US 4,667,548 AGranted

End preparation tool for pipe fittings

AssigneeTri Tool Inc.

InventorsHenry Astle, Jerald VanderPol, Randall Schuster, Terry B. Linton

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Abstract

An end preparation tool for pipe fittings includes an end preparation tool having a rotary cutting head with shaping bits carried thereon mounted on a base that also carries a universal clamping fixture for pipe fittings having end openings to be machined in preparation for welding. The clamping fixture includes workpiece engaging clamping pads that permit adjustment of the position of the workpiece relative to a pair of opposed clamping plates that normally secure the pipe fitting in place relative to the cutting head of the end preparation tool. The clamping fixture includes adjustment features that enable the fixture to be moved transversely relative to the cutting head, along the rotary axis of the cutting head and about a vertical axis that permits indexing of the clamping fixture relative to the tool cutting head. The workpiece engaging pads are disposed in an array that extends along a square and diagonal pattern of intersecting lines, and along lines perpendicular to the square lines between their intersections. By locating workpiece engaging pads in such a geometric array, virtually all conventional fittings can be accommodated between the clamping pads comprising the clamping fixture using a minimum number of pad elements. Several embodiments of clamping pads are described.

An end preparation tool for pipe fitting workpieces comprising:

a base;
a tool carrying cutting head rotatably mounted on the base;
a drive input means for the cutting head arranged to drive the cutting about a longitudinal rotary axis extending generally parallel to the base;
feed means for moving the cuttng head along the rotary axis;
elevation control means for adjusting the vertical position of the cutting head above the base;
a workpiece holder mounted on the base adjacent the cutting head;
indexing means for enabling selective adjustment of the workpiece holder position about a vertical axis;
axial positioning means for enabling selective adjustment of the workpiece holder position in a direction extending parallel to the rotary axis of the cutting head;
transverse positioning means for enabling selective adjustment of the workpiece folder position in a direction laterally transverse of the cutting head rotary axis and generally parallel to the base;
said workpiece holder comprising upper and lower clamping plates adjustably spaced apart vertically;
means for selectively urging the plates towards each other to engage and fixedly retain a workpiece between the plates in alignment with the rotary axis of the cutting head;
upper and lower workpiece engaging pads including workpiece engaging surfaces mounted in opposed pairs on the respective plates, and at least one adjustable height pad mounted on one of the plates including effective height adjustment means for selectively varying the effective height of the contact point of the workpiece engaging surface of said adjustable height pad with a workpiece with respect to the respective plate supporting the pad, all said pads disposed in a geometric array on said plates, the locus of said geometric array comprising a geometric pattern extending along intersecting lines that lie laterally perpendicular and parallel to the cutting head rotary axis in a square configuration and along at least one diagonal line connecting one pair of diagonally opposed corners of the square pattern at an angle of 45.degree. with respect to the lateral and parallel lines.

9 more elements

Abstract

Claims26