Cable cutter assembly

Abstract

An explosive-type cable cutter assembly which includes a breech housing having a central passageway formed in it and a first slot extending from the exterior surface of the breech housing and opening into the passageway and a second slot extending from the exterior surface of the breech housing and opening into the passageway. The slots are each elongated in the direction of the central axis of the breech and each include a forwardmost edge and a rearwardmost edge. The cable cutting assembly also incldues a threadable plug with an impact wall positioned forward of the slots and radial ports extending from the exterior surface of the breech housing into the passageway between the impact wall and the slots. The cable cutter assembly further includes a piston cutter assembly having a piston cutter adapted for travel within the passageway in the breech housing. The piston cutter assembly includes an explosive cartridge with attached piston cutter. The piston cutter includes a cutting edge and a base end. The piston cutter has an axial length between the base end and the cutting edge which is less than the axial distance between the impact wall and the forwardmost edge of the slots and greater than the axial distance between the impact wall and the rearwardmost edge of the slots. The slots function both as a gas exhaust port and a cable receiving eyelet. The slots are also offset to angle the cable with respect to the piston cutter.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.