Rapidly retractable tool support for a pipe machining apparatus
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorRoy C. Coakley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Pipe machining apparatuses, tool supports, and methods of operating pipe machining apparatuses are provided. In one aspect, a pipe machining apparatus includes a frame, a tool carrier coupled to and movable relative to the frame, and a tool support coupled to and movable with the tool carrier relative to the frame. The tool support is adapted to support a tool and move the tool in a first direction toward a pipe at a first increment and move the tool in a second direction away from the pipe at a second increment. The second increment is larger than the first increment.
Claims18
A pipe machining apparatus comprising:
- a frame;
- a tool carrier coupled to and movable relative to the frame;
- and
- a tool support coupled to and movable with the tool carrier relative to the frame, wherein the tool support is adapted to support a tool and move the tool in a first direction toward a pipe at a first increment and move the tool in a second direction away from the pipe at a second increment, the second increment being larger than the first increment;
- wherein the tool support further includes a feed screw, a tool clamp adapted to engage the tool and coupled to and movable along the feed screw in both the first and second directions, and a worm gear movable between a first position, in which the worm gear couples to the feed screw, and a second position, in which the worm gear is uncoupled from the feed screw.
A method of operating a pipe machining apparatus, the method comprising:
- fixedly coupling a frame of the pipe machining apparatus to a pipe;
- moving a tool carrier relative to the frame, wherein the tool carrier is moveably coupled to the frame;
- advancing a tool coupled to the tool carrier toward the pipe at a first increment;
- retracting the tool away from the pipe at a second increment larger than the first increment;
- and
- moving a worm gear to a first position in which the worm gear couples with a feed screw, wherein the feed screw is coupled to the tool, and wherein advancing a tool further comprises rotating the worm gear to rotate the feed screw and advance the tool toward the pipe at the first increment.
A tool support for a pipe machining apparatus, the tool support comprising:
- a rotatable feed screw;
- a tool clamp coupled to the feed screw and adapted to support a tool, wherein the tool clamp is movable along the feed screw to move the tool in a first tool direction and a second tool direction;
- and
- a worm gear movable between a first position, in which the worm gear couples with the feed screw and rotation of the worm gear in a first worm gear direction rotates the feed screw to move the tool in the first tool direction and rotation of the worm gear in a second worm gear direction rotates the feed screw to move the tool in the second tool direction, and a second position, in which the worm gear is uncoupled from the feed screw and the feed screw is rotatable independently of the worm gear.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.