APPARATUS FOR CUTTING PIPE

APPAREIL DE COUPE DE TUYAU

English Abstract

An apparatus for cutting pipe includes a central cutting station formed by a ring member carried on a support at the ground so as to be independent of the pipe with an in-feed conveyor apparatus on one side and an out-feed conveyor apparatus for on the other side. The ring member rotates around the axis of the pipe and carries in the rotation a camera, a cutting device and a welding head. The support assembly provides movement of the ring member transversely to and longitudinally of the axis of the pipe. The cutting head can be tilted to form a bevel on the pipe end. The apparatus is controlled by a control system for controlling rotation of the ring member and longitudinal movement of the support assembly so as to cut the pipe in selected directions for welding of the ends or for cutting pipe pups.

French Abstract

Un appareil de coupe de tuyau comprend une station centrale formée d'un élément annulaire porté par un support au sol, de manière que la station centrale soit indépendante du tuyau, avec d'un côté un transporteur d'alimentation et de l'autre, un transporteur d'éjection. L'élément annulaire tourne autour de l'axe du tuyau et transporte dans sa rotation une caméra, un dispositif de coupe et une tête de soudage. L'ensemble support effectue le mouvement de l'élément annulaire de manière transversale à l'axe du tuyau, et de manière longitudinale par rapport à celui-ci. La tête de coupe peut être inclinée de sorte à former un biseau à l'extrémité du tuyau. L'appareil est commandé par un système de commandes qui détermine la rotation de l'élément annulaire et le mouvement longitudinal de l'ensemble support, de sorte à couper le tuyau dans les directions choisies, pour la soudure des extrémités du tuyau ou pour couper des sections de tuyau.

Claims

13
CLAIMS:
1. Apparatus for cutting pipe comprising:
a cutting station;
an in-feed conveyor apparatus for feeding the pipe to be cut into the
cutting station;
an out-feed conveyor apparatus for feeding the pipe after cutting from
the cutting station;
the cutting station comprising a ring member for surrounding an axis of
the pipe arranged outwardly around an exterior wall of the pipe;
the ring member being mounted for rotation around the axis of the
pipe;
a cutting device mounted on the ring member for rotation with the ring
member so as to provide cutting of the pipe;
a support assembly for supporting the ring member;
the support assembly being carried on a support surface independently
of the pipe so as to be movable relative to the pipe;
the support assembly being arranged to provide movement of the ring
member transversely to the axis of the pipe to locate the axis relative to the
ring
member;
the support assembly being arranged to provide movement of the ring
member longitudinally of the axis of the pipe;

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and a control system for controlling rotation of the ring member and
longitudinal movement of the support assembly so as to cut the pipe in
selected
directions.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the cutting device is
attached to the ring member by a support which can be tilted on the ring
member so
as to provide a cutting action in a plane at an angle to the radial plane of
the axis of
the pipe to form a bevel on the pipe.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the cutting
device is attached to the ring member by a support which provides movement of
the
cutting device inwardly and outwardly of the axis of the pipe in the radial
plane of the
pipe.
4. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the
transverse movement of the ring member is vertical.
5. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the
ring member is maintained by the support assembly in a plane radial to the
axis of
the pipe.
6. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the
ring member carries a camera arranged to view the exterior wall of the pipe.
7. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the
ring member carries a welding head.
8 The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein
the
ring member carries a distance sensor arranged to detect the location of the
exterior

15
wall of the pipe and a welding head and wherein the cutting device, the sensor
and
the welding head are arranged at angularly spaced positions around the ring
member.
9. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein the
in-feed conveyor apparatus comprises a conveyor for feeding the pipe
longitudinally
and a chuck for holding the pipe and for changing orientation of the pipe.
10. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein the
in-feed conveyor apparatus comprises a roller conveyor for feeding the pipe
longitudinally.
11. The apparatus according to claim 9 or 10 wherein the out-feed
conveyor apparatus comprises a conveyor co-linear with the conveyor of the in-
feed
conveyor apparatus.
12. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein
the control system is arranged to provide cutting using the cutting device on
the ring
member of a first end of a first pipe, to provide cutting using the cutting
device on the
ring member of a second end of a second pipe, to move the second end of the
second pipe to the first end of the first pipe and to cause welding of the
first end to
the second end using a welding head on the ring member.
13. The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the cutting device
is arranged to cut the first and second ends at an angle to the radial plane
of the first
and second pipes so as to form a bevel thereon.

