the boiler head.
Extending longitudinally through the shaft $ is a rod R which passes through the
disc D and is journalled at its front end in the plate p between the pins P, and on this
rod just inside the plate is fixed a cam C which when turned will throw the levers
outward, and whose face is provided with grooves c receiving the cutting edges of the
wheels W. To the rear end of the rod is fixed a worm wheel G which engages an
endless screw E, the shaft of the latter being carried in a bracket B fixed on the
rear end of the shaft S and carrying hand wheels H' by means of which it may be
turned. Obviously when the screw is turned, the worm wheel is turned, and with the
latter the rod R and its cam C, and by a proper manipulation of the latter, the
levers L are thrown outward so that the cutting wheels W at the outer ends of said
levers are pressed tighter and tighter against the inner faces of the flues or pipes
to be cut while the handle H is used for rotating the outer shaft S and with it the
cutting wheels to carry them round the interior of the tube.
K is a collar mounted on the tubular shaft S in the rear of the disc and held
adjustably by means of a set screw k. ris a ring mounted loosely on the shaft
between the collar and disc. In Fig. 2 this ring is shewn as having a substantially
triangular body whose extremities T are turned parallel with the shaft and carry set
screws t. This ring is employed when the pipe cutter is inserted into the end of a
projecting pipe or flue the set screws serving for centring the device therein, and the
central aperture permitting the free rotation of the tubular shaft S therein, while the
disc D and collar K prevent longitudinal movement thereof. In Fig. 1 however,
the ring r carries a sleeve Q with a set screw 9. Through this sleeve passes a transverse
rod X.
D' is a double socket having set screws d (Figs. 1, 3) and through one socket of
which the rod X passes, and L' is a rod passing through the other socket and having

page_text: at its front end a spoon shaped part St provided with the bolt hole s¹. In the use of the
last mentioned form of support the spoon S' is bolted to a flue expander or some
kindred tool, which in turn is fastened in some other flue of the boiler by a bolt passed
through the hole s'. The rod L extends longitudinally out of such flue. The
transverse rod X stands at right angles to the longitudinal rod L' and passes through
the sleeve Q, and the latter being connected with the ring r forms a support for the
cutting device and is rendered adjustable to any of the other pipes or flues in the boiler
by means of the various set screws.
The cutter head being passed into the tube or flue of the boiler to the desired
depth, the hand wheels Hare turned to cause the cam C to throw the levers L
slightly outward so that their cutting wheels W are brought into forcible contact with
the inner surface of the flue. The handle H is then turned to rotate the hollow
shaft and the entire device, so as to carry the cutting wheels round the inside of the
flue and make a groove therein. As the wheels are thrown farther and farther.
from the axis of the shaft they are embedded deeper and deeper into the flue which is
finally cut right through.
All parts of the device are preferably made of metal.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In an inside pipe cutter, the combination with a hollow shaft having a disc at one
end, pins projecting from said disc, levers pivotted at one end on said pins, and cutting
wheels carried by the other ends of the levers.; of a rod extending through said shaft,
a cam mounted on the rod and having grooves for the admission of the cutting edges
of said wheels, means for turning this rod and independent means for rotating said
shaft, for the purpose specified, substantially as described and shewn.
2. In an inside pipe cutter, the parts referred to in Claim 1 in combination with a
handle fast on the hollow shaft for rotating it, a worm wheel or gear on the rear end
of the rod extending through the hollow shaft, an endless screw engaging such wheel
and means for operating the worm wheel or gear, for the purpose specified substantially
as described and shewn.
3. In an inside pipe cutter, the combination with a rotatable hollow shaft having a
disc at one end, radially movable levers pivotted to said disc, cutting wheels carried by
said levers and means for throwing such levers outward; of a collar mounted on the
shaft in rear of the disc, a set screw through the collar against the shaft, a ring
mounted on the shaft between said disc and collar and means for supporting such ring,
for the purpose specified substantially as described and shewn.
4. In an inside pipe cutter the parts referred to in Claim 3 in combination with a
rod having a spoon shaped part for attachment to some other boiler pipe or flue, a
double socket into one member of which this rod passes and a lateral rod connecting
the other member with the sleeve of a ring, for the purpose specified substantially as
described and shewn.
Dated this 13th day of Mov 1907
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89 Chancery Lane, London, W.C.; Agent for the Applicants.