Abstract: An improved clamp structure is disclosed in which a replacable liner element is mounted on a mount body. The liner element is accurately longitudinally positioned relative to the mount body such that the liner can be positioned in any one of a plurality of desired locations. This is particularly valuable if the clamp is utilized in combination with a cutting machine, wherein the cutting is performed adjacent an end face of the liner and it is desired to maintain a proper clearance between the end face of the liner and the cutting element. Several embodiments are disclosed, with a first embodiment including serrated teeth which allow the liner to be incrementally advanced on the mount body. In subsequent embodiments, a threaded member is turned relative to the mount body to change the position of the liner. Finally, a set-up rig is disclosed where the liner is positioned at a location remote from a cutting machine such that a skilled technician can ensure that the liner is properly positioned.

Abstract: A feed apparatus for tubing in which a pair of arms are mounted in scissors fashion and a feed roller and drivingly connected pulley are mounted at each free end of each arm. An endless drive belt is trained around the pulleys and a motor drivingly engages the belt so as to drive the pulleys and thereby the feed rollers. As the arms move in scissors fashion to move the feed rollers into and out of driving engagement with the tubing, the length of the path of the drive belt is shortened but a belt tensioning mechanism operates to compensatingly increase the length of the belt path to maintain a constant tension on the belt and thereby a constant drive to the feed rollers. The tensioning mechanism includes an air cylinder and a tensioning roller secured to the free end of the pistion rod of the air cylinder.

Abstract: A ram-driven cut-off die set of the double-cut type in which sections of tubing are successively severed from a continuous length of tubing by a notching cut followed by a severing cut wherein improved means are provided for mounting and guiding the notching blade in its notching movement. The improved mounting means comprises an upper shaft positioned over the tube path and extending from one side to the other side of the path, a lower guide shaft positioned totally on the one side of the tube path, and a cross slide having a relatively long upper portion slidably journalled on the upper shaft and a relatively short lower portion journalled on the lower guide shaft to maximize the magnitude of the journalling support provided to the notching blade as it makes its reciprocal movement across the tube path to accomplish the notching cut.

Abstract: A ram-driven cut-off die set of the double-cut type in which sections of tubing are successively severed from a continous length of tubing by a notching cut followed by a severing cut wherein improved means are provided for mounting and guiding the notching blade in its notching movement. The improved mounting means comprises an upper shaft positioned over the tube path and extending from one side to the other side of the path, a lower guide shaft positioned totally on the one side of the tube path, and a cross slide having a relatively long upper portion slidably journalled on the upper shaft and a relatively short lower portion journalled on the lower guide shaft to maximize the magnitude of the journalling support provided to the notching blade as it makes its reciprocal movement across the tube path to accomplish the notching cut.

Abstract: A tube cutting apparatus of the type in which jaws carried by relatively reciprocal slides move into and out of clamping engagement with tubing to facilitate severing of lengths of tubing as the tubing is moving rapidly along its lengthwise axis. Each of the jaws is releasably secured to the respective slide by a cam pin which coacts with a cam surface on the jaw to bring an eccentric portion of the cam pin into wedging coaction with the cam surface on the jaw in response to rotation of the pin and firmly and wedgingly secure the jaw to the slide. The jaw may be removed from the slide by simply rotating the cam pin a fraction of a revolution, axially withdrawing the cam pin, and then lifting the jaw out of the slide. Replacement is accomplished by reversing this procedure.

Abstract: A feed apparatus for tubing in which a pair of arms are mounted in scissors fashion and a feed roller and drivingly connected pulley are mounted at each free end of the each arm. An endless drive belt is trained around the pulleys and a motor drivingly engages the belt so as to drive the pulleys and thereby the feed rollers. As the arms move in scissors fashion to move the feed rollers into and out of driving engagement with the tubing, the length of the path of the drive belt is shortened but a belt tensioning mechanism operates to compensatingly increase the length of the belt path to maintain a constant tension on the belt and thereby a constant drive to the feed rollers. The tensioning mechanism includes an air cylinder and a tensioning roller secured to the free end of the piston rod of the air cylinder.

Abstract: A tube cutting apparatus of the type in which jaws carried by relative reciprocal slides move into and out of clamping engagement with tubing, the clamped tubing is thereof notched at its upper periphery with a scarfing blade, and the notched tubing is thereafter severed with a guillotine blade. The scarfing blade and the guillotine blade each are secured to their respective holders by a cam pin which coacts with a cam surface to bring an eccentric portion of the cam pin into wedging coaction with the blade in response to rotation of the pin and firmly and wedgingly secure the blade to its respective holder. The blade may be removed from the respective holder by simply rotating the cam pin a fraction of a revolution and then withdrawing the blade. A new or reground blade is replaced in the respective holder by simple insertion into the holder and rotation of the cam pin a fraction of a revolution in the opposite direction.

Abstract: An apparatus for handling tubing as the tubing is fed to a severing blade for severing into cut sections of predetermined length. The tube handling apparatus includes clamping jaws positioned at the location of the severing blade and a feed tunnel which is arranged rearwardly of the clamping jaws. The feed tunnel includes fingers at its front end which are telescopically received in drilled slots formed on the internal periphery of the clamping jaws so that even very short remnants of tubing occurring after the last full length section of tubing is cut will be maintained in alignment with the tube feed axis by the fingers of the feed tunnel to preclude movement of the remnant tubing into a position of disorientation or dislodgment where it would interfere with the operation of the tube handling apparatus.

Abstract: An overload protection device for the clamping portion of a tube cutoff die set. The overload protection device is used to prevent destructive overload forces in the event a mechanical obstruction prevents the tube clamping die jaws from fully closing in response to the forces applied by a control cam. The overload protector comprises a wedge mounted between rollers. If overload occurs the wedge is squeezed out of position against the operation of a compression spring. After the overload condition is eliminated the wedge is returned to position by the compression spring.

