Improvements in Tools for Cutting Tubes, for the Purpose of Removing them from Boilers and for other purposes, and in Mechanism for Operating the same.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 4th ec., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Sept., 1890-Accepted, 11th Oct., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tools for Cutting Tubes, for the Purpose of
Removing them from Boilers and for other purposes, and in
Mechanism for Operating the same.
I, FRANCIS WILLIAM WEBB, of Crewe, in the County of Chester, Mechanical
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention to be as follows:-
My invention is more particularly intended for cutting old and faulty tubes from
boilers so that they may be removed, but may be also employed for cutting tubes to
the length required when inserted in the boiler and for other purposes.
The cutting tool or arrangement consists of a fly cutter, mill or circular saw, and is
attached to or near the end of a spindle which is to give it rotary motion. This
spindle has its bearing in an excentric which has its bearings in another excentric
having bearings within a tube conical on its exterior which is put into the end of the
tube to be cut. When introducing the tool into the end of the tube the excentrics are
in such position as to bring the saw about concentric with the tube, then by turning
the excentrics the saw is brought against the inside of the tube so as to cut through it
from the inside and then the excentrics are rotated to cut the tube all round, and
lastly the excentrics are brought back to their first position and the tool can then be
removed.
The spindle has or may have rotary motion imparted to it from any convenient
motive power transmitted by a flexible shaft or other means, but my invention also
consists in combining an electric motor directly or through a shaft flexible or otherwise
with the saw spindle to rotate it.
Dated this Third day of December 1889.
PETER J. LIVSEY,
Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tools for Cutting Tubes, for the Purpose of
Removing them from Boilers and for other purposes, and in
Mechanism for Operating the same.
.
I, FRANCIS WILLIAM WEBB, of Crewe, in the County of Chester, Mechanical
Engineer, 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 :-
My invention is more particularly intended for cutting old and faulty tubes from
boilers so that they may be removed, but may be also employed for cutting tubes to
the length required when inserted in the boiler, and for other purposes.
The cutting tool or arrangement consists of a fly cutter, mill or circular saw, and is
attached to or near the end of a spindle which is to give it rotary motion. This
spindle has its bearing in an excentric which has its bearings in another excentric
having bearings within a tube conical on its exterior, which is put into the end of the
tube to be cnt. When introducing the tool into the end of the tube, the excentrics are
in such position as to bring the saw about concentric with the tube, then by turning
the excentrics, the saw is brought against the inside of the tube so as to cut through it
from the inside and then the excentrics are rotated to cut the tube all round and
lastly the excentrics are brought back to their first position and the tool can then be
removed.
The arrangement above referred to is modified when cutting off the ends of tubes
upon the outside of the tube plates,

page_text: The spindle has or may have rotary motion imparted to it from any convenient
motive power transmitted by a flexible shaft or other means, but my invention also
consists in combining an electric motor directly or through a shaft flexible or otherwise
with the saw spindle. to rotate it.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation on the line V-V Fig. 2, showing the tool
in the position in which it is to be used when cutting a boiler tube, on the inside of
the tube plate.
Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line W-W Fig. 1, and an elevation looking
towards the tube plate.
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation corresponding to that shown by Fig. 1,
but modified, showing the application of the tool when used for cutting off the end of
a tube on the outside of the tube plate.
Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line - Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 is a side elevation, and
Fig. 6 an end elevation showing the manner in which the electric motor is combined
with the tool and how it is suspended when at work.
a, represents a part of a tube to be cut; b, a part of the tube plate; c, a tubular
casing formed with shoulders at c, and c², in its interior bore as shown.
On its exterior end nearest the tube plate it is coned, and has shoulders at c³, and c*,
and upon this end a cone tube c³, is secured, which can be changed to suit the interior
bore of the tubes to be cut.
A tube d, fits the interior of the tubular casing so as to be able to rotate freely
therein. It is kept in position in the casing c, and prevented from moving endways
by a cap c, screwed upon the end of the casing and prevented from unscrewing by a
small set screw c', screwing through the cap c, and against the casing c.
The hole through the tube d, is excentric to its axis of rotation, and in it another
tube e, is fitted to rotate freely, which has a shoulder at e¹. At the outer end of the
tube e, a pin e², is secured in the side of the tube or excentric e, the end of which
comes into a concentric slot d', in the end of the tube d, extending partly round the
excentric e.
.
There is a hole d², across the tube d, shown in dotted line in Fig. 2, and in full line
in Fig. 4, in which hole a pin is inserted and the side of this pin fits a groove e³, cut
in the exterior of the tube e, extending partly round it, as shown best in Fig. 4.
The pin in the hold d², and groove e³, not only prevents the tube e, from moving
endways but limits the extent of its rotation within the tube d.
The hole through the tube e, is excentric to it and forms the bearing for a shaft f,
the inner end of which has a circular saw g, secured upon it as shown.
Upon the outer end of the tube or excentric e, a connecting collar et, is screwed and
secured by a screw e, screwing through the collar.
Within the collar e, the end of a tube h, is secure by a set screw h¹, which serves
as an axis whereby the tubes or excentrics e, and d, can be actuated and the cutter g,
made to cut round the table from its inside.
By turning the tube handle or axis h, and with it the excentric e, 180 degrees of
the circle, the pin e², will be brought to the opposite end of the concentric slot to that
in which the pin is shown in Fig. 2.
This brings the shaft f, and saw g, concentric with the casing e, and will allow the
cone c, at the saw end of the tool and the saw g, to be inserted in or withdrawn from
the end of the tube to be cut.
The shaft f, and its cutter g, is then made to rotate upon its own axis and the tube h,
and excentric e, is now turned 180 degrees to bring the stop e², into the position in.
which it is shown in Fig. 2, and while this movement is taking place the saw
will have cut through the side of the tube as shown in Fig. 1.
The stop e², being now in contact with the end of the concentric slot d¹, the rotation
of the handle h, is continued and this causes the two excentrics e, and d, to rotate
together and with them the saw shaft f, at a radius equal to the throw of the excentric d,
this movement being continued through a complete revolution and thus the end of
the tube is cut off.

