Apparatus and method for slotting a pipe

A method for slotting a pipe, the pipe having a pipe length, a pipe wall and a pipe longitudinal axis, the pipe wall having a pipe external surface defining a pipe circumference, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) positioning the pipe on a stationary pipe bed;
• (b) moving a clamping system associated with the pipe bed to a clamped position to releasably secure the pipe to the pipe bed, the clamping system comprising a clamp length and a clamping surface, such that the clamping surface engages at least about 50 percent of the pipe circumference and at least about 50 percent of the pipe length, and such that the clamping system defines a longitudinal clamping gap extending along the clamp length which is oriented to permit the slotting of the pipe therethrough;
• (c) providing a movable cutting head at a location adjacent to the pipe bed, the cutting head comprising a plurality of cutters for slotting the pipe, the cutters linearly arranged along the cutting head in a row substantially parallel to the longitudinal clamping gap;
• (d) first moving the cutting head in a direction toward the longitudinal clamping gap to move the cutters into engagement with the pipe wall such that the pipe wall is perforated by the cutters through the longitudinal clamping gap at a location of contact between the cutters and the pipe wall;
• (e) second moving the cutting head longitudinally relative to the pipe bed along the longitudinal clamping gap, wherein the second moving step is performed independently from the first moving step and in sequence following the first moving step, such that the perforated pipe wall is further cut by the cutters through the longitudinal clamping gap to form a first plurality of discrete slots, each of the slots having a length;
• (f) third moving the cutting head away from the longitudinal clamping gap so that the cutters are moved out of engagement with the pipe wall;
• (g) moving the clamping system to an unclamped position from the clamped position;
• (h) rotating the pipe about the pipe longitudinal axis;
• and
• (i) repeating steps (a) through (f) to form a second plurality of discrete slots, wherein the first plurality of discrete slots and the second plurality of discrete slots are spaced circumferentially about the pipe circumference.