16
14. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein
the control system is arranged to provide cutting using the cutting device on
the ring
member of a first pipe longitudinally spaced portions of the first pipe so as
to cut the
first pipe into a plurality of pipe pups.
15. The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the out-feed
conveyor includes a plurality of support arms for supporting the pipe pups.

Description

CA 02837428 2013-12-19
APPARATUS FOR CUTTING PIPE
This invention relates to an apparatus for cutting pipes which is
particularly but not essentially direct to cutting pipes such as pipes that
cannot be
readily handled for manual cutting processes. This relates typically to pipes
used in
the oil and gas industry for transporting fluids, although pipes for any
purpose can be
cut using this apparatus.
The pipes can be cut using the apparatus both at ends of the pipe to
shape the end in a radial plane or in other planes and shapes. The pipes can
also
be cut at an intermediate position on the pipe to cut a hole, slot or slit in
the pipe for
example for attachment of transverse pipes at a T-junction.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention there is provided an apparatus for cutting
pipe comprising:
a cutting station;
an in-feed conveyor apparatus for feeding the pipe to be cut into the
cutting station;
an out-feed conveyor apparatus for feeding the pipe after cutting from
the cutting station;
the cutting station comprising a ring member for surrounding an axis of
the pipe arranged outwardly around an exterior wall of the pipe;
the ring member being mounted for rotation around the axis of the
pipe;

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a cutting device mounted on the ring member for rotation with the ling
member so as to provide cutting of the pipe;
a support assembly for supporting the ring member;
the support assembly being carried on a support surface independently
of the pipe so as to be movable relative to the pipe;
the support assembly being arranged to provide movement of the ring
member transversely to the axis of the pipe to locate the axis relative to the
ring
member;
the support assembly being arranged to provide movement of the ring
member longitudinally of the axis of the pipe;
and a control system for controlling rotation of the ring member and
longitudinal movement of the support assembly so as to cut the pipe in
selected
directions.
Preferably the cutting device is attached to the ring member by a
support which can be tilted on the ring member so as to provide a cutting
action in a
plane at an angle to the radial plane of the axis of the pipe to form a bevel
on the
pipe.
Preferably the cutting device is attached to the ring member by a
support which provides movement of the cutting device inwardly and outwardly
of
the axis of the pipe in the radial plane of the pipe.
Preferably the transverse movement of the ring member is vertical.
However movement in other directions can be.

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Preferably the ring member is supported or fixed or maintained by the
support assembly in a plane radial to the axis of the pipe so that it does not
twist out
of that plane.
Preferably the ring member also carries a camera arranged to view the
exterior wall of the pipe and also a welding head with the cutting device, the
camera
and the welding head arranged at angularly spaced positions around the ring
member.
Preferably the in-feed conveyor apparatus comprises a roller or other
longitudinally conveyor for feeding the pipe longitudinally and also includes
a chuck
for holding the pipe at a required position along the axis and for changing
orientation
of the pipe around the axis. This is provided particularly to maintain pipe
orientation
while moving the pipe to carry the next cut position of the pipe to the
cutting head.
The chuck can be located as an annular member around the pipe or can be at one
end of the pipe.
In an alternative the in-feed conveyor is a driven roller conveyor for
feeding the pipe longitudinally in which case the chuck may be omitted
Preferably the out-feed conveyor apparatus comprises a driven roller
conveyor co-linear with the conveyor of the in-feed conveyor apparatus.
Preferably the control system is arranged to provide cutting using the
cutting device on the ring member of a first end of a first pipe, to provide
cutting
using the cutting device on the ring member of a second end of a second pipe,
to
move the second end of the second pipe to the first end of the first pipe and
to cause

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welding of the first end to the second end using a welding head on the ring
member.
The welding system is of course optional and welding may be unnecessary or may
be carried out at a separate station.
Preferably the cutting device can be tilted out of the radial plane so as
to be arranged to cut the first and second ends at an angle to the radial
plane of the
first and second pipes so as to form a bevel thereon.
Preferably the control system is arranged to provide cutting using the
cutting device on the ring member of a first pipe at longitudinally spaced
portions of
the first pipe so as to cut the first pipe into a plurality of pipe pups.
Preferably the out-feed conveyor includes a plurality of support arms
for supporting the pipe pups.
The automated system as described in more detail hereinafter is
divided into stations as follows:
a) The cutting station
is used to cut the pipe to form pipe headers
and to cut pipe pups to the desired length. The cutting station consists of a
camera
for measuring the part to be cut and a plasma cutter for cutting and beveling
the
part. The camera and cutter are mounted on a ring member carried on a support
station for rotation of the camera and cutter around the axis of the pipe.
b) An in-feed
apparatus comprises an in-feed chuck and in-feed
conveyor. The in-feed conveyor is provided for material handling purposes only
and
is arranged to feed the pipe longitudinally into a cutting station. The in-
feed chuck at

