Plunge cutting device and method for plastic pipe members such as pipe couplings, flanges, hubs, and the like

A device for plunge cutting pipe, pipe couplings, and the like, including at least an exposed tubular pipe portion comprising:

• a cylindrical body having an end wall and an annular section, said annular section being of selected length and thickness, said annular section being joined to said cylindrical body and defining an inner annular surface and an outer annular surface and a front surface, said cylindrical body having a plurality of slots, substantially equidistantly spaced about the front face of said annular section, each slot extending axially from said front surface to a selected depth and having a substantially constant selected width, each of said plurality of slots defining a leading wall and a trailing wall, said trailing wall lying in a radius of said cylindrical body;
• a plurality of square cutters having beveled edges for each of said slots;
• set screws for adjustably positioning each of said cutters with respect to said slots so that at least two beveled edges project from at least two of said surfaces of said annular section;
• pilot means for guiding said cylindrical body relative to the exposed tubular pipe portion, said pilot means being dimensioned to journal within the exposed tubular pipe portion and being disposed co-axially and secured to said cylindrical body;
• and
• drive coupling means connected to said end wall for coupling said cylindrical body to a source of rotational energy to cause said cylindrical body to rotate about its axis relative to the exposed tubular pipe portion and thereby cause said cutters to plunge cut into the exposed tubular pipe portion.

A method for plunge cutting a pipe member with a tool including a cylindrical body defining an annular section with slots a pilot, and cutters secured within the slots, comprising the steps of:

• a) positioning at least one of the cutters so that it projects radially inwardly from said annular section;
• b) positioning at least one of the cutters so that it projects radially outwardly from said annular section;
• c) positioning at least one of the cutters so that it projects forward of a front face of said annular section;
• d) inserting the pilot into the pipe member to guide the cylindrical body;
• e) rotating the cylindrical body,
• f) moving the cylindrical body axially to bring the cutters into contact with an exposed portion of the pipe member while continuing to rotate the cylindrical body thereby to cause the cutters to plunge cut into the pipe member;
• and
• g) maintaining the cutters in cutting contact with the pipe member until the pipe member is cut to a desired axial extent.

A plunge cutting device comprising:

• a body having an axis, a cylindrical inner periphery, a cylindrical outer periphery coaxial with the inner periphery, and a front portion extending between the inner and outer peripheries;
• at least two cutters mounted on the body, each cutter having a cutting edge projecting from the front portion of the body, the cutting edges collectively extending across the front portion from the outer periphery to the inner periphery of the body;
• a pilot coaxially secured to the body inside the inner periphery of the body and having a cylindrical outer surface for guiding the body with respect to a tubular member, the pilot having a maximum diameter smaller than a diameter of the inner periphery of the body;
• and
• drive coupling means for coupling the body to a source of rotational energy for rotating the body about its axis.

A plunge cutting method for removing a fitting from an exterior of a pipe comprising:

• mounting at least two cutters on a body having cylindrical inner and outer peripheries with cutting edges of the cutters projecting from a front surface of the body and with the cutting edges collectively extending between the inner and outer peripheries of the body;
• inserting a cylindrical pilot coaxially secured to the body into a pipe with an exterior surface of the pilot and the inner periphery of the body separated by at least the wall thickness of the pipe, the pilot having a maximum diameter smaller than a diameter of the inner periphery of the body;
• and
• rotating the body about its axis while contacting the cutters with the fitting to cut axially into the fitting across the entire front surface of the body.