Patent Application
20080104848
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
This invention relates generally to the field of pipe cutting tools and more specifically to a reciprocating pipe cutter.
The cutting of utility pipes such as water pipes or gas pipes is usually done with known cutting means tools such as hand or electrically powered hack saws, reciprocating saws, abrasive cutoff disks or band saws.
There are occasions where a plumber or other professional tradesman must cut a pipe while the pile is already in place in a home or office. In many cases, the pipe to be cut is located near another object such as a hot water heater or an adjacent wall.
Existing pipe cutting tools, while effective in most cases, have difficulty when it comes to cutting a pipe that is in close proximity to another object or wall.
For example, a plumber may choose to use an electrically powered reciprocating saw with a metal saw blade installed, to cut through a copper water pipe however, the tip of the saw blade may accidentally puncture a wall located behind the pipe, causing additional time to be spent in repairing the damaged wall.
George Montgomery, in his U.S. Pat. No. 3,951,564 shows a cutting blade assembly attached to a hand drill. Although the device can be used in tight spaces, it requires that a portion of the device be positioned behind the pipe to be cut. This may not be possible for a pipe that is placed very close to a wall as well as other nearby objects. Similarly, Timothy Risser, in his U.S. Pat. No. 5,829,142 as well as Kent Meyers in his patent U.S. Pat. No. 7,013,567 also require the user to place a portion of the device behind the pipe to be cut. Fernando Figueredo et al in their U.S. Pat. No. 4,258,763 discloses a cutting device that includes a reciprocating wire saw and does not require the user to have access to the rear of the object being cut, however, the devices described are for large, non pipe cutting applications such as the cutting of a tree. Additionally, no provision is made for cutting pipes of varying diameters.
The primary object of the invention is to provide a pipe cutter that allows a person to cut an installed plumbing pipe even if there are other fixed objects in close proximity to the pipe.
Another object of the invention is to provide a pipe cutter that does not damage walls or other surfaces that may be in close proximity to the pipe being cut.
Another object of the invention is to provide a pipe cutter that can be easily attached to an electrically powered reciprocating saw tool.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following descriptions, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is disclosed reciprocating pipe cutter comprising: a saw to pipe cutter interface plate, a reciprocating blade, a saw wire, a blade to wire connection assembly, a fixed pulley retaining bracket, a rotatable pulley retaining arm, a first second and third set of saw wire engaging pulleys, an extension spring, a spring to wire connection assembly and an electrically powered reciprocating saw tool. Said interface plate is attached to the working end of said reciprocating saw tool. Said fixed pulley retaining arm is fixedly attached in a perpendicular orientation to said interface plate. Said fixed pulley arm includes a pinned connection joint to rotatably join one end of said rotatable pulley retaining arm. Said reciprocating blade is attached at one end to said electrically powered saw tool in a standard way. Said reciprocating blade has an aperture at the opposite end to accept said blade to wire connection assembly. One end of said saw wire is attached to said wire connection assembly. Said first pulley is attached to said fixed pulley retaining bracket so that said wire, when attached to said reciprocating blade, can continue and be engaged along the inboard side surface of said first pulley, said saw wire continuing along the length of said fixed bracket the then engage the outboard surface of said second pulley located at the distal end of said fixed bracket, said saw wire continuing until it engages the outboard surface of said third pulley located at the distal end of said rotating pulley retaining arm. Said saw wire terminating at one end of said extension spring by said spring to wire assembly, and said spring being fixedly retained at its opposite end by a standard retaining member to said interface plate.
The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments to the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. It is to be understood that in some instances various aspects of the invention may be shown exaggerated or enlarged to facilitate an understanding of the invention.
Detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiment are provided herein. It is to be understood, however, that the present invention may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but rather as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed system, structure or manner.
Referring now to
While the invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular form set forth, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