Abstract: A method for dimple free guillotine cutting of multiple wall tube which involves first cutting a transverse notch substantially completely through the outermost tube wall and secondly cutting a notch through the path of the first notch but of greater depth to extend partially through the innermost tube wall. The cutoff function is then finalized by means of a guillotine blade which enters through the coextensive notches. Both pull-across and thrust blades for carrying out the method are disclosed.

Abstract: A ram-driven cut-off die set of the double-cut type in which sections of tubing are successively severed from a continuous length of tubing by a notching cut followed by a severing cut wherein improved means are provided for mounting and guiding the notching blade in its notching movement. The improved mounting means comprises an upper shaft positioned over the tube path and extending from one side to the other side of the path, a lower guide shaft positioned totally on the one side of the tube path, and a cross slide having a relatively long upper portion slidably journalled on the upper shaft and a relatively short lower portion journalled on the lower guide shaft to maximize the magnitude of the journalling support provided to the notching blade as it makes its reciprocal movement across the tube path to accomplish the notching cut.

Abstract: An indexible notching blade for a double-cut tube cut-off die set wherein the notching blade is triangular in configuration to provide three individual cutting edges. Both pull-across and thrust type configurations are disclosed.

Abstract: Apparatus for cutting heavy wall tubing including vertical and horizontal mechanically driven rams operated in sequence to drive blades fully through a tubing section. Notching blades cut shallow notches in the section in advance of the main blade entries thereby to prevent dimpling.

Abstract: A flying cutoff system for tubing and the like wherein a cutting die mechanism (46) is driven by a threadless shaft (36) and traveler assembly (44) powered by a reversible DC motor (40). Die set position relative to the press is accurately monitored even in the presence of slip in the drive.

Abstract: Tube cutoff apparatus of the double cut type wherein a horizontal blade passes across and notches a section of tube wall prior to the entry of a vertical severing blade. The horizontal blade holder assembly comprises a carriage which is interconnected with the base by means of a pair of parallelogram links. In one embodiment the horizontal blade holder assembly is driven through an arcuate path of travel by a depending dogleg cam which is mounted on the upper platen assembly of a die set. In a second embodiment the horizontal blade holder assembly is driven by a linkage including a triangular link and a drive link connected to the upper platen assembly. The result in both cases is to drive the horizontal blade holder assembly through an arcuate path which carries it downwardly and away from the path of the vertical blade in a minimum vertical stroke length.

Abstract: Method for cutting heavy wall steel tubing. The tubing is notched and cut through along a vertical axis but the blade is narrower than the interior diameter so as to leave the side walls uncut. A side wall is preferably notched during the first cut. Thereafter, a second blade is driven horizontally through the side notch to complete the cut.

Abstract: A ram driven tube cutting apparatus of the double cut type in which sections of tubing are successively severed from a continuous length thereof by a notching cut followed by a severing cut, includes improved mechanism for clamping the tubing during the cutting process. A pair of opposed, complemental die jaws are mounted on slides controlled by spaced cam followers carried by the slides. A reciprocating wedge cam engages and forces the cam followers apart to move the slides thereby closing the jaws on the tubing. One of the cam followers comprises a roller mounted on an eccentric shaft which may be selectively rotated to adjust the clearance between the die jaws. The other cam follower is spring loaded toward the cam within a slide mounting provided in its slide and automatically shifts to an overload position to avoid damage to the mechanism when foreign objects become lodged between the die jaws.

Abstract: A flying cutoff for cutting successive lengths of a continuously moving, elongate workpiece includes a carriage assembly provided with a cutoff die set which is slideably mounted on a swinging ram and is selectively accelerated or decelerated in synchronism with the movement of the workpiece by a belt drive system which includes a plurality of endless, flexible, toothed belts, each secured to the carriage assembly and trained around a corresponding drive and idler gear. The belts are of different pitches and/or tensions so as to give the belts differing resonant and harmonic frequencies which tend to cancel each other out in order to eliminate cutting measurement error created by the cumulative effects of belt oscillation. The drive gears are driven by a hydraulic motor whose output is precisely controlled by a direct current, reversible stepping motor.

Abstract: A ram driven tube cutting apparatus of the double cut type in which sections of tubing are successively severed from a continuous length thereof by a notching cut followed by a severing cut, includes improved mechanism for clamping the tubing during the cutting process. A pair of opposed, complemental die jaws are mounted on slides controlled by spaced cam followers carried by the slides. A reciprocating wedge cam engages and forces the cam followers apart to move the slides thereby closing the jaws on the tubing. One of the cam followers comprises a roller mounted on an eccentric shaft which may be selectively rotated to adjust the clearance between the die jaws. The other cam follower is spring loaded toward the cam within a slide mounting provided in its slide and automatically shifts to an overload position to avoid damage to the mechanism when foreign objects become lodged between the die jaws.

Abstract: A flying ram cutoff machine for severing successive lengths of an elongated workpiece continuously moving in the direction of its longitudinal axis employs a bevel gear drive for swinging a ram in synchronization with movement of the workpiece. A motor drive fly wheel and clutch assembly power a drive shaft which extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the workpiece, at the rear of the machine. A pair of bevel gears disposed at spaced locations along the drive shaft form power take-offs for transmitting power from the drive shaft to a pair of input shafts which extend perpendicularly away from the drive shaft and toward the swingable ram. A pair of crank assemblies couple the input shafts with the ram to produce swinging movement of the ram upon rotation of the drive shaft. Backlash of the drive system is controlled by interposing a stabilizing spacer between one of the bevel gears and a stationary support.