CA 02837428 2013-12-19
one end of the conveyor is used for both material handling and rotation of the
pipe
for orientation of the pipe around its axis. The apparatus therefore allow the
material
to be moved into the plant and positioned at the cutting station in the
correct location
for cutting.
5 c) An out-
feed conveyor arranged co-linear with the in-feed
conveyor to cooperate therewith to position the material in the desired
location for
cutting. Both the in-feed and out-feed conveyors include free rollers along
which the
pipe can roll along its axis which allow for easy rotation powered by the
chuck by
which the weight of the pipe is carried on the conveyors and located by the
chuck.
One purpose of the cutting station is to measure, cut, chamfer and
weld together two lengths of pipe while arranged to minimise scrap. The ring
member is mounted at the support station so that it is capable of traveling
vertically
to position the pipe in the center of the station. It also has 80 inches of
linear travel
along the pipe. The plasma cutter can be tilted into an angle relative to a
radial
plane of the axis of the pipe on the ring member to allow bevel cuts of the
pipe
typically at 45 degrees to the radial plane.
The station also can include an optional camera or proximity sensor
which has the ability to precisely measure the orientation and location of the
pipe.
It is of course important to note that pipes are not always straight and are
often non-
circular. Thus the camera is firstly rotated around the pipe on the ring
member to
detect the position of the periphery of the pipe relative to the ring member.
The

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camera is also used in conjunction with the feed mechanism of the chuck and in-
feed conveyor to determine the length of the pipe currently in the in-feed
system.
The station also includes a plasma torch which is a 3- axis cutting torch
carried on a mount which gives it the ability to cut pipe straight, that is in
the radial
plane or at 45 degrees angle to the radial plane to form a bevel.
The mounting of the plasma cutter on the ring member carried on the
movable support station also allows the cutter to cut holes in the pipe for
connection
of headers, where the holes may also include beveled for welded attachment to
the
headers. That is the cutter can be moved both radially of the pipe on the ting
member and longitudinally of the pipe as the ring member is moved
longitudinally to
cut holes in the wall of the pipe which are of any required shape.
Using this set up the following procedure will be followed:
a) The pipe is measured for length and roundness using the in-
feed conveyor, chuck and out-feed conveyor in conjunction with the camera or
proximity sensor mounted on the ring member as the pipe is fed through the
ring
member.
b) Each section of the pipe to be joined is cut straight to ensure
parallel faces, that is in an accurate radial plane of the pipe.
c) The pipe ends are then be bevel cut by tilting the cutter to the
45 degree angle in accordance with weld preparation procedure.
The proposed configuration provides the following benefits:
i) The pipe can be measured and cut in the one location;

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ii) The same cutter can perform the bevel cuts;
iii) The cutter can cut straight or at 45 degree angle bevel;
iv) In a welding process where two pipe ends are connected,
minimal scrap as ends are welded together.
The Cutting Station also can be used to cut a pipe into shorter lengths,
typically called "pipe pups". These can of course be of any required length.
However this operation will require a different set-up procedure. This may
include a
manual element for loading and unloading the pipe pups. For this purposes the
pipe
pups may be supported by extended arms from the out-feed conveyor. The cutting
or pipe pups as short as 100mm in length can be possible from a pipe
approximately
1.5m in length. Using this set up the procedure will be followed that the out-
feed
conveyor arm are manually extended by the operator. The operator should then
retreat behind the safety curtain and reset the machine so that the pipe pups
of the
required length can be cut. The operator can then manually remove the pipe
pups
and repeat until desired number of pipe pups is reached.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
One embodiment of the invention will now be described in conjunction
with the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is an isometric view of one embodiment of cutting apparatus
according to the present invention.
Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the apparatus of Figure 1 taken

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from the out-feed end.
Figure 3 is an isometric view of the apparatus of Figure 1 showing the
cutting station.
Figure 4 is an isometric view of the ring member of Figure 1.
In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding
parts in the different figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
As shown in the Figures there is provided an apparatus 10 for cutting
pipe including a floor support surface 11 carrying an in-feed conveyor
apparatus 12
for feeding the pipe to be cut into the cutting station, an out-feed conveyor
apparatus
13 for feeding the pipe after cutting and a cutting station 14.
The cutting station 14 includes a ring member 14A having an outer
edge 14B and an inner edge 14C surrounding an axis of a pipe 16 to be cut. The
inner edge 14C is arranged outwardly around an exterior wall of the pipe so
that the
diameter is larger than the intended larges pipe to be cut.
The ring member is mounted for rotation around the axis of the pipe on
a ring shaped support 14D coaxial with the ring member so that the support
provides
a bearing 14E to allow the ring member to rotate and a drive motor 14F which
rotates a pinion which runs on a ring gear (not visible) around the ring
member 14A.
The ring member carries at angularly spaced positions around the ring
member on one face of the ring member 14A a camera 14G arranged to view the
exterior wall of the pipe, a cutting head 14H and a welding head 14J.

