Down well pipe cutter having a plurality of cutting heads
AssigneeTerydon, Inc.
InventorsTerry D. Gromes, SR., Gary L. Manack, JR.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cutting head assembly uses multiple cutting heads directing ultra-high pressure fluid in different directions towards an inner surface of a pipe to be cut in order to complete a full cut of the pipe while rotating or revolving the multiple cutting heads less than 360 degrees relative to central axis. The ultra-high pressure fluid mixes with abrasive inside fittings on or near each of the nozzles to further assist with cutting through the pipe. Some cutting head assemblies have two nozzles, while other cutting head assemblies have three or four nozzles.
Claims20
A cutting head for a down hole pipe to be cut, the cutting head comprising:
- a first nozzle to direct pressurized fluid along a first nozzle axis towards an inner surface of the down hole pipe;
- a second nozzle to direct pressurized fluid along a second nozzle axis towards a different portion of the inner surface of the down hole pipe;
- wherein the pressurized fluid has a pressure when exiting the first nozzle and second nozzle sufficient to cut the down hole pipe;
- a center axis of the cutting head disposed within an interior bore of the downhole pipe, wherein the first nozzle and the second nozzle each rotate or revolve around the center axis less than 360° operative to collectively impart a 360° cut to the down hole pipe;
- a first abrasive inlet on the first nozzle positioned radially closer to the center axis than a first nozzle outlet;
- a second abrasive inlet on the second nozzle positioned radially closer to the center axis than a second nozzle outlet;
- wherein the first nozzle axis is offset parallel to the second nozzle axis, and the center axis is positioned between the first nozzle axis and the second nozzle axis.
A method comprising:
- disposing a cutting head within a pipe, wherein the cutting head is coupled to a frame having a top edge and a bottom edge, wherein when the cutting head is disposed within the pipe, a first nozzle and a second nozzle are farther from an opening to the pipe than the bottom edge of the frame;
- moving an pressurized fluid through the cutting head;
- moving the pressurized fluid through the first nozzle and the second nozzle, wherein the first nozzle is adapted to direct the pressurized fluid towards a different portion of the pipe than the second nozzle;
- feeding abrasive through a first abrasive feed line to a first abrasive inlet on the first nozzle, wherein the first abrasive inlet is positioned radially inward of a surface of the frame relative to a center axis;
- feeding abrasive to the second nozzle through a second abrasive inlet on the second nozzle, wherein the second abrasive inlet is position radially inward of the surface of the frame relative to the center axis;
- rotating or revolving the cutting head about the center axis less than 360 degrees;
- and
- completing a full 360 degree cut through the pipe without completing a full rotation or revolution of the cutting head relative to the center axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.