Long reach cable cutting tool including dual action hydraulic piston assembly and releasable connections

A dual action hydraulic piston assembly, comprising:

• a cylinder having first end and a second end opposite the first end and defining an inner diameter, the cylinder including a first inlet port located at the first end, a second fluid inlet port located at the first end, and a fluid outlet port located at the second end, the first and second inlet ports for receiving a first fluid;
• a conduit having an outer diameter and connected to the first inlet port;
• an inner ram having an open distal end and a closed proximate end and defining an outer diameter, the inner ram defining a fluid cavity extending inward from the open distal end, the fluid cavity having an inner diameter substantially equal to and greater than the outer diameter of the conduit, the conduit extending into the fluid cavity, the inner ram slidably connected to an outer surface of the conduit, and an outer ram stop extending outward from and around the inner ram about the distal end;
• an outer ram having an open distal end and an open proximate end and defining an inner diameter, the inner diameter of the outer ram substantially equal to and greater than the outer diameter of the inner ram, the outer ram slidably connected to an outer surface of the inner ram, the outer ram defining an inner ram stop about the distal end and matable with the outer ram stop, a length of the outer ram along a longitudinal axis being less than a length of the inner ram along the longitudinal axis.

A dual action hydraulic piston assembly, comprising:

• a closed cylinder having first and second inlet ports on a first end and an outlet port on a second end;
• a conduit fixed to and extending into the cylinder and connected to the first inlet port;
• an inner ram defining an inner cavity slidably mated with an outer surface of the conduit;
• an outer ram defining an inner surface slidably mated with an outer surface of the inner ram and an outer surface slidably mated with an inner surface of the cylinder,
• wherein in a fully retracted state a proximate end of the inner ram and a proximate end of the outer ram are positioned about the first end of the cylinder, and a distal end of the inner ram and a distal end of the outer ram are positioned a distance from the second end of the cylinder defining a second fluid space,
• wherein the inner ram and outer ram are movable by a first fluid displaced into the inner cavity via the conduit to provide displacement through the outlet port of a second fluid contained in the second fluid space at a first flow rate and a first pressure,
• wherein the outer ram is movable by the first fluid displaced via the second inlet port, into a first fluid space, to provide displacement through the outlet port of a second fluid contained in the second fluid space at a second flow rate less than the first flow rate and a second pressure greater than the first pressure.