Boiler tube removal apparatus
AssigneeAdvanced Cutting Technologies, Ltd.
InventorsBruce V. Weeks, Richard Arthur, Gary E. Ingram
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus is provided for removing the severed end-portions of boiler tubes installed and retained in a boiler header without consequential boiler header metal damage and in a manner whereby a compression gap of uniform width is machined throughout the length and thickness of each retained boiler tube end-portion selected for removal, the machined boiler tube end-portion is subsequently compressed to significantly close the machined compression gap and reduce the tube end cross-sectional circumference, and the compressed tube end is withdrawn longitudinally from engagement with the boiler header tube-mounting bore.
Claims5
Apparatus for use in removing the severed end portion of a boiler tube having an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface retained in a boiler header and comprising, in combination:
- a support structure;
- a clamping device connected to said support structure and having a selectively expandable mandrel removably connected to the boiler tube;
- and
- a hydraulically-actuated tube slitter device connected to said support structure having a cutter head positioned for reciprocable movement within the boiler tube severed end-portion,
- said hydraulically-actuated tube slitter device having a metal-shaving plane element that is reciprocated throughout the length of said boiler tube severed end-portion, and having an adjustment mechanism for radially advancing said metal-shaving plane element from the inner wall surface to the outer wall surface of said boiler tube severed end-portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.