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The cutting device or head 14H is mounted on the ring member 14A
for rotation with the ring member 14A so as to provide cutting of the pipe.
The
cutting head 14H has a main mounting portion 14K carried on a bracket on the
ring
with a slidable portion 14L movable radially of the axis of the pipe by a
motor 14M.
The slidable portion 14L carries the cutting torch 14N which can be tilted
about an
axis 14Q which is at right angles to the radial line from the axis so as to
tilt the
cutting torch. This allows the cutting device to be tilted on the ring member
so as to
provide a cutting action in a plane at an angle to the radial plane of the
axis of the
pipe to form a bevel on the pipe.
The camera 14G includes a camera module 14T carried on a mount
14S attached to a bracket on the ring 14A. The camera has a field of view 14U
directed inwardly on to an outer face of the pipe within the ring 14A.
The welding head 14J has a welding torch 14W carried on a mount
14V mounted on a bracket on the ring 14A. The torch 14W can tilt on a support
arc
ember 14X so as to be advanced or retarded as it moves on the ring 14A around
the
pipe.
The fixed ring 14B is carried on a movable support assembly 15 for
supporting the ring member including an inner frame 15A which can be lifted
vertically on an outer frame 15B so adjust the position of the ring 14B
relative to the
axis of the pipe to accommodate larger and smaller pipes. The outer frame 15B
can
slide longitudinally of the axis on a main support 15C so as to move the ring
longitudinally of the pipe. The main support includes a vertical frame carried
on

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bottom legs 15D on the support surface 11. In this way the ring member is
supported entirely independently of the pipe so as to be movable relative to
the pipe
while the pipe remains stationary or the pipe can be moved through the ring on
the
in-feed conveyor. The outer frame or carriage 15B is carried at the bottom on
a
As shown in Figure 1, one option for the in-feed conveyor 12 is to
As shown in Figure 3, an alternative arrangement of the in-feed
The out-feed conveyor 13 comprises a plurality of rollers 13A mounted
in a frame 13B again each driven around its axis by a drive system 13C. The
height
of the rollers 13A can be adjusted by raising a top section of the frame 13B
by a

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11
Thus in particular, rotation of the ring member and longitudinal movement of
the
support assembly can be accurately and simultaneously controlled so as to cut
the
pipe in selected directions. The control system 17 is arranged to carry out a
cutting
action at the first end 15A of a first pipe 15 using the cutting device 14H on
the ring
member. The same system can be used to provide cutting using the cutting
device
on the ring member of a second end of a second pipe. When both are cut, the in-
feed and out-feed conveyors are controlled to move the second end of the
second
pipe up to the first end of the first pipe and the welding head on the ring
member is
operated to cause welding of the first end to the second end as the head is
driven
around the butting ends of the pies by the ring member.
In some cases the cutting device is arranged to cut the first and
second ends at an angle to the radial plane of the first and second pipes as
shown in
Figure 3 so as to form a bevel on each end and these bevelled ends are bought
together to provide the weld line.
In an alternative operation the control system is arranged to provide
cutting using the cutting device 14H on the ring member of the pipe 6 at
longitudinally spaced portions of the first pipe so as to cut the first pipe
into a
plurality of pipe pups. As each cutting action is performed, the cut pipe pups
are
moved forwardly onto the out-feed conveyor and can be lifted off the rollers
of that
conveyor by lift arms 13P, 13Q for supporting the pipe pups and lifting them
to one
side for removal.
The rotation of the ring member and longitudinal movement of the

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support assembly as accurately and simultaneously controlled by the control
system
can be used so as to cut the pipe in selected directions to carry out the
process of
cutting holes and complex shapes in the side wall of the pipe or of cutting
the end
face of the pipe into complex shapes. That is the machine can be used not just
as a
cut-off machine but it also cuts profiles in or on the pipe or acts to form
slits in the
pipe.

Representative Drawing