Radial cutting tools for cutting thick-walled tubular members

A cutting tool for cutting tubular members comprising:

• an annular frame assembly which is concentrically positionable relative to the tubular member to be cut such that said cutting tool is disposed in a cutting plane which is normal to the tubular member's longitudinal axis;
• a pair of radial cutting assemblies coupled at generally opposed locations to said annular frame for orbital movement as a unit within said cutting plane, wherein
• each of said radial cutting assemblies includes a bit subassembly having (i) a bit support block which is radially movable within said cutting plane toward said tubular member, and (ii) a bit held by said bit support block at a forward end thereof;
• and
• an indexing assembly coupled operatively to each of said radial cutting assemblies for responsively moving each said bit support block radially towards said tubular member simultaneously during orbital movement thereof about said tubular member.

A cutting tool for a cutting tubular member having a longitudinal axis and an interior surface which defines a cylindrical interior space, said cutting tool comprising:

• a mounting frame for positionally mounting said cutting tool within said cylindrical interior space, said mounting frame including,
• a central support column, and
• an annular mounting frame fixed to said support column and adapted to being brought into contact with said interior surface of the tubular member to be cut so as to position said cutting tool concentrically within the tubular member's cylindrical interior space;
• and
• a radial cutting assembly mounted operatively to said mounting frame for cutting the tubular member, said radial cutting assembly including;
• a cutting table assembly which is coupled to said mounting frame for rotational movement about the tubular member's longitudinal axis, said table assembly defining a cutting plane which is positioned substantially normal to the tubular member's longitudinal axis;
• a cutting bit assembly carried by said cutting table assembly so that said cutting bit assembly rotates about the tubular member's longitudinal axis with said cutting table assembly, said cutting bit assembly being mounted to said cutting table assembly for radial rectilinear advancement toward the interior surface of the tubular member;
• and
• an indexing assembly operatively coupled to said cutting bit assembly for radially advancing said cutting bit assembly in response to rotational movement of said table assembly about the tubular member's longitudinal axis, whereby the tubular member is cut at said cutting plane.

A cutting tool for cutting a tubular member comprising:

• a mounting frame for positionally mounting said cutting tool concentrically within the tubular member;
• a cutting table assembly coupled to said mounting frame for rotational movement about the tubular member's longitudinal axis and defining a cutting plane which is positioned substantially normal to the tubular member's longitudinal axis;
• a pair of opposed cutting bit assemblies carried by said cutting table assembly within said defined cutting plane so that said cutting bit assemblies rotate as a unit with said cutting table assembly about the tubular member's longitudinal axis;
• and
• an indexing assembly coupled operatively to said pair of cutting bit assemblies for rectilinearly advancing said pair of cutting bit assemblies toward an interior surface of the tubular member in response to rotation of said cutting table assembly, whereby the tubular member is cut at said cutting plane.