page_text: The arrangement of the tool for cutting off the ends of tubes on the exterior of the
tube plate as illustrated by Fig. 3, is the same as that herein before described by
reference to Figs. 1, 2, and 4 except that the cone sleeve c³, Fig. 1, is dispensed with
and a tube i, is placed upon the exterior of the casing c, and secured thereto by a set
screw i, Fig. 3.-The end of the tube i, nearest the tube plate is closed except that a
hole is made in it to pass over the exterior of the tube to be cut, and when the tool
is in operation the end of the tube i, is pressed against the tube plate b.
Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate the mode of combining an electric motor with the tool.
c, is the casing of the tool; h, the tubular axis by which rotary motion is given to
the excentrics (d, and e) and cutter (g).
The other parts of the tool will be understood from the previous description.
The tubular shaft h, is connected by a coupling h¹, with a boss from the front partj,
of the frame of the electric series motor k, which may be of any known construction.
The rear part of the frame j', has a hand wheel 2, or handles formed upon it.
1, is the electric connection with the motor, and 11, the conducting wires.
The shaft k, of the motor at each end has its bearings in the front and rear
framing, and -and the front end of the motor shaft k', is connected with the shaft f,
by a coupling k².
3, are studs for carrying the electric brush holders.
m, is a shackle by which the tool and electric motor are suspended when in use.
The coupling, is free to rotate in the shackle which has a collar h³, upon one side
to keep it in position.
The position of the shackle is such that the weight of the motor on one side of it
about counter-balances the weight of the tool upon the other side of it.
The shackle m, is attached to one end of a rope or chain that passes over a pulley
above it, the other end of the rope having a counter weight to sustain the weight of
the combined motor and tool-The pulley for the rope or chain has its axis in a carriage
that can be moved to and fro on a horizontal bar or other suitable support so that the
tool may be thus readily moved up and down or sideways and brought opposite the
boiler tube to be operated upon.
When using the tool, the motor and its framing and hollow shaft h, are rotated one
revolution at least and then back again after cutting a boiler tube.
When the electric motor is detached from the tool and is stationary in some
convenient position, the front end of the motor shaft k¹, is coupled with one end of
any known construction of flexible shaft n, the other end of which is coupled with
the shaft f, and in this case the excentric d, is rotated by a hand wheel indicated in
dotted line at p, Fig. 5.
The casing c, and excentrics d, and e, may be made of any desired length and may
be passed through a shackle (m) which may be an arm carried by and clamped to any
convenient support or carrier and in such case the shaft f, may be rotated by an
endless band working upon a pulley on the outer end of the shaft f, the endless band
being arranged in any convenient manner say so as to pass from the driving pulley
over suitable guiding pulleys and over two guide pulleys, and under a pulley having a
weight suspended from its axis of rotation in order to give out and take up the slack
rope in the endless driving band and permit of the movement of the tool from one
position to another as in well known arrangements for driving portable drills.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is.
1. The combination of a shaft or spindle having a circular cutter on one end, and
ts bearing in an excentric which excentric has its bearing in another excentric
having its bearing in a casing substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore
described and illustrated by Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive of the drawings.
2. The combination of tool and electric motor, consisting of a shaft or spindle
carrying a circular saw or cutter, an excentric forming the bearings of the said shaft,

page_text: another excentric forming the bearings of the excentric carrying the said shaft, which
latter excentric has its bearings in a tubular casing, and an electric motor by which
rotary motion is imparted to the said shaft substantially as and. for the purposes
herein before described.
'
Dated this 1st day of September 1890'
PETER J. LIVSEY,
Agent.